Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal is the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The city was the capital of the former Bhopal state. Bhopal is also known as the Lake City for its various natural as well as artificial lakes and is one of the greenest cities in India.

Bhopal is said to have been founded by the Parmar king Bhoja (1000–1055), who had his capital at Dhar. It is said that the city was originally known as Bhojpal named after Bhoj and the dam ('pal') that is said to have been constructed by him to form the lakes surrounding the city. However, this is a myth. The National Archives of India have documents and evidence that Bhopal was originally Bhupal; named after Raja Bhupal Singh, who ruled the malwa region in the 15th century.

An Afghan soldier of the Orakzai tribe called Dost Mohammad Khan laid out the present city at the same site following the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. He brought with himself the Islamic influence on the culture and architecture of Bhopal, the ruins of which can be found at Islam Nagar. Bhopal was the second largest Muslim state in pre-independence India. Between 1819 and 1926, it was ruled by four women – Begums – unique in the royalty of those days. Qudsia Begum was the first woman ruler, who was succeeded by her only daughter Sikandar Begum, who in turn was succeeded by her only daughter, Shahjehan Begum. Sultan Jahan Begum was the last women ruler, who after 25 years of rule, abdicated in favour of her son, Hamidullah Khan. The succession of ‘Begums’ gave the city such innovations as waterworks, railways and a postal system. Several monuments still stand in the city as reminders of this glorious period in its history. A municipality was constituted in 1907.

It was one of the last princely states to sign the 'Instrument of Accession' 1947. Though India achieved Independence in August 1947, the ruler of Bhopal acceded to India only on 1 May 1949. Sindhi refugees from Pakistan were accommodated in West Bhopal Cities, Bairagarh Sub-Area (Sant Hirdaram nagar), a western suburb of Bhopal. Bhopal state was integrated into the state of Madhya Pradesh, and Bhopal was declared as its capital

Transport

Places to See:

Upper Lake: The largest artificial lake in Asia.

Lake View: A stretch of road on the shore of the great or Upper Lake.

Van Vihar National Park: A zoological park with the status of a national park, it is situated south of the Upper Lake.

Taj-ul-Masajid: It is one of the largest mosque in Asia and is also used as a madrasah.

Bharat Bhawan

Lal Parade Ground: The independence day and republic day parade are held in this ground. It is also the venue of large gatherings.

Museum of Natural History

Manuabhan ki tekri: A Jain temple, situated on a hill cliff, this place is popular for the scenic views it offers of the city below.

Birla Temple

Excursions...........

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Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Noida short form of New Okhla Industrial Development Area, is an area under the management of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority. Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". The city was created under the UP Industrial Area Development Act. It has first-class amenities and is considered to be one of the more modern cities of Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is also home to the Noida Film City.

Noida is located in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh state. The district's administrative headquarters are in the nearby town of Surajpur. However, the district's highest government official, the District Magistrate (DM), resides in Noida.Noida is located in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh state. Noida is about 20-kilometre (12 mi) southeast of New Delhi. It is bound on the west and south-west by the Yamuna River, on the north and north-west by the city of Delhi, on the north-east by the cities of Delhi and Ghaziabad and on the north-east, east and south-east by the Hindon River.

Noida has been put on the fast track for the Delhi Metro. The Metro, which was earlier slated to enter Noida in 2011, opened officially on 12 November 2009, 10 months before the Commonwealth Games. Through Delhi Metro, Noida is now connected to the Connaught Place, via the Barakhambha Road-IP Estate-Akshardham Complex link.

Noida is not connected by railways directly, but there are railway stations nearby, including Ghaziabad and Anand Vihar. The nearest airport is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.

Being a new developed city, has nothing historic about it. But unique upcoming gardens & Malls etc.

The popular parks & Malls in the city are :

Noida Park

Upcoming Buddha Park

Spice World

The Great India Palace

Shipra Mall

Atta Market

Wave Cinema

Botanical Garden

Wonders of World

Theme Park

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Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Chennai formerly known as Madras is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Chennai being the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India, it is also the world's 36th largest metropolitan area.

Chennai is an important centre for Carnatic music and hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a vibrant theatre scene and is an important centre for the Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form. The Tamil film industry, one of the largest film industries in India, is based in the city; the soundtracks of the films dominate its music scene.

The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre since the 1st century. Stone age implements were found in a pit near Pallavaram in Chennai. According to the archeological survey of India, Pallavaram was a megalithic cultural establishment.

The area was ruled by various South Indian dynasties, notably the Pallava, the Chera Dynasty, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar. The town of Mylapore, now part of Chennai, was once a major Pallavan port. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built a port called São Tomé after the Christian apostle, St Thomas, who is believed to have preached in the area between 52 and 70 AD. In 1612, the Dutch established themselves near Pulicat, just north of the city.

On 22 August 1639, Francis Day of the British East India Company bought a small strip of land on the Coromandel Coast. The region was ruled by Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu,, the Nayaka of Vandavasi. He granted the British permission to build a factory and warehouse for their trading enterprises. A year later, the British built Fort St George, which became the nucleus of the growing colonial city. Fort St. George housed the Tamil Nadu Assembly until the new Secretariat building was opened in 2010. In 1746, Fort St. George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages. The British regained control in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and fortified the town's fortress wall to withstand further attacks from the French and another looming threat, Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. By the late 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region around Tamil Nadu and the northern modern-day states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, establishing the Madras Presidency with Madras as the capital. Under British rule, the city grew into a major urban centre and naval base.

Madras was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World War I, when an oil depot was shelled by the German light cruiser SMS Emden on 22 September 1914, as it raided shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, causing disruption to shipping.

After India gained its independence in 1947, the city became the capital of Madras State, renamed the state of Tamil Nadu in 1969. The violent agitations of 1965 against the imposition of Hindi as the national language, marked a major shift in the political dynamics of the city and the whole state.

Transport

Places to See:

Marina Beach

Chennai is situated by the side of the Bay of Bengal and had been the British trading post for years. Amongst the must visits, well highlighted by Chennai tourism is the second longest beach in the world - Marina Beach. This beautiful golden beach has shimmering sands that invite innumerable tourists especially during the evenings.

The British East India Company's St. George Fort is a famous landmark of Chennai. Another colonial structure in the city of Chennai worth visiting is the Santhome Cathedral. For the religious minded people, visit to the Kapaleeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parthsarthy Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna is a must. For animal lovers Guindy National Park and Snake Park of Chennai offer memorable experiences.

Chennai also has the National Art Gallery that offers a good collection of old paintings and sculptures. The Theosophical Society is another must visit here. The lush green gardens with different shrines of various faiths attract tourists and pilgrims alike to Chennai. Being a metropolitan city, Chennai celebrates most of the festivals though during the festival of Pongal the place becomes a perfect destination to visit. The ideal time to visit Chennai is between the months of November to February.

An added attraction in the list of Chennai attractions is the Tidel Park, the home for the Information Technology Industry. It is spread over 1.28 million sq.ft. of built up area.

The Tidel Park is an architectural marvel and houses several large national and international software companies in its premises.

Excursions...........
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Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Mount Abu is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan state in western India. It is located in Sirohi district. Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur (Gujarat). The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1722 meters above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert', as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests. The ancient name of Mount Abu is "Arbudaanchal"

Transport

Places to See:

Dilwara Jain Temples: The hill resort of Mount Abu is renowned for the Jain temples of Dilwara. The Dilwara Jain temples have often been compared to the Taj Mahal for their sheer elegance and beauty in marble. The temples date back to the 11th and the 13th century. The architectural beauty of the temples lies in the fact that the marble was carried all the way from Makrana. The marble from Makrana is renowned for being of an exceptionally good quality.

Further more the best workmen and craftsmen worked magic on the marble to produce the finest quality of sculpture. Intricate carvings make the temples delicately beautiful throughout. The Dilwara temples are dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. The carvings, architecture and décor of the temples and labor involved in the construction of the temples were truly expensive. There are the five temples namely, Vimal Vasahi, Lun Vasahi, Shri Rishab deo, Shri Parshvanath and Shri Mahavir temple.

Arbuda Devi: You must not leave the hill resort of Mount Abu without seeking blessings from the Arbuda Devi. The goddess Arbuda Devi lends her name to the hill resort of Mount Abu. You need to climb 200 steps on a mountain to reach the cave of Arbuda Devi. Besides the goddess there are the statues of her three attendants too. 

Guru Shikhar: Then you must visit the Guru Shikhar, the highest peak of Mount Abu. The beauty of the peak attracts several tourists.

Datta-traya Temple: Atop the peak there is a temple. You may visit the temple in pink and white. It is dedicated to Datta-traya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. From the temple you may enjoy the natural beauty of Mount Abu.

Achalgarh Fort(8 km): Lying almost eight kms from Mount Abu, Rajasthan, Achalgarh is a beautiful fort with a number of exquisite Jain temples built within the premise. Amongst them the names of Achaleswar Mahadev Temple and Kantinath Jain Temple. The former temple was built in 1412 A.D. Kantinath Jain Temple was constructed in 1513 A.D. A gold plated image has been enshrined. In the close vicinity of Achaleswar Mahadev Temple one can also find a beautiful sculpture of Parmar Dharavarsh.

Mandakini Kund is also another attraction here. During fourteenth century A.D Rana Kumbha constructed this spectacular fort.

Brahmakhadd temple: While travelling Mount Abu you may visit the Brahmakhadd temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are statues of Goddess parvati and Nandi outside the temple. In the temple you may worship the sacred pit that is believed to have been created, by the Lord Shiva's foot. 

Nakki Lake: Another landmark in the hill resort of Mount Abu is the Nakki Lake. As per a legend the fingernails of a sage, Balam Rasia, drew the Nakki Lake. The Nails or the nakk explain the name of the Lake as Nakki. The sage fell in love for the daughter of the then King of Abu. The stepmother of the princess turned the love story into a tragedy. Today there is a temple of the Kunwari Kanya, dedicated to the princess and a statue of her lover alongside. You may even enjoy boating in the Nakki Lake. 

Toad Rock

Around the Nakki Lake there are several rock formations that appear to be in a certain shape. You will easily spot the Toad Rock, Nun Rock, Nandi Rock and Camel Rock. At the hill resort of Mount Abu you Must enjoy the horse rides, honeymoon point and the sunset points. The gorgeous greens and the spectacular sights make Mount Abu heaven on Earth.


Excursions...........
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