India Travel

Gauri Shankar temple in Central New Delhi

Related Properties from Gurgaon

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

Arrival and information in Delhi

Delhi is India's main point of arrival for overseas visitors, and has two airports, one domestic and one international. State buses from all over the country pull into the Inter-state Bus Terminal in Old Delhi, while private buses stop in the more central location close to New Delhi railway station. Trains arrive at the railheads in Old or New Delhi, both well connected to Connaught Place, the commercial centre of the city, by rickshaw and taxi. For a summary of the kinds of accommodation available in different areas of the city, which may well determine where you head first, see p.

Central New Delhi

The modern area of CENTRAL NEW DELHI, with its wide tree-lined avenues and solid colonial architecture, has been the seat of central government since 1931. At its hub. the royal mall. Rajpath. runs from palatial Rashtrapati Bhavan, in the west, to the India Gate war memorial in the east. At the north edge of the new capital lies the thriving business centre, Connaught Place. where neon advertisements for Wimpy, American Express, hotels and countless airline offices adorn the flat roofs and colonnaded verandas of high white buildings that curve around a central park to form an almost perfect circle. Central New

Lakshmi Narayan temples in Himachal Pradesh

The intimate complex of Lakshmi Narayan temples, behind Dogra Bazaar west of the chaugati, is of a style found only in Chamba and Brahmour. Three of us six earth-brown temples are dedicated to Vishnu and three to Shiva, all with profusely carved outer walls and curious curved shikharas (spires), topped with overhanging wooden canopies and gold pinnacles added in 1678 in defiance of Aurangzeb's order to destroy all Hindu temples in the hill states. Niches in the walls contain images ot deities, but many stand empty, some statues lost in the earthquake of 1905 and others looted more recently. Entering the

The Brahmagiri hike in Maharashtra

The round trip to Brahmagiri, the source of the Godavari, takes between two and three hours. It's a strenuous walk, particularly in the heat, so make sure you take adequate water. From the trailhead at the bottom of the village, the way is paved and stepped as far as the first level outcrop, where there are some welcome chai stalls and a small hamlet. Beyond that, either turn left after the last group ot huts and follow the dirt trail through the woods to the foot of the rock-cut steps (20min), or continue straight on, to the three shrines clinging

By train in Delhi

Delhi's main railhead. New Delhi Station at the eastern end of Paharganj. less than ikm north of Connaught Place, has regular departures to all corners of India, and a very efficient booking office (Mon-Sat 8am-5pm) for foreign tourists, on the first floor of the main departure building. They'll give you advice on the fastest trains, and you should have little difficulty finding a seat or berth: women travelling alone in second class may prefer to ask for a berth in the ladies' carriage. Foreigners must show passports, and pay in foreign currency or in rupees backed up by exchange certificates.

By bus in Delhi

State buses pull in at the Inter-state Bus Terminal (ISBT), north of the railway station in Old Delhi. Auto-rickshaws to New Delhi or Paharganj take about fifteen minutes {around Rs50), cycle rickshaws twice that (around Rs30). Private buses from all over India terminate outside New Delhi railway station; some will drop passengers in Connaught Place if they pass that way.

Firoz Shah Kotla in Central New Delhi

The prosperous fifth city of Delhi, Firozabad, founded in 1354, stretched from the north ridge to Hauz Khas in the south; today few traces survive save the remains of the palace of Firoz Shah Kotla, set amid ornamental gardens 500m east of Delhi Gate. Its most incongruous and yet distinctive element is the single polished sandstone Ashokan Column (third century BC). carried down the Yamuna by raft from Ambala to grace a palace that is now a crumbling ruin. The 14m-high column, the second brought to Delhi, continues to protrude above the surroundings, withstanding the ravages of time and dominating

Osian North of Jodhpur in Rajasthan

Rajasthan's largest group of early Jain and Hindu temples lies on the outskirts of the small town of OSIAN, 64km north of Jodhpur. Half-hourly buses (1hr 30min) drop you on the main road south of town; the railway station (served by the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer train, 2hr 30min out of Jodhpur) is 1km west. Alternatively, get a group together and book a Jeep through RTDC (Rs650 for up to five people, or Rs950 for four people and a guide). The oldest group, the Vishnu and Harihara temples, built in the Pratihara period of the eighth and ninth centuries, are right by the bus

Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) in Central New Delhi

Although it's not in fact the oldest part of Delhi, the seventeenth-century city of Shahjahanabad, built by the Moghul emperor. Shah Jahan, is known as OLD DELHI. The original city walls spread for seven miles, enclosing the sprawling fort, Lai Qila, and the formidable Jami Masjid, or "Friday Mosque'l. Old Delhi's mam thoroughfare, Chandni Chowk, a seething mass ot hooting, pushing cars, tempos, cycle rickshaws and ox carts, was once a sublime canal lined with trees and some of the most opulent bazaars of the East. Today the city walls have crumbled, and houses and shops have long since spilled

The City in South Delhi

Delhi is both daunting and alluring, a sprawling metropolis with a stunning backdrop of ancient architecture. Once you've found your feet and got over the initial impact of the commotion, noise, pollution and sheer scale of the place, the city's geography slowly slips into focus. Monuments in sandstone and marble, which stand in assorted states of repair, make Delhi a veritable museum of Indo-Islamic architecture, seen at its best in the frenetic streets of Old Delhi and the venerable sites of South Delhi. Delhi today, however, as experienced by its many thousands of visitors, centres very much around the imperial

Delhi Zoo in South Delhi

Below the southern ramparts of the Purana Qila. the open-air enclosures and cages of Delhi Zoo (daily except Fri: April-Oct 8am-6pm; Nov-March 'Jam-.Spin; Rs40 [Rs5], Rs50 extra for video camera) cover an extensive area. A little toy train chugs through the grounds, stopping regularly so you can hop on and off as you like. The white tigers are the longstanding attraction but animal-lovers will be disappointed by the conditions m which the big cats are kept.

Information of Varanasi in Eastern UP

The main UPTDC tourist office is at their Tourist Bungalow on Parade Komi) though their tourist information counter inside the railway station is far more efficient and on the ball - the boss, Uma Shankar, seems to regard the protection of tourists as a personal crusade. Both book accommodation and provide free maps. The shabby Bihar Government Tourist Office at Englishia Market, Slier Shah Suri Marg. Cantonment, is useful if you're heading east towards the Buddhist centres. The Government of India Tourist Office languishes in the leafy suburbs of the Cantonment, a long way from the main attractions of the old

Hanuman Chatti of Yamunotri in Uttaranchal

The bleak roadhead for the Yamunotri trek, Hanuman Chatti is connected by bus with Dehra Dun, Mussoorie, and Rishikesh. Some routes require a change at Barkot, 29km short, which has a GMVN Tourist Bungalow and several other basic hotels. Buses and shared taxis (about Rs30) run the last leg up from there along a road which is prone to landslides. Hanuman Chatti itself also holds a large GMVN Tourist Bungalow with good dorms, pleasantly situated down by the river, and a couple of basic hotels up at the bus stand. Most trekkers pass straight through, however, and stay in the

Delhi scams in Delhi

Delhi can prove a headache for the first-time visitor, with several scams to entrap the unwary. Arrival is always the most difficult, but for those arriving at New Delhi railway station a special word of warning is to avoid all touts and the false tourist offices opposite the Paharganj entrance to the New Delhi railway station, which have brought grief to many an unsuspecting traveller. Similarly, steer clear of those along Janpath that claim to be "government authorized" - there is no such authorization and you're likely to end up paying well over the odds for any services. Shoe-shine boys

Practicalities to the Kanpur Central UP

Trains on the main Delhi-Calcutta line, including the superfast Shatabdi Express #2003 (1 daily) pull in regularly at Kanpur Central, in the most congested part of the city. Buses from Lucknow and points east terminate at the Collectorganj Bus Stand in Sadar Bazaar, a short way east, while services from Delhi, Agra, Handwar and the west arrive at Chunniganj, 3km west of the Mall. Few people fly to Kanpur, as rail connections, especially with Delhi, are good, but there's an airport 12km to the east, a taxi-ride (Rs100) or an auto-rickshaw ride (Rs30) from the centre. Indian Airlines have offices

City and regional tours in Delhi

The Government of India tourist office, 88 Janpath, organizes a/c bus tours of New Delhi (daily 8am-1pm; Rs147) and Old Delhi (daily 2.15pm-5pm; Rs126), and a combined tour of Old and New Delhi (8am-5pm; Rs231). All start at ITDC Indraprastha, Janpath (see p.108); their tailor-made packages including a guide cost Rs950 for a whole day. Tours are also available to Agra, Jaipur and Haridwar/Rishikesh. Similarly, along with long-distance tours, the DTTDC, Bombay Life Building, Middle Circle also offer city tours: their half-day tour costs Rs95 and Rs110 while the whole-day tour option is Rs180/Rs210. The Metropolis Hotel in Paharganj, amongst

Old Delhi and north of Connaught Place in Delhi

If you find Paharganj too much of a travellers' hang-out, or Connaught Place too impersonal, head for Old Delhi, where foreign tourists seldom stay. Here you'll find yourself swamped by the noise and smells of the least modernized area of the capital. Prices are low and standards not very high, but the hotels are well sited for visits to the Red Fort and Jami Masjid, and you can guarantee constant activity on the crowded streets, excellent food at long-established restaurants and superb sweets from roadside stalls. If the noise of Chandni Chowk proves too much, you could opt for a

Moving on from Delhi

Delhi has good domestic and international travel connections. Anyone heading from the south to the western Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh, Kullu. Manali, Ladakh) will pass through Delhi; it seldom takes more than a day to arrange the onward journey. Scores of travel agents sell bus and air tickets, and many hotels (budget or otherwise) will hook private buses for you; touts, concentrated at the top of Janpath, waylay tourists with promises of cheap fares, but can't always be trusted.

Travel details for Uttaranchal

Trains Haridwar to: Calcutta (1 daily; 33hr); Dehra Dun (8 daily; 2hr); Delhi (4 daily: 4hr 30min-8hr); Mumbai (1 daily; 40hr); Katfigodam (3 daily: 4lir 30min-8hr); Rishikesh (2 daily; 30min). Kathgodam (railhead 3hr from Naimtal) to: Calcutta (1 daily; 4Dhr); Delhi (2 daily: 8hrl. Buses Almora to: Nainital (4 daily; 3hr); Delhi (2 daily;11hr). Dehra Dun to: Delhi (6 daily; 8hr); Kullu/Manali (1daily; 14hr): Mussoorie (every 30min; 1hr): Nainital(1 daily; 11hr); Rishikesh (every 30min; Ihr 30mm) Haridwar to: Dehra Dun (hourly: 1hr 15min); Delhi (4-6 daily; 5-6hr); Rishikesh (20 daily; 30min). Mussoorie to: Dehra Dun (every 30min; 1hr); Delhi (2 daily; 9hr); Haridwar (every 30min;