Delhi is a union territory and within it is New Delhi, capital of India. Delhi is a megacity where ultra-modern buildings rub shoulders with old open-fronted shops and narrow-laned bazaars. The great megacity may not appeal at first glance, but the vestiges of its Mughal history may slowly work their charm on you. Historically, Delhi has …
The state of Uttarakhand (the name means “land of the north” in Sanskrit) is famous for its magnificent wooded mountain landscapes. Uttarakhand’s glaciers give rise to two of the seven India’s holy rivers, the Ganges and Yamuna, so this is a land blessed by the gods. Haridwar, Rishikesh and the “Char Dham” offer perfect examples …
Uttar Pradesh is a state in north India with Lucknow as its administrative capital. It is the most populous state in India. This region boasts immense artistic wealth. Many famous musicians come from there, including Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Ravi Shankar, who did much to introduce Western audiences to Indian music. Kathak, one of India’s …
The name of Madhya Pradesh means ‘central province’. With Bhopal as capital, it is the second largest state in India by area. It was the largest until 2000, when the state of Chhattisgarh was created. Khajuraho with its amazing temples is one of the must-see towns in Mahya Pradesh. For the more mystically inclined, there …
Chhattisgarh in central India was split off from Madhya Pradesh and established as a state in its own right in 2000. Its capital is Raipur, a major steel manufacturing town. Chhattisgarh has so far been spared the mass tourist onslaught, but it is crammed with minor gems. It’s a paradise for nature lovers, with three …
West Bengal is in Northeast India. It is the country’s fourth largest region and the third most economically powerful, after Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Its capital is the celebrated city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). Bengal prospered in the 13th century under the Mughal Empire. Under British rule, from the late 18th century, Calcutta was the …
Namaskaram, Padharo ! I’m Mathini, a French woman who has been living in Rajasthan for the last 10 years. Despite being imbued with Indian culture from a young age it wasn’t until 2014 that my Indian adventure really began. I left everything behind in France (yes, absolutely everything!) and set off on a 6-year journey …
To Hindus, the Sapta Puris are the seven holiest cities in India. Sapta means ‘seven’ and puri means ‘town’. These seven holy cities are also called the Sapta Moksha Puris, the ‘seven cities of liberation’ or the Sapta Tirtha, ‘seven places of pilgrimage’.
