India Travel

Dawki in the Northeast

Related Properties from Gurgaon

The trek to Yamunotri northeast of Rishikesh in Uttaranchal

Cradled in a deep cleft in the lap of Bandarpunch, and thus denied mountain vistas, the temple of Yamunotri (3291m), 223km northeast of Rishikesh, marks the source of the Yamuna, India's second holiest river after the Ganges. The least dramatic but most beautiful of the four dhams (temples) of Garhwal, it's also the most unspoiled and the least commercial, and the undemanding fourteen-kilometre (5hr) trek up to it from Hanuman Chatti is one of the region's most popular short hikes. The trail leads through attractive countryside, following the turbulent ice-blue river as it runs below terraced fields, with snowy peaks

Bindevasani and forest trails northest of Chila at Uttaranchal

Along the Kimsar road, which penetrates the deep sal forests northeast of Chila, visitors have a reasonable chance of glimpsing wild elephant. Elephant herds migrate here seasonally from as far away as Corbett, and can sometimes be seen in the forests behind Swarg Ashram in Rishikesh. The tiny hamlet of BINDEVASANI, 14km northeast of Chila and linked to both' Chila and Haridwar by regular buses, stands at the foot of steep hills. Besides a small dhammshala and a teashop, there's little here to detain travellers, but it's possible to camp in the covered forecourt of the small cliff top Durga

Guwahati and around in the Northeast

Once known as Pragjyotishpura (Light of the East), the most striking feature of GUWAHATI (or Gauhati), the capital of Assam, is the Brahmaputra, whose swollen sandy channel is so wide that the far shore is often rendered invisible. Of its many atmospheric temples, Kamakhya and Navagraha both occupy commanding hilltop positions, while Umananda sits on a small island in the middle of the Brahmaputra. Guwahati's mam business, tea, is booming. The Assam Tea Auction Centre (Tues & Wed 9.30am-lpm & 2.30-6pm) in the outlying suburb of Dispur holds auctions of a scale that previously took place in Calcutta and London. The

Practicalities of Kanchipuram lies 70km southwest of Chennai in Tamil Nadu

Flanked on the south by the River Vegavathi, Kanchipuram lies 70km southwest of Chennai, and about the same distance from the coast. Buses from Chennai, Mamallapuram and Chengalpattu stop at the stand in the town centre on Raja Street. The sleepy railway station in the northeast sees only five daily passenger services from Chengalpattu (one of them, #161, originating in Chennai) and two from Anakkonam. As most of the main roads are wide and traffic rarely unmanageable, the best way to get around Kanchi is by bicycle - available for minimal rates (Rs2/hour) at stalls west and northeast of the bus

Joshimath and Auli northeast of Uttaranchal

The scattered administrative town of JOSHIMATH clings to the side of a deep valley 250km northeast of Rishikesh, with tantalizing glimpses of the snow peaks high above, and the prospect far below of the road disappearing into a sunless canyon at Vishnu Prayag, the confluence with the Dhauli Ganga. Few of the thousands of pilgrims who pass through en route to Badrinath linger here, but Joshimath has close links with Shankara, the ninth-century reformer, who attained enlightenment here beneath a mulberry tree, before going on to establish Jyotiramath, tine of the tour centres ot Hinduism (dhams) at the four cardinal

Vishvanatha in the northeast corner of the enclosure at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh

Laid out along the same lines as Lakshmana, Vishvanatha, in the northeast corner of the enclosure - the third of the three main Western Group shrines – can be precisely dated to 1002 AD, as the work of the ruler Dhangadeva. Unlike some other temples at Khajuraho, which may have changed their presiding deities, Vishvanatha is most definitely a Shiva temple, as confirmed by the open mandapa pavilion in front of the main temple, where a monolithic seated Nandi waits obediently. Hundreds of small shikharas resembling miniature temples decorate the mandapa roof, sweeping up towards the climax of the main

Itanagar northeast of Guwahati in Northeast

The town of ITANAGAR, just under 400km northeast of Guwahati, has been developed as the capital of Arunachal Pradesh largely because of its convenient location near the road and rail arteries alongside the Brahmaputra, but holds little to interest visitors. Surrounded by densely forested hills, the town itself is little more than a four-kilometre stretch of road running between Zero Point, where the two top-range hotels are located, and Ganga Market, the main bazaar area where you can find cheaper accommodation around the bus stand. The small Tibetan Buddhist temple consecrated by the Dalai Lama reflects the extensive Tibetan influence

Arrival, information and city transport of Guwahati in the Northeast

The railway station lies in the centre of town, with the state bus stand. which operates a left-luggage service (4.30am-10.30pm), right behind. The back of the railway station leads into the hectic Pakan Bazaar area, from which most of the private bus companies operate. Guwahati airport, 18km east of the centre, is served by taxis (from outside the Nandan Hotel) and airport buses, including those run by Indian Airlines. The Assam government tourist office in the Tourist Lodge on Station Road (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; closed 2nd & 4th Sat of month) organizes day-trips and longer tours; their day- and overnight-packages to Kaziranga

Arunachal Pradesh in the Northeast

ARUNACHAL PRADESH, "the land of the dawn-lit mountains", is one of the last unspoilt wildernesses in India. In a state where almost every major river valley is home to a different tribe, Arunachal has a wealth of fascinating cultures and peoples, though much is still off limits for foreigners. There is a wealth of biodiversity too, with a dazzling array of flora and fauna, including more than five hundred species of orchids, in a habitat that combines glacial terrain, alpine meadows and subtropical rainforests. Despite its beauty, tourism in Arunachal Pradesh has been discouraged due to the extremely sensitive border with

Nawalgarh Northeast of Jaipur in Rajasthan

Teetering on the edge of the hills 3km northeast of Jaipur. Nawalgarh, or "Tiger Fort" (10am-4.30pm: Rs4) was built by Jai Singh II in 1734 as a retreat for his wives, the maharanis. Its unique design, regular and repetitive, stands in contrast to the other royal dwellings in Jaipur, and the views are breathtaking. All the queens' apartments are identical, arranged around the central courtyard in perfect symmetry, each with a room for a personal maidservant. Ram Singh, who in 1868 built more apartments on the upper floor, continued Jai Singh's tradition of orderly design by constructing another set of

South Assam in the Northeast

South Assam, ridged by the Cachar hills, is the crossing point for the surrounding states of Meghalaya. Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur. While the main town, Silchar. contains little of interest, places further afield, notably the low key hill station of Haflong, are far more appealing.

Haridwar northeast of Delhi

At Haridwar - the Gates (dwar) of God (Han) - 214km northeast of Delhi, the River Ganges emerges from its final rapids past the Siwalik Hills to start the long siow journey across northern India to the Bay of Bengal. Stretching for roughly 3km along a narrow strip of land between the craggy wooded hills to the west and the river to the east, Haridwar is especially revered by Hindus, for whom the Har-ki-Pairi ghat (literally the "Footstep of God") marks the exact spot whore the river leaves the mountains. As you look north along the vast Doon Valley, the

Jaintia Hills in the Northeast

The Jaintia Hills in the east of the state are fairly easy to access, with regular buses and taxis leaving from Shillong's Bara Bazaar to Jowai, the main market town of the region. The marketplace is hectic and colourful, especially on main market day. A walk along the river Myntdu will take you to the memorial tomb of U Kiang Nangbah, a Jaintia patriot who was hanged by the British in 1K62 for leading a revolt against their rule. Accommodation is limited to the Circuit House above the town, with good views; it's best to reserve through the Deputy Commissioner's

Pathankot in Haryana and Punjab

The dusty town of PATHANKOT, 270km north of Chandigarh and 101km to the northeast of Amritsar, is an important cantonment and railway junction close to the frontier with Pakistan and near the borders with Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. Many travellers pass through to pick up bus connections to Dharamsala, Dalhousie, Chamba and Kashmir, or to take the slow train east through the picturesque Kangra Valley.

Tripura of the northeast, Surrounded by Bangladesh in Northeast

Tucked away in a corner of the northeast, surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides, the lush green mountains and valleys of TRIPURA have attracted many different peoples over the centuries. It became part of the Indian Union in 1949; since then its fate has been entwined with that of Bengal. The Partition of" India and subsequent creation of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 194H, followed by war, famine and military regimes drove millions of Bangladeshis to flee into Tripura, where they now outnumber the indigenous people by four to one, leaving many of the original inhabitants feeling that their land

Upper Assam in the Northeast

Jorhat is the main centre for the region, with an airport and road connections, and acts as the gateway to Kaziranga, Nagaland and northern Arunachal Pradesh. Although not particularly attractive to tourists in itself, Jorhat makes a good base for exploring the unique Vaishnavite culture of Majuli, the largest river island in the world, and Sibsagar, former capital of the Ahoms and home to numerous tombs, temples and palaces.

Hindu temples in Rajasthan

Beyond the Brahma Kumaris University, about 3km northeast of town, a flight of more than four hundred steps climbs up to Adhar Devi temple (dedicated to Durga), cut into the rocky hilltop. The milk-coloured water of the Doodh Baori well at the foot of the steps is considered to be a source of pure tnilk (doodh) tor gods and sages. A further 8km northeast, the temple complex at ACHALGARH is dominated by the Achaleshwar Mahadeo temple, believed to have been created when Lord Shiva placed his toe on the spot to still an earthquake. Its sanctuary holds neither an image of

Kanpur and around in the Central UP

The teeming metropolis of KANPUR, 438km east of Delhi and 190km west of Allahabad, is among the most polluted cities in the world, and most visitors are there solely for business. Kanpur has been a textile-manufacturing centre since its cotton mills were established in 1869, and together with its twin city, Lucknow, 76km northeast, it dominates the industrial heartland of Uttar Pradesh. Unlike other points along the Ganges, the riverside is of little significance; its ghats are run down, and only those at Bithur, 20km upstream, are worth exploring.

The wildlife sanctuaries in the Northeast

Most of Assam's magnificent wildlife sanctuaries are in the Brahmaputra Valley, where the large tracts of grasslands on the flood plains are home to the Indian one-horned rhino, and a host of other animals, sightings of which are almost guaranteed. The most famous park, Kaziranga, is renowned for its elephant grass and rhino, but also incorporates some forest areas. Close to the Bhutanese border, Manas is also populated with rhinos and elephants, and is Assam's sole tiger project.

Around Udaipur in Rajasthan

You'd need to have a lot of time on your hands to see more than a fraction of the ruins, palaces, temples, forts, lakes and wildlife sanctuaries that abound in the countryside around Udaipur. Day-trips northeast of the city can take in the important historic temples of Nagda. Eklingji, Nathdwara. and Kankroli along NH-H towards Bhihwara, or the peaceful wooded surroundings ot Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh. which also make appealing stopovers before you join NH-15 en route to Jodhpur. Renting a car saves time, but regular and efficient local buses, as well as private tour companies, serve both routes.