Top 10 Must-see Places in India

Although India is not a mainstream tourist destination, travellers to the country will be fascinated by its rich cultural heritage and religious qualities. India is one of the four ancient civilisations, and 28 historical sites have been assessed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, among which the Taj Mahal, the Ganges River, the Agra Fort, the Red Fort in Delhi and other tourist attractions in India are the most precious tourist resources.

1. Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal (Taj Mahal) is known as the world's most beautiful mausoleum, it is the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for the Empress Ajman Bhanu spent a huge amount of money to build as a consort of the long resting place, and has become a recitation of the myth of love, travellers who come to India are sure to go to the Taj Mahal to visit. This palatial mausoleum is constructed of pure white marble and inlaid with a variety of magnificent gems. The completely symmetrical aesthetics of the building combines Indian and Persian architectural art.

2. Ganges River

The Ganges is the mother river of India and the source of life in Varanasi. Countless Hindus have travelled thousands of miles to Varanasi throughout their lives. When the first light of dawn in the east crosses the river, the believers put their hands together and chant under their breath, and then slowly walk into the Ganges to bathe and purify themselves. They are convinced that the water of the Ganges cleanses them of sins and diseases and helps the soul to ascend to heaven.

In the evening, the Ganges Night Festival begins at the altar of the Dashashwamedh Ghat, where more than a dozen Brahmin priests perform chants and dances using instruments such as kesu, candles and conch horns. Some religious families also bring the body of the deceased to Varanasi for cremation and scatter the ashes in the river. Travellers can watch the ceremony quietly from the sidelines, but remember not to make comments or noise. Although the water of the Ganges looks very murky and people come to bathe, wash, worship and cremate, the Ganges remains the holiest river in their hearts.

3. Agra Fort

Agra Fort is just a river away from the Taj Mahal, so many travelers arrange to visit these two attractions together. Agra Fort architecture can be said to be the peak of Indian and Islamic art masterpiece, it was built in 1573, with the dual function of palace and castle. Agra Fort is also known as the Red Fort as it is made of red sandstone. Though the palace inside the fort is in a state of disrepair, the elaborate carvings and designs on the beams and walls still give the travelers a taste of the grandeur of the past.

Travelers can enter the castle from the Amar Singh Gate and climb to the second floor of the castle, the second floor of the red sandstone walls have a row of small windows, one of which is facing the Taj Mahal in the distance, it is said that when the Indian Mughal Emperor - Shah Jahan is through this small window, day and night looking at the Taj Mahal.

4. Delhi Red Fort

Located in the old city of north-east Delhi, the Delhi Red Fort was a royal palace during the Mughal Empire. Similar to the Agra Fort, this Islamic-style fort is also made of red sandstone with imposing red walls, and the palaces in the city are made of marble and red sand. Before entering the citadel, travellers can visit the shopping street, which sells Indian-inspired souvenirs. Outside the fort, the moat meadow is a popular place for locals to relax and enjoy the sunset at dusk.

5. Amber Fort

The Amber Fort is the ancient capital of Jaipur, so called because the fort is built of creamy white, light yellow, rose red and pure white stone, which looks like amber from a distance. The palace's vaulted roofs, marble corbels with floral and botanical carvings, and geometrically detailed latticework window panes are all influenced by the Mughal architectural style. The most famous feature of the Amber Palace is the glass palace built in 1675, which was beautifully decorated with glass and coloured gemstones inlaid in the walls, many of which have unfortunately been removed. There are many other historic palaces in the Amber Fort that are worth seeing. If you see colourful elephants with Indian-style tattoos near the fort, travellers can pay to ride them up the stone path along the moat walls as if they were re-enacting court paintings of princes and lords on tour. But for the love of animals, think carefully about whether you want to ride on one.

6. Lotus Temple

The appearance of the Lotus Temple is the same as its name, like a blooming white lotus flower. The whole temple is built by white marble, located in the centre of the pond, the lotus flower symbolises purity, holiness, by the Hindu and Buddhist sects as a sacred object, but also by the contemporary Indian people as the national flower, so the lotus flower and the Indian religion and culture are closely related. It is now visited by an average of 4.5 million tourists per year, more than the Taj Mahal, making it the most visited building in India. There are no special rituals for worshippers or visitors to the temple, and regardless of your religion, all anyone needs to do is take off their shoes and enter the temple and sit down for a moment of contemplative prayer.

7. Delhi India Gate

Delhi is divided into the Old and New Cities, separated by the Delhi India Gate, bounded by the famous Ramlila Square, with New Delhi to the south of the square and Old Delhi to the north of the square. India Gate was built to honour the 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives for British India in the First World War and the Third Anglo-German War. Under the flag of India Gate is the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, also known as Amar Jawan Jyoti, which means Flame of the Immortal Soldier. And the armed soldiers in front of India Gate are guarding this flame that will never be extinguished.

8. City Palace

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan in north-west India, is a romantic city as the facades of all homes, from the royal palaces down, are painted in a magnificent pink colour that signifies welcome and hospitality. The city palace, built in 1728, is one of the best preserved monuments in India and is still inhabited by descendants of the Maharaja family. Part of the palace has been converted into a museum for travellers to visit, which houses a collection of ancient weapons, carpets, paintings, treasures used by the kings, etc. It is of great historical and artistic value, and is the best place to visit if you want to know more about the royal culture of India.

9. Palace of the Winds

Built in the mid-18th century, the Palace of the Winds has 953 honeycomb windows densely packed into its pink walls. It is a masterpiece of Indian architectural history, many windows make the palace of any place can be ventilated. In the event of a gale, the windows can be opened to allow the wind to blow through the front and back windows without knocking the building down, hence the name ‘Palace of the Winds’. This unique building was originally designed to allow the concubines to overlook the streets and festivities while protecting them from being seen by men other than their husbands.

10. Jatrapati Shivaji Station

Jatrapati Shivaji Station in Mumbai is one of the World Heritage Sites. It is full of Victorian architecture and traditional Indian style, which makes you think that you are in a European country for a moment. The first train in India departed from here in 1853. The station is a landmark in Mumbai and was the setting for the dance scene in the famous film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.