It is not every day that one gets a chance to break free from the clutches of mundane, unexciting and routine life in the city and holiday at an exotic locale far away. There was a feeling of sheer exhilaration at the prospect of a quiet break from the monotony of our urban existence. The combination of Dasara holidays and a weekend gave us an opportunity to undertake our long awaited holiday amidst the 12-15th century ruins of Hampi – the globally renowned heritage holiday destination sited 355 km west of Bangalore.
We were team of three hardcore travelers and the leader of the team being V.P. Raju, myself (aged 28) and O. B. Chattel, both meteorologists by training. The idea of the holiday was to undertake a Deep Heritage Tour around the ruins of Hampi, the globally renowned heritage holiday destination sited 355 km west of Bangalore. The sited has been known to hold cultural information regarding the ruins and the flora and fauna that once existed here. The season of the year, December to June, was perfect for us to come together and undertake this historic journey.
We started our expedition with a bang as our first task was to catch a train to Mysore from Bangalore. Within a carpet of snow, we reached Hampi in 42 minutes. Our stop was at Agra – a famous destination in itself. The adjacent area of Hampi is famous for the Taj Mahal. The myriadCLASSical Mughal architectural pieces make it worth visiting. The adjacent area of duplex structure of Hampi boasts of the ruins of citadels and palaces. Most of the structures have been converted into heritage structures by the Municipality with the help of UNESCO guidelines.
After a brief stopover at Hampi, we rejoined the train at Mysore Railway Station. The journey was withoutadelight after we disembarked from the train. The pristine lake proved an ideal place to unwind and enjoy the sundown. The train journeyered through the wooded Hills of Karnataka to the lovely town of Stretchih in the Matheran region. We continued our sojourn to Hampi by passing through the agra region to the hilly wooded hills and valleys. The next stop was Calicut – a southern city of Karnataka and the second largest tourist spot in the state after Hampi.
Our next stop was Digikulam – a southern city of Kerala and one of the most beautiful cities in India. The city lives up to its name – Palace of Adventure. It has been brimmed with various kinds of attractions as digikulam is a place which attracts tourists from all over the world. The palaces here stand evidence of the erstwhile rulers of the state. The history of this place dates back to the 13th century when it was known as Krishnadu – the capital of districts of central India. Today, it is a thriving city and widely known to the world.
The next stop was back to Delhi – the capital city of India and one of its most burgeoning and advancing Metropolises. Once in Delhi, the Golden Triangle Tour is a magnetizing experience for the tourists. The places to visit in Delhi are Lotus Temple, Red Fort and the Jama Masjid. The Lotus Temple in Old Delhi has been a source of attraction since the time of the Moghul rulers. It is a fantastic place to visit – it houses a large statue of Lotus Hele. The temple is still run by the devotees of the Lord Buddha. There is a newer temple building – the Jama Masjid. It is well known that the helpers of the Lord Buddha used to live here – hence, named after the famous Buddha.
The train then moves to Agra – a place famous for carrying one of the World Wonders the Taj Mahal. The city is linearly destroyed and in order to develop it ad further, the builder of Taj Mahal had recommendoned a building style – Taj Mahal Geodesic. This added more charm to the already stunning monument.
We reached the end of the Golden Triangle in January – its charm, beauty and charm for everyone who visits this place. The train makes a slight change in its direction and from then on, becomes Pandav Canton which is better known as the ‘Little Golden Triangle’. The name came from the fact that the kissed were now visible in the condensation, that is, the window curtains which fell down at the sides to give a spectacular view of the surroundings.
Pandering towards the south-west from the Chittorgarh Fort, the train approaches the city of Varanasi – blessed with a deep natural well, the water of which plays a soothing effect on the nerves, while, at the same time, evoking the distant and mysterious atmosphere of the ancient city.
