Category: Architectural

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Adventure Architectural Central India Itinerary wildlife

5 Days Itinerary to Madhya Pradesh

Located right in the centre of the country, Madhya Pradesh is quite an enigmatic state. Be it the religious places, places to eat or to grasp in the natural beauty, the place tends to offer everything to everyone. This is one of those places that never disappoint the tourists. One of the highest populated and largest Indian states, Madhya Pradesh, also known as MP is a tourist’s paradise. The people here are nice and the language that is spoken by the largest chunk of the population is Hindi, so there must be no trouble in communicating with the locals. The 5-day tour may not be enough to grasp the entire beauty of the place but enough to get most out of it. So, here is how a we divided our first ever trip to Madhya Pradesh.

Day 1

The first day starts with the arrival in the beautiful and historical city of Gwalior. The city reeks of royal splendor through every corner and there so many remains of the bygone era that will remind you about the glorious history the place once had. Rest for a while and then get out of the hotel in order to witness some monuments such as the Gwalior fort, Jai Vilas Palace and the museum. The remaining part of the day will be spent on the things you like. You could find a place to eat or a park to sit down and relax.

Day 2

Second day, we started early and reached Orccha and loved the famous temples there. Sunrise and sunsets are not to be missed.

Day 3

Day 3 was planned for the famous Khajuraho, where you can get a glimpse in the lives of ancient Indians and how they lived and survived in those deadly circumstances. At the Khajuraho temple complex, a show full of light and sound takes place is a good food for thought. One day a Khajuraho, we moved to Bhedaghat.

Bhedaghat is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jabalpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, situated by the side of river Narmada which has all the essentials to spellbind you. The place is famed for its splendid marble artefacts. As dusk descends, these marbles seem to glitter in the moonlight which is no less than a blessing to watch.

At Bhedaghat, you should visit the picturesque and spectacular Dhuandhar which is a famous attraction at Bhedaghat, 30 km away from Jabalpur. The white water knocks down to form a gorge known as the Marble Rocks. Localities visit this place as a popular picnic spot and it is also a popular destination surrounded by evergreen trees and shrubs.

Day 4

The lush greenery of the forested regions that are incredibly the natural home for a variant of wild species..that is what all Bandhavgarh National Park is about. A magnificent trip to Bandhavgarh will let you catch the amazing glimpses of the majestic creatures which is a simply incredible sight. With safari options in Bandhavgarh, you can enjoy your trip in a very organized way

Day 5

This was the last stop of our itinerary, and we planned to spend in the beautiful hills of Pachmarhi.

MP is one of the largest states in the country geographically and it may take months to completely understand everything the state has to offer. It still remains one of the golden crowns in the India historical and religious scenario. This is one state

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Architectural Asia Beaches

Why Israel should be in your next vacation list!!

Mistaken are those who believe Israel is a country for those on a spiritual quest. With its beautiful sandy beaches, rich culture and historical attractions it could be a complete holiday destination. Some places that you should definitely visit are

Jerusalem – the holy city

The city of Jerusalem is the landmark for the three major religions of the world- Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The place is of religious significance to the above three communities, and to the rest, it is just another tourist spot. The Via Dolorosa is a street in the old city of Jerusalem which was walked by Jesus and leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Just a few steps away are the Western Wall, a structure remaining from the Jewish Temple worshiped by the Jews. The Al-Aqsa mosque mentioned in the Quran is also very close to the above place.

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The Temple Mount is the place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son and is considered holy by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Now isn’t that a place to see once in a lifetime?

Tel Aviv – a city that never sleeps

For all the party people on vacation to Israel, there is nothing to get disappointed about as we have something in store for you as well. When in the party mood, head to the vibrant city of Tel Aviv. With its packed nightclubs, cocktail bars, classy eateries and gentry of young and beautiful people, the city comes to life at night.

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While the nights could get rave, days could be spent appreciating the Bauhaus architecture of the city, exploring the traditional Israeli markets and relaxing on the sandy beaches. It has thus been truly billed as the “Miami of the Middle East”.

Yad Vashem, Israel

Israel’s main Holocaust remembrance and education center, Yad Vashem is a somber spot to visit. A place is a significant place for the visitors in order to get a deeper understanding of Israel. The place is a large complex of museums, monuments, exhibition halls with major archives, library, and other resource centers which sprawl over 45 acres.

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Things to Do on your Vacation

A floating session in the Dead Sea

Lying 400m below the sea level, the Dead Sea is regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world. Due to overly rich in minerals and salt, one cannot sink here. So what are you waiting for? Take a float.

This natural property of minerals and salt has made Israel a center for spas, treatments and relaxation therapy. And this has eventually led to the opening of a number of resorts in the proximity of the beaches.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Eilat  

Eilat is the ultimate resort city if you want to cherish the amazing coral reef, beautiful fish, and crystal-clear water. With great weather practically all-year round, tourists come to relax here. The activities you can undertake here are snorkel and/or scuba. Alternatively, while for the less adventurous there’s always Eilat’s impressive Underwater Observatory and nice beaches.

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 Shopping in Israel

A vacation is always incomplete without shopping. Whether you do it for yourself or your closed ones you ought to do that and take back home some memories in the form of souvenirs. Some of the popular streets for shopping in Tel Aviv are DiIzengoff, Shenkin, Herzl, Nakhlat Binyamin, and Levinsky. For pocket-friendly shopping, you can go to Eilat, a small tourist city. Here, apart from souvenirs and gifts, you can get imported electrical appliances and clothes.

The Old city of Jerusalem offers the wide range of artifacts and ornaments made of wood, seashells, leather and straw. It specializes in works of art and folk crafts which is created by the Israeli artists.

What to Eat

For someone in an alien land, food comes as the biggest challenge. In spite of taking any chances, always go for the specialty of the place. For Israeli’s all you need to know is that they love fresh salad and that too with every meal. Their specialty includes Falafels, Hummus, Dolma, Shishlik – skewered charcoal-grilled meat and Shwarma – grilled meat in pita bread. Try out some restaurants like Burgeranch, El Gaucho, HaShamen, Holy Bagel, MacDavid and Mike’s Place.

Places to Stay
Pre-plan your vacation by making prior bookings of your stay. From bed and breakfast to luxury hotels, you will find all kind of stay options in Israel, the choice is all yours. Some of the best places to stay in Israel are the American Colony Hotel, King David and Dan Boutique Jerusalem, Sharon Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton in Herzliya and Leonada Plaza Hotel Haifa.
How to Reach 

To commute within the city, you can use the train, bus, minivans – known as monit sherut or cab services.There is something special about this place that never fails to beguile. With its welcoming aura, energetic cities, beautiful Mediterranean beaches, and elating nature spots abound, your journey will surely an exception.

There is something special about this place that never fails to beguile. With its welcoming aura, energetic cities, beautiful Mediterranean beaches, and elating nature spots abound, your journey will surely an exception.

P.S-> All pictures have been taken from the official site of Israel Tourism Ministry i.e goisrael. Thank You Team.

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Architectural Travel Trends

Cellular Jail aka Kala Pani is a soul stirring destination for every Indian

Cellular Jail, aka Kala Pani, is located in the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar. The jail was a colonial prison, a reminder of the British barbarism that the Indians suffered who raised voices against the colonial rule. Inhabited since as early as 2000 years ago, the Andaman and Nicobar islands were a strong British colony in the 18th century. During the 19th century as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, history maintains, the British exploited Andaman and Nicobar as a penal colony, which was named ‘Kalapani’ or the Cellular Jail.  The idea of the Cellular Jail sprung into the minds of Britishers when they felt the need to curb the country’s war against colonial rule in 1857.

As the time passed and the prisoners kept on increasing in numbers, the size of the establishment also continued to expand. The in charge of the prison proposed the idea to the Raj to turn the place into a high-security jail. In its final form, the construction of the cellular jail began in 1893 and was finished by 1905. For the construction work of the jail, the prisoners were made to work as labors. The notorious jail was known to be the place where the British people reached the height of inhumanities. And soon enough, the place became a real world hell. The prison was known to house many notable Indian activists who participated in the struggle for India’s independence. The penal settlement that commenced in Andaman by the British after the First War of Independence in 1857 showcases the beginning of the distressing story of freedom fighters. It all started in the massive and awful jails at Viper Island and was followed by the Cellular Jail.

About the Prison

The cellular jail is a massive structure that goes up to three storeys including seven wings with different lengths, radiating through a watch tower in the center. The cells were designed in such a way which didn’t allow any sort of communication between two prisoners. The inmates were subjected to complete isolation. The design was created in such as way that a single guard was needed to keep an eye on all the cells from the central towers, but the prisoners couldn’t see them. The place was made known to the world in the context of a capital punishment and the revolutionaries, whom they called terrorists, were the prisoners.

The building material such as bricks were brought from Burma and the doors of each cell have been instilled with strong iron rods. The confinement level in the very small cells gave it the name cellular jail. To make the matters worse, there was no toilet on the cells. All these issues were the prime reasons for the spats taking place between the officials and the prisoners from time to time.

 

Trivia

-The torture tricks that were used on the Indians were quite inhumane as well. There were mass fits of hunger taking place which claimed the lives of a few Indian revolutionaries as well.

-The Japanese took hold of the Andaman Nicobar islands during the Second World War and during that time, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose visited the jails and declared it as ‘height of barbarism’.

-In 1979, the jail had been named as the National memorial place by the Indian government and since then, the UNESCO has recognized it as one of its world heritage sites.

Although the place is a reminder of how barbaric British were to the Indian freedom fighters, it remains a memorable one just for the memories of hundreds of revolutionaries who were once confined within these walls.

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Architectural Central India

Experience the world of stupas, pillars, and temples at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

Rediscovered by General Taylor in the year 1818, Sanchi is a small hill station in the heart of Madhya Pradesh where hundreds of Buddhist legends found salvation. It hosts temples, stupas, and pillars of historical significance that date back to over thousands of years. The ancient Buddhist pilgrimage has now become one of the most popular tourist attractions in India.

Here is the guide to some of the most important stupas and monuments in Sanchi.

Stupa no.1

Touted as one of the greatest stupas in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, Stupa no. 1 is also the oldest stone structure in India originally built by the Great Ashoka in his lifetime. It was later rebuilt by his followers in 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.

There are four gateways in the stupa: Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western. The Southern Gateway signifies the birth of the Lord Gautam Buddha. The Northern Gateway reflects the miracle of Buddha as told in Jataka tales. The Eastern Gateway highlights Gautam Buddha’s search for enlightenment while the Western Gateway showcases the seven rebirths of the Lord Gautam Buddha.

Stupa no. 2

This is one of the most outstanding stupas at Sanchi that sits at the edge of the hill. One of the most interesting features of this historically significant monument is that it is surrounded by stone balustrade.

Stupa no. 3

Built in around 150-140 BC, this is one of the most popular stupas amongst tourists from around the world. Relics of Sariputra and Mahamoglana—two most famous disciples of Gautam Buddha—were discovered in its inner chambers. On the top of the Stupa is an umbrella to mark its religious value.

Ashoka Pillar

Ashoka pillar was built somewhere in the 3rd century. It has heads of four lions without a wheel called Dharamchakra. However, the Ashoka pillar of Sarnath boasts a Dharmachakra. One of the most attractive features of the pillar is its ancient architecture, art, and finishing.

Other destinations to visit in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

Gupta Temple

Built in 4th century AD, Gupta Temple is one of the oldest temples of the country that also highlights the art of Indian temple architecture. However, the temple is not in a good condition now. It holds immense religious significance.  It has a porch supported by pillars and a chamber with a flat roof.

Great Bowl

The great bowl was used to keep food that was later distributed amongst the monks of Sanchi. It has been made from a single block of a stone.

Vidisha

This city in Madhya Pradesh is around 10 kms from Sanchi. One of the main attractions is the ruins of Brahmanical Shrine that is believed to have used the cement for the first time in India. Do not forget to visit Vidisha Museum.

Udaygiri Caves

There are a group of caves about 4 kms from Vidisha. One of the inscriptions on one of the caves suggest that they were built by Chandragupta II in 4-5 AD.

Local delicacies to try

The town offers a subtle variety; it is a hub of few popular eating joints which offer great North Indian, South Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes. Some local delicacies of Madhya Pradesh that you must try, while here are Dal Bafla, Biryani, Kebabs, Korma, Poha.

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Architectural Central India Culture Historical

A walk through the Humayun’s Tomb – one of the most remarkable structures of the Mughal empire

Close to the Muslim center of Nizamuddin, Humayun’s Tomb is located at the crossroads of the Lodi and Mathura roads in Delhi. Late afternoon is the best time to visit the place. It was constructed to store the remains of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, and was built under the guidance of Haji Begum, mother of Akbar, who stayed here for the duration and was then buried alongside her husband.

Made of red sandstone, inset with black and white marbles, it is situated in the center of the formal charbagh, looking towards the Yamuna River. The octagonal tomb is crowned with a double dome that has a height of 38m.

The Tomb is certainly beautiful but there are several other key architectural features that make this tomb so significant in India. It was the first tomb to have been constructed on the Indian Sub-Continent. The classic four walled design was taken from Persian architecture and has been appreciated all over India. Its dome is an inspiration for many components of the Taj Mahal.

As it is a Garden Tomb, there is a large exterior wall that has an enormous entry gate.The wall covers all four sides of the compound.On the other hand, there are many apparent locals that seem to be taking in the serenity of the site.

During Partition of India, in August 1947, the Purana Qila and Humayun’s Tomb, became major refugee camps for Muslims who were migrating to the newly founded Pakistan and were later managed by the government of India. These camps stayed open for almost five years and caused considerable damage to the extensive gardens, water channels, and the principle structures.

Just like other Garden Tombs, the property is divided by channels of water which represent the rivers of Paradise with the main tomb sitting at the center of the site on a raised platform. The lines leading up the building create an interesting effect that makes the building look smaller than it actually is.

Unlike the Taj Mahal and other tombs, visitors are allowed to freely roam inside the mausoleum and click photographs. The nature of detail on the interior of the building is incredible.

One of the most remarkable things about the site is the quality of preservation. The major part of the site was left untouched throughout history as opposed to other famous sites that were ransacked for their riches. The simplicity of the construction allowed the site to remain unique over the centuries. While the main tomb covers areas that have been fully restored from the destruction caused over time, there are some other tombs and structures on the site that have been left unharmed.If one is visiting during the summer days, they must plan their visit either early or late in the day as the mid-day heat can be suffocating. The easiest route to visit the site is to take the metro to Khan Market Metro station and then ride in an auto-rickshaw to cover the last 2.5 kilometers.

If one is visiting during the summer days, they must plan their visit either early or late in the day as the mid-day heat can be suffocating. The easiest route to visit the site is to take the metro to Khan Market Metro station and then ride in an auto-rickshaw to cover the last 2.5 kilometers.

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Architectural Historical North India Relax

Epitome of Love – The Tajmahal

The final product of the involvement of about 22,000 workers comprising masons, painters, stonecutters, carvers, inlayers, dome-builders, calligraphers and other artisans, from all over Central Asia and Iran is a sight to behold! It is the Taj Mahal, a monument which has a unique blend of Islamic, Persian and Indian architecture. An ivory-white marble mausoleum on the southern bank of river Yamuna in Agra, it is designated as one of the “Seven Wonders of the World.”

The charisma of the structure then created is such that even years after its establishment, it is still regarded as one of the most magnetic and eye- catching manmade monuments of the world. Not only the Taj but also the structures alongside it are extremely charming and add to the artistic wonder and architectural grandeur of the place.The entire Taj complex consists of the following major constituents.

Darwaza – The Main Gateway

The main sandstone gateway adorned in calligraphy with verses from the Holy Quran and having a domed central chamber, was constructed in between 1932 and 1938. The door of the gateway was originally made out of solid silver to prevent outsiders from catching sight of the tomb until they are right in the doorway itself.

Charbagh – The Taj Garden

On entering the Taj Gateway, you can view a garden stretching in front of you up to the plinth of the Taj and it occupies most part of the Taj complex- 300 m X 300 m out of the total area of 580 m X 300 m. Symmetry is the guiding principle in creating this garden and it can be experienced everywhere.

The Main Tomb

Although Taj was built to epitomize Shah Jahan’s love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, but later it was decided to make it their final resting place also. The southern face of the tomb is the prime entrance to the interior. A finely cut marble screen, decorated with precious stones, scatters light over the cenotaph of the wife in the centre and that of the husband too beside it. The 99 names of Allah embellish the top of Mumtaz’s tomb and rest of them into Shah Jahan’s -the ones that are the indicator of a male ruler.

Naqqar Khana – The Rest House

The Taj Mahal Rest House, also referred to as the Assembly Hall or the Naqqar Khana, is established on the eastern side of the Taj and Taj Mahal Mosque’s replica  lies exactly opposite, on the western side. It is believed that the rest house was built to provide a ‘jawab’, as it balances the architectural symmetry of the entire structure.

Best time to visit

There is no time of the year when the monument’s grandeur and magnificence fade away but comparatively better months to visit the Taj Mahal are from October to March. It comes to the peak of its luminescence during the sunrise, sunset and the full moon nights. Night viewing is permitted on full moon nights, plus minus two days, but tickets need to be booked one day in advance for the same.

 

 

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