| Reviews and photos of India attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for India sightseeing. Map |
 | India Things To Do | Tips 11 - 20 of 1179 |  |
A good side trip to make if you are in Bikaner, Rajasthan. About 30kms South of Bikaner, there is a village called Deshnok.....quite unremarkable except for the amazing temple dedicated to Karni Mata. This temple is commonly called the "Rat Temple"
Now I entered this temple with much trepidation.......thousands of rats, running helter skelter everywhere. Across feet, under feet, everywhere. But these are not just rats.....they are considered to be reincarnations of the souls of all dead storytellers.........thanks to the Goddess KarniMata (incarnation of Durga). The rats are fed "prasad" or tiny sugar pebbles, and milk with honey,and pilgrims come in the thousands to worship them (ancestors maybe?) I was awed by the sight of a very old man sitting on his haunches talking gently to them, they seemed to be listening. In amongst the thousands of grey rats, there are a handful of white ones, and it is considered to be auspicious to see a white rat. I was lucky.I am not usually a superstitious person, but we have been blessed with good luck since then.
This place is really worth a visit. BUT WEAR SOCKS!!!!!
The temple itself is quite beautiful-it has a marble facade and solid silver doors.The inner courtyard has mesh overhead to prevent birds from grabbing the rats.
Please have a look at the photos- they will give you an idea of why this temple is so interesting.
Bikaner is in northern Rajasthan- an interesting city to visit.
- Leave a Comment Address: Deshnok -south of BikanerPhone: 0151-544125Directions: 30 km south of Deshnok is 30 minute busride(hourly) from BikanerOther Contact: tourist reception- Bikaner
|
 | |  |
Visiting India?
Read reviews about India Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
India is a paradise for bird-watchers. There are many Bird Parks and National Parks, and even in the big cities, particuarly Delhi & Kolkata, one finds many species of exotic birds.
So grab a camera & binoculars, and head off to one of the National Parks. If that is not possible, sit in any park in Delhi (Lodhi Gardens is good) or Kolkata (Victoria Memorial Gardens). You will be sure to capture some beautiful photographs.
I also love the sounds of the birds- in Delhi one can hear the cry of Eagles,Parrakeets and Crows even above the noise of the traffic.
We saw many species also at Rajiji National Park and Ranthambore National Park. Leave a Comment
|
 Ornate Marble Ceiling-Jain
Temple Ranakpur by lynnehamman, 4 more photos
The mosques in India are almost always beautifully designed in Mughal style, with graceful arches, rich mosaics and marble tiles(Jama Masjid in Delhi is a wonderful example). The minarets tower above each mosque, and the muezzin can be heard at times, calling the faithful to pray. These mosques are exquisitely ornamented as Muslim faith does not allow depiction of idols or human faces.Koranic text surrounds the walls,which are very ornate.
Jain Temples are very ornate and made from marble. The Jain Temple at Ranakpur is breathtaking-it has thousands of hand carved pillars, and every single pillar is different. The Jain religion holds ALL forms of life sacred-down to the tiniest insect,and hence one has to remove any leather (shoes, belts, bags etc) before entering.
Christian Churches are ornate, and were mostly erected during the period of British rule. Their design is eclectic, but they are historically very interesting, and still have pews filled with Christian Indians at every service. St Johns Church in Kolkata has memorial plaques lining its old walls with poignant reminders of the short life-span that many endured.
There is a very small Indian Jewish community in a few places in India. Cochin has an ancient synagogue which is still in use by this rapidly dwindling religious community.
The Golden Temple at Amritsar is the Sikh temple that is most visited by foreign travellers- I have not yet seen it, but hope to very soon. By all accounts, it is awesome to behold. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Rajasthan has dozens of mighty forts, palaces and castles dotted around the state. Some are situated in the cities, and some are outside of city limits. The three most impressive forts are Meharagarh Fort-(Jaipur,) Jaisalmer Fort is the oldest living fort-(Jaisalmer), and Chittorgarh Fort. Chittorgarh can be visited on a day trip from Udaipur.
These above forts have been invaded and conquered -then re-conquered over the centuries, and all have a fascinating history. ( I have given details of forts in my various Indian cities pages)
They are all huge, and some have steep ascents- so wear good walking shoes- and a hat.
Other Forts of great historical value in Rajasthan are Kumbalgarh Fort (which has the 2nd longest wall after the Great Wall in China) near Udaipur, and Ranthambore Fort. Bundi Palace is very impressive, and has well preserved hand painted scenes on the inner walls.
Palaces are in every city- many have been converted into hotels. Some have museums, and some have royalty in residence. All are opulent and have magnificent gardens. The City Palace in Udaipur is especially majestic, overlooking Lake Pichola.
details of these forts can be found in the various pages listed on my homepage Leave a Comment Directions: see relevant info on my various pages of Indian Cities
|
| | |
 The Gate to India - Mumbai.
ADI by Hmmmm
This City onced called Bombay is one full on urban centre. Chocka with smells, sounds, textures, panic, beaurocracy, characters, beggars, clubs, movies, Music, tastes, traffic, pollution, and people, people, people.
Mumbai si sfull of stuff to see like the Gate way to India, in teh photo. The Gateway of India by the water's edge at Apollo Bunder is the most famous colonial monument , and Mumbai's most famous landmark. It is one of the last imperial monuments built by the British in Mumbai.
The first stone was laid by the then Governor of Mumbai, Lord Sydenham on 31st March, 1913. It is a solid structure consisting of eight open door ways, above which is a perforated design. It was completed in 1924 and was conceived as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar on the 2nd December, 1911.
Initially used as a disembarkation point for passengers alighting from steamers, ironically twenty-four years later it became an exit point for the British troop who had to leave India when it got its independence in 1947.
Today its packed with activity. A good point to catch a Boat to some of the other must see sites. Leave a Comment Directions: To get to the Gate of India. Get a Rickshaw or a cab. Negotiate crazy traffic. the Gate Is on the eastern side of the Fort Area near the docks. Down a bit from The Prince of wales Museum.
|
| | |
Visiting India?
Read reviews about India Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
 by munki
Keoladeo National Park was founded in 1981 and it is now regarded as an UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE site. This magnificent bird sanctuary used to be an arid area but water was bought from nearby irrigation channel to create a water reserve where the royals and the British killed thousand of innocent birds. The park is a mix of wetland, which attracts hundreds of migratory birds and grassland. The park is of walking distance of Bharatpur and most guesthouses hire bicycle for the whole day. If you are lazy you can hire a cycle rickshaw and a friendly guide for fifty rupees per hour. I hired a bicycle and a basic packed lunch at the Jungle Lodge at 7.00 am and visit the park on my own. Apart from dozens of water birds, I saw some interesting mammals such as sambar, nilgai, jackal, cows and also an iguana and a turtle. Be careful and do not enter the tiger area
Where a female tiger is been seen by the park staff, this area is unsafe to explore on foot or on bike (that will explain why I didn’t see anymore for 2 hours during my visit, to be honest the park is not very well indicated, no signs at all and lots of crossroads so it is very easy to get lost, but that’s the beauty of it, anyway the park is clearly marked by a stone wall in some areas, I even met a group of ladies who were picking wood inside the park.
At the end of the main road inside the park there is a temple and a little shop which sells biscuits, water and tea when is open.
It is best to visit early at dawn or late at dusk, unfortunately during my visit in December the prolonged drought in Rajasthan the water level was not very high.
I left the park at 4.00 and after a lovely and rushed lunch at the Jungle Lodge I decided to explore the town of Bharatpur by hiring a local guide and his cycle rickshaw to see the sights before dawn. In two hours I managed to see Lohagarh, the Iron Fort, Ganga Mandir and Jami Mashid.
Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 Lady at Pushkar lake shore by munki
Up at 6.00 to get the 6.30 bus to Ajmer , arrived about 9.00. I tried to leave rucksaw at the luggage store at the train station but the guy doesn’t take unlocked luggage, so I have no choice but to miss Ajmer and head straight to Pushkar. Bus drivers will try to get as much passengers as they can and will wait until the bus is full or half full, this can back fired on them as some passengers including myself decided to get off the bus to get on an arriving bus which was fuller and therefore the driver was willing to go…anyway the ride to Pushkar is a short one (about an hour, and believe in India that’s is nothing).
Peaceful sacred town of Pushkar is a welcoming change after touring the big three, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. I am a non-smoker and my lungs were happy to breath clean air again after been constantly poisoned for a week.
The town with their spiritual temples and ghats and colourful bazaar creates a magical atmosphere. I hired a room at the Bharatpur Palace with great views of the lake (250 rupees). Unfortunately that night there was a local celebration and there was a small concert in a close by temple (300 metres) so I couldn’t sleep until 1.00 am, not nice if you are up at 6.00.
This place is really special and unique, you will be ask to make a Puskhar Puja by the local priests, my first contact with a priest was not very nice, he was screaming at me for not removing my shoes and for wearing a camera, he was right so I had no choice but to apologise and leave for the next ghat.
Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Lodhi Gardens is haven of peace and tranquilliity.Tall trees give shade, and the lawns are green and well trimmed. We walk here a lot on our visits to Delhi- the gardens have always been clean and well kept. Like Central Park in New York, Delhi dwellers use this public space.There were very few tourist while we were there.People were jogging, doing yoga or just sitting under the trees, having a picnic.
There are some monuments and tombs within the Gardens, the most interesting being the tomb of Mohamed Shah.
Area surrounding Lodhi Gardens is one of the most upscale residential areas in Delhi. White Lutyens Bungalows and mansions stand on the wide tree-lined roads. We stayed at a Guest House on Prithviraj Rd, and admired the beautiful homes along this wide avenue.. It is the chosen area for Embassies, an ex-president and Government buildings.
I love this photo of Lodhi Gardens so much- it is screen-saver on my lap-top! Leave a Comment Directions: About 3 kms. to the west of Humayun's tomb and adjoining the India International Center are the Lodhi Gardens.
|
| | |
The REAL India is found in the old quarters: in Delhi, around Chandi Chowk in the old city,life still goes on, much the way it has for centuries. There are old, often neglected monuments & building everywhere in Delhi, and although most travellers are aware of the famous ones,like the Red Fort and Hamayuns Tomb, its worthwhile exploring the lanes & parks. There are still unknown treasures hidden to be discovered, although so many relics from the past have been neglected, overlooked or destroyed in the name of "progress & modernization". Delhi was once a aesthetically beautiful, vibrant , elegant multicultural city, where the residents of different religions lived peacefully side by side. It is still a beautiful city, but much has changed;
Take time to discover some of the past in India. There are walking tours of old quarters available. Many fine museums give a glimpse of the past.Talk to older people, especially in the old parts of the cities, they often have fascinating stories to tell. Leave a Comment Directions: In Old Delhi - The Old City around Red Fort & Chandi Chowk- Lodhi Gardens- Nizzamuddin In New Delhi - Rajpath , Connought CircusWebsite: www.incredibleindia.org
|
| | |
There are many national parks in all parts of India- it is really worth taking a few days to visit any one of these. Most are quite accessable.The variety of animal species is wide, and unique. Bird-life is prolific too.
The best time to do the above is probably just after the monsoon, when everything is splendidly green. Tours of these parks are available, and usually done by jeep.In some national parks, accomodation is provided.
Rushing around in the cities, trying to see tourist sites, one can get totally exhausted. So by taking these few days, one can relax, get away from the mad crowds & traffic, and come away rejuvenated and refreshed- ready to face the chaos of cities again.
We particuarly enjoyed our stay at Ranthambore National Park. It is on a rail route, and very close to Rajasthan.
Don't forget to bring camera & binoculars!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK
See my page
Sawai Madhopur Leave a Comment
|
| | |
|
|
