Incredible India! Srirangam Temple, Trichy (Tiruchirapalli)

The largest functioning Hindu Temple in the world (Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple but non-functional) – The Vishnu Temple of Srirangm (Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple). It is located in the city of Trichy.

Srirangam is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines (Swayam Vyakta Kshetras) of Lord Vishnu . It is also considered the first, foremost and the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divyadesams). In the Vaishnava parlance the term "KOIL" signifies this temple only. The temple is enormous in size. The temple complex is 156 acres in extent. It has seven prakaras or enclosures. These enclosures are formed by thick and huge rampart walls which run round the sanctum. There are 21 magnificent towers in all prakaras providing a unique sight to any visitor. this temple lies on an islet formed by the twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon.

The temple of Sri Ranganathaswami at Srirangam boasts an historic past of great kingdom and a civilization thousands of years old. The reign of the Pallavas was marked by the creation of a solid religious foundation, for example the encouragement given by the dynasty appears to have contributed to the growth of Aryan institutions in Southern India more particularly in the Carnatic. Cholas reigned for about three hundred years over the Coromandel Coast and the greater part of Eastern Deccan, where they helped an advanced Hindu Culture to flourish.

Incredible India! Chittorgarh Fort - A Legacy of Rajput Architecture

Chittorgarh Fort, the largest fort in India, spread over 700 acres, is about 3 kms in length and the periphery is about 13 kms. Chittorgarh Fort with the legacy of glorious past and formidable present is the major attraction for tourists in Chittorgarh. The fort is established in a 300 feet high hillock. The fort is an architectural marvel, surviving three ravages in the history.

It is about 2 hours (100 kms) from Udaipur and is enroute from Jaipur to Udaipur. Its massive size has 7 huge gates and is an epitome of the Rajput architecture. It forms a very integral part of our inbound tourists in Rajasthan. It was built in the 7th century by the Maurya rulers.

The fort had over 80 water bodies fed by rainwall & natural springs (about 4 bliion litres) and could sustain the fort and its army of 50,000 for over 4 years. It houses numerous palaces, temples and 2 towers. It is shaped like a fish and definitely worth a visit. The grandeur and size is awe inspiring.

The impressive huge fort encloses the wonderful palaces of Maha Rani Padmini and Maharana Kumbha, Kirthi Stamba, Vijay Stamba and many ancient revered temples. Another attraction in the fort is the Fateh Prakash Mahal, which showcases some of the imposing sculptures.

Other Attractions of Chittorgarh: Rana Kumbha Palace, Meera Temple, Vijaya Stambh (Victory Tower), Kalika Mata Temple, Padmini Palace, Phatta’s Memorial (Ram Pol), Kirti Stambh (The Tower of Fame), Maha Sati, Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary, Gaumukh Reservoir, Tulja Bhawani Temple, Satbis Deori Temple, Shyam Temple, Bhainsrodgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary.

How to Reach

By Air: Dabok Airport, also known as Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur, and is 90 km away from the city centre. Taxi charges about Rs 1500 from Dabok airport to Chittorgarh. This airport connects to Jaipur and Delhi.

By Train: Chittorgarh Railway Station is well connected to all major cities in India including Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Udaipur and Delhi.

By Bus: Frequent bus services are available from Chittorgarh to all major cities in the state and neighboring states. Many tourist buses provide services between Chittorgarh and Jaipur (325 km), Indore (325 km) and Ajmer (185 km).

Accommodation in Chittorgarh

Cheap accommodation is available in Chittorgarh with prices starting from as minimum as Rs 400 for normal rooms till Rs 3,600 for star hotels. Deluxe rooms also comparatively cost less than Rs 2,000 and offer state-of-the –art amenities. Hotel services include Money Exchange, Safe Deposit, Swimming Pool, Travel Desk, Laundry and Car Rentals.

There are restaurants at the hotels of Chittorgarh that provide Indian, Chinese, Continental and “Traditional Rajasthani Meals” for breakfast, lunch and dinner with Rajasthani ambience.

Incredible India! Mandu - The city of Joy in Madhya Pradesh

Fast Facts About Mandu

Located in the State of : Madhya Pradesh

District: Dhar

Famous As / For : Heritage, History

Languages Spoken: Hindi, English

Best Time to Visit Mandu: July to March

Average Temperatures at Mandu: Summer 33 to 44°C, Winter 10 to 27°C

Altitude of Mandu: 633 metre

STD code of Mandu: 07292

Earlier known as the CITY OF JOY and now called the LOST WORLD, Mandu is built on the edge of the Malwa Plateau overlooking the narmada valley and is around 20 sq kms in area. It is a fort city with the fort housing a number of palaces, mosques, reservoirs, ravines and having 12 gates. This is a 10th century creation by Raja Bhoj. Mandu is located in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Its main attraction is its ruined forts and structures. The tourists find the rich history behind the ruined structures very interesting.

Fairy tale love story of a Muslim Prince with a local poor shepherd girl, brings the mythological face to Mandu. Mandu, a small town on the edge of Malwa Plateau, is surrounded by forests and has a historical significance. History tells that the founder of this cute, beautiful town was Raja Bhoj and was once a royal retreat. Architectural marvel is the main attraction in this city, with reminiscence of ancient architecture, way back to 10th century is still visible. Mandu has finest examples of Afghan architecture in India. The entire Mandu region has a number of wonderful palaces, baths, attractive canals and artistically crafted pavilions bringing out the age old fairy tale love story with its all beautiful pop and pomp. Rock cut caves with enchanting paintings decorating the walls and ceilings are added attractions.

Antiquity and Artistry merges here to bring the some of the marvelous structures, the massive gateways to Mandu is an example of this ancient artistic excellence. It is city of monuments with some of them are Alamgir, Bhangi, Rampol Darwaza, Jehangir Gate and Tarapur Gate. Mandu is one of the few places where the very rare Baobab tree grows. Mandu welcomes the visitors will all her charm and heritage; this is a price worthy place to visit. Mandu is the perfect honeymoon destination as it is the city of love and delight.

Tourist Attractions in Mandu

Key attractions are the architecture of the era, a swaying palace, ship-like harem, pavilions, stunning collection of ruins (including a royal palace & mosque) and the Nil Kanth palace (pilgrimage place for Lord Shiva devotees).

How to Reach Mandu

Mandu is about a 100 kms from Indore and thus well connected by rail and air.

By Air: Indore Airport or Ahilyabai Holker Airport is the nearest airport to Mandu. Mandu is about 100 km from the airport and taxi charges costs about Rs 2000. Indore is a domestic terminal and connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur and Ranchi with limited flights.

By Rail: Nearest railhead is Ratlam Railway Station, which is about 120 km away from Mandu. This is an important junction in the western railways and served by trains from different parts of the country.

By Bus: Mandu is connected by State owned buses to many cities in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states. Many private bus services are available to Mandu from cities of Madhya Pradesh and rest of India. Regular deluxe and semi deluxe buses are available from Indore (100 km), Bhopal (278 km), Ratlam (125 km) and Ujjain. Deluxe buses charges about Rs 3 per km.

Hotels in Mandu

Tourists visit the town of Mandu round the year, hence it would be ideal if the hotel is booked in advance. Most of the luxury hotels are situated on the outskirts. The most luxurious ones have fantastic facilities such as the swimming pools, night bars, multiple cuisines and air conditioned lobbies. The cost for a night’s stay is around Rs. 2500. The mid-range hotels are much cheaper. The cost of accommodation is around Rs. 800 to Rs. 1500 for a day. Budget hotels are the cheapest and can be found everywhere. They provide both a/c and non a/c rooms. The basic facilities usually fits the budget as it could cost you only Rs. 500 for a day’s stay.

Some of the famous hotels in Mandu are Hotel Rupmati (Mandu) and Jheera Bagh Palace (Mandu).

Incredible India! Anaimalai - A Seculded Hill Station of Tamil Nadu

Fast Facts About Anaimalai

Located in the State of : Tamil Nadu

District: Coimbatore

Famous As / For : Wildlife / Historic link

Languages Spoken: Malayalam, English

Best Time to Visit Anaimalai: November to May

Average Temperatures at Anaimalai: Summer 22 to 40°C, Winter 22 to 33°C

Altitude of Anaimalai: 2695 metre

STD code of Anaimalai: 04253

Situated in the Coimbatore Hills district in the state of Tamil Nadu, Anaimalai is the biggest draw for tourists in this area. Anaimalai is renowned for the remarkable beauty of the natural landscape and varied shades of green make up the dense forest of this area. The village of Anaimalai exists near an abundant supply of wildlife. Animals like panthers, crocodiles, tigers, elephants, spotted deer, civet cats, and wild boars are found in the region. Numerous birds can also be sighted in the area. It is possible to spot such birds as the Malabar pied hornbill, black headed oriole, rocket-tailed drongo, tree pie, spotted dove, and red whiskered bulbul. In fact, the vary name of this village invokes thoughts of wildlife, since the name's translation means elephant hill.

Anaimalai itself also has some incredibly interesting history. The village is one of the eight sacred Jaina hills. Right by the village there is a natural cavern that contains numerous berths that are located both inside and outside of it. There is a Brahmi inscription on the outside wall that is dated back to the 1st or 2nd century. This inscription states that the berths were gifts from Nathan of Kunrattur made in honor of three monks named Eri Aritan, Attuvay, and Arrattakayipan. This is a rather unusual find since this village was not known for being a lama center until the 9th century. It was around that time that several stone sculptures started to be carved into the rocks by devout local people.

Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary also called Anaimalai Sanctuary is the prime attraction of the village. Other attractions in and around Anaimalai include Mt. Stuart Block, Top Slip, Kolikamuthi Elephant Camp, Varagaliar Elephant Camp, Parambikkulam and Thoonakkadavu. Adventure seekers can enjoy trekking amidst the dense forest along the thrilling trails. So, plan a trip to Anaimalai in Tamil Nadu to experience a wonderful combination of nature and adventure accompanied with rich history.

Hotels in Anaimalai

Limited accommodation is available at Anaimalai. There are tourist lodges and budget hotels with very basic facilities at Anaimalai. ARV’s Lodge on Masani Amman Kovil Street is a good place to stay at Anaimalai. Rooms are available at a cheap rate of Rs. 400 per day.

How to Reach Anaimalai

By Air: The nearest airport is Coimbatore Airport, about 95 kms. away, which is served by flights from important cities of the country. After reaching at Coimbatore Airport, you can hire a taxi that will cost you about Rs. 1200.

By Rail: Coimbatore (50 km) and Cochin (100 km) are the nearest railheads from Anaisalai. Express and mail trains connect these railway stations with rest of the country.

By Bus: Tourist and govt buses are available for Anaisalai from Chennai, Bangalore, Cochin and nearby cities.