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               Jal Mahal palace is an architectural showcase of the Rajput style of architecture on a grand scale. It is a palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan.

               The palace attracts the attention of many tourists across the globe. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber.

               Neermahal, meaning ‘water palace’ is a former royal palace in Tripura. It was built in 1930 by King Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya. It is strategically built in the centre of the Rudra Sagar Lake. It is the only lake palace in the whole of eastern India.

               The western side of the palace is known as the Andar Mahal. It was made for the royal family.

               The eastern side is an open-air theatre where drama, theatre, dance and other cultural events were organized for the enjoyment of maharajas and their royal families.

               The palace has 24 rooms in total. Maharajas used to go to the palace by hand powered boat from ‘Rajghat’.

               Beautifully carved into hillside rock, the Ajanta and Ellora caves remind you of history. The Ajanta caves contain monuments related to Buddhism while the caves at Ellora have monuments that are a blend of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.

               The Ajanta caves are in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. The site is a protected monument cared for by the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

               The Ellora caves are also located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. The caves lying deep within the Sahyadri hills cut into the curved mountain slope, above the River Waghora. The Ellora caves are known for their murals, paintings and sculptures that have defined Indian art over time.

               The Ellora cave is one of the largest rock cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world.

               Ranthambore is a national park and tiger reserve in Rajasthan state of western India. It is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of south-eastern Rajasthan, about 130 km from Jaipur.

               The reserve forest is located on the edge of a plateau and is bordered on two sides by the Chambal and the Banas Rivers. The forests in Ranthambore surround the historical Ranthambore Fort, and were once used by the Kachwaha Rajput family that ruled the region with the city of Jaipur as the capital, as a hunting and gaming reserve.

               Ranthambhore National Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 it was gained protection of ‘Project Tiger’. It was declared as a National Park in 1981. In the past, this area was the hunting ground of the maharajas of Jaipur. It was declared a game sanctuary in 1955.

                     Ranthambhore National Park is known for its Bengal tigers, and is one of the best places in India to see them in their natural habitat. This place attracts a huge number of wildlife photographers and nature lovers.

               The Gwalior Fort is a hill fort near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Gwalior was once not only the capital of the Scindias, but is also a historically rich and one of the most popular cities of Madhya Pradesh. Gwalior has always been loved and visited by tourists for its stunning forts.

               Gwalior was popularly called the Fort City and the city stands true to its name. The fort has existed since at least the 10th century, and the inscriptions and monuments found within what is now the fort campus indicate that it may have existed as early as the beginning of the 6th century.

               The fort was built by Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century. The fort spreads out over an area of 3 square kilometres, surrounded by concrete walls of sandstone.

               At one point in time, the Gwalior Fort was regarded as North India’s most invincible fortress. The present-day fort consists of a defensive structure, and two main palaces, the Gujari Mahal and the Man Mandir. They were built by Man Singh Tomar. Other significant palaces include the Jahangir Mahal, and the Shah Jahan Mahal.

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               A UNESCO world heritage site, Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is situated on the banks of the River Tungabhadra in Karnataka. This site is also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.

               The ruins of the palaces in Hampi, the temples and the royal buildings stand as testimony to the wealth of the Vijayanagara Emperors.

               By 1500 AD, Hampi was the world’s second largest medieval era city after Beijing, and probably India’s richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal.

               Hampi’s heydays came to an end when an army of Delhi Sultanate laid siege to the town in 1565. The town was looted for six months before it was abandoned.

               The Virupaksha Temple is the most prominent building in Hampi. It is believed that Lord Shiva married Parvati in this temple. Other attractions of this place are the Lotus Palace, Hazara Rama Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha Statue, Krishna Temple, Achyutaraya Temple and the Hemakuta group of temples.

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               Known for its Buddhist sites and monuments, Nalanda, in Bihar, was once a centre for learning.

               It flourished during the regime of several rulers like Sakraditya, the Gupta kings, Buddhist emperors like Harsha and the Pala Empire emperors, Nalanda shot to prominence between the 5th and the 12th century.

               Nalanda University was able to combine multiple discourses, and to embrace knowledge in its entirety to become uniquely attractive for all seekers of pure knowledge. Nalanda was a completely residential university.

               At its peak, the school attracted scholars and students from near and far, with some travelling all the way from Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia.

               A famed centre of learning in the ancient era, only ruins of the university remain today. Much of what is known is through the writings of Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller who gave brief descriptions about the architecture of the university.

               Near the university ruins, there are several monasteries, and temples which were built by the Gupta Kings, Ashoka, and Harshavardhana. The Nalanda Archaeological Museum and the Nalanda Multimedia Museum are the other attractions in Nalanda.

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               Pushkar is one of the most ancient cities of India. Located in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district, in the midst of the Aravali Range, Pushkar is often called tirtharaj, which literally means the king of pilgrim sites.

               Pushkar is famous for its annual fair (Pushkar Camel Fair) featuring a trading fete of cattle, horses and camels. The Pushkar fair is one of India’s large camel, horse and cattle fairs. The annual Pushkar Camel Fair, which is held in November, is a major crowd puller. It has become a great attraction for domestic and international travellers, given the cooler season, and the abundance of colourful cultural themes. The Pushkar fair continues for five days and these five days, are a period of relaxation and merry-making for the villagers. All the camels are washed and adorned; some are shorn to form artistic patterns.

               Cultural events and competitions include dances, tug of war, the ‘matka phod’, ‘longest moustache’ competition, ‘bridal competition’, camel races and others.

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               The Bandipur Forest Reserve area is one of the better known tiger reserves in India. It lies just 80 km from Mysore and about 220 km from Bangalore.

               Bandipur National Park established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, was once a private hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. The reserve in Bandipur stretches across the adjoining states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in places called Mudumalai and Wayanad respectively. Together, they form the biggest protected forest reserve in Southern India and the largest habitat of wild elephants in south Asia. The park spans an area of 874 square kilometres, and supports a good population of endangered and vulnerable species like elephants, gaurs, tigers, sloth bears, muggers, antelopes and dholes.

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               Dhanaulti, Uttarakhand, known for its quiet and serene ambience, lies on the way from Chamba to Mussoorie. It is known for its quiet environs amidst the alpine forests of deodar, rhododendron and oak.

               This town is popular among tourists mainly because of its proximity to Mussoorie, which is just 24 km away. Travellers can enjoy the mesmerizing views of the Doon Valley from this place. One of the prominent tourist attractions of Dhanaulti is the Eco-Park surrounded by deodar forests.

               In addition, the place is also popular among travellers for its potato farm, locally known as ‘Aloo Khet’. The Dashavatar Temple, New Tehri Township, Barehipani and Joranda Falls, Deogarh Fort, and Matatila Dam are some of the other tourist hotspots located nearby. Visitors can also enjoy various adventure sports like rock climbing, river crossing, hiking, and trekking in the Camp Thangdhar.

               Since the heavy snowfall during winters, tourists flock here in huge numbers.

               Nestled amidst the Palani Hills in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, Kodaikanal is a very popular hill station in India. Kodaikanal is also referred to as the ‘princess of hill stations’ and has a long history as a retreat.

               The location of Kodaikanal, at 2133 metres above sea level, makes it a traveller’s paradise with all its charm and charisma. The history of Kodaikanal says that it was established as a hill station by American missionaries in 1845, seeking a resort in order to keep the glare of high temperatures, and the tropical diseases of the plains at bay.

               There are many high waterfalls and ubiquitous gardens and flower beds in bloom. Kodaikanal is known for its rich flora. Among the big trees, cypress, eucalyptus and acacia are the dominant varieties. There are numerous pear trees here, and the fruits are of high quality.

               Kodaikanal has some amazing places to visit like the Guna caves and the Dolphin’s Nose.

               Coakers Walk is a great place to catch some stunning mountain views.

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               If you are interested in adventure, Kasol is the right place for you. It is an ideal destination for backpackers, trekkers, and nature enthusiasts due to its scenic valley, untouched mountains, and great climate throughout the year.

               Kasol is situated in Parvati Valley, on the banks of the Parvati River, on the way between Bhuntar and Manikaran. It is located 31.2 km from Bhuntar and 5 km from Manikaran. Kasol acts as a base for nearby treks to Malana and Kheerganga.

               Kasol has good weather throughout the year and receives fair amount of snowfall from late December to February.

               Kasol is ideal for a vacation if you want to chill in the lap of nature. The picturesque spots around this surreal town have some delightful tourist destinations like Kullu, the Parvati River, Malana Village, Kheer Ganga Peak, Bhuntar Town, Manali and these are considered as the best tourist places in India.

               Kasol is often known as mini Israel because of the huge number of tourists from Israel.

               A paradise for nature-buffs, Cherrapunji is an ideal destination if you want to take a break from your monotonous life. It was known for being the wettest places on Earth, but nearby Mawsynram currently holds that distinction. Cherrapunji is ideal to experience the bliss of rains.

               There are spectacular waterfalls in Cherrapunji credited for the beautiful landscape. Among the most popular waterfalls in Cherrapunji are the Nohkalikai Falls and Dainthlen Falls.

               Cherrapunji is a sub divisional town in Meghalaya. Meghalaya state government has renamed Cherrapunji back to its original name, ‘Sohra’.

               It is blessed with profuse vegetation, containing numerous endemic species of plants, including Meghalaya subtropical forests. In general, Cherrapunji is a good place for trekking. The most popular trekking route is the one that leads to the Double decker living Root Bridge.

               There are many other living root bridges too, like the Umshiang root bridge, Ritymmen Root Bridge and Mawsaw Root Bridge.

               Beyond the dazzling royal cities of Rajasthan lie Jaisalmer, the gateway to the Thar Desert, and a popular tourist destination in India, notable for its incredible yellow stone architecture, and the Jaisalmer Fort, also known as ‘Sonar Quila’. This fort contains a royal palace and several ornate Jain temples.

               Many of the houses and temples of both the fort, and of the town below, are built of finely sculptured sandstone. Jaisalmer is situated on a level plain in the heart of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. Jaisalmer is one of the last big towns in Rajasthan closest to the India-Pakistan border and stands in the heart of the Thar Desert. The city, also dubbed the ‘golden city’ was established in the mid-12th century by Rawal Jaisal.

               Jaisalmer have many artistic structures, and monuments of local historical importance, that attracts tourists. The Gadsisar Lake is another great attraction here. Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is the most awaited and famous cultural and colourful event that dominates the sands of Rajasthan.

               Pay a visit to Darjeeling, you will be lured by the dazzling snow peaks of Kanchenjunga overlooking the hill town, the beautiful tea gardens on the slopes of rolling hills, the orchids, pines and rhododendrons, and the cute Himalayan toy train whistling its way through the mountains.

               Darjeeling is the headquarters of the Darjeeling District which has a partially autonomous status within the state of West Bengal. It is also a popular tourist destination in India.

               One of the popular tourist attractions here is the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Darjeeling has been a popular hill station since the British established it as a rest and recreation centre for their troops in the early 19th century. Darjeeling offers a plethora of options for those seeking an adrenaline rush. Visit the Singalila National Park to catch a glimpse of the red panda or for some high altitude trekking. Colonial architecture characterizes many buildings in Darjeeling, exemplified by the Raj Bhawan and the Planters’ Club.

               Standing against the backdrop of the Vindhyas, Khajuraho presents a magnificent view to the beholder.

               It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. It is also one of the most popular tourist spots in Madhya Pradesh. It is famous for its ancient temples that depict some of the finest art in the world. Built between 950-1050 AD by the Chandela dynasty, these temples depict various forms like meditation, spiritual teachings, kinship, wrestling, and royalty.

               Some of the famous temples in the complex are the Lakshmana Temple, the Vishwanatha Temple and the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple.

               The temples in Khajuraho are broadly divided into three parts: the Eastern group, the Southern Group and the Western group of temples. The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in February. It features various classical Indian dances set against the backdrop of this architectural marvel. The Khajuraho temple complex hosts a very good sound-and-light show every evening.