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Places to Visit in India-2
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General Facts of India
Here are some detailed description of some good places to visit in India - The
Deepest Step-well in the World
Jaipur, Raajasthaan - Chand Boari, Step-well - 1000 year old engineering wonder
This is sheer engineering wonder..... without modern day instruments. ...
Chand Boari is a famous step-well situated in the village Abhaneri near
Jayapur in Indian state of Raajasthaan. It is a very big well with flights
of steps on three sides, is a 10th century monument situated in Abhaneri.
It is a fine example of the architectural excellence prevalent in the past.
This impressive step well is as deep as a seven story building. The famous
Harshat Maataa Temple is situated opposite to this well shows that there
must have been a religious connection with this step-well. The well is 35
meters on each side with steps leading down from each side and water can be
drawn from any level. It has so many steps that it is impossible for someone
to retrieve a coin once it 's been dropped in the well.
Dehra Dun, Uttaraanchal - Valley of Flowers
High in the Himaalayan ranges of Garhwal hills of Uttaraanchal lies an
enchanted Valley - Valley of Flowers. It is about 600 kilometers from
Delhi, in the Chamolee District of Uttaranchal - a breathtaking array of
over 500 different species of wild flowers spread over an area of 87.5 km
square. It is situated at a height of 11,000 feet to 14,000 feet above the
sea level in the Western Himaalaya. On way to Hemkunt Saahib Gurudwaaraa,
at 11,000 feet, one has to branch off on another track and go another 5 km
to reach the Valley. This mysterious valley was hidden from the outside
world for a long time, with only locals frequenting the place. Initially,
it was avoided by the shepherds who believed this magical valley to be the
celestial playground of the Gods, nymphs and fairies. This Valley was
discovered by Frank Smith - a mountaineer, botanist and explorer who came
across quite accidentally in 1931. He was so captivated by its outstanding
beauty, which was in its full bloom at the time that he wrote a book about
it entitled "Valley of Flowers".
The Valley itself is flanked on either side by imposing peaks, capped with
snow. It is divided into two sections due to the Pushpaavatee River which
cuts through the valley. The major portion of this valley is on its right
bank and is every trekker's dream come true. The entire trek from Govind
Ghaat to the valley via Ghanghariyaa is a feast to the eyes. The Valley of
the Flowers chaanges color almost everyday, as it blooms with hundreds of
new different flowers along with the changing shades of the old flowers as
time passes by. It has been acknowledged by botanists, mountaineers and
nature lovers as one of the most picturesque high altitude valleys in the
world.
It was only in 1982 that an area of 8,950 hectares of the valley was declared
a National Park. In July 2005, it was declared, it has been declared a World
heritage Site by UNESCO. This is mainly due to the fact that the valley contains
so much rich diversified fauna within its area especially as it is a meeting point
of Zanskar, Himaalayan ranges and Eastern and Western Himaalaya. The importance
of this beautiful valley is furthered as many endangered flower species and medicinal
plants can be found here. From November to May, the valley is covered in a bed of
snow but the flora here is well adapted to the harsh climatic conditions. The best
time to visit the Valley of Flowers is in the months of July and August after the
snow has melted. The flowers are in full bloom during this time, giving you ample
opportunity to enjoy the never ending charm of this place.
50 Things to Do in Tamil Naadu
When you go to Tamil Naadu state, in India, do these 50 things to enjoy its culture --
(1) Eat a meal on a banana leaf there's a belief that it might cure Parkinson's disease.
(2) Visit the Great Living Chola Temples, the UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back
to the 10th century.
(3) Go to Ooty on the Neel Giri Mountain Railway it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
and a legacy of remarkable British engineering
(4) Get blessed by an elephant how often can you get one?
(5) Visit the Cholamandalam Artists' Village, the pride of modern Tamil Art
(6) Take an auto ride in Chennai. Chennai auto-drivers even have their own websites.
Plus, it is the luxury of the middle-class. if the auto driver demands are met
by you.
(7) Taste Idalee and Dosaa and wonder how many types of chutneys exist in Tamil Naadu.
We are really a bunch of choosy pickers when it comes to Idalee and Dosaa
(8) Watch a Rajanikanth film in a movie theatre, if possible on the first day to
understand the definition of hero worship.
(9) Participate in Jallikattu -- bull taming -- in Madurai. Or, if you're chicken, just
watch.
(10) Find and listen to your favorite Ilayaraja or A R Rahman song everybody' s got to
have one.
(11) Men, sport a moustache. And women, plait your hair and decorate it with a garland
of fragrant jasmine flowers.
(12) Decorate the front of your house with Kolam a more decorative and artistic rendition
of Rangolee -- and hang bunches of harvested paddy outside your home for the birds
to feed on.
(13) Drink strong filter coffee In a Tamil-style cup and saucer known as davarah and tumbler.
(14) Visit the shore temples of Mahabalipuram (another UNESCO World Heritage Site of the 7th
century) and admire the art of sculpting in this little town.
(15) Wander around to wonder at the Indo-Saracenic and Gothic style buildings of Chennai, some
of which are over a hundred years old.
(16) Visit Pondicherry to marvel at the French Architecture (and our own French Connection)
(17) Beat the heat by eating all your summer fruit glazed with a layer of salt-and-chilli powder
mixture! Cucumber, unripe mango, gooseberry, guava and pineapple taste best like this. And
drink tender coconut or buttermilk or sugarcane juice to quench your thirst. And if you like
it aerated, there's Bovonto, our very own answer to Coca Cola.
(18) Shop for beautiful silk Saarees at Kaancheepuram (the Chinese may have invented silk, but
Tamils perfected it)
(19) Celebrate Pongal by cooking sweet rice outdoors in clay pots or join the annual celebration
of Elephant Pongal at Top Slip
(20). Buy Horlicks for someone sick.
(21) Feed crows on special occasions
(22) Whistle for Chennai Super Kings at M A Chidambaram stadium.
(23) Attend Thiruvaiyaru Music Festival
(24) Visit Pichavaram, the world's second largest mangrove forests, for the Dawn Fest or Vidiyal Vizha.
(25) Sanctify your new dresses with turmericThe imposing Matri Mandir at Auroville26. Visit Auroville,
the international commune near Pondicherry.
(27) Visit the Toda tribal village in the Nilgiris (also learn about the other tribes -- Badaga, Irula,
Kota and Kurumba)
(28) Go to Natyanjali Dance Festival celebrated at the 1,000-year-old Chidambaram temple near Cuddalore.
The dance hall is adorned with pillars exhibiting the classic 108 poses of Lord Nataraja.
(29) Go on a parisal (coracle) ride in Hogenakkal
(30) Watch the magical Kurinji flower bloom in Kodaikanal. It blooms every 12 years and the next
bloom is in 2018.
(31) Widen your understanding of Tamil culture and architecture at Dakshina Chitra, Muttukadu.
(32) Go to Sittanavasal in Pudukkottai district to see some of the oldest Jain paintings.
(33) Visit the iconic Madurai Meenakshi Temple.
(34) Ride into the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on an elephant.
(35) Explore corals and other marine life in a glass-bottomed boat in the Gulf of Mannar Marine
National Park.
(36) Visit Karaikudi to experience the vibrant Chettinad culture, architecture and food.
(37) Watch Theerthavari in Mahamaham Tank, Kumbakonam, held once in 12 years. A dip in the tank
is believed to offer the combined benefits of a bath in all the sacred rivers. The next
Mahamaham is in 2016.
(38) Taste some regional speciality dishes and snacks -- Dindigul biryani, Manaparai Muruku,
Thirunelveli halwa, Madurai jigar thanda and Kumbakonam coffee.
(39) Visit the Birla Science Planetarium in Chennai.
(40) Spot endangered wildlife in Meghamalai in Theni district. Meghamalai is also known for
its spice tourism with a variety of plantations including tea, coffee, pepper, cardamom
and cinnamon.
(41) Throw rice on the bride and groom at a Tamil wedding. Rice signifies prosperity and fertility.
(42) Buy a pair of Kuthu Vilakku brass lamps -- from Nachiyar Kovil in Kumbakonam. Every public
event and home celebration begins only after these brass lamps are lit.
(43) Witness the making of bronze statues using the traditional Lost-Wax process at Swamimalai
near Kumbakonam
(44) Join the Students' Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) volunteers on a night walk along
the beaches of Chennai to conserve and create awareness about the endangered Olive Ridley
Sea Turtle.
(45) Enjoy the panoramic view of Tiruchi and Srirangam from Tiruchi Malai Kotai Rock Fort
(46) Get your picture on a street poster or a billboard for some reason (marriage, birthday,
welcoming a political leader, coming-of-age ritual, ear-piercing ritual, or just to wish
your favourite actor or sports star!)
(47) Go bird watching in any of the birding hotspots -- Vedanthangal, Pulicat Lake, Kunthakulam
or Point Calimere
(48) Taste the Mukkani -- three supreme and heavenly fruits -- mango, jackfruit and banana
(49) Try to know your future from Nadi Jothidam - these are palm manuscript horoscopes written
hundreds of years ago for every individual on earth. Or try parrot astrology or palmistry.
(50) Walk amidst lush green paddy fields
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