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Houseboat
- Kerala Backwaters |
| Backwaters | Hawa Mahal | Taj Mahal | Khajuraho | Ellora Caves | Toy Train |
In
the Pink City of Jaipur lies many historical monuments. But Hawa Mahal is
one such architectural wonder whose impact is long lived. In fact Jaipur has
turned synonymous with Hawa Mahal. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built this
great structure in 1799 with red and pink sandstone. The monument was
constructed with a purpose of enabling the royal ladies to watch every day's
life and royal processions without being noticed by others.
Intricate
network of lakes, lagoons and other water bodies when empty in the Arabian
sea take the form of navigable waters , commonly famed as backwaters.
Backwaters is one of the most wannabe delights of Kerala. Indeed a trip to
Kerala is incomplete without a ride in one of those beautifully made
Houseboats (Kettuvalloms) passing swiftly through these backwaters. The
countryside, farms, playing children and swaying palm trees are certain
attractions that one finds sailing through the backwaters.
Taj
Mahal is one such wonder that requires no credentials. Every piece of white
marble with which the monument has been constructed echoes with aeonian
theme of love. Taj Mahal, located in Agra was built by the Mughal Emperor
Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22
years and a hard labour of 20000 craftsmen for the completion of this one of
the seven wonders of the world.
Situated
in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a small village which through
its great temples of stupendous art has become a world heritage site.
Khajuraho temples were constructed between 950 and 1050 A.D. Originally
there were 85 temples, of which only 22 still exist. Khajuraho temples is
also the venue for the annual Khajuraho Dance Festival. The erotic
sculptures of the temples here are truly ahead of times. 
The
Ajanta & Ellora caves is located in the cit of Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
These caves are the true representatives of the great ancient architectural
heritage of India. These caves were the brainchild of generations of
Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monks. Caves of Ajanta & Ellora have also been
inscribed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 34 caves at Ellora
and 29 caves at Ajanta are indeed a true delight and a source of inspiration
for all the admirers of true art. 
A
brain-child of the Eastern Bengal Railway agent, Franklin Prestage, the
Darjeeling Toy Train is a world heritage site of India. The wonder serpents
through the hills of Darjeeling, passing through forests and green tea
plantations, giving the riders a view of the clusters of tribal villages. It
is one of the most important means of conveyance along the steep inclines of
the Himalayan region. This Toy Train till today is powered by a steam
engine. 

