Ujjain................23.1°N 75.7°E

In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini. As mentioned in the Mahabharata epic, Ujjayini was the capital of the Avanti Kingdom. Ujjain is one of the seven sacred cities(Sapta puri) of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every 12 years. It is also home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva and is also the place where Lord Krishna got education with Balarama and Sudama from Maharshi Sandipani.

    * The Mahakal Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is a famous and venerated Shiva temple. The Shivling in this temple is supposed to be the only Jyotirling which faces south and hence it is known as Dakshinmukhi or the south-facing ling. It is the most popular and important temple of Ujjain. Every year on shivratri (claimed to be the Birthday of Lord Shiva), there is a huge crowd of devotees for darshan. The same kind of public crowd can be seen in the month of Savaan, NagPanchami. On every Monday of "Savan", there is a huge procession for the Lord Shiva idol in the city attended by large numbers of devotees from across the India.

Mahakal derives its name from "kaal" meaning end of life - death; the word Mahakaal means Lord of Death.

   * Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Temple, of the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness)

    * The temple of Chintaman Ganesh is the biggest ancient temple of Lord Ganesha in Ujjain.

    * The temple of Maa Wagheshvari is known for its tall idol of the goddess Wagheshwari and "Sinh (lion) - Dwar (gate)".

    * The Harsidhhi Temple is one of the Shaktipeeth, situated at 52 places in India.

    * The Sandipani Ashram is where tradition says Shri Krishna was educated with Balarama and Sudama from Maharshi Sandipani.

    * The Siddha Ashram, located between Ramghat and Narshinghat, is known for research in Ayurvedic medicine and Kundalini Shaktipat.

    * The Kaliyadeh Palace, located on the outskirts of the city, is one of the palaces belonging to royal Scindia family of Madhya Pradesh.

    * The Bhrathari caves is an ancient site which has some interesting legends associated with it.It is said that it holds tunnels which lead directly to 4 ancient dhams (char dham).these ways were later shut down by Britishers.

    * The Observatory (Vedha Shala) built by a Rajput king, Raja Jai Singh II, in the 1720s, is one of the five such observatories in India and features ancient astronomical devices.

    * The Prashanti Dham is a holy place, where Sai Baba's Ashram is situated.

    * Jain temples: Jai Singh Pura Atishay Kshetra, Tapobhoomi, Avanti Parshwanath, Hanumant baag,Manibhadradham Bhairavgarh.

    * The Kothi Palace presents a sight worth watching in the evening.

    * The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan museum, located near Chamunda tower, holds many ancient objects.

    * The throne of Maharaja Vikramaditya, known as the "seat of judgment (salabanjika throne)" may be located in the Rudra Sagar lake.

    * Other temples are Harsidhhi (Durga Temple), Gadh Kalika, Kaal Bhairav, Triveni (Nav Graha Shani Mandir), Mangalnaath, Siddhhanath and Shiv Shakti.

How To Reach:

Ujjain is well-connected by rail, air and road. It is on the Western Railway and is connected by direct train to most major Indian cities.Ujjain has an air strip. The nearest airport is Indore Airport.The road network is developed with other parts of Madhya Pradesh.Ujjain is connected to Indore through SH-27 and SH-18 Dewas-Badnawar passes through it.

Railway Stations

There are three railway stations:

   1. Ujjain Junction main

   2. Vikram Nagar

   3. Chintaman (Metre Gauge)

   4. Pingleshwar

 Bus Stations

   1. Dewas Gate(main bus stand)

   2. Nanakheda

 Major Roads

Indore Road, Dewas Road, Agar Road, Badnagar Road, Maksi Road, Nagda Road , Tarana Road Via Undasa Dam , Chintaman Road Connected to fourlane from Badnagar to Sanwer

Rishikesh.......30.12°N 78.32°E

Rishikesh is a city in Indian state of Uttarakhand which is located in the fooothills of Himalayas in Northern India. Thosands of pilgrims and tourists from India as well as from other countries visit Rishikesh each year. It is 25km away from the holy city Hardwar.

Visitors can reach famous Neelkanth Mahadeva Temple 12km from here and can also attend the popular Ganga Aarti performed at dusk at Triveni Ghat. Also there is Vashishtha Gufa 21km up from the town by the Ganges.

The sacred river Ganges flows through Rishikesh and here only  it leaves the Shivalik Mountains in the Himalayas and flows out in plains of Northern India. Several temples are there along the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh.

It has numerous Yoga centres that attracts tourists. Rishikesh is world famous for Rafting and adventure starts in March and ends in July. Tehri Dam is just 80km uphill on way to Gangotri. It is the starting point for travelling to the sites that form the Char Dham Pilgrimage- Badrinath,  Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

It is popular spot for White Water Rafting where enthusiasts from both India and Abroad visit as it offers medium to rough rapids in the course of river Ganges with rapids rated class 2 and class 3. It is also center for hiking and backpacking.

Rajaji National Park: One of the biggest park in North India situated at the meeting point of Himalayan foothills and Indo Gangetic Plains, the venue for migrating birds from world over. The core zone and door of the main gates of the national Park is Chilla, which is 17km on east western side from Rishikesh.

How to Reach:

By Train:

Rishikesh has a railway station but one can opt for trains till Hardwar which is a much bigger station and only 21km away.

By Air:

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun which is 21km away from Rishikesh.

By Road:

Rishikesh is well connected by roads from Hardwar , Dehradun and Delhi.

Places to Visit:

Bharat Mandir 

RishiKund

Triveni Ghat

Ram Jhula

Geeta Bhawan

Parmarth Niketan

Laxman Jhula

Tera Manzil Temple

Laxman Temple

Kunjapuri Temple- Sunrise or Sunset

Vashishta Gufa

Devprayag

Surkanda Devi

Mount Abu.....24.59°N 72.70°E

Mount Abu  is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan state in western India and one of the prettiest hill stations in INDIA. It is located in Sirohi district. Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur (Gujarat). The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1722 meters above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert', as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests

 

The town of Mount Abu, the only hill station  in Rajasthan, is located at an elevation of 1220 meters. It has been a popular retreat from the heat of Rajasthan and neighbouring Gujarat for centuries. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1960 and covers 290 km² of the mountain.
 

Nakki Lake  is another popular visitor attraction of Mount Abu.There is the Toad Rock on a hill near the lake. Raghunath Temple and Maharaja Jaipur Palace are also on hills near Nakki Lake.
Mount Abu is home to a number of Jain temple including the famous Dilwara Temples which is a complex of temples, carved of white marble.
 

The mountain is also home to several Hindu temples, including the Adhar Devi Temple, carved out of solid rock; the Shri Raghunathji Temple; and a shrine and temple to Dattatreya built atop the Guru Shikhar peak. The world headquarters of the Brahma Kumari order of lady renunciates is also located here, as is the World Spiritual University of the same denomination. The Durga temple, Ambika Mata Temple lies in a cleft of rock in Jagat, just outside of Mount Abu.
 

The Sanctuary with its beautiful landscape provides an excellent opportun-ity to nature lovers to learn about nature. The area has more than 17 Nature trails or pathways passing through the jungle in addition to view points, grasslands, water bodies, nallas, sunrise and sunset points. Some of the trials can also be used for purpose of horse safari. While trekking one can enjoy rock climbing, rappling, viewing of wildlife, bird watching and can study about floral wealth of Mount Abu and its tribal as well as Lok Rajput culture. The sancturary has tremendous scope for nature camps in the wild with due permission of the State Deptt. of Forests. the locations where camping is allowed are:

•     Trevor's tank Dilwara
•      Gaumukh Hanumanji
•      Arna watch tower
•      Salgaon watch tower
•      Jawai village
•      Agneshwar Ashram
•      Rishikesh Temple
•      Chhipa Beri
•      Kuda- mamaji
•     Vasthanji
•      Utraj village
•      Bhrigu Ashra 

Trained nature guides for Eco-tourism/ Trekking/ Horse Safari are available in Mt. Abu.

Some important Nature trails of the sanctuary are under:-

•     Tiger Path
•      Craig's Path
•      Beyley's walk
•      Sunset Point - Sakora
•     Trevor's Tank
•      Guru shikhar
•      Dilwara- Salgaon
•      Arna - Chhipaberi
•      Gaumukh - Bagheri
•      Gaumukh - Chandel
•      Sirohi Kothi
•      Honeymoon Point
•      Achalgarh
•      Utraj - Vasthanji Trail
•      Mini Nakki - Anjani Mata
•      Bridal Path

How to Reach
 

By Air
Udaipur is the nearest airport. Daily flight form Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur are available to Udaipur.

By Road
Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe buses from Jaipur and Abu Road to Mount Abu. It is also connected by road to Delhi, Udaipur, Ajmer, Bundi and Udaipur.

By Rail
Abu Road is the nearest railway station and is about 22 kms from Mount Abu. And well connected by Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mumbai and Jodhpur. The station is on the main Indian Railways line between Delhi,Palanpur and Ahmedabad.

Places to Visit: 

• Nakki Lake
• Dilwara Temple
• Achal Garh
• Tod Rock
• Honey Moon Point
• Gaumukh Temple
• Adhar Devi
• Guru Shikhar
• Sun-Set Point
• Sant Sarovar
• Tevors Tank
• Ranghunath Temple
• Rishikesh Temple
• Sankar Math
• Dettrateya Tempe
• Mogli land
• Eco-tourism
• Salgaon Tower

Ooty...11.38°N 76.70°E

Ooty also known as Udhagamandalam is the "Queen of hill stations" and the capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. Located in the Blue Mountains of the Western Ghats, Ooty draws a large number of tourists every year. Lofty mountains, great lakes, dense forests, sprawling grasslands, miles of tea gardens and eucalyptus trees greet the visitors en route to Ooty. The hill station itself is a land of picturesque picnic spots. It used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the British during the colonial days, later it was made into a summer administrative town. It is situated at an altitude of 2,286 meters above sea level. In recent years, the hill town has suffered from rampant commercialization and various other ecological and infrastructural issues. Ooty is more of a focal point of attraction for tourists, who also undertake auto tours of the surrounding countryside. Important tourist/historical landmarks of Ooty are:
Ooty Botanical Gardens: The 22-acre Botanical Garden was laid out in 1847 and is maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The original purpose of the Botanical Gardens was purely academic.



Ooty Lake & Boat House: This is an artificial lake built by John Sullivan. It used to be much larger than its present size of 4 km2. It is 2.5 km long and encompassed the present bus stand and race course as well as much of the present market. Boating is the major attraction at the lake.
Centenary Rose Park: In the heart of Ooty town, this garden has been beautifully laid out in terraces with rose tunnels, pergolas and bowers with rose creepers. Today this garden has the largest collections of roses in the country — hybrid tea roses, miniature rose, floribunda, ramblers, roses of unusual colours like black and green — some of the more than 3,000 varieties of roses.
Stone House: This was the first properly built house in Ooty (at the area called old Ooty), built by John Sullivan. It is inside the premises of the Government Arts College. It now houses government offices.
Toda huts: There are a few Toda huts on the hills above Botanical Garden, where Todas still dwell. There are other Toda settlements in the area, notably Kandal Mund near Old Ooty.
Ooty Mountain Railway: The railhead of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. The station is part of the World Heritage Site. Ooty Railway station offers a unique glimpse of the British raj built railways. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is one of the oldest mountain railways in India. Under consideration in 1845, the line was finally opened by the British in 1908 and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway is one of the few in the world that is dependent on steam locomotives.

St. Stephen's Church: This one of the oldest churches in the town and is a local landmark. Its architecture is essentially early Fothic revival with stained glass typical of the era. It differs from British churches of the same time as it has simplifed buttresses and a stucco exterior. The churchyard is full of colonial headstones, and it remains an active place of worship. It is near the District Court house building.
Wax World, Ooty: A wax museum that houses life-size look-alike wax statues of personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage housed in a 142-year-old bungalow.
Ooty Golf Links: A forested and grassy area, mainly home to a golf course. Tourist spots around Ooty Some of the most prominent tourist spots around Ooty are :

Doddabetta Peak: It is the highest peak (2,623 meters) in the Nilgiris, about 10 km from Ooty. It lies at the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats and offers beautiful vistas of the Nilgiri Hill ranges.

Tea plantations: Tea plantations are at a lower altitude and attract a large number of tourists by their picturesque nature.

Ketti Valley: This valley is referred to as the 'Switzerland of Southern India' due to the year-round pleasant climatic conditions. There is a view point called Valley View on the main Ooty to Coonoor road. Pykara Lake Boat House and Pykara Falls: This is the most accessible of all the nearby lakes. A boathouse and picnic area has been developed to provide access to this area. Most of the remainder of the lake is within a reserved forest and off-limits to visitors.

Pine forest: Situated between Ooty and Thalakunda, this tourist destination was once featured in the Tamil movie song "Deena". It is a small downhill region where pine trees are arranged in an orderly fashion.

Wenlock Downs: This is a grassland area typical of the original bioscape of the Nilgiris. It has gently undulating hills and is often compared with areas in the British isles such as the Yorkshire Dales. This is a popular film shooting area, particularly two areas situated approximately six and nine miles (14 km) out of Ooty on the main Ooty to Pykara road (also known as Mysore Road). These locations are accordingly named "Sixth Mile" and "Ninth Mile". Kamraj Sagar Lake: This lake is situated on the way to Pykara lake.

Mudumalai National Park: Situated at a lower altitude and easily accessible, it borders the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Mukurthi National Park: A large protected area generally not accessible to visitors. It contains a lake and peak of the same name. Needle hill viewpoint is situated between Gudalaur and Pykara.

Parsons Valley Reservoir: This is the primary water source for the town and is mainly in a reserved forest and is thus largely off-limits to visitors. Emerald Lake: This lake is near the town of the same name. There is a viewpoint near the dam. The rest of the area is mainly in a reserved forest and is largely off-limits to visitors.

Avalanche Lake: Adjacent to Emerald Lake, this picturesque lake is mainly situated in a reserved forest and is largely off-limits to visitors

Porthimund Lake: This is mostly in a reserved forest and is largely off-limits to visitors. Shooting of the blockbuster Tamil movie Roja was here. Upper Bhavani Lake: This lake is in the Mukurthi National Park and largely off-limits to visitors.

How to Reach:

By Road
Ooty is well connected by good roads. It is 535 km from Chennai (via Salem), 88 km from Coimbatore, 18 km from Coonoor, 155 km from Mysore (via Gudalur), 187 km from Calicut, 290 km from Bangalore, 281 km from Kochi (via Coimbatore and Palakkad), 236 km from Kodaikanal (via Coimbatore and Palani). Ooty is situated on National Highway 67.

By Rail
Ooty is connected to Chennai (formerly Madras) by a nightly connecting train service.

By Air
Ooty does not have a civilian airport and is not connected by air. The nearest airport is at Coimbatore which has domestic flights to several major Indian cities and has international flights direct services to Singapore, Sharjah and Colombo. The next nearest airport to Ooty is Calicut Airport which is at a road distance of 146 km west of Ooty.

Gir.....Wildlife Adventure....21°08'N 70°47'E

Gir 42kms from Junagarh, Gujarat is famous for its Asiatic Lions, Leopards and Chowsingha. Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary comprises 1412 sq km of deciduous forest interspersed with semi-evergreen and evergreen flora, acacia, scrub jungle, grasslands and rocky hills. Fed by perennial and seasonal rivers and streams, the sanctuary has large water bodies like the Kamleshwar Dam that are good for crocodiles and birds.

The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (also known as Sasan-Gir) is a forest and wildlife sanctuary established in 1965.

It is the sole home of the pure Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica) and is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species.

The April 2010 census recorded the lion-count in Gir at 411, an increase of 52 compared to 2005. The lion breeding programme covering the park and surrounding area has bred about 180 lions in captivity since its inception.

The seven major perennial rivers of the Gir region & The four reservoirs of the area are at four dams. More than 500 plant species were recorded in the survey of Gir forest.

Other Attractions in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary :

Jeep Safari :

The best way to observe the big cats is, of course, in their natural surroundings, at dawn and dusk, when they are on the prowl. Wildlife viewing in the Gir’s is best done, by driving via jeep around the forest.

Best Time to Visit Gir Forest :

Wildlife enthusiasts can visit Gir park throughout the year, but the best period to visit the Gir Sanctuary is between the months of November and June.

How to Reach

By Air :
The nearest airport from Gir is Keshod 90-kms via Veraval. Visitors can easily catch daily flights from Mumbai to Keshod.

By Rail :
The nearest rail connection is the meter gauge rail line of 395-kms from Ahemdabad.

By Road :
Gir is situated at a distance of 400-kms from Ahmedabad via Rajkot, Junagadh and Mendarda. State Transport buses are easily available from Junagadh and Veraval to Gir, between November and June.

Nainital....29.38°N 79.45°E

Nainital is set in a valley at an altitude of 2084mtrs (6837 ft) containing a pear shaped lake which is approx two miles in circumference and is surrounded by mountains. Nainital is in state of Uttarakhand.
Nainital rich in its natural beauty provides from the top of its high peaks magnificent views of vast plains of south or of the ridges lying north, bounded by great snowy range which forms central axis of Himalayas.
Visitors can enjoy walk on the Mall Road, and there are many local places that are worth visiting. Visitors can enjoy boating in the Naini Lake. Naina Devi set on one end of the lake is also worth visiting. Other places are church of St. John in the Wilderness, Governor House or Raj Bhawan which is the official guest house for Governor of Uttarakhand having 113rooms, large garden, pool and golf links.
Snow View 2270m(7448ft) is reachable by cable car. Naina Peak or China Peak 2615m(8579ft) is the highest peak which is 6km away. From Naina Peak brad swath of snow clad high Himalayas can be viewed and the visitors can also obtain a panoramic view of Nainital town itself.
Tiffin Top or Dorothy's seat, 4km hike from town is a terraced hill top.
Visitors can also visit Bhimtal, 22km away from Nainital, Sattal 23km away which literally means seven lakes and is a cluster of small interconnected lakes in the midst of an old oak forest.
Humangarhi, temple of Lord Hanuman which is 3.5km away is also worth visiting.
Nainital also has ARIES or Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences.
Nearby places worth visiting are Bageshwar, Mukteshwar, Jim Corbett National Park, Ranikhet,Almora .

How To Reach

By Air:
Nearest airport is Pantnagar which is 70km away from Nainital.


By Rail:
Kathgodam 35kms away is the last terminus of Broad Gauge line of North Eastern Railway connecting Nainital with Delhi, Dehradun and Howarah. Haldwani (40kms) and Lalkuan(56kms) are other railway terminals.
Tourists coming by rail mode can take taxis or buses from Haldwani or Kathgodam.


By Road:
Nainital is connected to NH87. Regular roadways buses run from Delhi, Agra, Dehradun, Haridwar, Lucknow, Kanpur and Bareilly daily. Luxury coaches are available from Delhi to this place.


Places for Sightseeing:

• Aerial Ropeway
• Cave Gardens
• Hanuman Garhi
• Mall Road
• Naina Devi Temple
• Naini Lake
• Naina Peak
• Raj Bhawan
• Snow View
• The Flatts
• Tiffin Top
• Zoo

Puri.....19.81°N 85.83°E

Puri known for exotic beaches with Golden Sand is situated on Eastern Coast of Bay of Bengal in Orissa. It is the holy land of Lord Jagannath and considered as the holy city of Hindus as a part of the Char Dham Pilgrimages.
It is also known as Jagannath Puri famous for its best beaches from where sunset and sunrise can be viewed.
Puri is known for the Festival of Chariots or the Ratha Yatra where every year the deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are brought out for Chariot Procession. Every year Ratha Yatra festival is organised in the month of July.
Puri has several monuments that are instances of impeccable art and architecture.
Visitors can also enjoy a boat ride in Chilka Lake which is one of the biggest lake in Asia and the visitors can also watch Dolphins while boating. There is also a Dolphin Island near the lake.


How To Reach

By Road:

Puri is well connected by good roads from nearby locations and Bus services are regularly available from nearby cities.

By Rail:

Best option to reach Puri is by train since it is well connected from all major stations in India by rail.

By Air:

The nearest airport from Puri is Biju Patnail Airport in Bhubaneshwar, which is 60km away from Puri.


Nearby Places worth Visiting

• Sakhigopal Temple at Sakhigopal
• Sun Temple, Konark
• Gundicha Temple,Puri
• Shyamakali Temple,Puri
• Siddha Mahavir Temple, Puri
• Swetaganga Tank,Puri
• Lokonath Temple,Puri
• JambeswarTemple, Puri
• Karar Ashram , Puri
• Chilka Lake
• SaptaMatruka images near Markandeshwar Tank
  

Introduction!!!!!

This blog is dedicated to flash out some marvelous destinations in India...I will be posting on this blog information about precious gems of India which are worth visiting. Seeking to help all those who like adventures and traveling.