Agra Fort

Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

• Visit before Taj Mahal as its bigger and takes time to complete a round. It is closer to the Express Highway as you enter Agra.
• A weekday trip is recommended given the crowd on weekends. On Monday both Agra Fort and Taj are closed.
• Guides are good to have given the expanse of Agra Fort although it sometimes get intrusive to have them.

Agra Fort is the automatic next destination to Taj Mahal, both being UNESCO World Heritage Sites and as rare as it is with heritage sites, they are only couple of miles from each other. Spread wide across the banks of Yamuna, the fort boasts of being home to five generation of Mughal Emperors.

Huge motes, Agra Fort

Bhopal

Bhopal - Sanchi - Bhimbetka

• Most of the spots are around the lake, be it the museums, the mosques or the magnificent Van Vihar. So better stay somewhere near the lake.
• Weekends are crowded specially near the lake and at Sanchi so plan for a hectic Friday and an easy Saturday before leaving on Sunday.
• Bhopal can be hub for visiting Sanchi, Bhimbetka and Panchgani. Bhimbetka and Panchgani are in same direction but not possible to visit in one day.

We reached Bhopal early morning and quickly settled for breakfast at the Shahnama restaurant of our grand stay - Jehan Numa Palace Hotel. By the time we finished, our plan had been formulated to cover both Sanchi and Bhimbetka the same day.

Upper Lake,  Bhopal

Bhimbetka

Bhopal - Sanchi - Bhimbetka

Nestled in the deep forests, this place is a true jewel. Plan at least a half day excursion through the whole area. It takes time to cover and more time to appreciate.

• The road is not in a good condition and there are not many road-side restaurants. Visit  after the monsoons if you like greenary. The month of August is ideal.
• Read about the place before you go. You will appreciate the rich heritage more. It is one of the 32 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India for a reason.

We reached Bhimbetka at noon from Sanchi. A slight detour on way to Hoshangabad from Bhopal and nestled in the Vindhyas is this ancient home to humankind that most of us are unaware. I guess most of those including me realized the special position this place holds in world history is when it was a declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Domestication of animals, Bhimbetka

Sanchi

Bhopal - Sanchi - Bhimbetka

Sanchi was as calm and serene as we had left it in our Class IX history book. While in Sanchi one realizes why a secluded place built on a hillock suits the purpose of meditation and learning. The place is as picturesque as possible with a panoramic view of the Vindhyas.

Gateway to Stupas, Sanchi

Mathura

Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

Mathura was calm and bustling at the same time, as expected. The birthplace of Lord Krishna is one of the oldest cities and hence narrow lanes were crowded when we hit the city on a Monday. We parked our car near Holi Gate and entered the realm. Our first destination was Dwarkadheesh Temple. It is on the bank of river Yamuna and draws hundreds of worshippers every morning. We sat there for some time and admired the old structure.

Dwarkadheesh Temple, Mathura

Vrindavan

Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

Vrindavan is the city of temples. While Mathura is birth place of Lord Krishna, it is Vrindavan which has the mythological advantage of hosting the childhood of Vishnu avatar. We reached the city through Yamuna Expressway and quickly settled in a subsidized Jain dharamshala (a religious establishment). Since it was early noon, we decided to first visit something little far and chose Pagal Baba Temple.

Pagal Baba Temple, Vrindavan

Qutub Minar

Delhi boasts of hosting three of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites apart from a plethora of monuments and ruins of old. One of the three and probably the most visited is Qutub Minar. The entire complex is a tribute to pre-mughal architecture and attracts a wide array of visitors throughout the year.

Qutub Minar

Bangalore: Top 10 places to visit

Here's the list of top things to do in Bangalore.

1. Vidyarthi Bhavan: Near Basavangudi, at the heart of old Bangalore serves amazing crispy dosas with loads of ghee in it, for which people line up and wait for up to half an hour. Coffee here is strong and good, the essential. The shop opens at as early as 6.30 AM but is closed on Fridays.

Dosa @ Vidyarthi Bhawan

Rameswaram

• Train to Rameswaram itself is a unique experience. The holy town can be covered on foot although there is scarcity of good hotels.
• Visit and complete round of the main temple takes couple hours. People even take bath afterwards in the inner sanctum.
• The highlight is Dhanushkoti, a sword shaped island at the tip of which the mythical bridge was built by Lord Ram. Sri Lanka is merely 20 miles from here.

Trip: Bangalore > Kanyakumari > Kovalam > Trivandrum > Rameswaram > Bangalore

Rameswaram was long awaited and frankly it didn't disappoint us. In fact the trip that started from Kanyakumari to this pilgrimage via Kovalam had an almost perfect ending in Dhanushkoti. We arrived at this island by train early morning. Crossing Pamban bridge created enough excitement in fellow travellers that we woke up with the noise.

Main Entrance @ Rameswaram Pilgrimage

Padmanabhswamy Temple, Trivandrum

• Padmanabhswamy temple is the star attraction of Trivandrum. Dress code is sstrict so be prepared - full clothes and no western attire permitted inside the temple.
• India Coffee House near railway station is a landmark and serves amazing dosas. The shape itself is uniquely spiral.
• Kovalam is an hour drive from here. One should plan stay at Kovalam and visit Trivandrum on the way back. Kanyakumari is only sixty miles away. 

Trip: Bangalore > Kanyakumari > Kovalam > Trivandrum > Rameswaram > Bangalore

Trivandrum was a halt on way to Kovalam. There are not many things to visit but one that has come up as a superstar attraction is the Padmanabhswamy Temple. Few years ago, government became aware of gold worth $20 Bn lying in the basement of this temple all collected from devotees over hundreds of years.

$20 Bn Padmanabhswamy Temple @ Trivandrum

Kovalam

• Best time to visit Kovalam is Dec-Jan. Christmas and New Yr celebration here is grand and looks exotic given the number of foreigner tourists.
• Beach is shallow and among the most playful in India. Hotels are numerous so a deal is possible on last minute booking.
• Dont miss top view from lighthouse. It closes down early. Dont miss the Poovar Island trip. It adds to the charm of Kovalam.

Last time I came to Kovalam was with college friends on the eve of new year of 2008. It was a short and not so sweet stay at this lovely beach town. The way foreigners, specially white people, are preferred by restaurants here will give you a pretty good feeling of how apartheid felt like in South Africa. This time around the plan was to stay longer and experience a little more. Kovalam is more of a landmark in the 5000 miles long sea shore that belongs to India.

Sea View from Lighthouse @ Kovalam

Kanyakumari

• Sunset is among the most beautiful I have seen anywhere. The crowd throngs at the main beach to watch the sea gulp the sun slowly.
• Ferry ride to Vivekanand Rock has pros and cons. While the island and adjacent Thiruvalluvar Statue are worth the visit, the queues are a killer on both sides.
• There are several food joints along the beach facing the sea with authentic south Indian cuisine worth trying.

Trip: Bangalore > Kanyakumari > Kovalam > Trivandrum > Rameswaram > Bangalore

Kanyakumari is like one of those beautiful Russian spies. Allow them to nudge you and you will bleed dry. Stay game and you will be allowed to play a little. Fate let us arrive at this southern most tip of peninsular India on a Christmas morning.

Vivekananda Rock & Thiruvalluvar Statue

Ajmer Sharif

Jaipur - Ajmer - Chittorgarh - Udaipur

• Ajmer Sharif is one the most crowded place we have been to. Park at your hotel or before you enter the area.
• There are tiered entries. The less you have to offer, the longer queue you will be asked to join. Offering at different prices is available in the market leading to the shrine.

It was a whirlwind drive that took us out of the labyrinthine roads of Udaipur to the expansive hill fort of Chittorgarh, to the crowded Ajmer Sharif and finally halted at a modest accommodation in Jaipur all in one day. We drove close to 200 miles, spent decent time in each of the four cities and still managed a breakfast and a dinner.

Way to Ajmer Sharif