Amazing India - Facts And Pictures

India is a multi-lingual, secular, culturally diverse country full of scenic spots, salubrious hill resorts, enchanting lakes, quaint monuments, awesome religious sites, rich flora and fauna. There are tourist attractions galore in India and these tourist attractions are sporadically scattered all over the the country and are visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year.

Heritage sites

Since time immemorial, India was ruled by a succession of invaders and each state of India boasts of monuments of different era with variegated architecture. Charminar is a splendid piece of architecture located in the heart of the Hyderabad city of Andhra Pradesh. Charminar derives its name from four aesthetically designed and intricately carved minarets. Gigantic in its size and structure, this imposing monument of India exudes an ancient charm.

The famous Ajanta and Ellora , situated in Maharashtra, are cave shrines manually cut out of rock. Some of the most remarkable specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage are found in the 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta. Red fort, the pride of India’s capital city Delhi, looks splendorous with massive walls of red sandstone.

Taj Mahal, situated on the banks of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, is a magnificent marble wonder and India’s most priceless monument. Taj Mahal is without a parallel on earth as a tomb, for verily the mortal remains of a person have never been housed in such grandeur.

India has consistently practiced secular values and Hindu temples, mosques, gurudwaras, Buddhist shrines abound.

Jama Masjid located at central Delhi is the largest mosque in India and a final architecture extravaganza. The Jama Masjid is built in yellow sandstone and involved around 5000 workers, and took 20 years to complete. Lord Venkateshwara temple at Tirumala, 853 m above the sea level in Andhra Pradesh is considered one of the most sacred Hindu temples in India. Considered as the richest temple in the world, the Cupola over the sanctorum is covered entirely with gold plate.
The Golden Temple is the supreme temple of Sikhism and the magnificent structure reflects resoluteness and indestructibility of the Sikh faith.

The Temple is situated in the midst of a pool symbolizing the dichotomy of the spiritual and temporal facets of human existence. You have a plethora of Buddhist shrines spread all over Eastern India and parts of North India.

Sun washed beaches are aplenty in India which is surrounded by water on three sides. Though most of the beaches are picturesque, a few deserve special mention. Marina Beach is a picturesque 4.5 kms long stretch along the eastern coastline at Chennai and is acknowledged as the world’s second longest beach.

Calangute Beach, located on the shores of the Arabian Sea of North Goa, is the most sought-after holiday resort in Goa. Once upon a time Calangute was the most haunted beach all hippies when psychedelic hell broke loose. Kovalam Beach, situated 16 kms from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, is internationally renowned and it consists of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southernmost, 'Lighthouse Beach', is the most fabulous and draws a huge tourist crowd all round the year.

If you want get away from the heat and the dust urban India the hill resort of Darjeeling in West Bengal is an ideal choice. Darjeeling offers the beauty and of nature is at its best. The sunrise and sunsets are spectacular sights at Darjeeling. The hill resort has enormous appeal for botanists, ornithologists, trekkers, photographers and holidaymakers alike. The hill resort of Gangtok, the capital of the State of Sikkim, is an enchanting place with the imposing Himalayas in the backdrop. The virgin natural beauty of Gangtok and its peaceful atmosphere offer a truly unique experience for tourists to India.

Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya at an altitude of 1, 496 mts above sea level is an adorable hill station. You will be struck by its extraordinary scenic beauty, tall pines, stately mountains and green meadows. Shimla is arguably the best refuge from summer heat in the plains of Northern India. The natural beauty of the 2159 m high Shimla and its unique serenity attracts thousands of tourists year after year.

India is a dream tourist destination replete with spots of scenic beauty, snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, verdant hills, gorgeous rivers, numerous world heritage sites as well as time-honored monuments and modern day architectural wonders. India is also well-known for its natural diversity and you can make your way to several wildlife sanctuaries of that are the natural habitats of exquisite flora and fauna.

PS: The pictures used here belongs to their respective owners. All this photos are compiled from various emails I received over a period of time and I don't claim ownership to them.