Chitrakoot, the hill of many wonders,’ nestles peacefully in the northern spurs of the Vindhyas, a place of tranquil forest glades and quiet rivers and streams where calm and repose are all- pervading. This loveliest of nature’s gifts is also hallowed ground. Blessed by the gods and sanctified back the faith of pilgrims. For Chitrakoot’s spiritual legacy stretches back to legendary ages. It was in these deep forests that Rama and Sita spend eleven of their fourteen years of exile; here, that the great sage Atri and Sati Anusuya mediated; and here where the principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh took their incarnations Sufferers and seekers, poets and visionaries, princes and nobleman have through the ages, sought an found solace in Chitrakoot, drawn inspiration from its sublime natural beauty, gained spiritual strength from its serene temples and, in turn, become part of the hallowed legend that is Chitrakoot.

The architectural diversity of Gujarat reflects its commercial and political importance over the last 4500 years. The state has some of India’s most substantial remains of the harappan Civilisation, one of the world’s oldest, at sites like Lothal and Dholavira that offer an insight into the town planning and industry of the 2600-1600BC period.

 

Area: 2579 sq.km

Population: 2,584,118 (2001 census)

Altitude: Sea level

Located 71 km to the north of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam is the centre of the country’s cashew trading and processing industry. One of the oldest ports on the Malabar caost, Kollam was once the port of international spice trade. Thirty percent of this historic town is covered by the renowned Ashtamudi Lake, making it the gateway to the magnificent backwaters of Kerala. The eight hour boat trip between Kollam and Alappuxha is the longest and most enchanting experience on the backwaters of Kerala. The districts also has some interesting historic remnants and a number of temple built on the traditional ornate architectural style.

Thiruvananthpuram is an important place of visit in the State of Kerala in South India. It has many temples and ancient architecture monuments which are of historical importance to the culture of Kerala State.

200 KM FROM Agra and 45 km from Farrukhabad, Sankisa is one of the important Buddhist sites. It is believed that Lord Buddha descended at Sankisa after giving sermon to his mother in heaven. Famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang and others have mentioned about Sankisa in their travelogues.

Mumbai : Travelling on the old Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Goa highway is set to get faster by a minimum of 35 minutes. A 2-km flyover coming up on the main highway will not only save you from traffic snarls near Panvel ST bus depot, but take you to Goa end of panvel in just five minutes. Another 1.8-km flyover, being built between Khanda Colony and New Panvel over a railway line, will ease traffic movement in this crowded suburb.

Immersed in a rich and varied history and culture, the twin cities of Hyderbad and Secunderabad are known for their Nawabi culture of mehman nawazi, pearls and lip smacking culinary delights, all wrapped in a truly modern package! Deciding on the top five places was as tough as deciding on who serves the best Biryani and Haleem! So instead, we decided to dish up a smorgasbord of not-to-miss places in the city, presenting to you the best of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Naimisharanya, 95 km from Lucknow, is regarded as one of the most scared places of pilgrimage, According to legends, Lord Brahma had himself indicated that Naimisharanya would be the most sacred place for meditation in Kaliyug for saints and sages. Reference to Naimisharanya are found in the Mahabharat, Shri Ram Charitmanas and other holy scriptures. It was here that Saint Shounik narrated the popular Shri Satya Narayan Katha to a congregation of sages and hermits.

Here are the things you won’t find in Aru: heat, dust, pollution, cars, buses, scooters, faxes, telephones, couriers, crowds, tensions. And if that has not put you off, here is what you will find in Aru, 2,408 metres above sea level.

 

Aru is a meadow bordered on one side by a gorge. It is really a shade more than a ravine, of the Lidder river. Another stream, a smaller one, chortles through the meadow of green-gold grass. There is a small hamlet of wood-and –stone houses, some of them built in the typical Gujrat-shepherd style: flat roofed, squat and backed against the hillside.

Realizing albeit late, that tourism has positive multiplier effects on the region’s economy, Andhra Tourism has roped in private players to develop tourism infrastructure across the state.

 

The state’s tourism minister, A Ramanarayan Reddy, told GoNow that the state’s Five Year Plan was focussed on developing the agriculture and infrastructure sectors. “We also want to promote tourism seriously to bring more prosperity to the state,” he said. The government is strengthening infrastructure across the state which should give a fillip to tourism-related infrastructure as well.