Must see/do in India?
 

I am planning to take two weeks off to visit India. I know this isn't enough to cover all the places to see but can you pls let me know the "must see" and "must do" when visitng India? I have been so intrigued by the place. Also where should I go to for great photographs? I'm an amateur photographer.

1. Chandni Chowk Market in Delhi (hire a rickshaw for an hour to tour).<BR>2. Arts and Crafts Museum in Delhi.<BR>3. Taj Mahal<BR>4. Fatephur Sikri<BR>5. Amber Fort in Jaipur<BR>6. Benares and a boat ride on the Ganges.<BR><BR>Im sure there are other places to see in India, but I have only been to the North.

If you have time, I highly recommend a visit to the LAke Palace in Udaipur. I spent a week traveling around Rajastan and found it absolutely fascinating. Hiring guides is something I would recommend though and its not that expensive. Make sure you bring a polarizer to cut the glare frm the sun (which there will be plenty). I also processed alot of film in India and was very pleased with the results. I got 5x7's printed of everything (but the prices wasn't that much cheaper than here).

Hi Jean<BR>As you have only two weeks I would suggest you try the South For the north you would definitely need much much more. Try Kerala Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for starters I'm sure you will have your fill of great photos and great stories of monuments temples nature culture and art etc Besides as a first timer the south would give you an easy nay easier introduction to India <BR>Need any info drop a line <BR>Cheers Bibiana

First thing weather, it gets really hot here, so plan a trip anytime from Nov till Feb only.<BR>Must see places Delhi<BR>- Qutub Minar, crowded & touristy but nice.<BR>Red Fort - They also have a nice Sound and Light show in English in the evening.<BR>Tughlakabad Fort - Off the tourist map, while most every place in India is crowded, but this one has less, and mainly locals. Best time is watching the sunset from a plateau.<BR>Delhi is a foodie paradise, write to me for more details.<BR>AGRA - Taj Mahal of course, I've been there more than a dozen time and still like going again, great hotels there too now.<BR>Rajasthan - Udaipur, never ever stay at the Lake Palace Hotel, its dirty and icky, but the Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel which faces LPH is awesome, specially if you take their History Suites which face the lake.<BR>Rajasthan - Jaisalmer - Dreamy romantic place, the thing to do is to go and stay in the small villages near Jaisalmer - Khuri or Sam. One of the best experiences of my life. Early morning took a camel a la Lawerence of Arabia, on a full gallop, what a rush !!<BR>BANGALORE - South of Bangalore, the temples of Belur and Halebid have to be the most fabulous ancient carvings in granite I've ever seen.<BR><BR>Best Wishes, enjoy India, its great, Naresh

To me, there were many things to love about India, and I was continuously taking pictures. I agree that Rajastan (and the area around it) is not-to-be-missed. One thing you might want to check out, though, is Rishikesh, which is a fascinating town at the foothills of the Himilayas on the Ganges. At sunset when I was there, several hundred people gathered on the ghats (steps leading down to the river). They chanted, had some sort of ceremony with fire and floated leaf boats full of flowers, candles and incense down the river. A wild elephant came down to the water's edge to drink in the midst of all this. It really was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I also spent several hours in a little village about an hour and a half outside of Delhi. I got some of my best pictures there, not just of village life but of the people. India is a feast for a photographer...<BR>Have a wonderful time!

Jean,<BR>I ve seen most of the country as my parents were in the army. The most beautiful places I ve been to are ladakh,Goa, Kerala and Orissa. Rajasthan and most of north are typical "touristy" places and I guarantee you that you'll have a photo collection of a lifetime by visiting slightly less developed and exploited places. Orcha is another beautiful place you might want to check out..

Thanks so much for the info. Will keep note of them.

Udaipur and Jaisalmer, both in Rajasthan, are a definite must! And what's a trip to India without going to Mumbai (Bombay)?

I am leaving in a few weeks to visit India. I have booked my flight and nothing else although I fly into and out of Delhi. I am very interested in the temples and hope to touch the soul of the country. Any suggestions?

Hi David,<BR><BR>The best temples I have been to India are in the order of priority :<BR><BR>1) The Temples at Belur and Halebid - its a day trip from Bangalore. These temples are carved out of solid granite and are just awesome. I think they are from the Chola dynasty.<BR><BR>2) The Jain Temples in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Its a longish drive from Udaipur, but the temples are spectacular. They have a poorer replica closer to Udaipur in Ranakpur, which is about 2 hours or so away from Udaipur.<BR><BR>3) Khajuraho - Dont be misled by the eroticism which has made them famous. Take a govt approved guide ( they carry some authentification ) and they really show you some great insights.<BR><BR>4) The Dayal Bagh Temple at Agra - For some reason its off the tourist map. Its been under construction for the last 90+ years by the Radhasoami Trust. Its a multi faith temple housing Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Sikh religions. Their aim is to build a monument which will even surpass the Taj Mahal.<BR><BR>These are some of the attractive temples, of course as far as worshipping is concerned there would be others.<BR><BR>Please e-mail me if you want any other details.<BR><BR>Enjoy,<BR><BR>Naresh

For great picture ideas try these two links that I got from a website. These both are great books-<BR><BR>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0883638495/recipedelightsco<BR><BR>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3822870765/recipedelightsco<BR><BR>