Best Cultural Destinations of India
India is best known for its ancient culture and heritage. The ancient temples, rock cut caves, magnificent forts, wonderful palaces perfectly exhibit the royal lifestyle of the Indian Rulers who have ruled India during different centuries. From North to South or East to West every aspect of India is distinctive from each other. Monuments are not just the structures made up of sand and stones but they provide you a real vision of thousands year old rich culture and heritage of India. Its diverse cultures, languages, customs, traditions and architecture of existing sculptures are a showcase of the ancient India. This Cultural & Heritage Tour ensures you of a real experience of the rich Cultural Heritage of this majestic land.
Some of the important places of our heritage are listed below.
East India:
East India is very rich in its Cultural and Historical Heritage. One can see the variety of beaches, temples, monasteries, Buddhist circuit with a rural touch. Some of the most popular destinations of East India are Calcutta, Former Capital of India, Puri & Bhubaneshwar, Buddhist Circuit in Bihar, Monasteries in Sikkim, and Kanchenjunga Range of Mountains in Darjeeling etc.
Kolkata “The City of Joy” is rich in its cultural heritage apart from it there are splendid mountains of revitalizing Darjeeling. Come across the great range of the Himalayas in Sikkim, in Assam you can find the one-horned rhinoceros in wonderful wildlife reserves, and dream of a lost time in the age old holy towns on the plains of rural India.
Explore Bhubaneshwar “Temple City of India“. the capital of Odisha, the famous temples in Bhubaneswar are given below.
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Lingaraj Temple
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Rajarani Temple
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Ananta Vasudeva Temple
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Muktesvara Temple
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Brahmeshwar Temple
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Yogini Temple
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Bhringesvara Siva Temple
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Bharateswar Temple
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Aisanyesvara Siva Temple
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Akhadachandi Temple
Most of the temples in Bhubaneswar are devoted to Lord Shiva. The city is a confluence of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain tradition. Jagannath Temple in Puri and Sun Temple in Konark are another world famous master piece of architecture in Odisha. Also explore Buddhist Circuit in Bodhgaya, Vaishali and Rajgir in Bihar. All these are the main pilgrimage centres for Buddhism in India.
North India:
Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand lies in the lap of the Himalayas. The states of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir delivers one of the most thrilling trekking routes of the country. Not only this North India is rich in its cultural and religious heritage also. From the ancient city of Varanasi to the splendid of Rajasthan it is a dream of every traveler to visit all these places once in lifetime.
Delhi is one more admired historical destination that is present in the old alleys of the city. Red Fort and Qutub Minar and many other historical monuments are a treasure of India’s glorifying history.
Trust Ganges to take you one step closer to nirvana- truth of life!
Lastly, the holy cities of Varanasi, Haridwar and Rishikesh are the most visited pilgrimage sites in North India for spiritual travelers. Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri includes the Chhota Char Dham Yatra of North India in the valleys of Himalayas. North India also has various Buddhist pilgrimage sites such as Dharamshala, Ladakh, Sarnath, Kushinagar and Sravasti. Rishikesh is a hill town known for its yogic spirituality and is known as the Yoga Capital of the World. Yoga and Ayurveda have become popular elements of the tourism industry. Many explorers stop at these yoga centres to rejuvenate themselves.
South India:
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and the Union Territories of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry together form the South India’s cultural and heritage Tour. It is full green tea and coffee plantations. South India is a house to the Dravidian style of architectural brilliance such as the temples of Mahabalipuram, Hampi and Chola Temple and many others. A treasure trove of peace, scenic views, nature’s bliss and ancient history of India’s glory makes it one of the best travel destinations in India.
South India tells about the age old Dravidian civilization and history. South India is rich in its cultural heritage and is full of magnificent stone engraved temples with ages old frescos, beautiful palaces and monuments. South India also holds the UNESCO world heritage sites of the group of monuments of Pattadakal, situated on the riverbank of Malaprabha in Karnataka. Some other top historical destinations of South India which consists of the ancient ruins of Hampi are a major attraction as it dates back to the 14th century. Ibrahim Rauza, the Taj Mahal of South India along with Gagan Mahal is another heritage tourist attraction of the south among many others.
West India:
West India comprises of the Dream City of India Mumbai in Maharashtra, hippie culture of Goa to the lively and colorful outlook of Gujarat, which will lead you to a precious spot at every corner. Once you visit the y to the union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, each and every moment of your tour will be like a day spent in heaven!
The cultural heritage of Goa and Daman and Diu from the Portuguese colonies and to the vibrant culture of Gujarat and its tribes, and the brilliance of Ajanta and Ellora Caves dating back to the 4th century is like a complete different world of West India. The remains of the Indus Valley Civilization in Gujarat make it one of the most visited heritage destinations in India. The official house of the majestic family of Gujarat, Laxmi Vilas Palace, is the biggest personal private residence in the world. All these factors are boosting Heritage tourism in West India
West India is rich in religious and cultural diversity also with a mix of religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam. Some of the famous religious places of West India are:
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Somnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva
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Dwarkadeesh Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna,
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Ajanta and Ellora give insight into the life of Lord Buddha and his teachings.
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Shirdi is dedicated to a famous saint, Sai Baba.
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Ashtavinayaka Temples, is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the Indian God of happiness, prosperity and good luck.
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The famous Haji Ali Mosque, located in the middle of the sea in South Bombay is a pious site for Muslims. And last but not the least
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The Churches of Goa
North East India:
Northeast India is the easternmost region of India which comprises of eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, and the "brother" state Sikkim. If you want to cover all the states in one trip, you will need around 15 days to cover the entire north east. But, if you're looking to cover each state one by one, 5-7 days are enough for each state.
All these states are unique in its natural beauty and cultural heritage. The states offers memorable visits for tourists interested in wild life, religious, cultural and ethnic tourism, river cruises, golf and a host of others. The best time to visit these places are from March to June as these are ever-blooming days ideal for exploring the tribes, trails and teas of this wonderful region. North East India is often referred to as a Kingdom in its own right. The Northeast is home to many tribal communities such as Mismi, Garo, Khasi, Jaintia etc., each with their unique culture, language, and traditions. Tourism can provide an opportunity for these communities to showcase their heritage and generate income. According to the provisional data by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, 118.45 lakh domestic and 1.04 lakh foreign tourists visited the North Eastern States during the year 2022.
Some of the Tourist Places in North East India:
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Kaziranga National Park, Assam
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Kamakhya Temple, Assam
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Tsomgo Lake, Sikkim
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Yumthang Valley, Sikkim
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Cherrapunji, Meghalaya
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Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh
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Nathula Pass, Sikkim
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Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
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Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim
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Teesta River, Sikkim
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Loktak Lake, Manipur
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Majuli Islands, Assam
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Gorichen Peak, Arunachal Pradesh
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Sela Pass, and many other beautiful places
Apart from these states, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura have plenty to show like Reiek heritage village, Dimapur, Kangla fort and Tripura Sundari temple.
India is rich in diverse culture and history since a long time which attracts large number of tourists throughout the world. The following are some of the most visited tourist attractions in India that have their own history and importance:
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Taj Mahal, Agra
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Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
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Varanasi & the Holy Ganges River
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The Golden City of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
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Golden Temple, Amritsar
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The Red Fort, New Delhi
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Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad
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Gateway of India, Mumbai
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The Beaches in Goa
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Amber Fort, Jaipur
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Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
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Agra Fort, Agra
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Mysore Palace, Mysore
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Pangong Lake, Ladakh
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Hampi, Karnataka
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Backwaters of Kerala
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Jama Masjid, Delhi
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Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Madurai
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Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya
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Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
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Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
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Victoria Memorial, Kolkata
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Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
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Great Rann of Kutch, Kutch
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Nalanda, Bihar
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Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
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Elephanta Caves, Mumbai
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Bara Imambara, Lucknow
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Fatehpur Sikri, Agra
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Sanchi Stupa, Sanchi
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Junagarh Fort, Bikaner
