PM of India Shri Narendra Modi Ji once described the importance of diverse cultures by saying “Never forget your ancestors, your roots and the place where you come from. Always remember one thing, have a strong bond with your culture, tradition and native places as in these, lie our uniqueness and oneness!!” On the eve of World Tourism Day, Travel Planet is here with some states of India which are rich in culture and are amazing to travel too. Have a look.
Varanasi
Called as the cultural capital of India, Varanasi is one of the oldest and holiest cities in the world. You will experience a mixture of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism here. The city touches the Holy Ganga River and has numerous ghats, temples, and markets that give a touch of the holy place. Varanasi is famous for Ganga river arts, Classical music festival, and artistic sarees.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan is the land of Rajputs and rules the heritage of India. All the cities in Rajasthan are a perfect example of Indian tradition and history. Jaipur and Udaipur have so many experiences in the box starting from folk music, dance, and local cuisines to traditional jewelry. To see India’s history you can visit the forts and hawelis in the pink city “Jaipur” and to perceive Indian architecture you can visit Jag Mandir and city palace in Udaipur.
Kerala
The culture of Kerala is a blend of Arya and Dravidian cultures. The architecture, customs, traditions, languages, performing arts and rituals are derived from Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. The cultural specialties of the state are literature, dance forms, and music forms and there are special institutions to maintain them. Martial art Kalaripayattu also belongs to the state. Kerala perfectly depicts the culture of South India. You can visit Fort Kochi to experience the scenic beauty of Kerala and can also go to Munnar, Kannur and Kerala backwaters.
Gujarat
Gujarat is known for its diverse cultures and rich tradition. To properly understand the heritage of the state you must visit Ahmedabad. You will see various monuments and can have local cuisines. Gujarati people have unique cultures with different faiths, beliefs, art forms, languages and food. You can also witness many beautiful temples in Gujarat.
Kolkata, Bengal
The place gives you a glimpse of European architecture in its landmarks such as Victoria Memorial. Kolkata is The City of Joy which celebrates all festivals, music, Indian culture and traditional prayers. Visit the state during Durga Puja celebration and it will leave you awestruck with its celebrations and amazing pandals you get to watch. One can also relish the lip-smacking food of Kolkata, especially Kolkata Biryani.
Bhubaneswar and Puri
Want to cross among impressive architecture of temples and that too of ages of the 11th century? Travel to Bhubaneswar, Orissa where the Mukteshwar temple, Rajarani Temple, Jagannath Temple in Puri whose rathyatra is famous and many more spiritually and culturally important places will make you love the place. You can also visit to the Konark Temple which looks like a massive chariot and is declared as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Amritsar
This city is the heart of Sikh Culture in India. The most famous, Golden Temple is situated here with temples like Durgiana Temple, Mata Lal Devi Temple etc. can be visited. Many gurudwaras and museums can be visited here which would surely leave you amazed. The Jallianwala Bagh and Wagah Border are famous and a must visit place in Amritsar.
Lucknow
“The City of Nawabs”, this is what it is addressed as. One of the best place to experience Indian culture and heritage is Lucknow. The city is an amalgamation of Hindu and Muslim cultures and is famous for its craftsmanship and painting styles. You can visit the Bara and Chhota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, Dilkusha Kothi, and British Residency Complex.
Hyderabad
The City of Nizams was once ruled by Mughals, Nizams and Sultans and was under the early kingdom of Chalukyas and Kakatiyas. You can plan to visit Char Minar, Golconda Fort, Qutab Shahi tombs, King Kothi Palace, Hussain Sagar, Salar Jung Museum etc. The city is loved by all and especially those who crave for non-vegetarian Indian recipes.
