Ten best holiday destinations in India

New Delhi: India is the world's seventh-largest country stretching from the high mountains of the Himalayas to the tropical greenery of Kerala, and from the sacred Ganga river to the hot sands of Thar Desert.India has an almost endless variety of cultures, landscapes, monuments, and places to explore. From the ancient ruins, fascinating religious structures, exotic cities and diverse landscape there is an endless collection of Sightseeing in India that will never cease to awe and fascinate the visitor.Here we present the top ten places for sightseeing in India: 1. Taj Mahal, Agra The Taj Mahal in Agra is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1632 and 1653 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. Called “a teardrop on the cheek of eternity” it is one of the masterpieces of Mughal architecture, and one of the great tourist attractions in India. Besides the white domed marble mausoleum the Taj Mahal includes several other beautiful buildings, reflecting pools, and extensive ornamental gardens with flowering trees and bushes. 2. Mehrangarh, Jodhpur Still run by the descendants of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, Mehrangarh is captivating. As you approach, the walls soar overhead in a mesmerising demonstration of the skills of the builders. It's a real treat to wander around at your leisure, taking a fix of information when you feel like it. 3. Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai The Sri Meenakshi Temple is the abode of the triple-breasted, fish-eyed Goddess Meenakshi Amman, is considered by many to be the height of South Indian temple architecture, as vital to the aesthetic heritage of this region as the Taj Mahal is to North India. It's not so much a temple as a 6-hectare complex enclosed by 12 gopurams, the highest of which towers 52m over Madurai, and all of which are carved with a staggering array of gods, goddesses, demons and heroes. 4. Gateway of India, Mumbai The bold basalt Gateway of India arch faces out to Mumbai Harbour at the tip of Apollo Bunder. Derived from the Islamic styles of 16th-century Gujarat, it was built to commemorate the 1911 royal visit of King George V. It was completed in 1924. 5. Red Fort, Delhi The massive Red Fort stands rather forlornly, a sandstone carcass of its former self. When Emperor Shah Jahan paraded out of the fort atop an elephant into the streets of Old Delhi, though, he and the fort that he built were a grandiose display of pomp and power.The walls of the fort extend for 2km and vary in height from 18m on the river side to 33m on the city side. Shah Jahan began construction of the massive fort in 1638 and it was completed in 1648. Shah Jahan never completely moved his capital from Agra to his new city of Shahjahanabad in Delhi because he was deposed and imprisoned in Agra Fort by his son Aurangzeb. 6. Maharaja's Palace, Mysore The fantastic profile of the walled Indo-Saracenic Maharaja's Palace, the seat of the maharajas of Mysore, graces the city's skyline. An earlier palace burnt down in 1897 and the present one, designed by English architect Henry Irwin, was completed in 1912 at a cost of Rs 4.5 million. The palace's interior - a kaleidoscope of stained glass, mirrors and gaudy colours - is undoubtedly over the top. Hindu temples within the palace grounds include the Sri Shweta Varahaswamy Temple. 7. Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara Laxmi Vilas Palace was built in full-throttle 19th-century Indo-Saracenic flourish for Rs6 million. At the palace, pick up an audio guide (included in the admission) and have a leisurely sticky beak at the elaborate interiors of the palace. The Naulakhi Well, a fine step well, is 50m north of the palace. 8. Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha Three rivers flow out to sea at Bhitarkanika in Odisha forming a tidal maze of muddy creeks and mangroves. Most of this 672-sq-km delta forms Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, a significant eco-system containing hundreds of estuarine crocodiles that bask on mud flats waiting for the next meal to swim by. Pythons, water monitors, wild boar and timid spotted deer can also be seen. The best time to visit is from December to February. 9. Jaisalmer Fort, Jaisalmer Located in Rajasthan's remote westernmost corner close to the border with Pakistan, Jaisalmer is the quintessential desert town. The yellow sandstone walls of the “Golden City” rise from the Thar desert like a scene from the Arabian Nights while the Jaisalmer Fort crowns the city. Uncontrolled commercialism has dampened the romantic vision of Jaisalmer, but even with all the touts and tour buses, it remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in India. 10. Dal Lake, Srinagar Dal Lake is Srinagar's jewel, a vast, mirror-flat sheet of water reflecting the carved wooden balconies of the houseboats and the misty peaks of the Pir Panjal mountains. Flotillas of gaily painted shikaras skiff around the lake, transporting goods to market, children to school and travellers from houseboat to shore.

Ten best holiday destinations in India

New Delhi: India is the world's seventh-largest country stretching from the high mountains of the Himalayas to the tropical greenery of Kerala, and from the sacred Ganga river to the hot sands of Thar Desert.

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