Day 2: Golden Triangle Tour: Agra

Tajmahal - Golden Triangle Tour India

After basking in the royalty and luxury of Jaipur we moved to Agra, our next destination. No wonder we all know about Agra, the glorious city famous for Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. This is the most famous attraction of India which has earned this incredible country international fame. Agra tour is an important part of the Golden Triangle Tour. Playing a great role in India Tourism, Agra is visited by scores of tourists throughout the year.

Agra, the city of the Mughals, was ruled by several great Mughal rulers in the past. They left behind the heritage in the form of outstanding monuments. In Agra, we were booked in Hotel Taj View, which is one of the finest five star hotels in India. It is located only 1 km from the Taj Mahal and from our rooms we could see the Taj Mahal. After relishing delicious breakfast we went to see the Taj Mahal. At the very first sight of the Taj Mahal from close quarter my Japanese friends said “wow! What an architectural wonder”.

I told my friends about the history of Taj Mahal. It was built in 1632 by the famous Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. And it took around 22 years and more than 20, 000 labors to construct this architectural marvel in white marble. The architectural design of this monument is based on the principle of the interlocking arabesque concept, where each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements. The wonderful minarets are around 150 feet each. Everything about Taj Mahal is truly fascinating. It is truly an epitome of human creativity.

The entire monument is adorned with intricate pietra dura inlay work of floral designs and calligraphy which makes it awe-inspiring. At one point of time the interiors were studded with precious and semi-precious stones. The architectural style of Taj Mahal encompasses Mughal, Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic styles. This mausoleum is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. My friends were delighted to know the history of Taj Mahal. They said that it was a great experience for them and they will remember it for long.

As we were pressed for time so after some shopping in the colorful bazaars of Agra we headed for Khajuraho, our last destination.

Alleppy Tour - The perfect blend of beauty, adventure and pleasure

I along with my office colleagues Monika, Parul, Tahir, Sanjog and Govind reached Alleppy in the evening. We were greeted by gorgeous greenery of this land which was very refreshing. We were here to spend time in the lap of mother nature. Alleppy is a wonderful place located in God's own country Kerala. Tourists from all over the world come here for experiencing the charm of backwaters. Embraced by the enchanting waves of the Arabian Sea, Alleppy is popularly known as the Venice of the East. It is also known as the 'rice bowl of Kerala'. It is the very few regions in the world where farming is practiced below sea level.

Alleppy - Backwaters of Kerala

It is an amazing backwater tourist destination which offers palm fringed canals, shores with views from the day to day life of the people here, picturesque landscape, sandy beach and salubrious climate. Alleppy is also known as Alappuzha. This destination is also famous for its snake boat races. Truly it is a perfect place to relax and rejuvenate the body and mind.

We were booked in the Palmgrove resort which is a beautiful resort located on the banks of the mesmerizing lake Punnamada amidst natural greeneries. Far from the maddening crowd of a city, we were enjoying peace and natural beauty in plenty.

The next morning we started early for enjoying backwater adventure, which turned out to be the best part of our Alleppy travel. We went to the Kuttanad backwaters region of Alleppy which is very famous. The view of the rising sun from the boat was simply overwhelming. It is the place where the thrilling snake boat races are held and amazing houseboat cruises are conducted. This backwater region is surrounded by palm trees and paddy fields offering captivating views. Our six hour cruise adorned our day with golden memories and fabulous experience. While sailing through the backwater our guide showed us the temples we passed by. He also told us that in Alleppy life orbits around water. The children here learn swimming and fishing at a very young age.

During our backwater cruise we stopped at a local village to relish a cup of tea in a pleasant ambiance. While relishing hot tea we saw the local school children on their way to school. They smiled and waved at us. The people here are very friendly. Overall our experience of backwater cruise was great. We enjoyed the scenic beauty, natural greenery, talks with friends people and tasty tea.

Travel to Alleppy for wonderful holidays and go back home completely rejuvenated and with a record of your own golden memories. Alleppy tourism has a lot of things to enchant you.

Day 1: The Golden Triangle Tour with Khajuraho

The incredible India is truly an extravaganza of amazing attractions which make it a favored destination of both national and international tourists. No wonder India is a treasure-trove of fascinating attractions. There is so much to experience and explore in this destination. A few days back two of my friends Saito and Misikawa from Japan came to India for some business purpose. They came to India for the first time and were really excited. They had less time in hand but they wanted to explore some attractions of the country. So I suggested them to take the Golden Triangle Tour which is the most popular tours of the country, especially when it comes to foreigners. I along with my Japanese friends planned the Golden Triangle Tour. This tour encompasses three enchanting destinations of India: Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.

Qutub Minar: Delhi Tour

As my friends were already in Delhi for their business deal so we, after their official work got over, started exploring Delhi. It is the capital city of India which is a perfect example of the fine combination of traditional and modern. In the past it serves as a seat of power for several dynasties. The city is divided into two sections, Old Delhi and New Delhi, each part having its own distinct charm.

Our guide Dinesh took us to the arresting attractions. First we visited Qutub Minar, a magnificent structure built by Qutub-ud-din Aibek in 1206. It is famed as the tallest brick minaret in the world. It reflects a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is also a World Heritage Site. Then we visited Humayun's Tomb, India Gate, Jantar Mantar, Jama Masjid, Red Fort and Laxmi Narayan temple. My friends were delighted to see these historic monuments of Delhi. We did some shopping in Chandani Chowk market in old Delhi and feasted on a variety of stuffed paranthas( the specialty of Chandani Chowk) and Jalebi.

After an overnight stay at Marriot in Delhi, we headed towards Jaipur the next morning. To taste the royalty of the bygone era we stayed at a heritage hotel in Jaipur. Post breakfast we went to see the City Palace which was stunning. There we saw various belongings of the raja-maharajas. Saito said a visit to the palace was like a visit to the bygone era of raja-maharaja. Next we visited the Amber Fort, a majestic fort with several royal apartments. We covered the steep path to the fort on an elephant's back which was very royal and pleasurable. Then we visited the Jantar Mantar, an astronomical house with several stone devices which were once used to measure time and several astronomical events. Our last halt was Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds, a wonderful structure which was especially built for the royal ladies to see the processions taking place in the streets without themselves being seen. There are more than 900 small windows in this palace which is quite amazing.

This marked the end of our first half journey. Now we were slated to cover two more fascinating destinations: Agra and Khajuraho.