Victoria Memorial

    The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), West Bengal, India, which was built between 1906 and 1921.  It is dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and is now a museum and tourist destination under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture.  The Memorial lies on the grounds by the banks of the Hooghly River, near Jawaharlal Nehru road.

The Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

    In January 1901, on the death of Queen Victoria, George Curzon and Viceroy of India, suggested the creation of a fitting memorial.  He proposed the construction of a grand building with a museum and gardens.  The Prince of Wales, later King George V, laid the foundation stone on 4 January 1906 and it was formally opened to the public in 1921.  In 1912, before the construction of Victoria Memorial was finished, King George V announced the transfer of the capital of India from Calcutta to New Delhi.  Thus the Victoria Memorial was built in what would be a provincial city rather than a capital.

Side View of Victoria Memorial

     The Victoria Memorial was funded by many Indian states, individuals of the British Raj and the British government in London.  The Princes and the people of India responded generously to Curzon's appeal for funds and the total cost of construction of this monument amounting to one crore, five lakhs of rupees.

Victoria Memorial in Night

     The Victoria Memorial's architect was William Emerson, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects.  The design is in Indo-Saracenic revivalist style.  This style is a mixture of British and Mughal elements as well as Venetian, Egyptian, Deccani and Islamic architectural influences.  The building is 338 feet (103 m) by 228 feet (69 m) and rises to a height of 184 feet (56 m).  It is constructed by white marble.  The garden cover an area of 64 acres.  They are maintained by a team of 21 gardeners.  On a bridge there is a bronze statue of Victoria.  Victoria is seated on her throne.  She is wearing the robes of the Star of India.

A Statue in the garden of Victoria Memorial

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India Gate

    The India Gate is located in the centre of New Delhi, the capital of India.  It was made by Edwin Lutyens in 1921.  This landmark in Delhi commemorates the members of the erstwhile British Indian Army who sacrifice their lives fighting for the Indian Empire in the Afghan Wars and World War.  And India got its independence, India Gate became the site of Amar Jawan Jyoti - Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  It is counted among the largest war memorials in India.

India Gate, New Delhi

    The shrine of the Amar Jawan Jyoti is burning since 1971.  It represents the flame of the immortal warrior that marks the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The shrine is made of black marble with a rifle placed on its barrel.  This rifle is crested by a soldier's helmet.  The words - "Amar Jawan" (Immortal Warrior) is inscribed in gold on each face of the cenotaph which is placed on an edifice.  The edifice has four torches on its four corners, these torches are kept alive.

India Gate and Canopy

    The cornice of the India Gate is inscribed with the Imperial suns while both sides of the arch have INDIA, flanked by the dates MCMXIV (1914 left) and MCMXIX (1919 right).  Below the word INDIA, in capital letters, is inscribed :

TO THE DEAD OF THE INDIAN ARMIES WHO FELL AND ARE HONOURED IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA EAST AFRICA GALLIPOLI AND ELSEWHERE IN THE NEAR AND THE FAR-EAST AND IN SACRED MEMORY ALSO OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED AND WHO FELL IN INDIA OR THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER AND DURING THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR.

    13,218  war dead are commemorated by name on the India Gate.  Due to security reasons access to read the names on the memorial is restricted.  The names can be however be seen on the Delhi Memorial (India Gate website, which lists the names with date of death, unit, regiment, place on gate where name is inscribed, location, and other information.)  The names on the gate include that of a female staff nurse from the Territorial Force, killed in action in 1917.

Inscription on Top of India Gate

    This shrine of the India Gate in Delhi was uncovered on January 26, 1972 by the Prime Minister of India during that time - Indira Gandhi.  Since then, it is customary for the President and the Prime Minister to pay homage at the site during State ceremonies.  Even while guests visit the state, they come here to visit the India Gate in Delhi and pay homage at the site.

India Gate in Night

 
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Gateway Of India

    The Gateway Of India ranks among the most popular tourist attractions in Mumbai.  It is located on the banks of the Arabian Sea is the southern waterfront of the city.  The gateway is made of basalt and is 26 meters high.  Due to its gigantic height, travellers can see the monument from a distance.  The harbour is also close by.

The Gateway Of India, Mumbai

    The Gateway Of India in Mumbai was made to celebrate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay, the former name of Mumbai.  The monument was designed by an architect named George Witter and it took around 4 years to complete.  The entire monument is made with yellow basalt and concrete and is designed according to the Indo - Saracenic style of architecture.  Features of Muslim architectural styles can also be found in the monument.  The top of the monument consists of a central dome, which has a diameter of 15 meter and is a domed with carvings.

The Gateway Of India

    The harbour adjacent had to be completely restructures to allow the construction of the Gateway Of India.  Made in the early 20th century, it took an enormous amount of 21 lakh rupees to complete the monument.  The construction work of the monument was undertaken by Gammon India Limited.  The first major occasion to take place at the Gateway of India was when the First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry passed through it.  They were the last British troops to leave after India became Independent.

The Gateway Of India in Night

      The ceremony was conducted in 28th February in the year of 1948.  The Gateway Of India draws hundreds of tourists from various parts of the country and the world.  From the area, one can also witness the wonderful sight of sunset.  One can also enjoy a boat ride on the sea.  The beautiful Taj Hotel is also located near by.

A View of Taj Hotel and The Gateway Of India

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Hawa Mahal

    Jaipur is synonymous with Hawa Mahal.  Jaipur is also known as The Pink City of India.  This beautiful monument of India was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in the year 1799.  Also known as the Palace of Winds, this beautiful monument is the landmark of Jaipur.  The monument is five stories high and the front of the monument is delicately carved with beautiful motifs.  It provides an outstanding example of Rajput style of architecture.  Hawa Mahal is not exactly a palace but a screen of superbly sculpted windows that look like the front of a palace.  It was built for the royal ladies of Rajasthan who wanted to view the busy city life from inside a veil.

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

    The structure comprises of 953 beautiful windows made out of pink sandstone.  These windows are known as "Jharokhas" and are built in a way that it resembles a honeycomb.  Behind every window there is a small chamber meant for sitting comfortably and viewing the busy city life.  The palace is called Hawa Mahal because these small windows allow natural circulation of air, thus allowing ventilation from all parts of the palace.

Interior of Hawa Mahal

    The monument is visited by large amount of tourists every year, both local and foreign who are completely mesmerized by the sheer magnitude and elegance of this monument.  The best time to view this monument is early morning during sunrise when it looks exceptionally gorgeous.  The upper floors of the palace can be reached by climbing the narrow ramps.  There are no stairs inside the Hawa Mahal.

Interior of Hawa Mahal

    The palace is now maintained by the Archaeological Department.  There is a small museum located in the premises of Hawa Mahal that houses ancient artifacts related to the Rajput lifestyle.  This beautiful pink sandstone structure is a must see if you are visiting Jaipur.  It is located right in the center of the city and can be easily reached from anywhere in Jaipur.  You can always hire an auto or a taxi to get this famous monument.

Rear View of Hawa Mahal

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Umaid Bhawan Palace

    Umaid Bhawan Palace is located at Jodhpur (The Blue City) in Rajasthan, India.  It is one of the world's largest private residences.  A part of the palace is managed by Taj Hotels.  Names after Maharaj Umaid Singh, grandfather of the present owner Gaj Singh of the palace, this edifice has 347 rooms and serves as the principle residence of the Jodhpur royal family. Umaid Bhawan Palace was called Chittar Palace during its construction due to use of stones drawn from the Chittar hill where it is located.  The ground foundation of the building was broken on 18 Nov 1929 and the construction work was completed in 1943.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

    The palace is divided into three functional parts - The Palace, Hotels and Museum.

Palace: 

    The entire palace complex built with sandstone and marble is set in an area of 26 acres of land including 15 acres of well tended gardens.  The palace, magnificent in its lavish proportions, consists of a throne chamber, an exclusive private meeting hall, a Durbar Hall to meet the public, a vaulted library, an indoor swimming pool and spa, a billiards room, four tennis courts, two unique marble squash courts and long passages.

Interior of Umaid Bhawan Palace

Hotel: 

    The hotel wing of the palace is run by the Taj Group of Hotels.  It has 70 guest rooms including the luxurious "Regal and Vice Regal Suites" and the fabulous "Maharaja" and "Maharani Suites" with art deco style decorations, the latter is fitted with a bath tub carved from a single block of pink marble said to be the only one of its type in India.  The terrace which provides the scenic view of the Garden.  The bedroom has an attached kitchen and the furnishing here is in pink and peach colour.

Interior of Umaid Bhawan Palace

Museum:

    The museum has exhibits of stuffed leopards, a very large symbolic flag gifted to Maharaja Jaswant Singh by Queen Victoria in 1877, an impressive "Quirky" collection of clocks in windmill and light house shapes, and photographs of the elegant art-deco interior of the palace.  The classic cars of th Maharajs are also on display in the garden in front of the museum.

Panoramic View of Umaid Bhawan Palace 

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Lotus Temple

    The Lotus Temple is situated in New Delhi, India.  It is completed in 1986.  It is notable for its flower-like shape, it serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent and has become a prominent attraction in the city.  The Lotus Temple has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazines articles.  The Lotus Temple is open to all, regardless of religion or any other qualifications.

The Lotus Temple, Delhi

    It is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad "Petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides, with nine doors opening onto a central hall with height of slightly over 40 metres and capacity of 2500 people.

Top View of The Lotus Temple

    The surface of the house of worship is made of white marble from Penteli Mountain in Greece, the very same from which many ancient monuments are built.  Along with its nine surrounding ponds and the gardens, the Lotus Temple property comprises 26 acres.

Interior of Lotus Temple 

    Of the temple's total electricity use of 500 KW, 120 KW is provided by Solar power generated by the building.  This saves the temple 1,20,000 rupees per month.  It is the first temple in Delhi to use Solar power.  In 2001 it attracted more than 70 million visitors, making it one of the most visited building in the world.

Lotus Temple in Night

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Dal Lake

    Dal Lake is situated in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.  Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.  Dal Lake is also called as Srinagar's Jewel.  The lake is also an important source for commercial operations in fishing and water plant harvesting.  The shore of the lake is about 15.5 kilometres (9.6 miles).

Dal Lake, Srinagar

 
     The fishing industry on Dal Lake is the largest industry in the region.  The lake is popular as a visitor attraction and a summer resort.  Swimming, boating, snow skiing (in winter) are some of the water sports activities practised on the lake.

Frozen Dal Lake in Winter

    During the winter season, the temperature sometimes reaches -11 Degree Celsius, freeze the lake.  In Dal Lake there is a floating garden.  It is also known as "Rad" in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during July and August.  It constitute of matted vegetation and earth, but are floating.  Here Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Melons are grown with noteworthy results.

Vendors selling vegetables on Dal Lake

 
    The main attraction of Dal Lake is boating.  The Shikara is a type of wooden boat found on Dal Lake and other water bodies of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

Tulip Garden near Dal Lake in Srinagar

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Akshardham

Akshardham is a Hindu temple situated in Noida, New Delhi. It displays millennia of traditional Hindu, Indian culture, spirituality and architecture.

Top view of Akshardham Temple

The temple which attracts around 70% of all tourist who visit New Delhi. It was officially opened on 6th November 2005 by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. It sits near the banks of Yamuna.

The word Akshardham means the abode of God and believed by followers as a temporal home of God on earth.

A Statue inside the temple

The main attraction of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex is the Akshardham Temple. It rises 141-foot (43 m) high, spans 316-foot (96 m) wide, and extends 356-foot (109 m) long. It is intricately carved with flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.

Akshardham Temple in Night

It is entirely constructed from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrera marble.

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