Khajuraho Temples, Madhya Pradesh

 Khajuraho has always been thought of as the place that exemplifies sensuality and eroticism at its best. However this is a misrepresentation as only about 10 percent of the sculptures are sensual and the rest are common depictions. Countless sculptures depicting love, eternal grace, beauty, delicacy and the creative arts can be seen in one of the most historical places in India. A perfect amalgamation of Hinduism and Jainism, Khajuraho temples have carvings of cult icons, demi gods and Apsaras.

Interesting fact: The city got its name as it was adorned with date palms and “Khajura’ means date palms in Hindi. It was also often called Khajjurpura in ancient times.

Entry fee: Indians- INR 10

Foreigners- INR 250 (only for the western temples, rest are free)

Open from: 8 am to 6 pm

Must see: The Sound and Light Show that portrays the tale of the Chandela dynasty.

Built By: Chandela dynasty

Built In: Between 950 AD and 1050 AD

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Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

 The ‘Palace of Winds’ or Hawa Mahal gets its name due to the fact that it looks like a honeycomb of a beehive with its 953 intricate windows. It is also shaped like a crown as the ruler who built it, Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, was a major devotee of Lord Krishna. One of the popular tourist places in Jaipur, this palace is known as the tallest building in the world that doesn’t have any foundation. The palace is curved but still stands firm due to its pyramidal shape.

Interesting fact: It was believed that this building was created so that the royal ladies could look outside as they were constantly under ‘purdah’

Entry fee: Indians- INR 10

Foreigners- INR 50

Open from: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm

Must see: The intricate lattice work on the tiny windows.

Built By: Pratap Singh

Built In: 1799

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Qutub Minar, Delhi

Regarded as the site of the first Muslim kingdom in northern India, the Qutub Minar is definitely one of the most historical sites in India. It is one of the finest examples of Indo-Muslim architecture with its intricate red sandstone storeys. These are dotted with carvings and verses from the Quran and are mostly in Arabic and Nagari.

Qutub Minar is one of the famous historical places in India and is said to have got its name from Qutb-ud-din Aibak who was the first Muslim ruler of North India. The first mosque in India Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid is also located at the foot of the Qutub Minar.

Interesting fact: The Qutub Minar complex has an iron pillar that has not rusted even after 2000 years.

Entry fee: Indians- INR 10

Foreigners- INR 250

Open from: 7 am to 5 pm

Must see: The Decorative Light Show held every evening from 6:30 to 8 pm and the Qutub Minar Festival that is held in October/November.

Built By: Qitub-ud-Din Aibak

Built In: 1193

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The Golden City: Jaisalmer

So named for the yellow sandstone used in most of its buildings, the Golden City of Jaisalmer is an oasis of splendid old architecture that rises from the sand dunes of the Thar Desert. Once a strategic outpost, today the city is filled with splendid old mansions, magnificent gateways, and the massive Jaisalmer Fort-also known as the Golden Fort-a daunting 12th-century structure that rises high above the town.

In addition to its palaces, temples, and fine old homes, the fortress boasts 99 bastions along with massive gates leading to its main courtyard where you'll find the seven-story-tall Maharaja's Palace. Started in the early 1500s and added to by successive rulers right up until the 19th century, the palace offers sections open to the public including areas beautifully decorated with tiles from Italy and China, and intricately carved stone doors, as well as a number of Jain temples dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, each decorated with fine marble and sandstone images, palm-leaf manuscripts, and brightly painted ceilings.

Be sure to also check out the well-preserved 1,000-year-old library, Gyan Bhandar, with its many 16th-century manuscripts and antiquities.

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Harmandir Sahib: The Golden Temple of Amritsar

 Founded in 1577 by Ram Das, Amritsar is an important hub of Sikh history and culture. The main attraction here is Harmandir Sahib, opened in 1604 and still often referred to as the Golden Temple for its beautiful gold decoration. The holiest of India's many Sikh shrines (it also attracts many Hindus and people of other faiths), the temple was built in a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles, its lower marble section featuring such flourishes as ornate inlaid floral and animal motifs, while the large golden dome represents a lotus flower, a symbol of purity to Sikhs.

In addition to its splendid design, visitors are equally impressed with the temple's spiritual atmosphere, an effect enhanced by the prayers continuously chanted from the Sikh holy book and broadcast throughout the complex. Part of the overall experience-and visitors are welcome to participate-is the chance to enjoy one of the 50,000 free meals the attraction serves up to visitors each and every day.

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The Holy City of Varanasi

 A major pilgrimage center for Hindus, the holy city of Varanasi has long been associated with the mighty Ganges River, one of the faith's most important religious symbols. Dating back to the 8th century BC, Varanasi is one of the oldest still inhabited cities in the world.

It offers many reasons to visit, not least of them the chance to explore the Old Quarter adjacent to the Ganges where you'll find the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, built in 1780 (the New Vishwanath Temple with its seven separate temples is also of interest).

Bathing in the Ganges is of great importance to Hindus, and numerous locations known as "ghats" feature stairways leading to the water where the faithful bathe before prayers.

All told, Varanasi boasts more than 100 ghats, the largest being Dasashvamedh Ghat and Assi Ghat (the latter, at the confluence of the Ganges and Asi rivers, is considered particularly holy). Also worth seeing is Banaras Hindu University, established in 1917 and noted for its massive library with more than a million books, and the superb Bharat Kala Bhavan museum featuring fine collections of miniature paintings, sculptures, palm-leaf manuscripts, and local history exhibits

The Taj Mahal, Agra

 Perhaps India's most recognizable building, the Taj Mahal is also the world's most famous testimony to the power of love. Named after Mumtaz Mahal, the favorite wife of Emperor Shah Jahan, this most beautiful of mausoleums was begun upon her death in 1631 and took 20,000 workmen until 1648 to complete.

Incorporating many elements of Islamic design including arches, minarets, an onion-shaped dome, and black calligraphy inlaid around the entrance, the Taj Mahal is largely constructed of white marble decorated with delicate inlaid floral patterns and precious and semi-precious stones such as jade, lapis lazuli, diamonds, and mother of pearl.

The best time to visit is either at dawn or dusk when the atmosphere is brilliantly altered by the change in lighting. If possible, try to catch a view of the Taj Mahal's reflection from the far bank of the Yamuna River-it makes for a memorable (and safe) selfie.

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