A vacation to the hills of Shimla or the landscapes of Kerala can sound too mainstream. If you are interested in places which will fascinate you just more than their natural beauty, take a tour to the following, a virtual one for now.
- Shani Shignapur in Maharashtra – A village without any doors: Shani Shignapur in the state of Maharashtra is known for its famous Shani Temple. They say that the village has never seen any crime, which is directly attributed to the prayers and blessings of Goddess Shani. The village, apparently, has not a single door frame or locks in the homes. Observing the nil crime rates, the UCO Bank too opened a branch without any lock in Shignapur – the one and first of its kind in the country.
- Bibi ka Maqbara – the replica of Taj Mahal in Aurangabad: Did you know that there is not one but also another Taj Mahal in the country? When you pay a visit to Aurangabad, which is just a few hours’ drive from Mumbai, go and explore ‘Mini-Taj’ – Bibi Ka Maqbara which was built by Prince Azam Shah built in the fond memory of his mother.
- Gue Village in Spiti – Mummy of Sangha Tenzing: If you think that mummies are found in only Egypt, reconsider your thought. In a small town called Gue, which lies in Himachal’s district of Spiti, nestles the amazingly well-preserved 600-year-old mummy which is of Sangha Tenzing, who was a Buddhist monk belonging to Tibet. Found in a position where he is setting, his hair and skin are intact.
- Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh – The Hanging Pillar : Lepakshi, related to the Ramayana is a historical place located near Hindupur town of Andhra Pradesh and 120 km drive from Bangalore. The temple has various paintings on its roof; then there are the hanging pillars, Sita’s cradle, the Shivalinga and Nandi idol, all of which are major attractions.
- Shetpal in Maharashtra – the land of snakes: Shetpal in the Sholapur district of Maharashtra is known for its worship of snakes. Every house in the village has a place for cobras to rest in their ceiling’s rafters. Not a single case of snake bite has been reported till date in this village even though snakes move about freely in the houses.
- Magnetic hill in Ladakh – Defying Magnetic Laws : A popular destination among tourists, a short drive from the Gurudwara of Pathar Sahib lie the Magnetic Hills on the Leh Highway. What makes it famous is that it gives the illusion of vehicles moving upward slowly. Do not forget to capture this magic on your camera!” The hills lie at an altitude of 10,000 feet above sea level and are one of the must-see places on the way to Leh.
Most of the places above are well connected by rail and if not, are short road trips from their nearest cities. With great delivery of food in trains, you do not need to worry about the long travel distance either if you really want to visit these fascinating places.
About the author – The author loves to travel and pen down her experiences. She mixes her passion for traveling with her profession of freelance writing for travelkhana.com and other portals.