tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82963569903582708602024-02-18T18:34:03.641-08:00Monuments In IndiaIndia is blessed with number of world heritage monuments showcasing the breathtaking architecture and intricate work. Taj Mahal, a unique master-piece is the wonder in itself, an absolute epitome of Indian culture, heritage and civilization. Behind each monument is an underlying sense of mystery, intrigue and romance. Five thousand years of Indian History has given us the treasure of thousands of monuments across the country, monuments belonging to Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christiansholidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-43639142450038716362017-11-09T00:36:00.002-08:002017-11-09T00:36:28.813-08:00Abhaneri (Chand Baoli Step Well) short trip from Jaipur<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Abhaneri is a small village of the Dausa district in northern Rajasthan; it is located 95km from Jaipur, towards the Jaipur-Agra highway. The present name of the village, 'Abhaneri', is believed to be a mispronunciation of 'Abha Nagri' or the 'city of brightness'. This ancient village in Rajasthan is renowned for its post-Gupta or early medieval monuments, Chand Baori and Harshat Mata temple. Though the village is in ruins now, tourists throng the village to see Chand Baori which is a huge step well, a unique idea conceived by the natives to work as a water reservoir. Another attraction is the Harshat Mata temple, an architectural jewel on the tourism map of Rajasthan. While Harshat Mata temple symbolises the 10th century architecture, Chand Baori, which is fortified on all sides, is one of the largest step wells in India. Abhaneri is also famous for local dances namely Ghoomar, Kalbelia and Bhawai. Read further to know more about Abhaneri and its attractions.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">History</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" />As per records, this village was established in 9th century A.D by King Raja Chand of Gurjar kingdom. The initial name of Abhaneri was 'Abha Nagri' or the 'city of brightness' which led to its present name, 'Abhaneri'. Legend has it that Goddess Harshat Mata, in a joyous mood, spread brightness all over the village and hence, the name.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">The Highlights Of The Place</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" />What makes Abhaneri a place to visit is the presence of Harshat Mata temple and Chand Baori. Harshat Mata temple, which dates back to 10th century, is protected by the archeological department of the Government of India. Though the temple is in ruins, its beautiful craftsmanship is still visible. Harshat Mata is regarded as the goddess of happiness who spreads joy to the entire village. Visiting the temple is worth the while, thanks to its amazing architecture which takes us back to the glory of medieval India. The ruined images in the temple indicate that the temple was actually dedicated to Lord Vishnu.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" />The Chand Baori is a step well which is regarded as a unique invention of the people of Abhaneri; it was created for rainwater harvesting. Located in the front of the Harshat Mata temple, this colossal step well has a depth of 20 meters, with 13 levels. Chand Baori is regarded as one of deepest and largest step wells in India. Despite being so huge, the well still has delicate and intricate carvings which are a visual treat. Various structures are also built around the step well.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">How To Reach</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" />Abhaneri is located on NH-11 or the Jaipur-Agra road. The village is well connected by air, train and road to various parts of the country through the cities of Jaipur and Dausa which are 90 and 30.9 km from Abhaneri, respectively. The nearest airport to Abhaneri is the Jaipur Sanganer Airport from where you can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach your destination. Abhaneri is also well connected by road as both government and private buses ply regularly between Abhaneri and Dausa, Agra, Jaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur and Bikaner. Abhaneri is well connected by rail through Dausa railway station which has an excellent connectivity with various major cities of the state and the country.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">The Best Time To Visit</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" />The best time to visit Abhaneri is in the months of October to March.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;" />Even with limited attractions, Abhaneri, a small rustic village in Northern Rajasthan, lures a large number of tourists. Close proximity to Jaipur indeed enhances its value on the tourism map.</div>
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holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-47377060051654988732010-03-17T23:10:00.000-07:002010-03-17T23:15:20.485-07:00Birla Mandir Delhi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jPZ08w6qEQ2vBXB8VzjaaVfe2dlMha-PELobiNVGncfYFltt4B3maHOax5MmXF-x2my14u3KK_yP2VtYVwjK-7YTNbAK4YBMIcUyqu6Hc_nQ-8oPON5GheOiCH7TARHSITe2THymov7W/s1600-h/Birla_Mandir_Delhi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jPZ08w6qEQ2vBXB8VzjaaVfe2dlMha-PELobiNVGncfYFltt4B3maHOax5MmXF-x2my14u3KK_yP2VtYVwjK-7YTNbAK4YBMIcUyqu6Hc_nQ-8oPON5GheOiCH7TARHSITe2THymov7W/s400/Birla_Mandir_Delhi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449853081257191906" border="0" /></a><table class="infobox vcard" style="width: 540px; height: 188px;"><tbody><tr><th style="text-align: left;">Name:</th> <td><span class="fn org">Laxmi Narayan Temple</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="text-align: left;">Creator:</th> <td>Vir Singh Deo</td> </tr> <tr class="note"> <th style="text-align: left;">Date built:</th> <td>1622</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="text-align: left;">Primary deity:</th> <td>Laxmi Narayan (<a href="http://#" title="Vishnu">Vishnu</a> with his wife <a href="http://#" title="Lakshmi">Lakshmi</a>)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="text-align: left;">Architecture:</th> <td><a href="http://#" title="North Indian" class="mw-redirect">North Indian</a><a href="http://#">, </a><a href="http://#" title="Mandir" class="mw-redirect">Mandir</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="text-align: left;">Location:</th> <td><a href="http://#"><span class="label"></span></a><span class="label"><a title="New Delhi">New Delhi</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Lakshmi Narayan Mandir is situated to the west of Connaught Place in Delhi. Constructed by Raja Baldev Das in the year 1938, it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. Also known by the name of Birla Mandir of New Delhi, this temple has quite an interesting history attached to it. Built over a period of 6 years, the temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. But, he kept a condition that he will inaugurate the Delhi Laxmi Narain Temple only if the people from all castes, especially untouchables, would be able to gain entry inside it. The temple constitutes of one of the major draws of the city and is visited by numerous devotees and international tourists every year.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> Lakshmi Narayan Mandir is built magnificently, although with a modern touch. Adorning the interiors of the temples are beautiful carvings depicting the scenes from mythology. Numerous Hindu symbols and quotes from the Gita and the Upanishads ornament the temple walls. The highest Shikara (tower) in the temple soars to an altitude of 165 ft, while the ancillary one is about 116 ft. Facing east and standing on an elevated platform, Birla Mandir of Delhi also enshrines the holy Vedas. The main shrine is dedicated to Lord Narayan and Goddess Lakshmi, while the smaller ones are of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman and Goddess Durga.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> To the north of the New Delhi Laxmi Narain Temple is the Geeta Bhawan, devoted to Lord Krishna. There is also a Buddha temple in this temple complex, adorned with murals describing his life and work. All the statues in the temple are made up of marble and were brought from Jaipur. Miniature rock temples, which dot the temple, hold a special attraction for the children. The splendor of the temple is enhanced by an artificial landscape in the back, with mountains and cascading waterfalls. The festival of Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, lends an enhanced significance to the temple.<br />Birla Mandir Delhi - Lakshmi Narayan Temple New Delhi - Birla Temple,<span class="attribute-value"> Birla Mandir Delhi - Lakshmi Narayan Temple New Delhi - Birla Temple New Delhi India</span><pre id="line1"> New Delhi India</pre> </div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-50181168447548451042010-03-17T22:58:00.000-07:002010-03-17T23:08:43.459-07:00Akshardham Temple Delhi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Akshardham_%28Delhi%29.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 800px; height: 533px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Akshardham_%28Delhi%29.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Swaminarayan Akshardham complex in </span><st1:place style="font-weight: bold;"><st1:city>Delhi</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>India</st1:country-region></st1:place><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Name :</span> Akshardham </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Creator : </span>BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Date built : </span><st1:date year="2005" day="6" month="11">6 November 2005</st1:date> (consecration) </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Primary deity : </span>Swaminarayan </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Architecture : </span>Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location : </span>Noida Mor, <st1:place><st1:city>New Delhi</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>India</st1:country-region></st1:place></p><p class="MsoNormal">-------------------------------------------------
<br /><st1:place><st1:country-region></st1:country-region></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p> The Akshardham Temple is one of the most recently built temples in Delhi. Constructed by the Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), it is situated on the banks of the River Yamuna. Delhi Akshar Dham Mandir was inaugurated in Novenmber'05 in the presence of President APJ Abdul Kalam. It is spread over an area of 100 acres and took about two years to complete. Akshardhaam Temple of New Delhi is built in an architectural style similar to that of the Akshardham temple of Gandhinagar in Gujarat, India. Its construction is based on the ancient Sthaapatya shastras of India and it is built without steel, entirely out of sandstone and marble.
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<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> Approximately 234 ornate pillars, floral motifs, arches, exquisitely carved pavilions, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangle shikhars, a spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants), adorn this architectural wonder. There are 20,000 statues inside Akshar Dham Mandir of Delhi of India's great sadhus, devotees, acharyas and divine personas. Other features of the Akshardham Temple are an IMAX theatre, a Swaminarayan temple, and an elaborate musical fountain. The area around the temple building has been converted into manicured lawns with beautiful water fountains.
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<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> The main shrine of the New Delhi Akshardhaam temple houses the statue of Lord Swaminarayan. There is an Akshardham Temple Monument to World Peace inside the temple complex. Along with that, there is also a restaurant modeled on the Ajanta and Ellora caves and an Ayurvedic bazaar. Combining Rajasthani, Orrisan, Gujarati, Mughal and Jain temple architecture, the mandir presents a magnificent sight. This temple is a major tourist attraction and counts amongst the wonders of modern India.<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Book Antiqua"; panose-1:2 4 6 2 5 3 5 3 3 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >Akshardham Temple Delhi - Akshardham Temple New Delhi - Swaminarayan,Akshardham Temple Delhi - Akshardham Temple New Delhi - Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple Delhi India<span style=""> </span>Akshardham Temple Delhi India<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-90939196549364507012009-12-16T04:48:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:53:09.029-08:00Lotus Temple Delhi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZcsxbYuWtdNew6A-Nf0wO1W1xAt07z0wB7w38DnQrB0OU9mX0RhMaToUY3CFW-45A_2rUpdUxB7UDVs0AUyjvfflFO1e_Md_tJ5-lFNYqiuno1p52_hwvT1tfoBAaFlC_XUs8lNW3QKZ/s1600-h/292560559lWSKbk_fs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZcsxbYuWtdNew6A-Nf0wO1W1xAt07z0wB7w38DnQrB0OU9mX0RhMaToUY3CFW-45A_2rUpdUxB7UDVs0AUyjvfflFO1e_Md_tJ5-lFNYqiuno1p52_hwvT1tfoBAaFlC_XUs8lNW3QKZ/s400/292560559lWSKbk_fs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415816202742981122" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Lotus Temple</span></div> <table class="t2" align="CENTER" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="90%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="CENTER"> <table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td><b>Dedicated to</b></td> <td>No Particular God</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Nehru Place, New Delhi</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table><br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;">Lotus Temple is situated 12 km to the southeast of Connaught Place. Architecturally one of the most splendid temples of India, Delhi Lotus Temple is called so because it is built in the shape of a Lotus flower. The temple got completed in the year 1986 and rises to a height of more than 40 m. Located on Bahapur Hills, it is the seventh and the latest Baha'i houses of worship in the world. Bahai Temple of New Delhi is a white marble monument designed like a half-opened lotus.<br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Twenty-seven giant lotus petals of white marble spring out from nine pools and walkways of the temple. These walkways represent the nine unifying spiritual paths of the Baha'i faith. Exquisitely manicured lawns surround the building of the Lotus Temple. Silence is a prerequisite inside the New Delhi Lotus Temple. Also, one needs to take off the shoes while entering inside. Made up of marble, cement, sand and dolomite, this temple is often equated with the Sydney Opera House. Baha'i Temple in Delhi is often compared to the Sydney Opera House.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> There is a simple, but outstanding 34.27 m high central hall in the temple where people sit and meditate. Petal alcoves of the temple are inscribed with stimulating quotes of the Baha'i sacred scriptures. Though the temple belongs to the Baha'i sect, it is open to people of each and every faith. The Baha'i religion, an independent one, places great importance on prayer and meditation as instruments for the progress of the human soul. C<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46QEYfBek5uKABTSo5kQ5izQPzIvM5ulkD-luq8qHBw8z9F6ZanBELY9cbEs-CNw66ya6JByGLAuTf56Y67yDDOq1c0H5t73QI-89TnkpBMkGUGdMPbmXZwFKu59wa9lfSSmiH5GjzIp5/s1600-h/lotus+temple+delhi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46QEYfBek5uKABTSo5kQ5izQPzIvM5ulkD-luq8qHBw8z9F6ZanBELY9cbEs-CNw66ya6JByGLAuTf56Y67yDDOq1c0H5t73QI-89TnkpBMkGUGdMPbmXZwFKu59wa9lfSSmiH5GjzIp5/s400/lotus+temple+delhi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415815759884503394" border="0" /></a>ommitted to the oneness of all religions and mankind, it traces its origins to its prophet Baha'u'llah, born in Persia in the 20th century.</div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-83290370778723184422009-12-16T04:44:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:47:43.076-08:00Jantar Mantar Delhi<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8DyYH_WRH4KXgOsJ6wPyaLWQ8RzzzBXtmFNnbKmEz_NSuCatv_w6llKcZq0O-RtiNiQPFZxwMMNlmDkZASjBm_At3J_j7HG3Iil6zH0iANOCDg0D0SthsGpB7XUwvAd24JFP9WbZepL5/s1600-h/Jantar_Mantar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8DyYH_WRH4KXgOsJ6wPyaLWQ8RzzzBXtmFNnbKmEz_NSuCatv_w6llKcZq0O-RtiNiQPFZxwMMNlmDkZASjBm_At3J_j7HG3Iil6zH0iANOCDg0D0SthsGpB7XUwvAd24JFP9WbZepL5/s400/Jantar_Mantar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415814348243156834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Jantar Mantar</span></div> <table class="t2" align="CENTER" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="90%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="CENTER"> <table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Maharaja Jai Singh II Of Jaipur</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1724</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Near Connaught Place, New Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Highlights</b></td> <td>An Astronomical Observatory</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table><br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;">Jantar Mantar, with Yantra meaning instruments and Mantra meaning formulae, was built in the year 1724. Situated near Connaught Place, New Delhi Jantar Mantar counts amongst the numerous astronomical observatories erected by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. The other observatories consist of the ones built in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. It basically comprises of the instruments that were used for keeping track of celestial bodies. Jai Singh, after finding the existing astronomical instruments too small to take correct measurements, built these larger and more accurate instruments.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> The instruments at Jantar Mantar of Delhi display promising brilliance. However, there is a little problem, that, these instruments can no longer make accurate observations because of the numerous tall buildings that have been built around the observatory. Delhi Jantar Mantar is also a reminder of the technological achievements that took place under the rule of the Rajput kings. There is an interesting legend associated with the construction of the Jantar Mantar. It is said that Jai Singh, ardent adherer of astronomy, oversaw an argument between Hindu and Muslim over certain planetary positions.</div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> Since it was utmost necessary to solve the argument and know the positions precisely, he offered to rectify the available astronomical tables. The o<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtq6nQWfjkYUFZR4mTzCbWURShSbfonuPB6iUDVMUNeONA_9S7BtX7UEsnilgksdUN0SDhsddSw3EK16oZjBhpW3jI6ic_O8RmMamZH0Tjx1fAvNAMrdBXwqMsLmyKksM9Jb48PKD-CIQ/s1600-h/jantar-mantar-delhi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtq6nQWfjkYUFZR4mTzCbWURShSbfonuPB6iUDVMUNeONA_9S7BtX7UEsnilgksdUN0SDhsddSw3EK16oZjBhpW3jI6ic_O8RmMamZH0Tjx1fAvNAMrdBXwqMsLmyKksM9Jb48PKD-CIQ/s400/jantar-mantar-delhi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415814788978990738" border="0" /></a>ffer was accepted by the Mughal emperor and that led to the construction of Jantar Mantar in Delhi. At first, brass instruments were used in the observatory. However, they were found to have a number of intrinsic flaws. So after much deliberation, Jai Singh adopted the style of Prince Ulugh Beg, builder of the 15th century observatory at Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This is how the Delhi Jantar Mantar became what it is today.</div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-54406007682173227532009-12-16T04:41:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:43:18.652-08:00Jama Masjid Delhi<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-xWTOt9f7VB0CpJ2oQ3gPFLnz1q9xki98SVKpTjZ58PmeWMoSXMG6Z27QgsyViOlamHQZABvwyflQg0MDe6uFId1dY1JRgfc1XVEC7-xSyJGLh7wCDxALlv4vvf1cLULdanmMgePjPlZ/s1600-h/jama-masjid-delhi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-xWTOt9f7VB0CpJ2oQ3gPFLnz1q9xki98SVKpTjZ58PmeWMoSXMG6Z27QgsyViOlamHQZABvwyflQg0MDe6uFId1dY1JRgfc1XVEC7-xSyJGLh7wCDxALlv4vvf1cLULdanmMgePjPlZ/s400/jama-masjid-delhi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415813577321313170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jama Masjid Delhi</span><br /></div><table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td><b>Dedicated to</b></td> <td>Hazrat Mahmmad </td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Sadar Bazaar, Old Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;">Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India, also known by the name of "Masjid-i-Jahan Numa" (visible to the world). Situated near the Red Fort in Delhi, it is one of the last monuments built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Designed as Shah Jahan's primary mosque, Jamma Masjid of Delhi is built in red sandstone, with an extensive use of white marble. The interiors of the mosque are inlaid with stripes of black. It took six years to complete this simple yet elegant monument. Delhi Jama Masjid was built on a high platform so as to make it visible from all the neighboring areas.<br /></div> <br /> Ostad Khalil, a great sculptor of his time, designed this mosque. Built as the replica of Moti Masjid in Agra, it has three gateways, four towers and two minarets. However, the most impressive feature of the mosque is its pulpit, carved out of a single block of marble. Gracing the portico of Jama Masjid, the slender minarets, one on each side, are approximately 130 ft high. As you enter inside the mosque, you step into a stadium like courtyard. Wide staircases and arched gateways are the trademark of the Jama Masjid of Delhi. The relic of the Prophet as well as the Holy Koran is shrine in a small shrine inside the mosque<br /> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> One of the most valued treasures of the Delhi Jama Masjid are a hair of the beard of Hazrat Mahmmad, his used chappal (footwear), the canopy of his tombstone, the foot print of Muhammad on the stone and a chapter of Koran taken from its original holy book. All of these are kept in the northeast corner of the mosque. The main imams of this Jama Masjid have always been the direct descendants of the first Imam appointed by Emperor Shahjahan. Till today, this tradition of appointing his descendants as the main Imam has been carried out without any break. People of other religions are allowed inside the mosque throughout the day, except for between 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. </div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-45904235497653271462009-12-16T04:37:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:40:45.574-08:00Humayun's Tomb<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOeU9TRBz455tnXcF6rKJ8WR2GMMyheNBzbkqHeJKPX5J-XA0DjVgiKw4h_QjuZusKVWDykjZojNV-XS2FyFTPCn1K8xbP3YUG1nuM1TobtDcIIyTIFoBxtYaY3DqoXCUXn1GffPJGk79/s1600-h/2009-06-humayunstomb_1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOeU9TRBz455tnXcF6rKJ8WR2GMMyheNBzbkqHeJKPX5J-XA0DjVgiKw4h_QjuZusKVWDykjZojNV-XS2FyFTPCn1K8xbP3YUG1nuM1TobtDcIIyTIFoBxtYaY3DqoXCUXn1GffPJGk79/s400/2009-06-humayunstomb_1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415812440048379218" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Humayun's Tomb</span></div><table class="t2" align="CENTER" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="90%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" align="CENTER"><table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Haji Begum (Humayun's wife)</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1565 AD </td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Entombs</b></td> <td>Mughal Emperor Humayun</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Mathura Road, near its crossing with Lodi Road</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Highlights</b></td> <td>Mughal Architecture</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Timings</b></td> <td>Weekdays (Sunrise to Sunset)</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;">Humayun's Tomb, the mausoleum of Mughal emperor Humayun, is situated on the Mathura Road, near it's crossing with Lodi Road. The first significant model of Mughal architecture in India, the tomb was built by Humayun's wife Haji Begum in the year 1565. High arches and a double dome adorn the tomb that is entered through two towering double-storied gateways, on the south and on the west. The center of the eastern wall of the enclosure houses a baradari (pavilion), while that of the northern wall houses a bath-chamber.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> One of the most remarkable features of the Delhi Humayun's Tomb is a square garden inside its complex. The garden stands divided into four large squares, separated by causeways and channels. These four squares are then further divided into smaller squares by typical pathways ('Chaharbagh') of a Mughal Garden. In the center of the entire complex stands the mausoleum. The cenotaph is kept in the central octagonal chamber with arched lobbies on the sides having perforated screens at the openings.</div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> The Garden Tomb Of Humayun in Delhi is constructed mainly of red sandstone, with white and black marble adorning its borders. The second story of the tomb, with 42.5m high double dome and pillared kiosks (chhatris), is built in the sa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheByBuXlKbybUT9H5U9JIHFQv7G44OSIoJGb47I5Q0U_AxMEuqh65wDcRJXsKUeCwP_0xqV-a9_9RQ9j-8mIg4CQEqPNz8maNYwwvmhogAt5a0p6c4gREsSM0mge853s6sAsE4YFa2C7xm/s1600-h/Delhi-12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheByBuXlKbybUT9H5U9JIHFQv7G44OSIoJGb47I5Q0U_AxMEuqh65wDcRJXsKUeCwP_0xqV-a9_9RQ9j-8mIg4CQEqPNz8maNYwwvmhogAt5a0p6c4gREsSM0mge853s6sAsE4YFa2C7xm/s400/Delhi-12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415811692961761090" border="0" /></a>me way as the first. Further beautifying the Humayun's Tomb are the carvings, the inlaid work on the marble of the walls and the trelliswork in red sandstone. Built as per the hasht bihisht (Eight Paradise) architectural design, it is a sort of pioneering landmark of the Indo-Islamic architecture.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> The vaults below the podium in the mausoleum house the graves of a number of Mughal dynasty rulers. These include the graves of Haji Begam, Hamida Banu Begam, Dara Shikoh - Shah Jahan's son, and the later Mughals, Jalandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi'u'd-Darajat, Rafi'u'd-Daula, 'Alamgir II, Shah Jahan's son and Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor of Delhi. Infact, Delhi Humayun Tomb served as the refuge of Bahadur Shah II, who was later captured here by Lieutenant Hodson during the Revolt of 1857. The sheer number of graves here led to the tomb being called as "The Dormitory of the House of Timur".<br /><br /><b class="headingnew">HOW TO REACH</b><br />Humayun's tomb is located in the eastern part of Delhi near the Nizammudin railway station. Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city, or, alternatively, they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. There are regular buses from important bus termini like the Inter-State Bus Terminus at Kashmere Gate and Sarai Kale Khan and Connaught Place to this monument. Local guided tours conducted by Delhi Tourism and private operators cover this important monument.<br /></div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-52019799223923410912009-12-16T04:28:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:32:36.683-08:00India Gate<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKj5Z7jMyDJcDOLrGG4JYkJfWKaJsvfMMR_2Q5m17-JOW8U5ZCiysj8Gitry__W-RLIMbvougucQDRR6_1ThcNIDGZgwj_HCWMg6fLzTmlwvBOZNFjhrH6oGYlAjC1YvLKiVAgjvVFfZL/s1600-h/IndiaGate05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKj5Z7jMyDJcDOLrGG4JYkJfWKaJsvfMMR_2Q5m17-JOW8U5ZCiysj8Gitry__W-RLIMbvougucQDRR6_1ThcNIDGZgwj_HCWMg6fLzTmlwvBOZNFjhrH6oGYlAjC1YvLKiVAgjvVFfZL/s400/IndiaGate05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415810670252332482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >India Gate</span></div> <table class="t2" align="CENTER" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="90%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="CENTER"> <table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td><b>Designed By</b></td> <td>Edwin Lutyens</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1921</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Near Connaught Place, Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Significance</b></td> <td>War Memorial of martyred soldiers</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Best Time to Visit</b></td> <td>In the late evening.</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table><br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;">India Gate is a war memorial of martyred soldiers, situated in the middle of New Delhi. Standing tall at a height of 42 m, Delhi India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe", seems like a gateway at the heart of a crossroad. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught laid the foundation stone of India Gate in the year 1921. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the monument was dedicated to the country after 10 years, by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. It stands as a tribute to the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives during World War I, when they fought for the British Army.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> More than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers who got killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919 have their names written on the Indian Gate of New Delhi. After India became independent, another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added to the existing structure. This arched memorial has an eternal flame that burns day and night as a mark of respect to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the India-Pakistan War that took place in December 1971.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhH_LoeyvyDMgWuJGQFj53ga0kXaaMCys-cuA1w_ck5P8I292MnyyXA0m5-dOUGpXGqVnvwK46JKQNxKVWFlU89_wz1rSXSrQ4secvmYI7dGYzxpvSSEqB9RtnsTBBBurSkd9HzM7P3uy/s1600-h/DEL+Delhi+-+India+Gate+stone+memorial+arch+3008x2000.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhH_LoeyvyDMgWuJGQFj53ga0kXaaMCys-cuA1w_ck5P8I292MnyyXA0m5-dOUGpXGqVnvwK46JKQNxKVWFlU89_wz1rSXSrQ4secvmYI7dGYzxpvSSEqB9RtnsTBBBurSkd9HzM7P3uy/s400/DEL+Delhi+-+India+Gate+stone+memorial+arch+3008x2000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415810825262257362" border="0" /></a></div>Resting on a low foundation of red Bharatpur stone, the arch rises in stages to a huge molding. On both the sides of the arch the word INDIA is inscribed, along with the date, MCMXIV (1914) on the left and MCMXIX (1919) on the right. The best time to see Delhi India Gate is during nightfall, when it is magnificently floodlit. Splendid lawns, with a number of fountains, encircle the monument. These fountains present a breathtaking view at night when they make a lovely display with colored lights. </div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-79134799072266135002009-12-16T04:23:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:27:22.604-08:00Rashtrapati Bhavan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIUOYNC193JPLDBayAxEoQp17SxE-e1D-fZ6BX9BO55gkP33ZMnDZJpXTqqQsNvUBI1_c3Ukmei-HyklKvh3XZRHXO3TAS5CnIMmpFKb9b7f1hyphenhyphenf0T2hM_rYfTCEM6Bjx-qaKG4Pm0LoY/s1600-h/rashtrapati-bhavan-india-picture-photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIUOYNC193JPLDBayAxEoQp17SxE-e1D-fZ6BX9BO55gkP33ZMnDZJpXTqqQsNvUBI1_c3Ukmei-HyklKvh3XZRHXO3TAS5CnIMmpFKb9b7f1hyphenhyphenf0T2hM_rYfTCEM6Bjx-qaKG4Pm0LoY/s400/rashtrapati-bhavan-india-picture-photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415809512561586802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td><b>Designed By</b></td> <td>Edwin Lutyens</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Near Connaught Place, Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Highlights</b></td> <td>Breathtaking architecture</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;">It was decided in the Delhi Durbar of 1911 that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. Thus was born the city of Delhi, designed by the great architect Edwin Lutyens, along with Herbert Baker. It took approximately 20 years and 15 million pounds to build New Delhi. Built as the Viceral Lodge, Delhi Rashtrapati Bhawan comprises of four floors and 340 rooms. Now known as the President House of New Delhi, it is spread over an area of approximately 200,000-sq-feet. It took 18 years to construct this building and on the on the 18th year of its completion, India became independent.<br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Jaipur Column, a gift from the Maharaja of Jaipur, stands at a height of 145 m in the middle of the main court in front of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Another one of the impressive features of the Delhi Rashtrapati Bhawan comprises of the outstandingly beautiful Mughal Gardens. Then, at the base of the building, is a spacious square, known as the Vijay Chowk. The massive neo-Buddhist copper dome of the President House of New Delhi is splendid and can be seen even from a distance of a kilometer. Underneath this fabulous dome is the circular Durbar Hall, housing the Viceroy's throne, measuring almost 22.8 m in diameter. Before the National Museum was completed, it served as a museum for a number of years. All the official ceremonies such as the swearing in of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Members of Parliament, etc., take place in this hall only. Also, the Arjuna Awards fo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJRx8lQmsEPa2J8MQ445I2O3UVSvwff3XwhXuO-kWwjh0KEvHCEu5OCbVt5XLQeIA1-OqFfmkCuU0HlnbFqjUeBaf0bg5SBSjIQTbd_BTyJ8wtMs-Mp1TzuGL7GYKbZIDwpYDeduFc4Ec/s1600-h/rashtrapati-bhavan2.197105616.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJRx8lQmsEPa2J8MQ445I2O3UVSvwff3XwhXuO-kWwjh0KEvHCEu5OCbVt5XLQeIA1-OqFfmkCuU0HlnbFqjUeBaf0bg5SBSjIQTbd_BTyJ8wtMs-Mp1TzuGL7GYKbZIDwpYDeduFc4Ec/s400/rashtrapati-bhavan2.197105616.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415809006841746050" border="0" /></a>r Excellence are awarded by the President from here itself. On the ground floor of the Rashtrapati Bhavan are a number of state apartments. Then, there is the State Drawing Room, State Ballroom, State Dining Room and a number of other such rooms inside the building. The Delhi Rashtrapati Bhawan consists of 54 bedrooms, along with additional accommodation for guests. </div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-65242051798449618382009-12-02T04:15:00.001-08:002009-12-02T04:17:26.708-08:00Parliament House<table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" vspace="1" width="100%" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1"><tbody><tr><td><b>Designed By</b></td> <td>Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1921</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Parliament Street/ Sansad Marg, New Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Significance</b></td> <td>Houses Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States)</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Highlights</b></td> <td>Magnificent architecture</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://www.bharatonline.com/delhi/images/parliment-in-delhi.jpg" alt="Parliament House" width="270" align="RIGHT" border="0" height="190">Parliament House accommodates the two Houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States). Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, the architects of New Delhi, designed this building. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught, laid the foundation stone of Parliament House in the year 1921. It took six years to complete the Delhi Parliament House and its was inaugurated in the year 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. A circular building, it also houses ministerial offices, a number of committee rooms and a brilliant library.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha meetings are held in the domed circular central hall and the three semi-circular buildings. Sansad Bhavan of New is adorned with an open verandah with 144 columns and a 28 m central dome. Made up of blocks of sandstone, it has a diameter of approximately 174 m. Enclosing the Parliament House Estate is an attractive red sandstone wall or iron grill with iron gates. It is necessary to take prior permission before visiting the Parliament House of Delhi. Indians need to get permission by applying at the Parliament Secretariat and foreigners through their Embassies or High Commissions. </div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-45045732460101992282009-12-02T04:11:00.000-08:002009-12-02T04:12:07.701-08:00Qutub Minar<table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" vspace="1" width="100%" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1"><tbody><tr><td><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Qutab-ud-din Aibak</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1193</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>15-km South Of New Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Highlights</b></td> <td>Highest stone tower in India</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Best Time to Visit</b></td> <td>October to March</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Timings</b></td> <td>Sunrise to Sunset </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://www.bharatonline.com/delhi/images/qutab-minar-in-delhi.jpg" alt="Qutab Minar" width="270" align="RIGHT" border="0" height="190" />The famous Qutab Minar of Delhi is a tower that claims the distinction of being the highest stone tower in the country. Said to be a tower of victory, it soars to a height of 73 m. Qutab-ud-din Aibak, after defeating Delhi's last Hindu kingdom, started the construction of this tower in the year 1193. Although Qutab-ud-din Aibak started the construction of the tower, he could not complete the monument during his lifetime. Later on, additions were made by his successors. Three stories were constructed by Iltutmush, while the fifth and the last two was the work of Firoz Shah Tughlak.<br /></div> <br /> Delhi Qutub Minar is made up of five stories, with the first three being made of red sandstone and the fourth and fifth ones being made up of both marble as well as sandstone. Each of the stories has a projecting balcony with their diameter ranging from 15 m at the base to 2.5 m at the top. There is a little disagreement over the origins of Qutab Minar of Delhi. One legend has it that it was built as a tower of victory to commemorate the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Another legend goes that it was built to serve as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer.<br /> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> Delhi Qutub Minar is adorned with bands of inscriptions, along with four projecting balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets. There is also the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque of India, which stands at the base of the Qutab Minar. Inside the courtyard of the mosque stands a 7 m high iron pillar. It is believed that if you are able to encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it, your wish will be granted. Over the eastern gate, it is inscribed that the material to build it was acquired from demolishing twenty-seven Hindu temples. </div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-22633796970639617392009-12-02T04:09:00.001-08:002009-12-02T04:10:17.707-08:00Tughlaqabad Fort<table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" vspace="1" width="100%" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1"><tbody><tr><td><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1321-25</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Near Qutab Minar Complex, on the Qutab-Badarpur Road</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://www.bharatonline.com/delhi/images/tughlaqabad-fort-in-delhi.jpg" alt="Tughlaqabad Fort" width="270" align="RIGHT" border="0" height="191">Tughlaqabad Fort, perched on a rocky hill, constitutes one third of the capital city of India. The fort is located on the Qutab-Badarpur Road and was built by Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq, the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty. The Tuglaqabad Fort seems to be more or less octagonal, with a border of approximately 6.5-km. The ramparts of the fort, now in ruins, are between 10m to 15m high with fortresses and gateways at intervals. The Tughlakhabad at Delhi was built to serve a dual purpose, one of providing a defensive structure to the ruler and the second, to serve as his imposing capital.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> Tughlaqabad stands divided into three segments. The eastern segment is entered through from the Qutub-Badarpur road. It is a rectangular area enclosed within high walls and bastions and used to serve as the citadel. On the west side of the Tughlaqabad Fort is a wider area that once contained the palaces and is surrounded by walls and bastions. A huge reservoir stands on the southern side of the Tughlaqabad Fort at Delhi. Bunds were put up between hills to the east to create the reservoir, which is linked with Ghiyas-ud-Din's tomb through a causeway.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> There is a wide mound near the south eastern-corner of the Fort Tughlakhabad of Delhi that leads to the fortress of Adilabad. The sluice gates near the mound were used for controlling water for irrigation purposes. There is also a tower, known as the Bijai-Mandal, inside the fort, along with remains of several halls, and also a long underground passageway. To the north of the fort, lies the city of Tughlaqabad, which is now mostly in ruins. </div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-16048474205225464992009-12-02T04:06:00.001-08:002009-12-02T04:08:22.264-08:00Red Fort of Delhi<table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" vspace="1" width="100%" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1"><tbody><tr><td width="160"><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Shah Jahan</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1638-1648</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Old Delhi</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br class="topbrk"> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://www.bharatonline.com/delhi/images/red-fort-in-delhi.jpg" alt="Red Fort of Delhi" width="270" align="RIGHT" height="191">The Red Fort of Delhi is a massive monument built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It took approximately 10 years to complete the Red Fort of Delhi that was started in the year 1638. Situated on the embankment of river Yamuna, the fort was constructed during the zenith of Mughal Empire. The Red fort was supposed to be the fortress of the Shah Jahan's new capital at Delhi, Shahjahanabad. Today, the Red fort serves as the venue for the Prime Minister's Speech that is given on the Independence Day of the country.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> Lal Quila of Delhi is surrounded by a moat, now dry, and walls that stretch on for approximately two km. The width of the wall varies from 18 m on the riverside to 33 m on the city side. The fort comprises of a number of structures like Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-i-khas (Hall of Private Audience), palaces, private apartments, Moti Masjid (mosque), etc. Chatta Chowk, once the market of the Delhi's most talented jewelers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths, provides the main entrance to the Delhi Red Fort.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> This market now mainly houses jewelry and ornaments for the purpose of the tourists. A little farther from the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana or the Drum House, where the musicians used to play for the emperor. Other attractions of the Red fort of Delhi include Hamaam (Royal bath), Shahi Burj (Shah Jahan's private working area), Rang Mahal (Palace of Colors) etc. The Rang Mahal served as the palace of the wives and mistresses of the Emperor. Gild turrets, mirror work and gold and silver covered ceiling adorn the palace. </div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-31822835238405299602009-12-02T03:59:00.000-08:002009-12-02T04:01:59.486-08:00Old Fort of Delhi<table bordercolorlight="#F0DCB9" bordercolordark="#F0DCB9" class="t4" vspace="1" width="100%" align="CENTER" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" hspace="1"><tbody><tr><td><b>Constructed By</b></td> <td>Sher Shah Suri and Humayun</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Year of Construction</b></td> <td>1538-1545</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Location</b></td> <td>Near Pragati Maidan, Delhi</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Attractions</b></td> <td>Beautiful Architecture and the Sound and Light show held in the evening.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="text"><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://www.bharatonline.com/delhi/images/old-fort-delhi.jpg" alt="Old Fort of Delhi" width="270" align="RIGHT" border="0" height="191" />Old Fort of Delhi is believed to be situated on the same site where the city of Indraprastha once stood. As per the great Indian epic Mahabharta, Indraprastha was the capital city of the Pandavas. Now standing mostly in ruins, the Old Fort of Delhi once served as the seat of administration of a number of glorious emperors. Emperor Sher Shah Suri got the fort constructed after he demolished Humayun's city, Dinpanah. Also known as the Purana Quila, the Old fort is more or less rectangular in shape, with a course of nearly two km. The legend has it that Sher Shah could not complete the construction of Purana Quila during is lifetime.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> It was later completed or at least renovated by Humayun. Infact, the southern gate of the fort is known by the name of Humayun Darwaza. This gate as well as Talaqui Darwaza (the forbidden gateway) on the north combines Islamic pointed arch with Hindu Chhatris and brackets. Old Fort has 2-km long fortifications, with three gates that have fortresses on both the sides. Circling the fort is a wide moat, connected to river Yamuna that once used to flow on the eastern side of the fort. Excavations were carried out in the Old Fort area that came up with 1000 BC dated pieces of painted gray ware that were said to be connected with Mahabharata.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> The other attractions of the Old Fort of Delhi include the mosque built by Sher Shah in 1541, a lake with boating facilities and Zoological Park situated nearby. Then, there is Sher-Mandal, a double-story, red sandstone and marble octagonal tower. There is an octagonal chhatri crowning the tower, adorned with glazed tiles and incised and painted plasterwork on the inside. Last but not the least, is the sound and light show of the Purana Quila that showcases 5000 years of history of the city of Delhi. The nine pools of water come alive in the light and take you on a journey of the royal past of Delhi.</div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-74194606973367579042009-12-01T04:53:00.000-08:002009-12-01T05:11:09.707-08:00Monuments in Delhi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7EuNuPgJzMP9j8v-WDTH62WpYVD-TznbrkWvOgArqJMq3qhNudUrOWI5VaX8ynICCUADA16ZPj00NmbiI5FZ67_47tDebPv-4Tr0b3J0T-XP8_Oap0pmo2D62OPJfVbqeeEpwEIJs8cV/s1600/RajGhatGandhiMemorial.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7EuNuPgJzMP9j8v-WDTH62WpYVD-TznbrkWvOgArqJMq3qhNudUrOWI5VaX8ynICCUADA16ZPj00NmbiI5FZ67_47tDebPv-4Tr0b3J0T-XP8_Oap0pmo2D62OPJfVbqeeEpwEIJs8cV/s400/RajGhatGandhiMemorial.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410254594689319394" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Delhi is a city with an impressive and remarkable history. Standing as a witness to this interesting bygone era are the various monuments of Delhi. From the Old Fort to the Tughlaqabad area to the various tombs in the city, each one represents a separate period in the history of Delhi. In the area of New Delhi, historical monuments cover mostly those that were built during the time of the British like the Parliament House, President's House, the India Gate etc.<br /></div> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"> However, one thing that is common in all the monuments of Delhi is their architectural excellence. Be it the Red Fort built by Shah Jahan or the Parliament House designed by Edwin Lutyens, each and every monument has an architectural beauty that leaves you mesmerized. All said and done, the magnificence of Delhi monuments cannot be fully described and you will have to visit them to really appreciate them.<br /> </div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-23091129668266745372009-09-05T05:32:00.000-07:002009-10-19T22:50:10.093-07:00Buland Darwaza Agra<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKyED0xeeP2WhLYEZBCams0x4cay39cmNxsZMsdE7ymMVBrSXmpvM_mjEcHr3Ip0J8bNQtK7CO0bLFc80a4eejMx93qChrdabiuUW0mXctJKjhyphenhyphennqlT7ssHVsbv07I570hKp0-IIruNQN/s1600-h/FatehdfpurSikri33.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377961376618026850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 247px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKyED0xeeP2WhLYEZBCams0x4cay39cmNxsZMsdE7ymMVBrSXmpvM_mjEcHr3Ip0J8bNQtK7CO0bLFc80a4eejMx93qChrdabiuUW0mXctJKjhyphenhyphennqlT7ssHVsbv07I570hKp0-IIruNQN/s400/FatehdfpurSikri33.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)">Buland Darwaza Agra </span><br /></div><p><b style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)">Introduction</b><br /></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Agra is well-known as being home to the wonderful Taj Mahal - one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The gracefully designed mausoleums, the fort and the palaces reminds of the Mughal architectural brilliance. Besides the Taj Mahal, other popular tourist spots in Agra are the Agra Fort, Jama Masjid, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, Chini Ka Rauza, Rambagh Gardens, Fatehpur Sikri, etc. One such tourist attraction in Agra is the <b>Buland Darwaza </b>, a grand gateway located in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra.</div><p><b style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)">Background</b><br /></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">The Buland Darwaza is the entrance gateway to the Jama Masjid mosque in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. It is situated on a hill where the Mosque is located. The grand recessed central arch is the most magnificent of its kind in the entire range of Mughal architecture in India. This triumphal arch was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1575 on the southern wall of the courtyard, after he defeated the King of Khandesh or Gujarat in 1573. </div><p><b style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)">Description</b><br /></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">The name <b>Buland Darwaza </b>means High Door and this victory arch has the height of 176 feet from ground level and 134 feet over the top step. Very striking even from quite a distance, Buland Darwaza is a magnificent structure built in red sandstone with ornamentation in white marble. The calligraphic inscriptions from the Quran on its front and pillars and chattris on its height make the arch an impressive sight. The Buland Darwaza is also indication of the religious tolerance of Akbar the Great, evident from the inscription upon it attributed to Jesus Christ - "The World is but a bridge, pass over but build no houses on it." </div><p><b style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)">How to reach</b><br /></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">To reach the <b>Buland Darwaza in Agra </b>, by air you have to land at the Agra airport, which is 7 km from the city center. From Delhi, it takes only 40 minutes to reach Agra by flight. The main railway station is Agra Cantonment. The main bus stands in Agra are Agra Fort and Idgah bus stand. There are many luxury taxis, coaches or buses that drive to Agra every day. </div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-32232608161966571142009-09-05T05:27:00.000-07:002009-09-05T05:30:48.504-07:00Taj Mahal Museum Agra<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8TB6GeiocXB4DHONgtCPIEYj18Z1wgBPfnLigb5DNr6t9tPiWkytmtrDc31aWi6oDTe5g9nynLP_TV1qno6i4diPBVTtnwkIV1YxGbtYINJfacvvP1AUwORY9xt6qw0skpJVhj_4o6dn/s1600-h/taj_mahal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8TB6GeiocXB4DHONgtCPIEYj18Z1wgBPfnLigb5DNr6t9tPiWkytmtrDc31aWi6oDTe5g9nynLP_TV1qno6i4diPBVTtnwkIV1YxGbtYINJfacvvP1AUwORY9xt6qw0skpJVhj_4o6dn/s400/taj_mahal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377959571095235682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Taj Mahal Museum Agra</span><br /></div><p><b style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Introduction to Taj Mahal Museum, Agra</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Taj Mahal Museum in Agra is one of the most famous museums in Agra, which is visited by hundreds of tourists who wish to delve deep into the history of Taj. The Taj Museum is located within the complex of Taj Mahal. It is located to the left of the platform near the chief gate of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Museum of Agra provides the opportunity to the tourists and visitors to take a close look at the original pieces of drawings of this magnificent marble monument. The study of the drawings indicates the level of accuracy and precision that had been initiated in planning the structure of the Taj Mahal. No wonder that the Taj still features among the Seven Wonders of the World.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Taj Museum remains open from 10 o' clock in the morning to 5 o' clock in the afternoon. These drawings also show the layout of the graves. Drawings of the interiors show the position of the graves in such precision that the foot of the graves faces the spectator from any angle. Besides, there are many other bewitching collections that will catch the fancy of the tourists. </div> <p><b style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">History of Taj Mahal Museum,Agra</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Agra Taj Mahal Museum lies within the complex of Taj Mahal-one of the greatest symbols of the eternal love. The museum was constructed in 1982 and it is to be found in the Jal Mahal, a Mahal inside the Taj Mahal. </div> <p><b style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Description of Taj Mahal Museum,Agra</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">The Taj Mahal Museum in Agra houses royal ornaments, amazing paintings, portraits of Mughal emperors and many more interesting items. The Taj Museum remains closed on Fridays.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />It is a big museum comprising of two floors and has three galleries along with a chief hall. The Taj Mahal Museum, as the name suggests, displays all those things in connection to the creation of Taj Mahal. There are a total of one hundred and twenty one antiques showcased in the Agra Taj Mahal museum. These things can be broadly classified into Mughal manuscripts, Mughal miniature paintings, inscription samples, royal decrees, drawings and plans of Taj Mahal. Some more exquisite items are also exhibited in the museum like arms, utensils, specimen of decorative pieces, marble pillars, etc.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The main hall showcases the most significant items. Tourists can take a look at the portraits of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, his beloved wife. These are seen in an ornate wooden frame. Imitations of coins, which were minted in Agra, are also on display. Like the Taj Mahal, the museum which stands within it, is also a wonder and an attractive place to be visited by all tourists across the world. Nominal fees are charged at the entrance of the gate. Everyday, millions of people come to visit Taj Mahal-one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is quite obvious that the museum which displays antiques related to Taj Mahal will also be visited by the curious travelers. </div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-13833148757413732872009-09-05T05:22:00.000-07:002009-09-05T05:26:45.262-07:00Fatehpur Sikri<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevBdTwz8L4TcJ0tmqKrIgIA29zlmauwSiYovHaxzMXaUy1H2_nYeJtpv_BdtD5ZszvJ5iXeYRYNlKDgJgrnPj7iOm7Rm6RWEG1c8wSGHDwWX8T6_oOWQow85QnKT7z6QhXUcS50PN4CnJ/s1600-h/inde632_big.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevBdTwz8L4TcJ0tmqKrIgIA29zlmauwSiYovHaxzMXaUy1H2_nYeJtpv_BdtD5ZszvJ5iXeYRYNlKDgJgrnPj7iOm7Rm6RWEG1c8wSGHDwWX8T6_oOWQow85QnKT7z6QhXUcS50PN4CnJ/s400/inde632_big.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377958596528699810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Fatehpur Sikri</span><br /></div><p style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><b>Introduction</b></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Agra and its adjoining areas are home to some of the finest examples of Mughal architecture, showcasing one of the most brilliant phases of Indian history. One of these is the Fatehpur Sikri, one of the best examples of Mughal planning and architecture. One of the most important aspects of the <b>Fatehpur Sikri </b>is the fact that it provides us with details of not just Mughal architecture but paints an accurate image of the system of administration and social structure of the era. Once the political capital of Akbar, arguable the greatest Mughal emperor, Fatehpur Sikri was in operation from 1571 to1585. Today a world heritage site, this erstwhile capital of the Mughals is a historian's delight and must-see for all visitors to the area.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;"><br />History</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Located on the outskirts of Agra, at a distance of only 26 miles, Fatehpur Sikri was one of the most important bases of Mughal rule and the capital of Akbar during the 1571 to 1585. Fatehpur Sikri was instrumental in being one of the places along with Agra and the Red Fort, where a bulk of the Mughal arsenal, treasure hoards and other reserves were stored. Legend has it that the fort was built as a tribute to the great Sufi Saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, with whose blessing Prince Salim was born, Akbar's descendent who was destined to grow up to become the next Mughal emperor Jahangir.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">Architecture</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Built predominantly of red sandstone, <b>Fatehpur Sikri </b>is one of the earliest planned cities in the world. The layout of the city is in itself a work of architectural brilliance where a conscious effort has been made to produce rich spatial effects. On the other hand, the cityscape changes rapidly as we move across it indicating important buildings and also allowing these important localities to form a backdrop to other localities. </p>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-92199894200214371842009-09-05T05:13:00.000-07:002009-09-05T05:19:49.782-07:00Chini ka Rauza<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqFZglMfzI3tOORNCjZ58X8CQE83xsCo-oGKNSK9A8ny9IiaOQrrMno6L1RL7pd5MAjrmnzuL7sfGHsJlHnlyraanB9x38xLkF8-jj6RNWDkaf6YojGi_85yePn0DUgsMDHTSrh7_nBoO/s1600-h/Chini+ka+Roza+At+Agra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqFZglMfzI3tOORNCjZ58X8CQE83xsCo-oGKNSK9A8ny9IiaOQrrMno6L1RL7pd5MAjrmnzuL7sfGHsJlHnlyraanB9x38xLkF8-jj6RNWDkaf6YojGi_85yePn0DUgsMDHTSrh7_nBoO/s400/Chini+ka+Roza+At+Agra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377956686864117938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Chini ka Rauza</span><br /></div><p style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">Introduction</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Agra can definitely be termed as the hub of historical tourism in India. Almost each and every nook and corner of this ancient city relates a tale of its own, sharing secrets which time had thought to be buried within the silent bricks of Agra. Of the many historical attractions of the city, one of the lesser-known ones is the <b>Chini ka Rauza </b>, the tomb of Allama Afzal Khan Mullah of Shiraz, built in 1635.</p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">Location</span><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Located at a distance of just around 1 Km from Itimad ud Daulah's Tomb, <b>Chini ka Rauza </b>is the tomb of Allama Afzal Khan Mullah of Shiraz, a scholar and poet who was the Prime Minister of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. A notable feature amongst the many attractions that Agra offers, Chini ka Rauza is the only example of Persian architecture in the city.<br /><br /><p style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">Architecture</p> <p>The structural design of the <b>Chini ka Rauza </b>is like the rest of the architectural masterpieces constructed by the Mughals a work of excellence. Built during the reign of Shah Jahan, at a time when the architectural prowess of the Mughals was at its peak, Chini ka Rauza is a must see for tourists to Agra. The most distinctive feature of the tomb is the colorful tiles or chini, from which the mausoleum gets its name. Rectangular in shape, the tomb is constructed mainly of brown stone, which today is sadly falling prey to negligence and crumbling away. The walls of the tomb are adorned with inscriptions and colored tiles that give a distinctive look to the structure.</p> <p>However, perhaps the most significant feature of the tomb is the Afghan-style rounded dome that is adorned with inscriptions from Islamic texts.</p><br /><p style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><b>The Tomb</b></p> <p>The central chamber which actually houses the tomb is an octagonal chamber that consists of eight arched corners. This chamber is connected to the side halls and outer porches through four square chambers. The central arch, which is one of the most prominent architectural features of the tomb, is adorned with inscriptions marked with blue colored tiles.</p></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-56489719050393725072009-09-05T05:06:00.000-07:002009-09-05T05:12:47.130-07:00Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WNlPkgQhuVrAU7mQHpFuyyJOkkvpYr228FzudRWufSPZa7goAni258FxApz14_TvS6FQLtKwlxb6RyCH5FY_NgGZx2w_eCdKe66EJhv8C-OU5x5GUhDNaqkWattSFMkB-L4ZiGXiFR7d/s1600-h/ItmadudDaulah_18313.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 395px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WNlPkgQhuVrAU7mQHpFuyyJOkkvpYr228FzudRWufSPZa7goAni258FxApz14_TvS6FQLtKwlxb6RyCH5FY_NgGZx2w_eCdKe66EJhv8C-OU5x5GUhDNaqkWattSFMkB-L4ZiGXiFR7d/s320/ItmadudDaulah_18313.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377954246139396338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah</span><br /><br /></div>NurJehan, the wife and queen of Mughal Emperor Jehangir built this tomb for her father Mirza Shiyath Beg between 1622-25. Soon after her marriage to the father, Mirza was appointed Prime Minister of the Empire and received the title of<span style="font-weight: bold;"> 'Itimad-ud-Daulah'</span> or 'Treasurer of the Empire'. The tomb is situated on the left bank of river Yamuna and is only overshadowed by Taj in beauty. This beautiful mausolem was the first one to be built on a riverbank, which was normally used only to build pleasure gardens till then. The marble mausoleum is designed like a silver jewel box with stunning and delicate inlay work. Facing river Yamuna, this quadrangular tomb stretches across 550 sq. feet with four gateways facing the four main directions. However, the Eastern gateway served as the main entrance of the tomb while the rest were built only to maintain the symmetry. The square tomb building is built on a red sand stone plinth, which was set aesthetically in the center of a 'Char Bagh'.</div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-18109228959062795302009-08-21T05:35:00.000-07:002009-08-21T05:44:04.511-07:00Amar Singh Gate<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7FbJQZsdrsrLJTUfzklWkFxC2kVRq3SACOPGsdqsertyM0zZ14Cwnif0bEL2SQChiIqfy_1bRyoG_49bp_8nihc1gs4is5QL8KzUE8Jx9_CTw8fKLhhumfJDsNPRF5TXDcC4MXwTAL9f/s1600-h/Agra-Fort-Amar-Singh-Gate-734498.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7FbJQZsdrsrLJTUfzklWkFxC2kVRq3SACOPGsdqsertyM0zZ14Cwnif0bEL2SQChiIqfy_1bRyoG_49bp_8nihc1gs4is5QL8KzUE8Jx9_CTw8fKLhhumfJDsNPRF5TXDcC4MXwTAL9f/s400/Agra-Fort-Amar-Singh-Gate-734498.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372395852154800402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Amar Singh Gate (A Part of Red Fort, Agra)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The southern gateway or the Amar Singh Gate was originally known as 'Akbar Darwaza' and was reserved for Mughal emperor Akbar and his personal entourage. Shah Jehan renamed it after the brave Rao Amar Singh of Jodhpur. According to the interesting anecdote, Amar Singh slew Salabat Khan, the chief treasurer of Shah Jehan in front of the emperor. Then he leapt with his horse over the high walls of the fort. The horse died with the fatal jump and Amar Singh was arrested and put to death. However, his courage won the admiration of the emperor and the gate was renamed as Amar Singh Gate in his honor. A red sandstone statue of his horse was erected at the very spot where he died.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The gate shares architectural traits with the Delhi Gate such as having a drawbridge over the moat, dangerous diversions at the entrance and a high ramp paved with bricks. There are two octagonal towers on its either side. The most imposing structure here is the Naubat Khana surrounded by pillared pavilions. The bastions are not very impressive and it not as profusely decorated as some of the other structures in the fort. Yet, the oblong and arched panels in the lower portions are adorned with multi-colored glazed tiles, mainly in yellow, green, blue and white colors. Panels on the upper portion are plain. Bastions are crowned by piered chhatri with a domed cupola and an inverted lotus. The traces suggest that these cupolas were also covered with glazed tiles once.</div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-80172059284464493992009-08-20T07:07:00.000-07:002009-08-20T07:09:39.681-07:00Jehangiri Mahal<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-DeYUiYd3xu8Ypi7dxdD64RdCYM8BYEiexRMqoyR9Iz7mOy3_hkmJETvou4xz-YROwHbxI7VJemSS_F313MyK8HeuEEXdQiZe9vc90PrX3HBaH-PGyDPYeyQc2ZjzZbBBj-55dFO6693/s1600-h/11130011a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372047699768638098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-DeYUiYd3xu8Ypi7dxdD64RdCYM8BYEiexRMqoyR9Iz7mOy3_hkmJETvou4xz-YROwHbxI7VJemSS_F313MyK8HeuEEXdQiZe9vc90PrX3HBaH-PGyDPYeyQc2ZjzZbBBj-55dFO6693/s400/11130011a.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#009900;">Jehangiri Mahal ,Red Fort, Agra</span></strong></div><div align="justify">Jehangiri Mahal is a stunning example of Mughal architecture at its best. Built between 1565-69, it has an impressive façade facing an open court to the west. It has an arched portal with two beautiful jharokhas, a series of ornamental arches and an octagonal tower on its either side. There is a complex arrangement of rooms, halls, corridors, galleries and verandahs in the palace, around a quare central courtyard. The main portal leads to a square entrance hall with ribs-and-panels vaulted ceiling that takes one to identical annexes built on the northern and southern side of the palace and have beautiful Tibara dalans and side rooms. Built in red sandstone, the court showcases skillfully carved brackets supporting chhajja, a whispering gallery in the second storey and the jalied balustrade crowning each façade. A square chhatri on top of each façade looks quite impressive. An additional floor in the single-storeyed Assembly Hall looks like a hanging balcony. The serpentine brackets originating from the base of its columns help to support the flat ceiling. The wagon-vaulted ceiling crowns the smaller hall to the south. This graceful hall is unique because of the corridor on three of its sides and beautifully carved perforated screens inside it. There is a series of living rooms on its southern side. The western hall has a flat ceiling and elaborate carvings. The room on the southwestern corner of the court has a pyramidal ceiling while that on the northwestern corner has a vaulted lotus ceiling. The rooms on the eastern side have beautiful stuccowork and arabesque designs.</div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-11454168186906910182009-08-20T06:56:00.000-07:002009-08-20T07:04:47.382-07:00Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2cOpNETwbgJWQ1BtiO-WCk4vJZS_3psVyd-eENphSMy0xBrZwdN1zpohxTc5o-JvAbx73GwFFy-ZbRlJa5fWUPpWDuWd_8_vYtXxZghh8LyUjVDTrWYPBHM2sZWA9vp1asXHN2BCxmRO/s1600-h/Uttar-Pradesh-Agra-Sikandra-Akbars-Tomb-entrance.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372046286940146482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2cOpNETwbgJWQ1BtiO-WCk4vJZS_3psVyd-eENphSMy0xBrZwdN1zpohxTc5o-JvAbx73GwFFy-ZbRlJa5fWUPpWDuWd_8_vYtXxZghh8LyUjVDTrWYPBHM2sZWA9vp1asXHN2BCxmRO/s400/Uttar-Pradesh-Agra-Sikandra-Akbars-Tomb-entrance.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Sikandra, Agra</span></strong><br /><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Introduction<br /></span></strong>One of the most important bases of Mughal power, Agra is home to some of the finest examples of Mughal architecture. One of these is Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra , where one of the greatest emperors in the world lies buried. Perhaps the greatest monarch India has ever seen and definitely the most powerful and able ruler of the Mughal dynasty, Akb ar supervised the construction of the tomb himself during his lifetime. The rest of the tomb was completed by his son Jahangir after Akbar's death. </div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;"><strong>Location</strong><br /></span>Located at a distance of just 4 kilometers away from Agra, Sikandra is named after Sikander Lodhi. </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Architecture</span></strong><br />A perfect blend of Hindu, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Jain styles of architectures, Akbar's Tomb is just like the ideals of the great monarch himself an amalgamation of the positivities of different cultures. The most important aspect of the construction is that it shows the developing style of Mughal architecture. The tomb comprises of three-storey minarets on four corners which is perhaps the most characteristic feature of Islamic architecture. Another important feature of early Mughal architecture is also evident in its construction which is the combination of red sandstone and marble, a feature that was to be replaced completely by marble in the later period.<br />A five storey building the tomb also houses the remains of Akbar's daughters, Shakrul Nisha Begum and Aram Bano.</div></div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-73895373394279461642009-08-20T06:46:00.000-07:002009-08-20T06:55:51.134-07:00Monuments in Agra<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLO8fgbu5JcFBt_6XKf6b0F2MZ1_ph1dBOSspDIF6NPJ1_CBQmEYDKbeu2PFNH6soa7E78sv18a5zD4qYSUjDgyr5zydVoGn2xO_ddACmxzQ4ScmA7ZMp6sbtUStpGK-HoAUM5pi9-YuG3/s1600-h/11130011a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372042706882266514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLO8fgbu5JcFBt_6XKf6b0F2MZ1_ph1dBOSspDIF6NPJ1_CBQmEYDKbeu2PFNH6soa7E78sv18a5zD4qYSUjDgyr5zydVoGn2xO_ddACmxzQ4ScmA7ZMp6sbtUStpGK-HoAUM5pi9-YuG3/s400/11130011a.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#009900;"> </span><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Red Fort, Agra</span><br /></strong>Ever since Babur defeated and killed Ibrahin Lodi at Panipat in 1526, Agra played an important center of Mughal Empire. Akbar chose this city on the bank of River Yamuna as his capital and proceeded to build a strong citadel for the purpose. It is said that he destroyed the damaged old fort of Agra for the purpose and raised this grand group of monuments instead in red sandstone. Started in 1565, it took eight years and thirty-five lakh rupees to complete its construction and is second only to Taj in Agra. Qasim Khan Mir Barr-u-Bahr supervised the construction of this building. One of the large fortified residences built at various strategic points of Mughal Empire; it had over five hundred buildings, as mentioned by Abul Fazal in his chronicles. Most of the buildings added later use marble as the chief construction material. At the time of Akbar, River Yamuna touched the fort and thus, a number of ghats were built here. Some of these ghats were meant to load and unload goods transported through river and other covered passages were for use by the harem inmates only.</div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8296356990358270860.post-92205433487768210522009-08-19T05:56:00.000-07:002009-10-19T22:58:32.747-07:00Taj Mahal - A Marvel of Love<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPtGvXTgC7_aYn0BY9nE_szLp_p2FCj8ZyQlUy_0EzAzhah3G45OcFxB1qxglbN1Lgsuu-dPuS5EuzCS1pliar-l-qWXMo4MxltDcAygq622sGQvI1f4XMYdt4LVm5vF3IvKwRKrE3uE9/s1600-h/2299308085_e54ac5b8e1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371658959807841618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPtGvXTgC7_aYn0BY9nE_szLp_p2FCj8ZyQlUy_0EzAzhah3G45OcFxB1qxglbN1Lgsuu-dPuS5EuzCS1pliar-l-qWXMo4MxltDcAygq622sGQvI1f4XMYdt4LVm5vF3IvKwRKrE3uE9/s400/2299308085_e54ac5b8e1.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"> Taj Mahal , Agra India</span></strong> </div><div align="justify">Take a constitutional down Shahjahan Park in the chilly mauve light of dawn, and the pale white dome of the Taj Mahal, India looms in the distance. Set against the azure skyline, it looks like a mirage in a desert. Inch closer and the supreme majesty of the greatest monument to love comes into focus – with its dew-coated lawns and its pearl-white mausoleum.Travel to Taj Mahal Agra to baptize into the true glory of this passion of love. As the sun rises to cast a reverential beam on the sepulchre, the ‘dream in marble’ turns from lavender to yellow, while nightfall sees the monument bathed in moonlight – looking like a woman wreathed in smiles while waiting for her lover.There are many theories as at which time the Taj Mahal, India looks the best, but there is no substitute to viewing it at all hours of the day and the night if you want to understand its myriad facets. Taj Mahal, India is a microcosm of the universe – it contains within it both the yin and the yang, taking on a new personality to suit the occasion. It can be harsh, dry and strong like alabaster, delicately chaste and fragile like porcelain, noisily populous or quiet and secretive.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>The Monumental Heritage</strong></span></div><div align="justify">A copious amount has been written about the Taj – Agra’s window to the world. Nobel laureate Tagore called it ‘a tear on the face of eternity’, while the painter William Hodges wrote in 1876 that ‘it was like a most perfect pearl on an azure ground’. From Princess Diana to President Clinton to Yanni – the Taj draws every éminence grise from across the ‘seven seas’ to it like a magnet. As Clinton said during his presidential visit to India, “the world is divided into those who have seen the Taj and those who have not.” The American President joined the list of ‘haves’ this year, but for anyone bitten by the travel bug, a visit to the luminescent monument is an essential part of their resume. To say the ‘miracle in human design’ is the Mughal Empire’s magnum opus is to state the obvious.Like Picasso’s ‘Guernica’, Omar Khayyam’s ‘Rubaiyat’ or Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’, the Taj instills in you a sublime passion. It uplifts you – one feels more significant as a human being within its confines than outside it.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>The History Manifest</strong></span></div><div align="justify">Taj Mahal India was made in commemoration of Arjumand Bano Begum. The queen was married at the age of 21 to emperor Jahangir's son Khurram. During all the phases of Khurram life, Arjumand Bano Begum supported him through out. She was like a supporting pillar in his life. In AD 1628, Khurram became king after a bloody battle of succession. He changed his name from Khurram to Shahjahan or the King of the World. Arjumand Bano also changed her name from Mumtaz Mahal.Mumtaz Mahal was not destined to be a queen for a long period of time. She died at the age of 39 while delivering a child at Burhanpur. That auspicious day turned into a mournful event. When Arjumand Banu Begum (better known as Mumtaz Mahal) died in childbirth in 1629, her husband, Emperor Shah Jahan immortalised their love by building the ‘dream in marble’ – the finest illustration of Mughal architecture. The dream took over 22 years to fructify and over 20,000 craftsmen were employed to build it.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI3FFbx43d5zJg49NMYCMkOOVkFtZhq8g6YlyNrEd3j7EkeO6vx2QNINTyYUj_Hqr3ajsakgVSlvPtsaXXIRLsCnQ6Zt1bj1Rh46gjEBWUUvN25jovx1KsvOBuptlyeXlZYbK7CsxQgsg/s1600-h/Taj_mahal_Design_elements.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372049126546579458" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI3FFbx43d5zJg49NMYCMkOOVkFtZhq8g6YlyNrEd3j7EkeO6vx2QNINTyYUj_Hqr3ajsakgVSlvPtsaXXIRLsCnQ6Zt1bj1Rh46gjEBWUUvN25jovx1KsvOBuptlyeXlZYbK7CsxQgsg/s400/Taj_mahal_Design_elements.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Designing of Taj</span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><div align="justify">Who designed the Taj Mahal India is shrouded in mystery – some historians credit the Venetian architect Veroneo with its construction, while others believe it was the work of a Persian called Ustad Isa.But we do know of the lesser luminaries connected to it with certainty – the central dome was built by Ismail Effendi from Turkey, the calligrapher was Amanat Khan from Shiraz, the mosaicist, Chiranji Lal hailed from Delhi while the goldsmith, Qazim Khan was summoned from Lahore.A story which is probably apocryphal but has been doing the rounds for generations, says that Shah Jahan had the chief mason’s right hand amputated to preclude him from replicating the ‘marvel in marble’ anywhere else in the world.</div>holidays-planner-indiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04217216612554202541noreply@blogger.com0