India

802 Pages·2014·180.826 MB·English

by  Roshen Dalal et al.

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
INDIA
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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
INDIA

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
INDIA
Managing Editor Aruna Ghose
Managing Art Editor Bindia Thapar Ashokan Capital, Sarnath
Project Editor Nandini Mehta
Editors Madhulita Mohapatra, Vandana Mohindra,
Ranjana Saklani, Alissa Sheth Contents
Designers Benu Joshi, Mugdha Sethi, Priyanka Thakur
Cartographers Uma Bhattacharya, Kishorchand Naorem
Photo Editor Radhika Singh
Introducing India
Picture Researcher Kiran K Mohan
Dtp Coordinator Shailesh Sharma
Dtp Designer Jessica Subramanian Discovering
Main Contributors India 8
Roshen Dalal, Partho Datta, Divya Gandhi, Premola Ghose,
Ashok Koshy, Abha Narain Lambah, Annabel Lopez, Sumita Mehta, George Michell,
Rudrangshu Mukherji, Meenu Nageshwaran, Rushad R Nanavatty, Ira Pande, Usha Raman, Putting India
Janet Rizvi, Ranee Sahaney, Deepak Sanan, Darsana Selvakumar,
Sankarshan Thakur, Shikha Trivedi, Lakshmi Vishwanathan on the Map 18
Consultant George Michell
A Portrait of
Photographers
Clare Arni, Fredrik & Laurence Arvidsson, M Balan, Dinesh Khanna, Amit Pasricha, India 22
Bharath Ramamrutham, Toby Sinclair, BPS Walia
Illustrators India Through
Avinash Ramsurrun, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Danny Cherian, R Kamalahasan, Surat Kumar the Year 38
Mantoo, Arun P, Suman Saha, Ajay Sethi, Ashok Sukumaran, Gautam Trivedi, Mark Warner

Printed by Vivar Printing Sdn Bhd, Malaysia The History of India 44
First published in Great Britain in 200X
by Dorling Kindersley Limited Delhi & The North
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL
14 15 16 17 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Reprinted with revisions 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014 Introducing Delhi &
Copyright 2002, 2014 © Dorling Kindersley Limited, London The North 62
A Penguin Random House Company
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in Delhi 72
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner.
Haryana & Punjab 102
A CIP catalogue record is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 40932 937 4
Himachal Pradesh 112
Floors are referred to throughout in accordance with British usage;
ie the “first floor” is the floor above ground level.
Ladakh, Jammu
& Kashmir 138
Central India
Introducing
The information in this Central India 160
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible Uttar Pradesh
at the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers,
opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are & Uttarakhand 170
liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences
arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third party websites, and
cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source of Bihar & Jharkhand 216
travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly.
Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley,
Madhya Pradesh &
80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL, UK, or email: [email protected].
Chhattisgarh 230
Front cover main image: The Taj Mahal at sunset, Agra
Pretty interiors of the historic City Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan
Eastern India
Introducing
Eastern India 260
Kolkata (Calcutta) 270
West Bengal & Sikkim 288
Odisha 308
Assam &
The Northeast 326 The Gateway of India with the red-domed Taj Mahal Hotel behind it
South India Survival Guide
Western India
Introducing Practical Information 734
Introducing
South India 550
Western India 344
Travel Information 748
Chennai (Madras) 560
Rajasthan 354
General Index 760
Tamil Nadu 580
Gujarat 412
Acknowledgments 788
Andaman Islands 620
Further Reading 792
Kerala 628
Glossary 794
Andhra Pradesh 662
Phrase Book 796
Travellers’ Needs
Where to Stay 690
Where to Eat & Drink 704
Shops & Markets 720
An array of tangy savouries, very popular
among Rajasthanis Entertainment 724
Southwestern
Outdoor Activities
India & Specialist Holidays 726
Introducing Kandariya Mahadev Temple
(see pp240–41) at
Southwestern India 436
Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
Mumbai (Bombay) 446
Maharashtra 468
Goa 488
Karnataka 514

INTRODUCING
INDIA
Discovering India 8–17
Putting India on the Map 18–21
A Portrait of India 22–37
India Through the Year 38–43
The History of India 44–61
(cid:3)
8 INTRODUCING INDIA
DISCOVERING INDIA
The following tours have been designed to the majestic Himalayan region of the far north.
take in as many of this vast country’s highlights The first of the four subsequent week-long
as possible, separated into regions to keep itineraries covers Mumbai & Maharashtra in
long-distance travel within reason. First comes central India, followed by three exotic southern
a 3-day tour of India’s grand capital Delhi, routes, featuring the highlights of Goa &
which can be combined with the Golden Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Pick,
Triangle to make a ten-day tour. Next, comes a combine and follow your favourite tours,
more extensive two-week itinerary, covering or simply dip in and out and be inspired.
10 Days in the Golden Triangle
Key
• Rub shoulders with • Gaze at the sculpted 10 Days in the Golden
devout Muslims at the domes crowning the Triangle
Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. stunning buildings of the 2 Weeks in the Himalaya
• Stroll along the wide, former Mughal capital of 1 Week in Mumbai & RAJASTHAN
avenues of New Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri. Maharashtra
admiring its grand • Admire the pink façade 1 Week in Goa & Karnataka
colonial architecture. of Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal. 1 Week in Kerala
• Savour superb views of • Sit comfortably atop an 1 Week in Tamil Nadu
the Taj Mahal across the elephant as it ambles
Yamuna River from the up the cobbled pathway
ramparts of Agra Fort. to Amber Fort.
GUJARAT
Tapti
0 kilometres 300
0 miles 300
Arabian
Sea
Mumbai
Pune
1 Week in Goa &
Karnataka
• Walk around and admire the
Portuguese colonial architec- GOA
Panaji
ture and the churches of
A decorated elephant at the Hawa Mahal in Goa’s capital, Panaji. Palolem
Jaipur, Rajasthan • Relax on the beach and sip
a drink beneath the palms at
1 Week in Mumbai & Maharashtra Palolem or even more laid
back Agonda.
• Take a boat ride from • Gain an insight into the • Meander through the
the imposing Gateway life of Mahatma Gandhi sprawling ruins of Hampi.
of India to Elephanta at the Aga Khan Palace • Stand agog at the pure
Island and explore its in Pune, where he opulence and magnificence
Hindu cave temples. was imprisoned. of Mysore’s Amba Vilas Palace.
• Be amazed at the wealth • Admire the details of • Stock up on tropical fruit at
of sculptures at the the extraordinary murals Mysore’s colourful market for
stately Prince of Wales at the Buddhist rock-cut the walk downhill from the
Museum. caves of Ajanta. temple atop Chamundi Hill.
Painting of the Battle of Pollilur in Tipu Sultan’s summer palace