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J U L Y - A U G U S T IND IA

expressMonsoon

J U L Y - A U G U S T W W W . I N D I A P E R S P E C T I V E S . I N

Experiencing the monsoon canbe unique in India but a journeyaboard one of the longesttrain routes, Jammu Tawi to

Kanyakumari, during rains can be trulymemorable. As the Himsagar Expresstraverses through tunnels, drippingsidewalls, misty tracks, continuous drizzle,cascading streams, forests, hills... from thefarthest northern point to the extremesouthern tip, it covers a distance of 3,711 kmat an average speed of 53 km/hour in around70 hours.

1. Pathankot, PunjabThe meeting point of the three Indian statesof Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu &Kashmir, Pathankot is mostly used as a rest-stop before heading into the mountains ofJ&K, Chamba and Kangra.

Though presently in ruins,Shahpurkandi Fort (20 km) wasbuilt in 1505 by Rajput chiefJaspal Singh.Ranjit Sagar Dam (20 km) is oneof the highest earth-fill dams inIndia.

India’s foremost hydraulic researchstation is at Malikpur (7 km).

Kangra Fort (90 km) was built by the royalRajput family of Kangra. It is probably theoldest dated fort in India.

2. Agra, Uttar PradeshFamous for the Taj Mahal and other Mughalarchitectural wonders, Agra is also knownfor petha (a sweet dish made from ash gourd).The Taj Mahotsav and Taj Literary Festivalhave artisans and literary stalwarts fromworld over congregating every year.

World heritage sites of Agra Fort andFatehpur Sikri (35 km) built by Mughalemperor Akbar in the 16th century.Mankameshwar Temple, one of fourancient temples dedicated to Lord Shivaand surrounded by markets, many ofwhich date back to the Mughal era.The oldest Mughal garden, Ram Bagh,built by Mughal emperor Babar.

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3. Nagpur, MaharashtraCited as one of the future global cities,Nagpur is famous as the Orange City forbeing a major trade centre of oranges.As it connects many tiger reserves inIndia, it is often called the Tiger Capitalof India. Nagpur also lies at centre ofthe country with the Zero Mile markerindicating the geographical centre of India.

Sitabuldi Fort, established in 1757,commemorates the martyrs of the battlebetween the British and the Marathas.The 275-year-old Shukrawari Lake andAmbazari Lake, the largest in the city.Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (150 km),Pench National Park (160 km) and BorTiger Reserve (75 km).

J U L Y - A U G U S T W W W . I N D I A P E R S P E C T I V E S . I N

4. Ernakulam, KeralaBeginning Stone Age, Ernakulam hasbeen the site of human settlement withmonolithic monuments like Dolmensand rock-cut caves seen in differentparts of the city. It was once the capitalof the kingdom of Cochin (now Kochi).In fact, it played an important role infostering trade relations between Keralaand the outside world in the ancient andmedieval periods.

Kochi (8 km), popularly known as theQueen of Arabian Sea, boasts of one ofthe finest natural harbours in the worldand the longest and one of the largestIndian lakes, Vembanad Lake.Mattancherry or Dutch Palace wasbuilt by the Portuguese and presentedto Raja Veera Kerala Varma in 1555AD. It features murals depicting Hindutemple art, portraits and exhibits of thekings of Kochi.Jewish or Paradesi Synagogue, the oldestin the Commonwealth of Nations, wasbuilt in 1568 by the Cochin Jewishcommunity in the kingdom of Cochin.

5. Kanyakumari, Tamil NaduLying at the southernmost tip of mainlandIndia, Kanyakumari is famous for itsspectacular sunrise and sunset as it isnearly surrounded by water. Formerlyknown as Cape Comorin, the city isfamous globally for pilgrimage andtourism.

Much more than a tourist attraction,Vivekananda Rock is more of asacred monument dedicated to oneof the most revered spiritual leaders,Swami Vivekananda.A statue of Thiruvalluvar is erected

near Vivekananda Rock as a memorialto the man who gave Tamil literature

the ‘word that never fails’. Thefoundation stone for the

statue was laid in 1979and the work was

completed in 1999.