India Travel Tourism

Girnar is one of the holiest places in Gujarat, situated near Junagadh at a distance of 327 from Ahmedabad. It is a holy place and an important pilgrimage for both Hindus and Jains. There are a number of temples located here, which have converted it into a township of temples. Amidst the lush green Gir Forest, the mountain range serves as the hub of religious activity. Apart from this, there is a mosque attracting many Muslim pilgrims to the place. This has made Girnar a perfect example of unity in diversity in India.

The summit has been an important religious place since the 3rd century. Girnar temples present a true blend of art, religion and devotion. The sculptural art used in these temples is outstanding. They have stood the test the time and the cruelty of various invaders. Despite that, the art forms of the temples still retain their magnificence. The Jain temples at Girnar attract devotees of both Shwetambar and Digambar sects of Jainism. The Neminath Temple is the main attraction of Girnar. It was built during 1128 AD to 1159 AD.

According to Jain religious beliefs, Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankar became an ascetic after he saw the slaughter of animals for food on his wedding. He renounced all worldly pleasures and came to Mount Girnar to attain salvation. Here, Bhagwan Neminath reached the highest state of enlightenment, Keval Gyan and Moksha, after great austerities. His bride-to-be also followed his path and founded the ‘Sandhvi Sangh’, the organization of women ascetics. The rectangular Neminath temple is the greatest temple here.

It has an idol of Lord Neminath in black granite with jeweled eyes. There are quadrangle courtyards, corridors and other shrines. The pillars are adorned with intricate carvings of Jain Tirthankars. The ceilings bear carvings and sculptures of Dancing Goddesses. Apart from this, there is the Mallinath temple, which is dedicated to the 19th Tirthankar. It was constructed by Vastupal and Tejpal. Neminath in 1231 AD. The Lord is shown in blue color here. The Rishabhadev Temple, situated nearby, is in golden color.

It is dedicated to 24 Tirthankars of Jain religion. Another Jain temple in the region is the Parshwanath Temple. It was built in the 15th century and is also known as Meravasi. Besides this, there is a Goddess Ambe Temple at Grinar. The temple is visited by the newly married couples for good fortune and prosperous married life.A mosque nearby is thronged by childless women for blessings. The Dattatreya hill, halfway down the temple cluster, also houses a number of other temples worth seeing.

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“People are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true.” This quote by Richard Bach sits smug on all the Mughal Rulers who made some of the most remarkable and wonder monuments in India. Agra in Uttar Pradesh is one such destination that houses a number of architectural wonders that are listed as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO. After visiting the seventh wonder of the world – the Taj Mahal – I decided to explore the other fascinating attractions of the city.

I started with the Agra Fort, ‘Lal Quila’ of Agra. popularly known as the Serving as a walled palatial city, the fort was taken over from the Lodhis by Emperor Akbar. I wonder a monument built in red sandstone with white marble and intricate decorations can be so beautiful, so charming and spell-binding !! Legend says that the fort was also a site of one of the battles during the Indian rebellion of 1857 against the British. I also visited and admired the Jahangir Mahal, Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas, Sheesh Mahal, Khas Mahal, Panch Mahal etc. inside the Agra Fort.

I stopped for a quick bite at a roadside restaurant and headed towards

Sikandra. Located about 10 km from the city centre, the Sikandra Fort was initially built by the Mughal emperor Akbar but the construction of the entire complex was completed by his son Jehangir. The garden of the fort is built in a typical Charbagh style with water channels running through it. The gateways of the fort, the tomb of Emperor Akbar, inlay marble work, massive piers & arches and elegant mosaic works are simply excellent and incomparable.

Post lunch, I hired an auto-rickshaw for Itmad-Ud-Daulah Tomb. Popularly known as ‘jewel box’ or the ‘Baby Taj’ , the tomb consists of numerous outbuildings and gardens. It was commissioned by Empress Noor Jahan (Jehangir’s wife) for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. The monument has white marble walls decorated with semi-precious stones. As I was running short of time, I paid short visits to Ram Bagh (Mughal garden laid by Baur in 1528) and Jama Masjid (one of the largest mosques in India housing the shrine of religious Sufi leader Sheikh Salim Chisti).

My last sightseeing in Agra was Fatehpur Sikri, the political capital of Mughal dynasty under Akbar’s reign. With a number of palaces and mosques, Fatehpur Sikri boasts of Akbar’s crowning architectural legacy. Due to its architectural beauty, it is also declared a World Heritage Site.

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I, happily, admit that I am a shopaholic. I am addicted to buy traditional artifacts and handicrafts. I do not have a tendency to stop shopping when the baskets became too full or too heavy. I consider shopping as a great investment. And luckily, on my tour to Agra, I was caught with shopping fever. After visiting the wonder monument Taj Mahal, I decided to flock the colourful market streets to carry something home.

I started my exploration with the Oswal Emporium. Since its inception in 1972, the emporium is known for the best of intricate inlay work on marble. The guard there told me that it is the largest of its kind in Asia. As I entered the gallery, I was amazed to see the world’s finest handcrafted marble products. My next destinations were the famous Kinaari Bazaar and Munroe Road. There I found some of the most amazing leather products. If anyone wants to replenish his/her leather wardrobe, there is no better place than Agra.

I hired a rickshaw and also paid short visits to the Loha Mandi, Civil Line, Tajganj, Dayal Bagh, Taj Mahal Complex and the Rakab Ganj area. These places are superb to buy some authentic souvenirs and zari embroidery work at reasonable prices. Streets were loaded with awesome sweet delicacies like ‘petha’ and ‘gazak’. The rickshaw-wala also insisted me to visit U. P. State Emporium, but I asked him to take me back to the hotel as I was running short of time.

On my way to the hotel, the rickshaw-wala told me that the markets in Agra were frequented by the skilled craftsmen even during the Mughal rule. They used to bring with them their best wares in the hope to get the patronage of the Emperor. People believe that Empress Noor Jahan took a keen interest in opulent and exquisite embroidery and textiles. Therefore she employed a number of female dress makers to stitch impressive and grand robes for all the courtiers.

One item that was common in almost all the shops in Agra was the marble replica of the Taj Mahal. It serves as the pride of every shop there.

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“22 years, workforce of about 20,000 laborers, a council of thefinest architects from across continents, and the most precious stones together resulted into the Taj Mahal – perhaps the most beautiful monument of the entire world. The best part with the monument is that it is popular as the symbol of Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan’s undying love for his wife Mumtaz. But contrary to this, another harsh fact is that Shah Jehan ordered the hands of the craftsmen and architects to be chopped off after the construction, as he did not want them to build any other grand & amazing monument as this one.”

As I watched all this in a programme on Discovery channel, I could not make a control over my excitement and I packed my bag for Agra. On arriving this renowned city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, I came to know that this erstwhile capital of the Mughal empire is a vibrant centre of culture, art and religious philosophies. My driver, Tahir, told me that its original name was Agrabana, a forest that finds mention in the epic Mahabharata.

Being one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal serves as an inspirational source to various artists, painters, sculptors, poets and photographers. I found this pure white marble monument standing on the banks of the River Yamuna. The main monument with the huge and impressive dome, has four minarets in each corner towering up to 40 meters. And its divine beauty is not only limited to just the outside view but the intricate carvings are also beautiful and fascinating. As soon as I entered the monument, I saw an elevated central chamber below which is the burial chamber. The inner beauty of the Taj Mahal seems at its best with two levels consisting of eight rooms each, which were used to bury other members of the royal family.

I was overwhelmed to see the crypts of Shah Jehan and Mumtaz lying side by side with the heads facing in the direction of the holy city of Mecca. Both the crypts are beautifully decorated with inscriptions from the holy book Quran. The guide there told me that once these crypts and almost all the walls of the monument were studded with precious stones and gems. Still I could see the best of drawings like vines, creepers with flowers and other beautiful designs.

Another fascinating element inside the monument is the marble screen or ‘Jali’ surrounding the crypts. Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the finest example of Mughal architecture. One can see a lot of diversity here as the architecture is highly inspired from Persian, Indian and Turkish architectural patterns.

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Being an adventure enthusiast, I consider Goa as my dream destination for holidays. Blessed with the waves of pleasure, Goa has India’s most famous and justly popular beaches. As I arrived there, I found excellent tourist infrastructure, right from a host of stay options to innumerable operators offering a range of water sports. As I was looking for quiet alternatives, Goa offered me beaches that promise relative seclusion. I was simply overwhelmed to see the rustic beauty of the landscape, shopping opportunities, pubs that stay open till late and the shacks that offer superlative food from across the world.

It was the last week of October when I arrived here and I found the skies cloudless and blue, and the waters placid. Facilities for the most thrilling water sports were open for all. I had two days with me and I decided to devote one entire day to the water sports in Goa. I first visited the Dona Paula beach and enjoyed windsurfing. My assistant there told me that it is a unique blend of surfing and sailing, which requires the surfer to adjust his strength and balance to the changing patterns of wind and water. I could see a number of people there indulged in the same sport, as they all were practicing for Windsurfing Regatta, which is an annual event.

Next I also enjoyed scuba diving and water skiing a lot. Both these sports are gaining popularity among tourists. As the underwater visibility in the more tranquil of Goa’s bays and lagoons ranges from 5 to 10 meters, I could not reach in more deep areas. But what I enjoyed most during scuba diving were attractive coral heads, lobsters, bright colored fish, and other marine life patterns. Similarly, water skiing was also quite exciting. It is like combating the sea on speedboats.

I paid short visits to the Calangute, Colva, Palolem, Vagator and Baga beaches as well, and enjoyed activities like Dinghly Sailing (cruising on long crafts that can accommodate 3-4 people comfortably), Angling (fishing), Water Scootering and Swimming. Apart from that, Parasailing is another fun activity that involves a parachute attached to a motorboat. The parachute goes up in the air as the motorboat starts moving.

My visit was undoubtedly superb as I could satisfy my hunger for adventure. I had never thought that this small state could offer such a range of exciting sports.

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