Top 10 must see sights in India

Founded in AD 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is one of the three corners of the golden triangle that also includes Delhi and Agra, and is popularly known as the Pink City. The story goes that Maharaja Ram Singh of Jaipur painted the entire city pink in 1876 for the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales (since the color pink was symbolic of hospitality). Here, the past comes alive in magnificent forts and palaces, blushed pink, where once lived the maharajas. Hawa Mahal, literally the Palace of Winds, is the most recognizable monument of Jaipur. This unique five-story structure with small latticed windows (called jharokhas) was built in 1799 and is a blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture. Originally designed for the royal ladies to watch and enjoy the processions and other activities on the street below, it now houses a well laid out museum.

6. THE HOLY CITY OF VARANASI

Lying in the south of Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the holy River Ganga, Varanasi is believed  to be the oldest living city in the world. For centuries, the mystic of this place has been attracting pilgrims from across India as well as abroad, who come here to wash away their sins in the sacred waters, cremate their loved ones, or simply to die, hoping for salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth. A dwelling of ancient domes, muths, ashrams, priests, narrow lanes, and shops filled with Benaresi sarees, Varanasi represents the colorful and fascinating India of your imagination. With intimate rituals of life and death being parallelly performed on the Ghats, it is a powerful experience to explore the religious geography of this city, although it is not for the faint-hearted, since the itimate rituals of life and death take place in public.

5. THE CITADEL OF JAISALMER

Situated in the heart of the Thar Desert and close to the India-Pakistan border, Jaisalmer, founded in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal, is carpeted with golden sand and almost every house is built with the yellow Jaisalmer stone thus, making it the ‘Golden City’. The city still exudes an age-old aura of valor and royalty. Bold Rajasthani attires and the golden landscape of the city form a distinctive contrast. Jaisalmer – literally meaning ‘the Hill Fort of Jaisal’ – is a destination where camels are seen in abundance and where an iconic hill-fort stands above the city with imposing walls featuring par-brilliance inscriptions. Jaisalmer has come a long way from being an important town along the ancient camel-train route that ran through India and Central Asia to being one of the largest towns of Rajasthan and a popular destination among tourists.

4. THE HIMALAYAN SCENERY OF LADAKH

3. ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS AT RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK

Once a private game reserve of the royal family of Jaipur, Ranthambore National Park is one of India’s best known wilderness areas. Located at the junction of the Aravallis and Vindyas mountain ranges, Ranthambore offers some of the finest opportunities for sighting the magnificent tiger in the wild. A mix of rolling hills and crags, and meadows, lakes and rivulets, this dry-deciduous forest system is home to an incredible variety of flora and fauna. Apart from the tiger, other wildlife in the park includes sloth bear, leopard, jackal, fox, hyena, Indian wolf, chital, sambhar deer, blue bull antelope or nilgai, rhesus macaque, langur and an incredible variety of birds. The landscape is dominated by the 10th century fortress of Ranthambore. Open from October to June, Ranthambore is accessible by rail from Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur and by road from Jaipur and Delhi.

2. THE PALACES AND LAKES OF UDAIPUR

Founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II as the new capital of the Mewar, Udaipur is regarded as the most romantic city of India. Set amidst the Aravalli Ranges, Udaipur is known for its picturesque lakes and often dubbed ‘the city of lakes’ or ‘Venice of the East’. The elevated hills and the beautiful lakes make a picture-perfect backdrop to the city’s historic buildings and narrow alleys. Udaipur It is one of the most sought after tourist destination of the state of Rajasthan, who flock to this city for its lakes, forts, palaces, temples, gardens, colorful fairs & festivals, cuisine and world’s most renowned luxury hotels and resorts, including the iconic Lake Palace (a Taj Hotel). Udaipur is easily accessible by rail, road and air from all the major cities and towns of India including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur.

1. THE TAJ MAHAL IN AGRA

Agra is an ancient city on the banks of the River Yamuna. It finds mention in the Mahabharata but gained importance as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 – 1658. It is famous for its Mughal architecture and for being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal – a marble monument of incredible elegance and architectural perfection. The Taj Mahal was built by the grief stricken emperor Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in commemoration of his favorite wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 AD at the birth of her 14th child. After his death in 1666 AD, Shah Jahan was also buried beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal. The color of the monument’s translucent marble keeps changing from dawn to midnight giving it a magical aura in keeping with Shah Jahan’s vision that the tomb and garden should represent paradise on earth.

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