Pride and Joy #Travelfeels

1.Travelling like the Maharajahs on the Deccan Odyssey #FeelingExclusive

The Taj

Hoshang Shah’s tomb in Mandu is the oldest marble masouleum in India which has records of the visit by the architects of the Taj Mahal.

The Ibrahim Rouza tomb complex of the Adil Shahi dynasty in Bijapur (now Vijayapura) is said to have inspired the original vision for the Taj with a black twin joined by a bridge.

The tomb of Itimad ud daula in Agra which the locals call the Baby Taj gave the inspiration for the ornate pietre dura work the Taj is famous for.

Bibi ka Maqbara which is also known as the Taj of the Deccan is a simpler but no less regal copy of the Taj commissioned by Shah Jahan’s son Aurangzeb.

With the Ramayana trail one can retrace the steps of lord Ram from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh all the way down to Sri Lanka and back. The events are spread across India and can make up for an interesting journey e.g. one can spend an afternoon exploring the Kishkindha Kand while in Hampi.

Following the Bhakti cult celebrating Lord Krishna takes one to unique temple across India: Janmabhoomi temple and Banke Bihari at Mathura, Srinathji in Nathdwara, Jagannath Temple at Puri, Udupi SriKrishna Temple, Vitthal Temple in Pandharpur, Nandadulal at Chandannagar to name a few.

A day trip from Delhi to Kurukshetra in Harayana takes one across 2 battlefields that changed Indian history – the battlefield of Panipat that saw decisive wars that changed the course of Indian history and the mythical battlefield of Kurukshetra which was the setting of the epic war in the Mahabharata.

The banyan tree at Jyotisar was the witness to the sermon of Gita given by Krishna to Arjun in the middle of the battlefield.

4.Jungle books #FeelingRefreshed

Indian jungles are characterized by vegetation that do not give the feeling of standardization that one often gets abroad. These jungles are not only the habitat of unique wildlife but also hiden many secrets within them for millennia.

Ranthambore is the home to Royal Bengal tiger with many other endangered species.

Hidden within a jungle, the Bhimbetka rock shelters are proof of India’s agelessness.

One has to cross the famous mountains of the Marathas to reach the temple in the heart of the Bhimashankar wildlife sanctuary.

A day long trip across treacherous waters and dense forests accessing the Dhabaleswar and Kapilas temples is a simple affair today.

The imposing Agra Fort was the beginning of the Mughal grandeur.

Said to be the last flame of Mughal power Safdarjung’s Tomb is one of the best preserved monuments in New Delhi.

Not just the Mughals but each of their predecessors have left behind imposing structures that tell their stories long after they are gone. One of the most heavily concentrated collections of archaeological remains of the superior levels of Indian art are found at Hampi and its surrounding towns.

Aihole’s Durga temple probably inspired the architects of the Indian Parliament.

The temple complex at Pattadakal is India’s own Ankor.

The ghats at Maheswar are a cleaner and emptier replica of Varanasi.

The Jahaz Mahal at Mandu gives the feeling of being on a ship.

Gol Gumbaz – the largest dome in the world when it was constructed

The Sanchi stupa now on our notes

Travelling across the world one sees locals’ pride in their history and celebration of cultural icons. This sensitivity is sadly missing in our country where history is simply hidden or built over by the current residents. Case in point – Mirza Ghalib’s haveli lost in the bylanes of Chandni chowk that is near impossible to locate without help from the locals (Google maps still fails in many places in India).

All is not lost with the revival of administrative interest in our heritage and conscious efforts to transform our museums into world class facilities. The best example is the CSMVS in Mumbai which the locals still refer to as the Prince of Wales museum. Over the past decade it has morphed into a cultural hotspot with modern galleries, theme based special exhibitions often in collaboration with the best museums of the world such as the British Museum that bring world history to Mumbai, a special museum for kids with a museum on wheels alongwith hosting events ranging from music to shopping.

The Government of Odisha’s brand new museums in the golden triangle of Odisha with the Konark Temple interpretation Centre, the Tribal Museum at Bhubaneswar and the Odisha Maritime Museum at Cuttack are another example of celebrating our rich heritage.

The amazing renovation work at the Qutb Shahi tombs of Hyderabad will restore them to their original glory.

The Kaneri Math at Kolhapur introduces children to long lost ways of life in Indian villages.