AURANAGABAD
- Aurangabad has many stories to tell. Its silence is full of murmurs and half-sentences
of tales begun long ago. As you walk through its lanes, you might catch a part
of it carved in stone. The Buddhist Caves of
Ajanta and
Ellora,
Muslim tombs, Hindu temples-are all relics of a past that have spilled onto
the present. Indeed, most people visit Aurangabad just to have a look at these
monuments of stone.
Believed to be of the Stone Age era, Aurangabad was a quaint little village
called Khirki, till Malik Ambar, the prime minister to Murtaza Nizam Shah II
made it into a city in 1610. Fateh Khan, Ambar's son succeeded him in 1626 and
named it 'Fatehpur'. In 1686, when Aurangzeb was made the viceroy of the Deccan
by his father Shah Jahan, he renamed it Aurangabad (He lies buried here). The
Delhi Darwaza, Jalna Darwaza, Paithan Darwaza and the
Mecca Darwaza
form a chain of concrete around the city.
Besides, Ajanta and Ellora, there are other reasons to stop by in Aurangabad.
Shop for
Paithani sarees, it's the best thing you can give your daughter
for her trousseau.
BADRINATH
- Badrinath, located on the right-bank of the River Alaknanda, is one of the
four 'Dhams' (pilgrimage sites) that a devout Hindu has to visit in his lifetime
to attain salvation. Since time immemorial this sacred town has been the abode
of seers and saints. Known as 'Tapobhoomi' (land of meditation and penance)
and 'Bhubaikunth' (heaven on earth), it is surrounded on either side by the
mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak providing a spectacular
backdrop. The site was once carpeted with wild berries, which gave it the name
"Badri Van" or a forest of berries.
The main temple here, Badrinath ji, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Legend dates
the origins of the temple to the Vedic age. The present temple dates back to
the time of Sri Shankaracharya who also founded a 'Math' (monastery) here in
the 8th century. A hot water spring known as 'Tapta Kund' faces the Badrinath
temple. The pilgrim centre has shops selling a variety of trinkets and ritual
items. Apart from these, framed pictures of Lord Badrinath, woodcarvings and
religious books can also be bought.
| Tour Programmes That Include : BADRINATH |
| Not available, but if you like
to make |
 |
