Mysore Palace(Amba Vilas Palace)

     Mysore Palace



The Palace of Mysore (also known as the Amba Vilas Palace) is a historical palace in the city of Mysore in Karnataka, southern India. It is the official residence and seat of the Wodeyars — the Maharajas of Mysore, the former royal family of Mysore, who ruled the princely state of Mysore from 1399 to 1950.The palace is in the central region of inner Mysore, facing the Chamundi Hills eastward.

Mysore is commonly described as the City of Palaces. There are about seven palaces inclusive of this; however, Mysore Palace refers specifically to the one within the Old Fort. Built by the Maharaja Rajarshi H.H. Krishnarajendra Wadiyar IV, Mysore Palace is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in India, after the Taj Mahal, and has more than 4 million visitors annually.
The original palace built of wood, got burnt down in 1897, during the wedding of Jayalakshammanni, the eldest daughter of Chamaraja Wodeyar and was rebuilt in 1912 at the cost of Rs. 42 lakhs. The present Palace built in Indo-Saracenic style and blends together Hindu, Muslim, Rajput, and Gothic styles of architecture. It is a three-storied stone structure, with marble domes and a 145 ft five-storied tower. Above the central arch is an impressive sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, good luck, and abundance with her elephants. The palace is surrounded by a large garden. Designed by the well-known British architect, Henry Irwin, the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world.

The Maharaja's Palace is a beautiful three storied stone building of fine gray granite and rich pink marble domes, overlooking this structure is a five-storied 145 foot tower whose domes are gilded in gold. One enters the Palace through the Gombe Thotti or the Doll's Pavilion; this is a pavilion of traditional dolls from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This collection also has a wooden elephant howdah (structure for carrying people on the elephant) that is decorated with 84 kilograms of gold.
Special events
Mysore palace in the evening

Every autumn, the palace is the venue for the famous Mysore Dasara festival, during which leading artists perform on a stage set up in the palace grounds. On the tenth day of the festival Vijaya Dashami, a parade with caparisoned elephants and floats originate from the palace grounds.

Dasara is the most extravagant festival of Mysore. It is celebrated in September and October of each year. The festival celebrates and commemorates the victory of the great Goddess Durga, also called

This festival has been celebrated by the Wodeyars at Srirangapatna since 1610, and in Mysore with great pomp since 1799. The tradition is still carried on, although the scale of the celebrations has diminished. The Dasara festivities have become an integral part of the culture and life in Mysore. To celebrate this festival, the Palace of Mysore is illuminated with more than 96,000 lights during the two-month period.

Chamundeshwari, after she slew the demon Mahishasura, thereby symbolizing the triumph of good over evil according to Hindu mythology.

During the Dasara the Royal throne made of 200kgs of pure gold is displayed. It is claimed that the ancestry of the throne can be traced to the Pandavas.


ATTARACTIONS NEARBY MYSORE PALACE:

Chamundi Temple
Prasanna Krishnaswamy Temple
Lakshmiramana Swamy Temple
   Mahabaleshwara Temple
Trinesvaraswamy Temple
Shweta Varahaswamy Temple

Mysore Palace Timings:
10.00 am - 05.30 pm
Mysore Palace is open all days of the week
Mysore Palace Entry Charges:
Adults Rs. 40/-
Children between 10 - 18 Years : Rs. 20/-
Children below 10 years : Free Entrance
Foreign Tourist Rs. 200/- (Audio Kit Facility Included)
Tickets are sold at southern gate of the Mysore Palace.
Mysore Palace Illumination Timings:
07.00 pm - 07.45 pm on Sundays, National Holidays and State Festivals.
07.40 pm - 07.45 pm on weekdays (Monday to Saturday) after the sound and light show.
There is no charges to watch Mysore Palace lighting
Mysore Palace Sound and Light Show:
07.00 pm - 07.40 pm
On weekdays (Monday to Saturday) except Sundays, National Holidays and State Festivals.
Sound and Light Show Entry Charges:
Adults Rs. 40/-
Children between 7 - 12 years : Rs. 25/-
Foreign Tourist Rs. 200/-
Tickets are sold at southern gate of the Mysore Palace.
How to Reach Mysore Palace
By Road
Mysore is 139kms to the south west of Bangalore. The state highway that connects these two cities is very well maintained. Travelling from Bangalore to Mysore by road is a pleasant experience and will take about 3hrs.  There are ordinary buses, semi-luxury buses and luxury buses operated by the Government of Karnataka. Every half an hour there is a non-stop bus to Mysore from Bangalore Bus Station.
By Train
Mysore is connected with a number of trains to Bangalore. The super fast luxury train the Shatabdi Express connects Mysore to Madras. The quickest and most comfortable way to reach Mysore is via Bangalore.

By Air
The nearest airport to Mysore is Bangalore (139 km). All the domestic airlines in the country operate their flights to Bangalore from all the major cities in the country. Some international airlines too have flights to Bangalore. Bangalore is to have an international airport shortly.

Best Time to Visit Mysore:

 

Mysore is one city that can actually be visited anytime! The summer is not scorching hot and neither is the winter too cold, making it pleasant enough to visit any time of the year.In September/October during Dussehra time, celebrations are on in full swing and the Mysore Palace is a pretty sight as it is lit up and festivities are in the air.

Where to Stay in Mysore:

Mysore has a variety of places to stay with accommodation options ranging from deluxe to budget hotels.

 

The Nubra Valley (the valley of flowers)

                               The Nubra Valley (the valley of flowers)

The Nubra Valley
Nubra (Tibetan : ལྡུམ་ར; Wylie : ldum ra; English : Nubra) is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diksit the capital of Nubra is about 150 km north from Leh town, the capital of Ladakh district, India. Nubra Valley Known as Ldumra (the valley of flowers). The Shyok River meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. The Shyok river is a tributary of the Indus river. The average altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. i.e. 3048 metres above the sea level. The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung la pass from Leh town. Non-locals require an Inner Line Permit (obtainable in DC office, Leh town) to enter Nubra. Permit is not required anymore for Indian tourists (w.e.f May 1, 2014), though foreign tourists still require the permit.

Until 1994, the lands north of Leh were off-limits to tourists and had been unexplored by outsiders since the nineteenth century. Now, the breathtaking Nubra Valley, unfolding beyond the world’s highest stretch of driveable road as it crosses the Khardung La (5602m), can be visited with a seven-day permit, which gives you enough time to explore the stark terrain and trek out to one or two gompas. The valley’s mountain backbone looks east to the Nubra River and west to the Shyok River, which meet amid silver-grey sand dunes and boulder fields. To the north and east, the mighty Karakoram Range marks the Indian border with China and Pakistan. In the valley it’s relatively mild, though dust storms are common, whipping up sand and light debris in choking clouds above the broad riverbeds.
Before the region passed into the administrative hands of Leh, Nubra’s ancient kings ruled from a palace in Charasa, atop an isolated hillock opposite Sumur, home to the valley’s principal monastery. Further up the Nubra River, the hot springs of Panamik, once welcomed by footsore traders, are blissfully refreshing after a day on a bumpy bus. By the neighbouring Shyok River, Diskit, surveyed by a hillside gompa, lies just 7km from Hundur, known for its peculiar high-altitude double-humped Bactrian camels.

The route north to Nubra, a steep and rough road that forces painful groans from buses and trucks, keeps Leh in sight for three hours before crossing the Khardung La, and ploughing down more gently towards the distant Karakoram Range. Due to its strategic importance as the military road to the battlefields of the Siachen Glacier, the road to Nubra is kept
How to Reach Nubra Valley?
By Road:
The road journey to Nubra valley leads through the world highest motorable road, Khardongla Pass which is at a hight of 18380 ft above sea level and around 50 kms from Leh.
Road Distance:
Srinagar - Leh - 434 Km
Manali - Leh - 473 Km
Srinagar - Kargil - 204 Km
Delhi - Leh - 1047 Kms
Leh - Kargil - 234 Km
Kargil - Padum (Zanskar) - 240 Km
Leh - Deskit (Nubra Valley) - 118 Kms.
By air:
Nearest airport :Leh
Leh is the nearest airport. From Leh, one can hire a taxi or board a bus to reach Nubra Valley. Srinagar is also a good option to reach Diskit. Flights connect Srinagar with Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jammu, Leh and Dubai.
By Train
Jammu is the nearest railway station. One can either hire a taxi or board a bus to reach Leh and then Diskit in Nubra valley

Best time to visit Nubra valley:  June To August
Accomodation:
Diskit has guesthouses in mid-budget range. The guesthouses also provide tents for camping. Sumur has deluxe camps with all basic facilities. Hunder also has good hotels.
Places to visit in Nubra valley:
Panamik
Hundur
Diskit
GET DIRECTIONS:

View Larger Map

Thousand Pillar Temple(Hanamakonda, Andhra Pradesh)

Hanumakonda in Warangal is a home to one of the very old temples of Andhra Pradesh, viz., the Thousand Pillar Temple.
The Thousand Pillar Temple is one of the very old temples of south India built by the Kakatiyas of Chalukya dynasty and this stands out to be a master piece and achevied major hieights in terms of architectural skills by the ancient kakathiya vishwakarma sthapathis. It is believed that the marvelous thousand pillared temple was built by King Rudra Deva in 1163 AD.
The Thousand Pillar Temple is a specimen of the Kakatiyan style of architecture of the 12th century.
It was destroyed by the Mughal Empires during their invasion of South India. It comprises one temple and other building. There are one thousand pillars in the building and the temple, but one pillar will not obstruct another from any point of the temple to see the god in the other temple.

The present day engineers have taken out all the pillars from the building to make it in to a perfect shape. After they lifted all the pillars they encountered a huge mass of sand. It took nearly two weeks for them to take away all the sand. It was wet sand, it is always wet because there is pipe connection directly from the nearby water body named Bhadrakali Cheruvu. It was one of the master piece in Civil Engineering. The Kakatiyans have used the well foundations 900 years ago.
The Thousand Pillar Temple with its ruins lies in the near the Hanamkonda-Warangal highway, about 150 kilometers from Hyderabad city. This temple is a beautiful star shaped with several shrines and lingams. There are three shrines inside the temple called the Trikutalayam. The three shrines of the Thousand Pillar Temple are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya. The Thousand Pillar Temple is surrounded by a big garden in which many small lingam shrines can be seen. Further there are 1000 richly carved pillars with an impressive Nandi bull in the temple. Nandi bull was carved out of a black basalt monolith polished carefully to give it a brilliant look. The Thousand Pillar Temple is constructed on a platform that is raised to 1 meter height from the ground level. The temple is provided with a number of pillars which are beautifully carved and adorned. Delicate stone work which definitely adds charm and beauty to this Thousand Pillar Temple. Rock cut elephants and perforated screens in the temple which are the characteristic of the then prevailing dynasty. The Thousand Pillar Temple is famous for its beautifully carved pillars, screens and detailed sculpture.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS :
Bhadra Kali Temple
Bhadra Kali Temple is situated on a hilltop between Hanamkonda and Warangal, it is noted for its stone image of the Goddess Kali.
Jain Temple
Jain Temple which is 2,000-year-old Jain temple of Mahaveer is a famous place of worship for Jains in the country. The temple is embellished with beautiful images of Thirthankaras. The 5ft high image of Mahavira is entirely carved of Jade
Kolanupaka
Kolanupaka is 80-km from Hyderabad, and is situated between Hyderabad and Warangal. This was the second capital town of Kalyani Chalukyas during the 11th century AD. During this period the village was a religious centre of Jains, and ranks among other great Jain centers in the south.
Sri Veeranarayana Temple
Sri Veeranarayana Temple is raised in the Chalukyan style around 1104 AD.
Pakhal Lake
Pakhal Lake is a man-made lake built in 1213 AD by the Kakatiya king, Ganapathidev, by harnessing a small tributary of the Krishna River. It is located 50-km from Warangal and spreads over an area of 30-sq-km.
Ramappa Temple
Ramappa Temple or Ramalingeswara is the temple situated in Palampet village, which is 70-km form Warangal. This is a beautiful monument dating back to 1213 AD. It displays the glory and richness of the Kakatiya kingdom.

BEST TIME TO VISIT :
The Best time to visit the temple is from the month of October to March.

Accomodation :
The lodges and hotels in all three townships are primarily functional. It is best to stay at the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's Punnami Hotel at Kazipeth, opposite the REC and near the rail station. This is close to Hanamkonda and Warangal and is the most practical option to explore the area. The tourist season is winter; at other times there should be no problem with accommodation

HOW TO REACH THOUSAND PILLAR TEMPLE :
By Air :
The closest airport to this place is in Hyderabad.

By Rail :
The nearest railway station is in Warangal which is connected well with the other important cities and states of India.

By Road :
There is service of Private and APSTRC buses that connect well to Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Vijayawada, Khammam and some of the other districts.


GET DIRECTIONS

View Larger Map

DUDHSAGAR FALLS

Dudhsagar falls is a tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River in the state of Karnataka, India, on Goa's border with the state of Karnataka. It is 60 km from Panaji. The falls lie high up in the Mandovi River's watershed and so are not particularly spectacular during the dry season. During the monsoon season however, the falls are transformed into one of the most powerful falls in India. Dudhsagar Falls is listed as India's 5th tallest waterfall,and is 227th in the world at 310 m. The water plummets hundreds of feet in large volumes during the monsoon season, forming one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in Goa. It is a major part of the Goa ecosystem.This is a four tiered waterfall with a total height of 310 meters (1017 feet) and an average width of 30 meters (100 feet).

HOW TO REACH DUDHSAGAR FALLS

The waterfall is accessible by train and rough road. It is 10 kilometers from Kulem Railway Station (Indian Railway station code QLM). This waterfalls lies on the Londa-Madgaon railway route. To view this waterfalls from close distance, travel by Delhi-Goa express (12780), Pune-Ernakulam Express(11098), Chennai-VascoDaGama Express or Miraj-Castle Rock passenger train which starts from Miraj rail junction. There is a small rail station about 50 feet near the waterfalls and some trains halt here for 2 mintutes.

GET DIRECTIONS

View Larger Map

GOLDEN TEMPLE (AMRITSAR PUNJAB)

The Harmandir Sahib ,Darbar Sahib also referred as the Golden Temple,is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab (India). Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and installed it in the Gurdwara. During the eighteenth century, the Harmandir Sahib was the site of frequent fighting between the Sikhs on one side and either Mughal or Afghan forces on the other side and the gurdwara occasionally suffered damage. In the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh secured the Punjab region from outside attack and covered the upper floors of the gurdwara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and English name of "Golden Temple".

The Golden Temple is considered holy by Sikhs because the eternal guru of Sikhism, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is always present inside it and its construction was mainly intended to build a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religion to come and worship God equally.[1][6] The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the holiest literature in the Sikh religion,[6] the tenth guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh, on 7 October 1708 at Nanded made it the eternal Sikh Guru and the leader of Sikhism.[6] Anywhere in the world where the Guru Granth Sahib is present is equally holy and precious to Sikhs. Amritsar is the location of Harmandir Sahib.
Its name literally means Temple of God.The fourth guru of Sikhism, Guru Ram Das, excavated a tank in 1577 CE which subsequently became known as Amritsar (meaning "Pool of the Nectar of Immortality"),Harmandir Sahib (meaning "the abode of God"),[8] rose in the middle of this tank and became the supreme centre of Sikhism. Its sanctum came to house the Adi Granth comprising compositions of Sikh gurus and other saints considered to have Sikh values and philosophies, e.g., Baba Farid, and Kabir. The compilation of the Adi Granth was started by the fifth guru of Sikhism, Guru Arjan Dev.

Construction of the Harmandir Sahib


Originally built in 1574, the site of the temple was surrounded by a small lake in a thin forest. The third of the six grand Mughals, Emperor Akbar, who visited the third Sikh guru, Guru Amar Das, in the neighbouring town of Goindval, was so impressed by the way of life in the town that he gave a jagir (the land and the revenues of several villages in the vicinity) to the guru's daughter Bhani as a gift on her marriage to Bhai Jetha, who later became the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das. Guru Ram Das enlarged the lake and built a small township around it. The town was named after Guru Ram Das as Guru Ka Chak', Chak Ram Das or Ram Das Pura.

During the leadership of the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1581–1606), the full-fledged Temple was built. In December 1588, the great Muslim Sufi saint of Lahore, Hazrat Mian Mir, who was a close friend of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, initiated the construction of the temple by laying the first foundation stone (December 1588 CE). A mason then straightened the stone but Guru Arjan Dev told him that, as he had undone the work just completed by the holy man, a disaster might come to the Harmandir Sahib. It was later attacked by the Mughals.
The temple was completed in 1604. Guru Arjan Dev, installed the Guru Granth Sahib in it and appointed Baba Buddha Ji as the first Granthi (reader) of it on August 1604. In the mid-18th century it was attacked by the Afghans, by one of Ahmed Shah Abdali's generals, Jahan Khan, and had to be substantially rebuilt in the 1760s. However, in response a Sikh Army was sent to hunt down the Afghan force. They were under orders to show no mercy and historical evidence suggests the Sikh Army was decisively victorious in the ensuing battle. Both forces met each other five miles outside Amritsar; Jahan Khan's army was destroyed. He himself was decapitated by commander Sardar Dayal Singh.

Celebrations at Harmandir Sahib

One of the most important festivals is Vaisakhi, which is celebrated in the second week of April (usually the 13th). Sikhs celebrate the founding of the Khalsa on this day and it is celebrated with fervour in the Harmandir Sahib. Other important Sikh religious days such as the martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur, the birthday of Guru Nanak, etc., are also celebrated with religious piety. Similarly Diwali is one of the festivals which sees the Harmandir Sahib beautifully illuminated with Divas/Diyas (lamps); lights and fireworks are discharged. During these special occasions many thousands of people visit the holy shrine named Harmandir Sahib.

HOW TO REACH GOLDEN TEMPLE

Air : Flights operate to the Rajasansi airport at Amritsar from many national destinations. A few international flights also land at the airport.
Rail : Amritsar is well connected by railway network. Regular trains operate between Amritsar and national capital Delhi.
Road : Buses are available to Amritsar from Delhi and other destinations of Punjab. Amritsar is at a distance of 234 kms from Chandigarh and 464 kms from Delhi.

GET DIRECTIONS

View Larger Map

Charminar (HYDERABAD)

Charminar built in 1591 AD, with four ornate minarets supported by four grand arches, it had become global icon of Hyderabad and listed among the most recognized structures of India.The Charminar, is located on the east bank of Musi river. Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 5th ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty built Charminar shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what is now known as Hyderabad. He built this famous structure to commemorate the elimination of a plague epidemic from this city.

Charminar is a beautiful and impressive square monument. Each side measures 20 m, and each of the corners has a tall, pointed minaret. These four gracefully carved minarets soar to a height of 48.7 m above the ground, commanding the landscape for miles around. Each minaret has four stories, marked by a delicately carved ring around the minaret. Unlike the Taj Mahal, Charminar's four fluted minarets of Charminar are built into the main structure. Inside the minarets 149 winding steps guide the visitor to the top floor, the highest point one can reach, which provides a panoramic view of the city. Charminar has the signature style of Islamic architecture.

Best Time to Visit : October to March 

Timings: Open Weekdays: 0900-1700; Saturdays: 0900-1700

Popular as : The Arc de Triomphe of the East

Other Attractions : Mecca Masjid, Chow Mohalla Palace, Shahali Banda, Laad Bazar, Kali Kaman and Patthar Gatti.

HOW TO REACH CHARMINAR

Hyderabad is well connected with the rest of the country by air, railways and roads. Once in Hyderabad, the local transport like auto-rickshaws and taxis should get you to Charminar.

GET DIRECTIONS

View Larger Map

DELHI

TOURISM IN DELHI (CAPITAL OF INDIA)

Delhi is the capital city of India. A fine blend of old and new, ancient and modern, Delhi is a melting pot of cultures and religions. Delhi has been the capital of numerous empires that ruled India, making it rich in history.

Located on the banks of the River Yamuna, Delhi has been known to be continuously inhabited since at least the 6th century BC, though human habitation is believed to have existed since the second millennium BC.Delhi is also widely believed to have been the site of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas during the times of the Mahabharata. It is the site of many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and remains. In 1639, Mughal emperor Shahjahan built a new walled city in Delhi which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 to 1857.

Being one of the most historic capitals in the world, Delhi has many tourist sites.

The rulers left behind their trademark architectural styles. Delhi currently has many renowned historic monuments and landmarks such as the Tughlaqabadfort, Qutub Minar, Old fort(Purana Quila), Lodhi Gardens, Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, Red Fort, and Safdarjung's Tomb. Modern monuments include Jantar Mantar, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Laxminarayan Temple, Garden of five senses ,Lotus temple and Akshardham Temple.