India is a country located in South Asia, with a population of about 1.46 billion people, making it the most populous country in the world. The country's capital city is New Delhi, and Mumbai is India's business centre. That's why Mumbai is sometimes referred to as the country's financial capital. The country shares borders with the following countries: Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, and it also shares maritime borders with the Maldives and Sri Lanka. India covers an area of approximately 3.287 million square kilometers of land, making it the seventh largest country in the world. The following are the tourist attractions found in India;
Nek Chand Rock Garden.
It's the surreal fantasy of the much-missed Nek Chand (1924–2015), a local transport official who, starting in 1957, spent almost 20 years personally creating more than 2000 sculptures using stones, debris, and other discarded junk that was left over from the 50-odd villages destroyed to build the city of Chandigarh. Today, entering this fantastical, 7-hectare sculpture garden is like falling down a rabbit hole into the labyrinthine interior of one man’s imagination. Materials used in the construction of the garden range from concrete and steel drums to light switches, broken bathroom sinks, terracotta scrap, and bicycle frames. Highlights include a legion of dancing girls made from broken glass bangles and a graceful arcade of towering arches with dangling rope swings.
Viceregal Lodge.
A cross between Harry Potter's Hogwarts and a Scottish baronial castle, this 1888 pile was the official summer residence of the British viceroys until World War II and the scene of two crucial conferences (1945 and 1946) that essentially sealed the partition of India. To explore the inside, join a group (departing every 45 minutes from the cafe/ticket booth) for a 20-minute tour of three rooms featuring historic photos. Then exit through the superb three-storey entrance hall, which resembles an MC Escher design built in Burmese teak.
The rest of the huge, grey sandstone building houses a postdoctoral humanities research centre, whose 180,000-volume library occupies the old ballroom and more. The well-manicured gardens make a stroll even if you don't take the house tour.
The Residency.
The largest collection of gardens and ruins that transform the Residency offers a fascinating historical glimpse of the beginning of the end for the British Raj. Built in 1800, the Residency became the stage for the most dramatic events of the 1857 First War of Independence (Indian Uprising): the Siege of Lucknow, a 147-day siege that claimed the lives of thousands. The leafy compound has been left as it was at the time of the final relief, and the walls are still pockmarked from bullets and cannonballs. The focus is on the small museum (9am to 5pm) in the main Residency building, which reflects a scale model of the original buildings and sketches made after the uprising. The currently closed basement rooms were where many of the British women and children lived throughout the siege.
Hawa Mahal.
It is an extraordinary pink-painted, delicately honeycombed hive that rises a dizzying five storeys. It was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to enable ladies of the royal household to watch the life and processions of the city. The top offers stunning views over Jantar Mantar and the City Palace in one direction and over Sireh Deori Bazaar in the other. There’s a small museum (open Saturday to Thursday), with miniature paintings and some rich relics, such as ceremonial armour, which help evoke the royal past. Claustrophobes should be aware that the narrow corridors can sometimes get extremely cramped and crowded inside the Hawa Mahal.
Har-Ki-Pairi Ghat.
It's where Vishnu is said to have dropped some divine nectar and left behind a footprint. Every evening, hundreds of worshippers gather for the Ganga aarti (river worship ceremony). Officials in blue uniforms collect donations and, as the sun sets, bells ring out a rhythm. Torches are lit, and leaf baskets with flower petals inside and a candle on top are lit and placed on the river to drift away downstream. Tourists can mingle with the crowd to experience the rituals of an ancient religion that still holds its power in the modern age.
Botanical Gardens/Kolkata.
Despite being an awkward journey by public transport, Kolkata’s lovely 109-hectare Botanical Gardens make for a great place to escape from the city’s frazzling sounds and smells. Founded in 1786, the gardens – home to more than 12,000 plant species – played a significant part in cultivating tea bushes smuggled in from China by the British, long before the drink became a household commodity. Today, there’s a cactus house, a palm collection, a river-overlook, and a boating lake with splendid Giant Water Lily pads. The most touted attraction in the park is the 250-year-old, largest banyan tree. That’s a little misleading – the central trunk rotted away in the 1920s, leaving an array of cross-branches and linked aerial roots that collectively look more like a copse than a single tree. The banyan is a 300m walk from the park’s Bicentenary Gate on buses 55 and 213, or a 1.5km walk from the main gate, where minibuses as well as bus 55 terminate after a painfully slow journey from Esplanade via Howrah.
Akshardham Temple/ New Delhi.
Delhi's largest temple, the Gujarati Hindu Swaminarayan group, was built in 2005. And it's breathtakingly lavish. Artisans used ancient techniques to carve the pale red sandstone into elaborate reliefs, including 20,000 deities, saints, and mythical creatures. The centrepiece is a 3m-high golden statue of hagwan Shri Swaminarayan surrounded by more. Fabulously intricate carvings. The 'exhibitions' ticket includes a boat ride through 10,000 years of Indian history, with animatronics telling stories from the life of Swaminarayan. Visiting the temple is more of a theme-park experience than a spiritual one, and such is the tourist crowd. The security, the architecture of the main buildings, and the artisanship of their carvings are exceptional. A shame, then, that you cannot take photographs. Cameras, along with almost all other personal belongings except your wallet and passport, must be deposited in the free bag drop-off area by the entrance. You also can't bring food and drink inside, but there's an outdoor food court within the complex.
Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal, one of the most mesmerizing monuments in India, is the epitome of Mughal art and one of the most famous buildings in the world. The Taj Mahal stands as the greatest architectural achievement in the whole range of Indo-Islamic architecture. It epitomizes Mughal art. And its beauty and integrity symbolize love. It's one of the seven wonders of the world, and proudly stands on the banks of the River Yamuna. Shah Jahan, the 5th Mughal King, built this architecture in sweet memory of Mumtaz Begum. Come to unfold the pages from the past to churn the charm out of its mystique and enrich your imagination about this marvel of an epic in stone.
Khajuraho.
The temples at Khajuraho, a compelling destination in India, strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. Khajuraho’s art is a manifestation of the essence of Indian aesthetics. The erotic sculptures of Khajuraho, which depict the Kama Sutra, are unique in the world. These sculptures congealed in stone – the lyrical paean to love and passion reflect the Chandela dynasty’s passion and immense appreciation for the forbidden art. The temples of Khajuraho, constructed by the Chandela dynasty, showcase some of the most revered gods of Hinduism, and they cannot be simply classified as erotic sculptures. Khajuraho serves as a renowned cultural destination. These temples exemplify the masterpieces of Indian art and architecture, attracting admiration from visitors.
Varanasi.
Varanasi, a religious, sacred, and captivating destination in India, retains its 5,000-year history, which can be clearly seen at the 100 Ghats, out of which some are acknowledged all over the world. On a trip to India, visitors can travel to Varanasi and see the Ghats and the temples, which the city is famous for. One of the main attractions of the palace of the Ghats is the Ganga Arti, which people have practiced for many years.
Rajasthan.
It's the land of colours and kings, the aura of nature that enthralled the erstwhile royal dynasties who supplemented a dazzling touch to this arid state by constructing some of the most luxurious palaces, ornamental gardens, magnificent forts, colorful havelis, and exquisite temples – each signifying an architectural masterpiece. In Rajasthan, you can come across the opulent and lavish lifestyle of the Maharajas of the bygone era by staying at heritage hotels and palaces. Heritage hotels are former royal residences that, to this day, offer impeccable services to visitors amidst a regal ambiance. In short, Rajasthan is a treasure trove of the finest Indian handicrafts that lure visitors from every corner of the world. Besides, during your trip, you can shop for magnificent fabrics in attractive prints, kundan and Minakari jewellery, precious and semi-precious stones, blue pottery, embroidered shoes, carpet, blanket, miniature paintings, beautiful trinkets, and a lot more in this arid state.
Manali.
It is the lover’s paradise, India’s Honeymoon capital, as well as an adventure playground. Surrounded by high peaks, majestic hills, and woody forests, Manali is a valley located in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. A collection of three adjacent hills, each of which has a village and an old temple, makes up the entire Manali. Old Manali village has Manu Temple, Vasistha village has Vashistha Temple, and Dhungri village has Hadimba Temple. With mountain adventures beckoning from all directions, the quaint charm of Manali has captured the world’s attention and overwhelmed its visitors with flowering apple trees and adventurous snow-covered roads.
Amer Fort.
Meenakshi Temple.
It's a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Thirukamakottam Udaya Aaludaiya Nachiyar Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort Sundareshwar, a form of Shiva. The temple is at the center of the ancient temple city of Madurai, mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature.
Hidimba Deva Temple.
It's locally known as the Dhungari Temple, also known variously as the Hadimba Temple, and is located in Manali, a hill station in the State of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi wife of Bhima, a figure in the Indian epic Mahabharata. The temple is surrounded by a cedar forest called Dhungiri Van Vihar at the foot of the Himalayas. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting out of the ground, which was worshiped as an image of the deity. The structure was built over 1500 years by Maharaja Bahadur Singh.
Nuranang Waterfalls.
Some 100 metres high is located in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in this part of the country, yet it is unknown to many travelers. It lies some 2 kilometres away from the town of Jang. The Nuranang Falls, some 100 metres high is located in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in this part of the country, yet it is unknown to many travelers. It lies some 2 kilometres away from the town of Jang on the road connecting Tawang and Bomdila, so it is also known as the Jang Falls. There is a small hydel plant located near the base that generates electricity for local use.
Sarnath Museum.
It is the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India. It houses the findings and excavations at the archaeological site of Sarnath by the Archaeological Survey of India. Sarnath is located near Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The museum has 6832 sculptures and artifacts. To keep the antiquities found from the site, a decision was taken in 1904 by the Government to construct a site museum adjacent to the excavated site at Sarnath. It was due to the initiative of Sir John Marshall, the then Director General of Archaeology in India, that this museum was created. The plans were prepared by Mr. James Ramson, the then consulting Architect to the Government of India. The building was completed in 1910 to house display and display the antiquities from their right perspective. The building forms half of a monastery in the plan. The museum contains five galleries and two verandahs displaying antiquities ranging from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century AD that have been found at Sarnath.
Pangong Lake.
Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and western Tibet, situated at an elevation of 4225 m. It is 134 km long and divided into five sublakes called Pangong Tso, Tso Nyak Rum Tso, and Nyak Tso. Approximately 50% of the length of the overall lake lies within Tibet in China, 40% in Ladakh, India, and the remaining 10% is disputed and is a de facto buffer zone between India and China. The lake is 5 km wide at its broadest point. All together it covers almost 700 km2. During winter, the lake freezes completely despite being saline water. It has a landlocked basin separated from the Indus River basin by a small elevated ridge, but is believed to have been part of the latter in prehistoric times.
The Lotus Temple.
It's located in Delhi, India, and is a Bahai House of Worship that was dedicated in December 1986. Notable for its flowerlike shape, it has become a prominent attraction in the city. Like all Bah Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all regardless of religion or any other qualification. The building is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in.
Cola Beach.
It's a remote, unspoiled beach for those seeking complete peace and relaxation, 10km north of Agonda. It's not all that easy to find this place, but it will be worth your effort. You park your bike or scooter where the road ends, and then there's a 3-minute walk down to the beach. Cola Beach looks beautiful through the trees from the top of the path. The beach is actually three small bays separated by large rocks. The middle beach covers a lagoon that stretches back into the jungle. When you walk down the stairs youll walk straight into the Blue Lagoon, the only option for eating and drinking on Cola beach. You can also walk to Cola Beach from Agonda. Walk north from Agonda up to the crossing with a tiny market on the right. Turn left and follow the muddy road until you see the coast. You will find stairs that lead you around the resort directly to the beach. Depending on the tide, you might get your feet wet when entering the beach from the stairs. One direction should take you 1.5 hours.
Elephanta Caves.
These are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. They are located on Elephanta Island, also known as Gharapuri, in Mumbai Harbour, 10 kilometres east of Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The island, located approximately 2 kilometres west of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, comprises five Hindu caves and a few Buddhist statues.
Apart from the mentioned, there are many more tourist attractions found in India. If you're looking for where to spend your next holiday, let India be your next destination. And you will soon discover the reason why the country is nicknamed "Incredible India".
