Places to visit in India for the History Aficionados

India is a blend of many cultures, civilizations, caste and creed. If you want to have a glimpse of the world's culture, you can surely visit India. There's no reason to doubt why invaders during the ancient period use to heist in India. The sole intent of frequent invasions into the country was our extremely rich cultural heritage. A lineage of royalty passed on by our ancestors full of valor and courage has made our country an important piece of historic importance.

To start with your tour you can set your journey from Delhi. Delhi is the capital of India and has many UNESCO heritage sites like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, etc. If you are searching for spirituality and peace of mind, you can get ahead of Varanasi, opening doors of your soul and mind by merely looking at serene Kashi Vishwanath Temple, holy Ghats of Varanasi etc.

Moving ahead, visit Agra, the city where the best historical monuments can be seen. Agra's Taj Mahal, quoted to be among seven wonders of the world, is an enthusiastic picturesque location talking volumes of the ancient Mughal Empire. Why to wait, move towards the Pink City, Jaipur. This capital city of Rajasthan, famous for its warmth and hospitality, has monuments and palaces of historic architectural expertise like Amer Fort, City Palace and Hawa Mahal which can be of attention for architecture fanatics.

Come on a magical exploration with me of the best historical places in India.

Delhi: The capital of historical wonders

Mythologically, Delhi was known as Indraprastha which was brought into existence by Pandavas before the beginning of the dreadly famous Mahabharat war. Its embarkation marked an end to the Dwapar Era. Wondering why, I am talking about mythology. It's because, since then Indraprastha or Delhi has become a centre of all major happenings in our country. Delhi was the major capital during all invasions and the emperors of various empires used to rule from it. As Delhi has an exaggerating invasion history, it's the sole reason why it is of much importance for history aficionados.

1. Red Fort – Emperor Shah Jahan built the Red Fort on 12th May 1638. It is mainly prominent for its architecture. Red Sandstone and marble are used to construct Red Fort. It is one of the oldest and most renowned monuments of old Delhi, also referred to historically as Lal Quila. The foremost prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Indian flag for the first time from the Red Fort in 1947. The walls of Red Fort are constructed thirty metres high. Redfort's status is that of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The world's famous Koh-i-noor Diamond belonged to Red Fort’s Royal family. The image of Red Fort can be seen on the Rs. 500 note. The important gates were the Delhi Gate and the Lahore Gate. The Chhatta is situated in the Red Fort of Delhi. The main reason to hoist the flag from Red Fort was to honor the sacrifices of our Freedom Fighters. When the British encroached on the Red Fort, they damaged the artistic designs. They also stole the jewels and the crowns of the rulers.

2. Qutub Minar – Qutub Minar was constructed by Qutub-ub-Din Aibak in 1193. Qutub Minar has five stories. The first floor was built by Qutub-ub-Din Aibak and the remaining part was constructed by Iltumish. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The height of Qutub Minar is 72.5 metres. The tower tapers have a 147 metres base diameter. The top of the peak is 2.7 metres. It has 379 steps, which are designed in a spiral staircase. The main attraction is the iron pillar in the minar, which is a wonder for tourists. It has not rusted for 2000 years. It is a distinguishing fact making the monument known world wide. Qutub Minar's visit can be of ample knowledge about Indian history and ancient architectural skills.

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Agra: The home of the Taj Mahal

The renowned city of Uttar Pradesh located on the banks of river Yamuna, Agra has served as the capital of Delhi Sultanate during Mughal rule. During the reign of Emperor Akbar, Agra used to be the prime location for carrying out major activities of the time. Many authentic pieces of architectural and historic importance were established by Mughal emperors. Let's review some of them:

1. Taj Mahal - It was set up in Agra between 1631-1648 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. This personification of beauty and serenity is an outcome of Ustad Ahmad Lahori's architecture skills. This magnanimous wonder is heighted to be at 73 metres. It is considered as the best example of Mughal architecture and the symbol of India’s rich architectural history. It is proclaimed as a wonder in the list of seven wonders of the world. It is a mausoleum inclusive of a mosque in it. The central structure of the monument holds the tomb of Shah Jahan and his wife.

2. Fatehpur Sikri – It is the historical monument of India and was founded by Akbar in 1569. Sited as a small town in the West of Agra, it is 37 Km far from the main city. Emperor Akbar built it in the honor of Sheikh Salim Chishti, a prominent Sufi Saint of that time. Sikri has been credited with the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city of victory also includes the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid. Covered in an area of 60,735 hq with a zone of 475 .542 hq belonging to the mosque, the city is bounded on three sides by a wall 6 kilometres long. It has nine gates with attractions like, Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of public audience) and Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of private audience) also known as the house of jewels.

Jaipur: The pink city’s Royal Heritage

The beautiful city of rich royal heritage of one of the highly dignified states of India, Rajasthan is synonymously termed as 'The Pink City'. Without a reason one can brief why it is said so. It is full of architectural knowledge and colorful bright past. Without a smack, it is the best planned city of our country. Let's explore more about its solid attractions.

1. Amer Fort – A popular tourist attraction based in Amer Rajasthan, India, this magnificent fort was built by Man Singh in 1592. It is a masterpiece of Rajput and Mughal architectural expertise. Constructed out of red sandstone and marble, Amer Fort is also known as the Amber Palace. The palace formerly served as a shelter to the Rajput Maharajas and their families. Raja Mansingh had 12 Queens and to accommodate each of them separately 12 individual rooms were constructed.

The Fort has Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas, Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas and Jai Mandir. The main entrance, Surajpal leads to the main courtyard. The fort commemorated the victory of armies with the showcase of parades. All the activities were then seen by the royal family's womenfolk through the latticed windows. The fort has majestic surroundings speaking about its grandeur. The solemn dignity of its red sandstone and white marble pavilions when reflected in the lake down the foothill gives worth seeing views.

2. Hawa Mahal - Hawa Mahal is an example of Indian architectural skill and talent mused broadly. To my utter enthusiasm, I found it to be believable how architects managed all the things so skillfully during that period. In today’s era, every building is made of foundation for its strength. But at that time construction of a 5-storey structure took place without a foundation. The reason behind it and the skills used then is still unknown.

It is learned at an 87-degree angle and has a pyramidal shape due to which the building will stay erect for centuries. The Hawa Mahal belongs to Lord Krishna and is carved out of red sandstone. It was brought into limelight in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh, designed by Lalchand Ustad. The Hawa Mahal has 953 jharokhas. The main purpose of building these jharokhas was to provide the womenfolk of the royal family a view of the outside world unwavered by any outsider.

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Varanasi: The oldest living city

Formerly the town of Kashi, now referred as Varanasi, mythologically is believed to be brought into existence by Lord Shiva, established near the banks of pious river Ganga. The holy river is worshipped by devotees in a motherly form and is named by them as 'Ganga Maiya'. What's fascinating about it is the simple and serene beauty of the town which was earlier a hub of spiritual education mainly focusing on Sanskrit language. Its affluent spiritual chronicle demonstrates a lot about living standards of the people during the old era. Some mostly visited tourists attractions of the city are:

1. Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Kashi Vishwanath Temple belongs to Lord Shiva, situated in Viswanath Gali in Varanasi. The temple has the jyotirlinga of Shiva worshipped by his devotees. It is of extreme value from the view of hindu pilgrimage. It is also known as Shri Vishweshwar Temple, which was built in 1780. The schedule for darshan followed here is:

Mangala Aarti- 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM.

Sugam Darshan- 4:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Bhog Aarti- 11:15 AM to 12:20 PM.

Saptirishi Aarti- 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM.

Raatri Shringar- 9:00 PM to 10:15 PM.

Shayan Aarti- 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM.

2. Ghats of Varanasi – It is said that Lord Brahma created the ghats to welcome Lord Shiva. There are 84 ghats where Hindus offer their prayers and bathe in the holy Ganga water. The first ghat is Varuna and the last ghat is Assi ghat. Varanasi is also renowned as the city of Ghats. Assi Ghat is a more prominent ghat among the visitors.

Mysore: The Palace City of Karnataka

Mysuru, aka Mysore, commonly termed by Kannadigas as the palace capital city of Karnataka, is designated with a charismatic blend of royalty, culture, heritage, history, flora and fauna. Amidst other bustling Indian cities, Mysore is the cleanest of all which takes its own favorable time to function smoothly without any hurry. Inclusive of certain factors pertaining to defining its natural beauty, it has a great past lying in it, the amplification of which can clearly be seen by visiting it.

1. Mysore palace - It is situated in Sayaji Rao Road, Agrahara Chamarajapuram, Mysore. It is 2 kilometers away from Mysore junction. It is open from morning 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM till evening. Its architecture is carved out of Indo Saracenic craftsmanship.

The Palace of Mysore is also called Amba Vilas Palace. It’s a nonfictional palace in the municipality of Mysore in Karnataka.

Maharani Pramoda Devi Wadiyar is the owner of Mysore Palace.

This royal residence was first made by Yaduraya, the founder of the Wadiyar dynasty in the 14^th century. It was designed by the English mastermind Henry Irwin.

2. Chamundi Hill – Chamundi Hills is renowned for its Hindu temple. The Chamundeshwari Temple is 13 kilometers from the palace city of Mysore. If you want to reach there, you have to climb 1008 steps. Lord Shiva's vehicle Nandi is placed here and his effigy is 4.9 meter tall and 7.6 meter long. Chamundi Hill is about 3489 feet above sea level. There is a legend about Chamundi Devi that she killed demon Mahishasur who was chasing devas and in order to get protection, the latter worshipped goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva‘s idol there after which Goddess Parvati took the form of Durga or Chamundi.

Conclusion

 If you want to see Heaven, you must visit India. It is the divine place where you can perceive every type of culture and tradition. These historical places have ample of history lying in them which speak sores of the culture and tradition followed in the old era. You can also find spirituality by visiting temples and shrines here.

This historical trip would give a light smack on your savings but it is surely a value for money investment. History aficionados! To have a never felt experience, plan your next trip wisely to these beautiful destinations.