Archive for September, 2007
The district of Darjeeling is spread over approximately 1,200 square miles with the main town of Darjeeling as the district capital. The description of Darjeeling is never complete if one does not mention Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak. The view of the snow capped mountains from anywhere in Darjeeling is spectacular, but its view at sunrise from one of the highest peaks in Darjeeling, the Tiger Hill is incomparable. Tiger Hill is approximately 8 kilometres away from the main town and transport can easily be arranged. After the magnificent sunrise, on the way back to the main town you could stop at the beautiful Buddhist monasteries on the way. Darjeeling has a very strong Buddhist influence, resulting in numerous monasteries across the entire district.
Darjeeling has a very colonial feel about it. Some of the buildings and structures have been preserved and still have the British architecture. The best way to explore the main town is by foot. Like any other hill station in India, the heart of the town is a mall area. In Darjeeling this mall area is known as chowrastha, a huge open circle surrounded by small shops, cafes and curio shops. The chowrastha is overlooked by an observatory hill, which is home to one of the oldest temples in Darjeeling, the Mahakal temple. One can either sit in one of the cafes in chowrastha for hours together or take a stroll on the road that circles the observatory hill. This road offers one of the most spectacular views in Darjeeling. In close proximity to the chowrastha is the zoological park of Darjeeling, which houses Siberian tigers, Tibetan wolves and snow leopards. One can either take a walk to the zoo from chowrastha or hire a taxi.
Darjeeling was home to the famous conqueror of Everest, Tenzing Sherpa. Continuing the legacy is the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute of Darjeeling. The HMI, as it is known as, is the main centre for all the mountaineering aspirants across India. There is also a natural rock, very near to the HMI, where one can get a few tips and get an experience of rock climbing. Darjeeling has a numbers of parks and gardens. The most famous among these are the rock garden and the botanical garden. The rock garden is approximately 12 kilometres from the main town and is a picturesque garden, landscaped surrounding a stream that cuts across the hills. Situated 2 kilometres away from the rock garden is the Ganga Maya Park, which has a small man-made lake with boating facilities. The botanical garden is spread over 40-acres and is surrounded by firs, conifers, alpine tress, cherry, maples, willows, chestnut trees and lots of Himalayan evergreens. Its houses numerous species of orchids and species of flora have been brought here from all over the world to create a spectacular picture.
Darjeeling is also a paradise for adventure sports. It offers one of the most spectacular trekking routes in India, the trek to the adjoining hills with the breath-taking views in the Singalila ridge. If not a trek one can opt for mountain biking in this area. The two magnificent Himalayan rivers, the Teesta and the Rangeet River flow through the low lying regions of the district. It is because of these two rivers that white water rafting has become so popular in Darjeeling. For the laid back tourists, Darjeeling offers the perfect ride, the ropeway. The ropeway spans from Darjeeling to Rangeet valley and hangs over acres of happy valley tea estate.
Darjeeling is beautiful during the spring and summer with the maximum temperature being 24 degree Celsius and the hills are covered with rhododendrons. The monsoons start from July till September and are characterized by heavy rains and landslides. Bagdogra is the nearest airport to Darjeeling and New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railway station. Both these places are approximately 90-94 kilometres away from Darjeeling. Buses and cars are easily available from both these places, or the option of toy train is also available. Darjeeling is connected by road to Siliguri, Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan.
Nestled in the picturesque lower Himalayan range is one of the oldest hill stations of India, Darjeeling. This beautiful hill station in West Bengal owes its name to the Tibetan word, Dorjeling, which literally translates to, a land of thunderbolts. Darjeeling in the early 19th century was a cluster of villages ruled by the Nepalese and Sikkimese kings. It was the British East India Company that decided to convert this remote settlement into a summer retreat for the British in India. The East India Company in the year 1835 leased Darjeeling from the Sikkimese king and Lord Napier was one of the founders of this hill station.
Although, the majority of the population in Darjeeling are Nepali, there are many other ethnic groups, such as Lepchas, Sherpas, Tibetan, Bengalis, Bhutias, Biharis and Marwaris. The influence of all these cultures is evident in the number of festivals celebrated across Darjeeling. Apart from the diverse range of festivals celebrated, Darjeeling hill council organizes a ten day cultural carnival. This carnival basically focuses on the cultural music and dance, and magnificent visuals from all over Darjeeling are displayed here.
Darjeeling is probably best known as a producer of one of the finest tea in the world. It was the British who started experimenting with tea plantations and they realized that Darjeeling was very well suited for tea plantations. Another proud possession of Darjeeling is the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the toy train. This narrow-gauge railway stretches for approximately 80 kilometres from Siliguri to Darjeeling. The journey from Siliguri to Darjeeling approximately takes 3 hours but in this steam engine powered railway, the journey might take you close to 10 hours. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, which is now declared as a world heritage site cuts across the beautiful hills and tea gardens and climbs to an elevation of approximately 7000 feet.
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the architectural splendour and also for many people, the symbol of immortal love, the Taj Mahal is the biggest attraction in Agra. This beautiful monument is a tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the queen of Shah Jahan, the third Mughal emperor. It took 12 years and approximately 20,000 workers to construct this marble wonder. There is more to Taj than just the main building; there are other aspects to the Taj that is most of the times not captured in numerous photographs. The main gate itself is another example of medieval Muslim architecture. The entire complex is surrounded by beautiful buildings and ornamental gardens. The Taj Mahal is located on the banks of the river Yamuna and thus the river acts like a mirror, reflecting this immortal monument. If you think that Taj is beautiful during the day, then you should come during the night viewing sessions, to witness this monument at its full splendour on a full moon night.
Agra is not just about the Taj Mahal, the city has two other world heritage sites: The Agra fort and Fatehpur Sikri. The Agra fort was initially built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar and was later renovated by his grandson Shah Jahan. The fort has many beautifully constructed buildings are rooms inside it, such as the Sheesh Mahal, which has a lot of mirror work, Khaas Mahal and Akbari Mahal. As any Mughal building, the Agra fort has its share of splendid gardens; it’s called the Anguri Bagh. The Agra fort also has a view of the Taj Mahal. The fort is not just another medieval monument; it is a symbol of the Mughal Empire when it was at its peak. Approximately 35 kilometres away from Agra is another historic city, Fatehpur Sikri built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. The most famous monument of Fatehpur Sikri is the tomb of Saint Sheikh Salim Chishti. People from all religion and caste come to this tomb to seek blessings. The city is full of historic monuments, such as Buland Darwaza, Jamat Khana and Badshahi Darwaza.
The history of the Mughal Empire is engraved in each corner of this city. It is Agra houses the tomb of the greatest Mughal emperor, Akbar. The mausoleum, Sikandra is located approximately 10 kilometres away from the city and the design is a combination of Hindu, Muslim and Christian architecture. Akbar had initiated the construction of his own mausoleum but was completed by his son and successor Jahangir. The other significant tombs in Agra are the tombs of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, known as the Itmad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb and the tomb of one of the queen’s of Akbar, Mariam’s tomb. All these Mughal tombs have intricate designs and ornamental gardens surround this mausoleum.
The Ram Bagh is a beautiful garden built by the first Mughal emperor Babur. The Ram Bagh has a three terrace garden and water cascades down those three terraces. The mausoleum of Shri Shiv Dayal Singh is located approximately 10 kilometres from Agra. The construction of this white marble mausoleum was started in the year 1904 and it still is not complete. Shri Shiv Dayal Singh preached unity of all mankind irrespective of caste, creed or colour and continuing the legacy is this structure. The structure once completed is supposed to house a temple, a mosque, a church and a gurudwara in the same building. There is also a botanical garden, set on the banks of river Yamuna, known as the Mehtab Bagh. This garden is opposite to the Taj Mahal and provides a good view of the Taj Mahal from across the river. The other famous monuments in Agra are the beautiful memorial of Allama Afzel Khal Mullah Shukrullah of Shiraz, the prime minister of Shah Jahan, known as the Chini ka Rauza and of course Jama Masjid, the mosque famous for its unique architecture. Agra also has the advantage of being in close proximity to tourist attractions, such as Mathura, Vrindavan and Bharatpur bird sanctuary.
Agra is one of the oldest cities in India but that does not mean that gardens and tombs are the only attraction of the city. Agra is a paradise for shopping ethnic Indian things. From souvenirs to handicrafts, from international branded clothes to the embroidered Indian clothes, from leather goods to sweets one can find anything at a good bargain in Agra. There are the usual malls with the multiplexes, such as the Pacific Taj. However it’s the narrow lanes in the city market that you would actually find all the variety at a good price. The ideal shopping places in Agra would be the Sadar Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar and Lohamandi.
Situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the beautiful city of Agra on the banks of the river Yamuna is a historical city that is visited in large numbers by domestic and international tourists throughout the year. Forming the golden triangle with Delhi and Jaipur, Agra is a tourist destination of paramount importance. With much to narrate to the interested historians and the visiting tourists, Agra is a city that can be easily reached from places across the country. This city is linked to the other parts of the country via a good network of road, railways and air routes. Situated 200 kilometers from the capital, New Delhi, Agra can also be reached from Jaipur.
How to reach Agra by Air:
Agra is served by the Kheria Airport which is located at a distance of 5 kilometers from the city. The airport is also known by the name of Agra Civil Enclaves. Tourists will get a number of domestic flights operating to and from the city to some of the major cities.
How to reach Agra by Train:
Agra has two main rail heads serving the city. The major one is situated close to the historic fort of Agra and Taj Mahal and is known as Agra Cantt. The other Station is called Agra Fort Railway Station. A third station is located in the heart of the city and is named Raja Ki Mandi.
Trains that are available from Delhi consist of the Taj Express from the Nizamuddin Station and the Shatabdi Express. These two trains stop at the Agra Cantt Station. The super fast Rajdhani Express also serves Agra.
Trains to and from Agra are also available from other destinations like Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Trivandrum.
A notable name in the history of the Indian Railway is the “Palace on Wheels”. Primarily a luxury train, tourists can enjoy a memorable ride to Agra on this train which begins its journey from New Delhi. Other destinations covered by the train consist of certain places in Rajasthan and Jaipur.
How to reach Agra by Road:
Reaching Agra by road is also convenient as the city is linked with Delhi and other cities and States through a network of well maintained National Highways which consist of highways number 2, 3 and 11. There are primarily three bus terminals from where inter state and intercity buses are available.
The Bijlighar Bus Stand is situated close to the Red Fort. The Idgah Bus Station handles the intercity buses and is located in the heart of the city.
Tourists can avail buses to other states from the bus stand at Transport Nagar which is situated at a distance of 12 kilometers from the Taj Mahal.
Apart from Delhi, Agra can be reached from Lucknow, Kanpur, Gwalior and Jaipur.
Agra, a city on the banks of Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh is probably one of the most famous destinations in India. One would find glimpses of history in every corner of this city. Agra has been mentioned in ancient Hindu epics, but the credit for the foundation of the city goes to Sultan Sikandar Lodi. It was with the advent of the Mughals in India that the city reached its grandeur. Agra remained the capital of the Mughal Empire in India for a very long time. The city is definitely the best reminiscence of the Mughal Empire in India.