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Khetri Mahal
A series of small laneways at the western end of Nehru Bazaar (a short rickshaw drive north of the bus station) leads to the imposing Khetri Mahal, a small palace dating from around 1770 and once one of Shekhawati’s most sophisticated and beautiful buildings. It’s believed to have
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Akshardham
Gandhinagar’s only real tourist attraction is this spectacular temple, belonging to the wealthy Hindu Swaminarayan group. Ornately carved and built by nearly 1000 artisans, it’s constructed of 6000 tonnes of pink sandstone and surrounded by manicured gardens. Elaborate underground
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Shri Laxmi Narasimha Temple
Almost immediately after leaving the village of Mardol on the main road, a side road to the right takes you up a hill towards the little village of Velinga and the Laxmi Narasimha Temple, one of the most attractive and secluded temples around Ponda. It’s dedicated to Narasimha, or
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Buddhist Caves of Ajanta
Being Ellora’s venerable twin in the World Heritage listings, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta , 105km northeast of Aurangabad and about 60km south of Jalgaon, are the Louvre of ancient India. Much older than Ellora, these secluded caves date from around the 2nd century BC to the 6th c
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Tadoba
One of the best places to see tigers in India, the seldom-visited Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, 150km south of Nagpur, is now much more accessible thanks to the upgrading of state highways. Seeing fewer visitors than most other forest reserves in India, this is a place where you ca
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Quwwat
At the foot of the Qutb Minar stands the first mosque to be built in India, intended to be a physical symbol of the triumph of Islam. An inscription over the east gate states that it was built with materials obtained from demolishing ‘27 idolatrous temples’. As well as intricate ca
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Akbar’s Fort & Patalpuri Temple
Built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, this 16th-century fort on the northern bank of the Yamuna has massive walls with three gateways flanked by towers. Most of it is occupied by the Indian army and cannot be visited, but a small door in the eastern wall by Sangam leads to one part yo
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Sachiya Mata Temple
This hilltop temple, about 200m north of the bus stand, receives crowds of pilgrims, both Hindu and Jain. People usually come here after the marriage of their children, but the big crowds come for Navratri (nine nights of worship in March or April and October or November). Sachiya
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Moula Ali Dargah
Out on the citys northeastern fringes, the dramatic rock mound of Moula Ali hill is a wonderful change of pace, with long-distance views, cool breezes and at the top, up 500 steps, a dargah (shrine to a Sufi saint) containing whats believed to be a handprint of Ali, the son-in-law
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Viewpoints
The hills are alive with music, though it’s usually blasted out of car stereos as people race to tick off all the viewpoints. To beat them, start very early in the morning, and you can savour fine views from Wilson’s Point , within easy walking distance of town, as well as Elphinst
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Qutb Minar
The Qutb Minar complex is dominated by the spectaclular Qutb Minar, a soaring Afghan-style victory tower and minaret, erected by sultan Qutb-ud-din in 1193 to proclaim his supremacy over the vanquished Hindu rulers of Qila Rai Pithora. Ringed by intricately carved standstone bands
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Tawang Gompa
Tawang’s biggest attraction is the magical Tawang Gompa, backdropped by snow-speckled peaks. Founded in 1681, this medieval citadel is reputedly the world’s second-largest Buddhist monastery complex after Lhasa’s Potala Palace and famed in Buddhist circles for its library. Within i
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Jantar Mantar
The most eccentric-seeming of Delhi’s historic sites, Jantar Mantar (derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘instrument’) is an odd collection of curving geometric buildings that are carefully calibrated to monitor the movement of the stars and planets. Maharaja Jai Singh II constructe
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Gallu Devi Temple
A rewarding walk is up to the small Gallu Devi Temple above Dharamkot. From Dharamkots Himalayan Tea Shop take the track along the left side of the water tank opposite, and after 50m turn up the path to the right. This becomes a lovely stone path winding up through the forest. Turn
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Samdruptse
Painted in shimmering copper, pink and bronze, the 45m-high statue of Guru Padmasambhava lords over the forested Samdruptse ridge and is visible for miles around. Completed in 2004 on a foundation stone laid by the Dalai Lama, the statue of the hallowed Buddhist leader sits atop a
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Palace Area
Chandragiri Fort, 15km west of Tirupati, probably dates back 1000 years but its heyday came in the late 16th century when the rulers of the declining Vijayanagar Empire, having fled from Hampi, made it their capital. At the heart of a 1.5km-long stout-walled enclosure at the foot o
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Likir Gompa
Surveying a grand section of mountain ridge, Likir has two distinct sections. Likir Gompa very photogenically covers a hillside with archetypal Ladakhi buildings, around 5km off the Leh–Kargil road. The gompa is backed by a giant 20th-century Maitreya statue whose golden paint glea
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1000
Six kilometres northwest of Warangal station in the adjoining town of Hanumakonda (Hanamkonda), the 1000-Pillared Temple, constructed in 1163, is a fine example of Kakatiya architecture and sculpture, in a leafy setting. Unusually, the cross-shaped building has shrines to the sun g
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Forest Research Institute Museum
The prime attraction of this museum is the building itself. Set in a 5-sq-km park, this grand remnant of the Raj era – where most of India’s forest officers are trained – is larger than Buckingham Palace. Built between 1924 and 1929, this red-brick colossus has Mughal towers, perfe
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Men
Established to preserve the traditional arts of Tibetan medicine and astrology, Men-Tsee-Khang is a college, clinic, museum, research centre and astrological institute rolled into one. The astrological folk can do you a 45-minute oral consultation (₹2000; arrange at least two hours
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