Udaipur – The City of Lakes

It is the jewel of Mewar, a kingdom ruled by the Sisodia dynasty for 1,200 years, making it the oldest dynasty in India, perhaps in the world! Claiming descent from Surya, the sun God, they were the only Rajput princes who steadfastly refused to marry with the powerful Mughals. The capital of the Sisodia dynasty was Chittor till the 6th century, when it was moved to Udaipur, named after Maharana Udai Singh. Udaipur continued to be the capital of Mewar until the throne fell into the hands of the British in 1818. It was then declared a princely state and held the same title till 1947, when India gained independence. The city is perfectly placed in the backdrop of lush green picturesque natural beauty in the midst of Aravalli Mountain Ranges. It is a lake city with three interconnected lakes, the Pinchola Lake, Swaroop Sagar Lake and Fateh Sagar Lake. If Jaipur is the pink city, Udaipur is a study in white. The city is known its palaces, museums, temples, lake, and gardens. The City Palace and Museum is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. The museum has a stunning collection of objects belonging to different Maharanas of Udaipur. There are several palaces of interest around here, including the majestic Chittaurgarh the mountain fortress of Kumbhalgarh, beautiful jain temples of Ranakpur, Eklingli and Nathdwara and the cool retreat of Mr.Abu make the visit to Go Udaipur a memorable one. Udaipur is undoubtedly a dream destination for a romantic holiday. Every year, thousands of tourists come from all over the globe to visit this romantic city. Udaipur is easily accessible from all the major cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur.

Places to see :

Udaipur, the city of beauty hypnotizes the tourist’s psyche and captures the visitor’s heart to the extent that it lands up being the most frequented city in the tour of Indian cities.

City Palace :

The palace complex rises 30 meters above Lake Pichola and extended up to 244 meters. The mesmerizing beauty of the palace is surrounded by the towers, balconies, small domes and endless windows that give a sense of ecstasy. The palace leaves an everlasting impression on mind as you see from the rooftop, the glittering granite and marbles carved out with a grace giving a glance of a great composition of Chinese and European architecture.

Lake Palace :

This palace is located on the lake Pichola and is a tourist’s favourite tourist spot. The white marble reflected on the calm, serene lake waters is a sight to behold. A must see for a traveler. This palace cum fort is also known as Jag Niwas. This was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II in the year 1754.

Jag Mandir :

Another island in the Lake Pichola, which is known for its beautiful garden courtyard. Shah Jahan took refuge here while revolting against his father.

Jagdeesh Temple :

At a short distance is the Sahelion-ki-Bari or the Garden of Maidens which has four pools and delicately carved kiosks and elephants in marble. Built in the early 18th century, this is now a popular tourist spot. Close to the City Palace is the Jagdish Temple which displays some commanding sculpted figures and elaborately ornamented interiors.

Fateh Prakash Palace :

Maharana Fateh Singh was the real occupant of this palace and stayed there between 1884 and1935 A.D. A perfect example of luxury and style, Fateh Prakash Palace is another must in Udaipur Tour.

How to reach :

Air :

Daily Service to and from New Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Nearest Airport is in Dabok Airport, 24 km. from Udaipur city.

Rail :

The Railway Station is about 4 Km. from the city centre. Udaipur is directly connected by rail with Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Chittaur, Jodhpur and Ahmedabad.

Bus :

The Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh road transport corporation operate buses to Udaipur from various region. Udaipur is connected by major road link between Mumbai and Delhi.

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Varanasi – The Cultural Capital of India

Varanasi, the holy city of India, is also known by the name of Kashi and Benaras. Kashi, the city of Moksha for Hindus since centuries, is known for its fine-quality silks, 'paan' and Benares Hindu University and Avimukta of the ancient days, Varanasi is the most popular pilgrimage point for the Hindus. One of the seven holiest cities, Varanasi city is also one the Shakti Peethas and one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites in India. In Hinduism it is believed that those who die and are cremated here get an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re-births.

Considered as the abode of Lord Shiva, Varanasi is situated on the banks of River Ganges, which is believed to have the power of washing away all of one's sins. As pundits here will tell you, whatever is sacrificed and chanted here or given in charity reaps its fruits thousand times more than those good deeds performed at other places because of the power of that place. It is believed that three nights of fasting in Varanasi city can reap you rewards of many thousands of lifetimes of asceticism!

Varanasi is the oldest city of the world. Varanasi is more than 3000 years old and is famous as the city of temples. In Varanasi, there are temples at every few paces. Looking at the number of temples in Varanasi, it is hard to believe that a large number of them were demolished during the medieval times. Jyotirlinga Visvanatha Temple or Golden Temple, rebuilt in 1776, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Jnana Vapi well (meaning 'Well of Wisdom) is believed to have been dug by Lord Shiva himself. It is believed that the majestic Alamgir mosque has replaced one of the most ancient shrines known as the temple of Bindu Madhava. The thirty-three hundred million shrines fill one with awe and wonder with sheer numbers.

The Ganga Ghats (river front) are the most popular pilgrimage spot of Varanasi and are centers of music and learning. There is a great tradition of Yatras in the holy city of Kashi and the most sacred path is that of Panchkoshi Parikrama, the fifty-mile path with a radius of five miles that cover 108 shrines along the way, with Panchakoshi Temple as its main shrine. Other popular pilgrimage route is Nagara Pradakshina, which covers seventy-two shrines along the way. Since time immemorial Varanasi is a great center of learning. The holy city has been a symbol of spiritualism, philosophy and mysticism for thousands of years and has produced great saints and personalities like Guatama Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Tulsi Das, Shankaracharaya, Ramanuja and Patanjali.

Places to Visit:

Being the oldest city of the world and an important Hindu pilgrimage center, Varanasi attracts a large number of people from all over the world. For centuries, Varanasi is famous for spiritualism, mysticism, Indian philosophy and Hinduism. All these are reflected in numerous sects, temples, Ashrams and Ghats. Varanasi is associated not only with Hinduism but also with Buddhism and Jainism. Besides numerous temples, Varanasi also boasts of Buddhist Stupas and Jain temples. Varanasi is also a mirror of the age-old Indian civilization. The archaeological museum at Sarnath houses numerous remains of the past, including the National emblem of India, the Ashoka pillar.

Since Varanasi is mainly associated with Hinduism, temples form the main attraction. The Ganga Ghats (river fronts) are the main center of religious activities and rituals and also form one of the main attractions of Varanasi. The Alamgir Mosque, blend of the Hindu and Mughal styles of the architecture, is another important attraction of Varanasi. Some of the most important temples of Varanasi are Durga temple, Vishwanath temple, Sankat Mochan temple, Tulsi Manas temple and the Bharat Mata temple. The Bharat Mata Temple houses a huge relief map of the whole of Indian subcontinent and Tibetan plateau. Other attractions of Varanasi are the Benaras Hindu University (BHU), the Archaeological Museum, Sarnath, Bharat Kala Bhavan and the Buddhist Stupas and temples at Sarnath.

Bus booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget bus tickets online. For online bus tickets booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.

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Bangalore to Tirupati Route:

Bangalore to Tirupati Distance: The total distance between the two cities is 248 km and can easily be covered by car.

Bangalore to Tirupati by Car:

If you are fond of taking road trips, you will definitely like the drive from Bangalore to Tirupati along the NH4 route. The total time for Bangalore to Tirupati by road would take approximately 6 hours. Hence schedule for a food stop in between and do not forget o carry water bottles and some snacks for the road. Simply begin from Bangalore and drive for around 24 km till you hit National Highway number 4. From here follow the old Madras Road that passes through Hosakote and keep driving for another 41 km.

As you keep continuing on NH4, you will pass through Mugabala, Narasapura and Kolar in the next 110 km. keep driving straight along this route and once you cross Mulbagal you will enter the city limits of Chittoor. The approximate distance between Chittoor and Bangalore is 173 km. You can halt here for some food or simply to stretch your legs before proceeding along the NH-18 route.

From Chittoor take the NH-18 route towards Puralapattu that lies at a distance of 19 km from it. As you take a right turn from Puralapattu, you will arrive at Chandragiri after driving for a total distance of 36 km. From here take a left turn along NH-18 and continue along the road to reach Tirupati after a 15 km long drive. It is recommended that you consider booking long distance bus tickets on "Air Conditioned Volvo buses" operated by all operators as the quality of the other buses vary significantly. Bus tickets are easily available online. One can plan trip and do online bus booking online in advance. Online bus ticket is an easy process which can save your time and price.bus from delhi to agra
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Aurangabad- Built by the Throne

Aurangabad means “Built by the Throne” is named after the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The city is a tourist hub, surrounded with many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as Bibi Ka Maqbara. The city is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

Aurangabad has been declared as Tourism Capital of Maharashtra. The Mauryans ushered Buddhism in this region of India, which is evident from the profusion of numerous Buddhist cave temples in and around Aurangabad. Temples built by Satvahanna and Rashtrakuta rulers are located here. The famous caves of Ajanta are a part of this Buddhist tradition. The heritage of Aurangabad is linked with different Muslim rulers and dynasties of India.

History:

1610- Aurangabad was founded, on the site of a village named Khirki, by a local Muslim noble Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar.

1626- Fateh Khan ruled Aurangabad and named the city as Fatehpur.

1633- With the capture of Daulatabad previously known as Devagiri by the imperial troops, the Nizam Shahi dominions, including Fatehnagar, came under the possession of the Moghals.

1653- Prince Aurangzeb was appointed the viceroy of the Deccan for the second time, he made Fatehnagar his capital and renamed it Aurangabad. Aurangabad is sometimes referred to as Khujista Bunyad by the Chroniclers of Aurangzeb's reign.

1660- Bibi Ka Maqbara was built by Aurangzeb’s son, Azam Shah, as a loving tribute to his mother, Dilras Bano Begam.

1720- Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah, a distinguished General of Aurangzeb with the intention of founding his own dynasty in the Deccan, arrived at Aurangabad and made it his capital.

1723- Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah paid a visit to Delhi, but returned in 1724.

1763- Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah II transferred his capital from Aurangabad to Hyderabad.

Aurangabad was a part of Nizam’s princely Hyderabad State until its annexation into Indian Union and thereafter a part of Hyderabad state of India until 1956. In 1956 it became a part of newly formed bilingual Bombay state and in 1960 it became a part of Maharashtra state.

The climate of Aurangabad is Temperate Climate with low relative humidity and diverse but not extreme weather conditions.

Summer is observed from March to May. Nights are usually pleasant and cooler during the entire summer. Winter is seen from November to February which is the most comfortable time to visit Aurangabad. Monsoon which ranges from June to October receives moderate rainfall.

Places to Visit:

• Aurangabad Caves
• Bibi Ka Maqbara
• Himroo Factory
• Panchakki
• Khuldabad
• Paithan
• Pan Chakki
• Ghrishneshwar Temple
• Bani Begum Gardens
• Daulatabad
• Pithalkora

Bus booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget bus tickets online. For online bus tickets booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.