The Best Destinations of India by SACHIN SAPARIA (best english books to read TXT) 📖

29. Gangtok (Sikkim)

Sikkim, the land of abundance, beauty and adventure, is a picturesque place with soaring mountains, plunging rivers and lush tropical forests an ideal place for mountaineering, trekking, walking, and water rafting. Attractions includeKhecheopalri Lake, Kanchenjunga National Park, Tendong Hills, Tsomgo lake, Yumthang valley and monasteries. Airport:Bagdogra (124 km) Railheads: Siliguri (114 km) Jalpaiguri (125 km).

30. Gaya and Bodh Gaya (Bihar)

Gaya is a very sacred pilgrim center for Hindus. The temple of Vishnupad on the bank of the river Falgu, Brahmajuni Hill, the museum, Barbar caves, the temple ofSurya, are the attractions here. Bodh Gaya, where lord Buddha attained enlightenment, is the most important Budhist pilgrimage site in the world. The Bodhi tree, the Mahabodhi Temple, the 25 meter high Great Buddha statue, the museum, Lotus tank, Vajrasana, ancient railings and Ratnagar, offer much to tourists.

31. Goa

Goa keeps a distinct style and culture and the palm fringed beaches are its main attraction. There are also churches, paddy fields, temples, coconut palm groves, gardens and crumbling forts guarding rocky capes and estuaries. Other attractions: the Secretarial building, the Mahalakshmi Temple, Se CAthedral, Church of St. Francis of Assissi, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Church of St. Cajetan, Church of St. Augustine, Church of St. Monica, Goa state museum, Bondla Wildlife sanctuary, Dudhasagar falls, Aravelam waterfalls, Terekhol fort, kerkar art complex and Ponda Hindu temples.

32. Guwahati (Assam)

The gateway to the North-Eastern region of India. Important attractions are theUmananda Temple, Navagrah Temple, Kamakhya Temple, museum, zoo and botanical gardens. Kaziranga National Park, (233 km), is the home of the great many other animals as well as birds. Airport: Borjha (23 km).

33. Gwalior (M.P.)

Gwalior has a very large 3 km long fort. Within the fort walls are several temples and ruined palaces. Sas Bahu ka Mandir, Chatarbhuj Mandir and the Teli ka Mandir built in 9th century are the important temples and between these is a modern Sikh Gurudwara. The Man Mandir Palace, the jai Vilas Palace and museum, the Karan palace, Jehangir Palace, Shah Jahan palace, Gujari Mahal palace with an archeological museum inside etc. are worth visiting. A sandstone Jama Masjid, tomb of Mohammad Gaus, the tomb of Tansen and Moti Mahal, in the old town are other attractions.

34. Hampi (Karnataka)

Hampi, the capital of ancient Vijayanagar Kingdom is now a UNESCO World heritage Site. The palace, Queen's bathing enclosure, Lotus Mahal, the monolith of Ugra Narasimha, Vithala Temple, virupaksha Temple, the stone chariot, Hazara Rama Temple, elephant stables and the museum are main attractions. Chitradurga fort and Thungabhadra dam are near hampi. Airport: Bellary (74 km). Railhead: Hospet.

35. Haridwar-Rishikesh (Uttaranchal)

At Haridwar, situated at the base of the Shivalik hills, the Ganges leaves the mountains and enters the plains. Har-ki-Pauri where people take a dip in a the holyGanges is believed to be most sacred. The Manasa Devi temple, Daksh Mahadeva temple, Sapt Rishi ashram, Parmath Ashram, and Chandi Temple, etc. are major attractions. Rishikesh surrounded by hills on three sides is reputed to be the Yoga capital of the world.

36. Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)

Hyderabad, the pearl city, is an important center of Islamic culture and was the seat of the wealthy Nizams. The well-known monument, Charminar built in 1591, has four minarets from its corners. Other attractions: Mecca masjid, birla Mandir Temple, Buddh Purniama (th 17.5 meter high and 350 tonne monolithic statue in the Hussain Sagar), the Salar Jung museum, Shilpa Gram, Nehru Zoological Park, the Archeological Museum, Birla Planetarium, Ramoji Film City, etc. The Golconda fort built on a 120 meter high granite hill and the Qutab Shahi tomb lie about 11 km west of the city.

37. Imphal (Manipur)

Manipur valley surrounded by hills is rich in art and tradition with folklore, myths, dances, games and handicrafts. Imphal at 790 m. has many attractions such as Loktak lake, Govindjee Temple, the all woman Ima market, Khonghampat Orchidarium, the Zoo, Shaheed Minar, Phubala Moirang, etc. Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only last natural habitat of Sangi, the dancing deer of Manipur. Imphal has an airport and the nearest railhead is Dimapur, 215 km away.

38. Jabalpur (M.P.)

Jabalpur, is famous for the gorge on the Narmada river known as the Marble Rocks. Situated 22 km from jabalpur, the trip up the 2 km long gorge is made in a rowboat. Other attractions include the Dhuandhar waterfalls, Chausath YoginiTemple, Rani Durgawati museum, Tilwara ghat, Bhera ghat, Madan Mohan fort, Sangram Sagar, Soapstone Artefacts.

39. Jaipur - Alwar (Rajasthan)

Jaipur, the Pink City, the colorful capital of a richly colorful state, has massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples, and marvellous gardens. Hawa Mahal, the City Palace Musuem, the Chandra Mahal, the Central Museum in the Ram NiwasGardens, Jal Mahal Palace, Sheeshmahal Palace (pavilion of mirrors), Jaigarh and Nahargarh forts, the Jantar mantar etc are places to visit. It is also the home for handicrafts, beautiful textile prints, delicate jewellery and precious gems and stones. Amber (11 km) was the capital of Jaipur for six centuries and the fortress palace, built in 1592, has Mughal and Hindu style of architecture.

40. Jaisalmer - Barmer - Bikaner (Rajasthan)

jaisalmer in the Thar desert, was founded in 1156. Today the Desert City blooms with intricately carved havelis, and old Jain temples. The fort, Gadi Sagar lake, manak Chowk, Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli, Lodruva, Wood Fossil Park (17 km), Sam Sand Dunes (42 km), and the Desert National Park (45 km) etc are attractions. The landscape and sea of sand dunes makes it a beautiful and sea of sand dunes makes it a beautiful place. Bharmer: Desert town 153 km south of Jaisalmer is known for woodcarving carpets, embroidery and block printing. There are two annual fairs, Thar Festival and Cattle Fair. Bikaner: 15th c. royal walled city, well known for the best riding camels. Attractions include Junagarh Fort,Lalgarh Palace, Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum.

41. Jammu (J & K)

The winter capital of J & K has interesting attractions like Raghunath andRambireswar Temple, the Dogra Art Gallery, the Amar Mahal Palace, the PalaceMuseum, Vaishno Devi Cave Temple etc. The road from jammu to Kashmir is delightfully scenic with the mountain roads snaking alongside gurgling rivers, waterfalls and golden valleys. Surinsar and Mansar Lakes, the Palace of Colors at Ramnagar, Kud hill resort, Patnitop hill station, Batote hill resort and Sudh Mahadev temple are some of them. The area is ideal for trekking, skiing, and aero-sports.

42. Jodhpur (Rajasthan)

Jodhpur, at the edge of the Thar Desert the capital of the old Marwar State is now one of the leading centers for wood, cattle, camels, salt and agricultural products. Attractions are the Meheragarh Fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace, Jaswant Thada Museum,Balsamand Lake and Garden, Kailana Lake, Rohit Fort, Luni fort, MahamandirTemple, Mandore and Umaid gardens.

43. Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu)

The "City of thousand temples" is one of the seven sacred cities and is also famous for its handwoven silk fabrics. Attractions are the 8th century Kailasanatha Temple and Vaikunda-perumal Temple, Ekambaranatha temple spreading over nine hectares, Kamakshi-amman Temple, the Ardhanareeswarar, the 57 meter high Rajagopuram and the 2500 year old mango tree. Varadarajaswami Temple has a hundred pillared hall, exquisite sculpures, a massive chain carved out of a single stone and temple jewellery. Airport: Meenambakkam (87 km).

44. Kanpur (U.P.)

Situated on the banks of river Ganga, it was a center of activities of many stalwarts during the freedom movement. This industrial city has many attractions like Shri Radhakrishna Temple, the site of General Wheeler's entrenchment, All Souls' Memorial Church, Jain glass Temple, Phool Bagh, Allen Forest Zoo, Jajmau, Kamala Retreat, Nana Rao Park, Moti Jheel, Tapeshwari Devi Temple etc.

45. Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) (Tamil Nadu)

The southern tip of main land India is the confluence of the Indian ocean, Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal, where one can see the sunset and moon rise simultaneously on a full moon evening. The Vivekananda Rock and the Memorial built in 1970 consist of a 2.2 meter high bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda mounted on a pedestal of 1.4 meters and a meditation hall. The KanyakumariTemple, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial and the 133-feet-tall statue of Thiruvalluvar are the other attractions. Airport: Thiruvananthapuram.

46. Khajuraho (M.P)

It is home to perhaps the most famous of India's temples on account of their remarkable erotic sculptures. The 20 temples of Khajuraho built around 950 to 1050 AD are good examples of Indo-Aryan architecture and the statues carved around cover gods, processions, hunting scenes and erotic figures. Other architectural wonders: the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Devi JagadambaTemple, Vishvanath Temple, Matangeshvara Temple. The archaeological museum, the Panna National Park (27 km) and the Dance Festival (march) also attract tourists. Connected by air, nearest railhead Jhansi (172 km).

47. Khandala - Lonavla - Karla (Maharashtra)

Hill stations of the Western Ghats offer many opportunities of the visitors. The twin hill stations of Khandla and Lonavla (4 km) have scenic views with waterfalls and is a base to visit the Karla (12 km) and Bhaja caves. Bedsa caves, Lohagad Fort ruins and Visapur Fort ruins are the other attractions. Mumbai (124 km) is the nearest airport.

48. Kochi (Kerala)

Kochi (Cochin) consists of Ernakulam, the Willingdon island, Bogatty, Mattanchery, Vypin island, and Fort Cochin. St. Francis Church with the tomb stone of Vasco da Gama, the Mattanchery Palace (Dutch Palace), the Jewish synagogue constructed in 1568 and rebuilt in 1664 by the Dutch are important monuments to be seen. Other attractions: Harbour, Chinese fishing nets, Eranakulathappan Temple, Parishath Thampuran museum and an amusement park.

49. Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu

Kodaikanal, at 2133 meters, nestles around the man made Kodai lake spreading over sixty acres. Kodai has thinkly wooded slopes, well laid out walking path through picturesque prospects, tumultous waterfalls and steep rock outdrops. Shembaganur Natural History Museum, Bryant Park, Solar Physical Observatory,Kurunji Andavar Temple, Green Valley view, Pillar rocks, Telescope, Coakers walk, etc are other attractions. Airport: Madurai (120 km).

50. Kolkata (Calcutta) (West Bengal)

Calcutta (the city of joy), the capital of West Bengal and former capital of British India has many magnificent monuments. It sprawls along the Hoogly river and theHowrah bridge crosses the river in a single 450 meter span. The Eden Gardens has a beautiful lake and a Burmese pagoda. Attractions: Indian Museum, the Fort William, Shahid minar, the Victoria Memorial Hall and Museum, Rabindra Sarovar, Writers Buildings, Birla Planetarium, the National Library, the zoo, Marble Palace and Belur math (HQ of the Ramakrishna Mission). Santiniketan (136 km from Kolkata), is a must for those interested in art, culture and works of Tagore.

51. Konark (Orissa)

The Sun Temple (Black Pagoda) at Konark, built 13th c., is a reflection of the architectural brilliance of Vedic India. The temple built like a chariot has 12 gigantic carved stone wheels on each side and seven stone horses and the entrance is guarded by two stone lions crushing elephants. The Nine Planet's Shrine, the archeological museum and the beach (3 km) are other attractions. Airport:Bhubaneswar (65 km).

52. Kumarakom-Kottayam-Thekkandy (Kerala)

Kumarakom bird sanctuary (16 km), on an island in Vembanadu Lake is also an ideal place for water cruises. One can stay on house boats sailing on the backwater and the Kollam-Kottayam-Allappuzha route is rich in its scenic beauty. Boat races are held annually. Kottayam, a town of 'lakes, latex and letters' has some beautiful old churches and offices of major dailies including Malayala Manorama. Nearest Airport: Kochi, (76 km). Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Thekkady) encompassing an area of 777 sqkm has a 26 sqkm artifical lake surrounded by evergreen forest and grasslands, home to bison, antelopes, sambar, wild boar, monkeys, langur, spotted deer, elephants, tigers and over 160 species of birds. Thekkady is the center inside the park with hotels and boat jetty and Kumily, 4 km from sanctuary, is the closest town. Nearest airports: Madurai (134 km), Kochi (190 km). Railhead: Kottayam (114 km).

53. Kullu & Manali (H.P)

Kullu is famous for its colorful Dussehra (October) and the picturesque lush green valleys. Parashar lake, Raison meadow, Kaisdhara, Malana Valley, Naggar (the abode of Reorich's), the Lord Raghunath Temple and Jagannath Devi Temple, etc are worth seeing. Manali, at an altitude of 6000 feet, has attractions like manikaran Gurudwara, Ram Mandir, Dhungri Temple, Vashisht village, Rahla falls, Jagatsukh, Bhrigu lake, Solang point, Beas kund, etc. It is also ideal for mountaineering, trekking, rafting and skiing. Airport: Bhuntar. Railhead: Chandigarh.

Ladakh (J & K)

Ladakh, the land of high passes, is a high altitude plateau north of the Himalaya situated geographically in Tibet. Ladakh is barren, an otherworldly place with soaring hilltops, ancient palaces and shattered looking landscapes. All around Ladakh are gompas, the Buddhist monasteries. There are direct flights from important nearest cities. Srinagar, 434 km by road.

55. Lakshadweep Islands

A group of 36 islands (only 9 inhabited) located in the Arabian sea, about 300 km from Kerala. This land of million birds and thousands of tortoises is densely covered with coconut palms. The extensive coral reefs are a paradise for sub-aqua enthusiasts and the shallow lagoons are perfect for novice divers. There are flights from Kochi and Goa to the islands.

56. Leh (J & K)

Has a nine-storey palace and a Buddhist Temple. The Victory Fort at Namgyal Hills, Important Gompas, the Changspa village, the Ladakh Ecological Center, maravianChurch, Skara suburb, etc are other attractions. It is also famous for trek-king routes and white-water rafting trips on the Indus river. Airport: Leh, Railhead:Jammu.

57. Lucknow (U.P)

An Important center of culture. Major attractions: the alleys of Bara Imambara (Asia's largest vaulted hall), the