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Makaibari
If you like tea you should visit this organic and biodynamic tea estate; the factory is open to visitors. In-between the huge sorting and drying machines, and the fields of green bushes you may run into the owner, tea guru and local character Rajah Banerjee. Mornings are the best t
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Purana Qila
With its towering walls and dramatic gateways, Purana Qila was constructed by Afghan ruler Sher Shah (1538–45), who briefly seized control of Delhi from the emperor Humayun, and the monumental gatehouse opens onto a peaceful garden studded with ancient monuments. The graceful octag
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Southern Gateway
The back-to-back lions supporting the Southern Gateway, the oldest gateway, form the state emblem of India, which can be seen on every banknote. The gateway narrates Ashoka’s life as a Buddhist, with scenes of Buddha’s birth and another representation of the Great Departure. Also
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Ghar Palace
Inside the walled fort in the town centre, this sprawling cream-and-terracotta palace was built by Maharaja Madan Singh in 1838. It currently houses courts and a warren of dusty government offices filled with piles of ledgers, but the offices are in gradual process of being moved e
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Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Possibly the most protected environment in South India – nestled behind three dams in a valley surrounded by Keralan and Tamil Nadu sanctuaries – Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes 285 sq km of Kipling-storybook scenery and wildlife-spotting goodness. Far less touristed th
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Govindgarh
Of all the ruined forts in Punjab, Bathinda’s Govindgarh is the mightiest and most impressive. It’s also one of the oldest, dating way back to the 7th century, although rebuilt in its current red-brick form during the 12th century. It’s an enormous structure, located smack bang in
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Chota Imambara
This elaborate tomb was constructed by Mohammed Ali Shah (who is buried here, alongside his mother) in 1832. Adorned with calligraphy, it has a serene and intimate atmosphere. Mohammed’s silver throne and red crown can be seen here, as well as countless chandeliers and some brightl
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Mughal Gardens
Rashtrapati Bhavan’s incredible, manicured gardens are open to the public only for two months a year, when they are in flower. If you’re in town then, go see them. Mountbatten, India’s last viceroy, was said to have employed 418 gardeners to care for the fabulous Mughal-style arran
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Kanha National Park
Madhya Pradesh is the king of the jungle when it comes to tiger parks, and Kanha is the most famous. The forests are vast, and while your chances of seeing a tiger are probably slightly slimmer than at nearby Bandhavgarh, at time of research sightings were on the rise. Add to that
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City Palace & Fort
The fort and the palace within it make up one of the largest such complexes in Rajasthan. This was the royal residence and centre of power, housing the Kota princedom’s treasury, courts, arsenal, armed forces and state offices. Some of its buildings are now used as schools. The Cit
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Shri Shantadurga Temple
Surrounded by forest and paddy fields, the Shri Shantadurga Temple is one of the most famous shrines in Goa and is consequently packed with those who come to worship, as well as day-trippers brought in by the bus load. Hustle past the rows of roadside hawkers to get a look at this
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Archaeological Museum
This fully modernised, 100-year-old sandstone museum houses wonderfully displayed ancient treasures such as the very well preserved 3rd-century BC lion capital from the Ashoka Pillar, which has been adopted as India’s national emblem, and a huge 2000-year-old stone umbrella, ornate
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Tashiding Gompa
Founded in 1641 by one of the three Yuksom crowning lamas, the monastery’s five colourful religious buildings are strung out between monks’ quarters. Beautifully proportioned, the four-storey main prayer hall has a delicate filigree topknot, with wonderful views across the semiwild
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Monasteries & Temples
One of Bodhgaya’s great joys is its collection of monasteries and temples, each offering visitors a unique opportunity to peek into different Buddhist cultures and compare architectural styles. The Indosan Nipponji Temple is an exercise in quiet Japanese understatement compared to
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Pemayangtse Gompa
Literally translated as ‘Perfect Sublime Lotus’, the Pemayangtse gompa is one of Sikkim’s oldest and most significant Nyingmapa gompas. Magnificently set on a hilltop (2100m) overlooking the Rabdentse ruins, the atmospheric compound is ringed by gardens and traditional cottages use
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Itimad
Nicknamed the Baby Taj, the exquisite tomb of Mizra Ghiyas Beg should not be missed. This Persian nobleman was Mumtaz Mahal’s grandfather and Emperor Jehangir’s wazir (chief minister). His daughter Nur Jahan, who married Jehangir, built the tomb between 1622 and 1628 in a style sim
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Ahar
About 3km east of the old city, at Ahar, is Udaipur’s royal cremation ground , with 372 cenotaphs of maharanas and queens of Mewar forming a spectacular city of snowy domes built over 400 years. Nineteen maharanas were cremated here, and the most striking cenotaph is that of Mahara
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Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
At only 8 sq km, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is Goa’s smallest protected wildlife sanctuary. Though not particularly remote, it’s really only accessible if you have your own transport or a car and driver. You’re unlikely to see animals just by wandering around the sanctuary, though t
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Statue of Abbé Faria
Beside Panaji’s Secretariat Building, look out for the sublime, starkly black statue of a caped man, arms, hands and fingers outstretched, towering over an apparently frightened woman.This is the statue of Abbé Faria, considered the ‘father of modern hypnotism,’ a contemporary of F
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Kardang Gompa
Propped on concrete stilts facing Keylong across the valley, Kardang Gompa has existed for 900 years, but the current building dates from 1912. Maintained by an order of Drukpa Kagyu (Red Hat) monks and nuns, the monastery enshrines a mighty prayer wheel said to contain a million s
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