Discover Ancient India at Ellora Cave

Ellora : Magic Inside

If you are fanatical about ancient India or the other way around, Ellora caves will definitely beguile you. This Maharashtra state ancient cave has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It’s located near Aurangabad, another famous historic site and well-connected from other parts of the state and the country. Except Mondays, the Ellora Cave is open everyday from sunrise to sundown. Its Siamese twin Ajanta is all the way same attracting. 34 caves in total at Ellora will gift you an indication of how creative and intelligent were the ancient people of India. It was by chance discovered by John Smith, a British Army man in 1819.

Enter the world of Ellora to enter the enchantment of ancient India. There are frescos and friezes explaining the basic philosophy of ancient Buddhism. India is a land where many of the globally spread religions took birth as was the case for Buddhism. The place is full of evidences of that era when Buddhism was gradually budding on this ancient land. Ajanta Caves is also a must-go for the tourists. In fact, because of the grottos etched with marvelous sculptures, the place gets more footfall than Ellora. But Ellora itself does not fall much behind because the place has its own historic significance. You will be amazed to know that the birth eon of the place as estimated by the historians of the world dates back to 200 BC to 650 AD.

If you have already started to pack your bags, here are some quick travel tips. The nearest domestic airstrip is Aurangabad where you can fly in from New Delhi and Mumbai. The runway is 30 kilometers from Ellora caves. From there take a government bus or an auto to reach Ellora. Expect to pay around 350-400 INR if you take an auto. You cane also hire a cab from Aurangabad. Hotel Kailash and Hotel Manor are the two good hotels in the area. Be ready to get engrossed by the supernatural ambience of the place as you will literally be mesmerized to discover ancient India at Ellora cave.

History Murmurs in Agra Fort

History Murmurs in Agra Fort

Agra fort is considered as a World Heritage Site as accredited by UNESCO. It’s close to one of the seven wonders of world, the Taj Mahal. Agra fort was the main courthouse of the Mughal emperors therefore holds a strong historical significance. It was the destination for all scholars, ambassadors and travelers during that era.  History will sigh at your ears when you pass the corridors and doors of this old fort. Looking back at its glorious past may help you to understand what the old mansion will probably be saying to you.

Sikandar Lodi was the first emperor to live and rule from this fort of Agra. During his era, this was held as the second capital of India. Ibrahim Lodi, his son, stepped in the shoes of his father and started to rule the whole kingdom from here only. He was defeated by the Mughals in 1526 that captured Agra Fort and the Kohinoor diamond along with it. After the first Mughal king Babar, his worthy son Akbar took the baton of the large monarchy in his mighty hand and started to rule contemporary India from this Agra Fort. The story of the Mughals rolled on in its own pace until the British colonials choked the sovereignty of the country. But Agra Fort still stands as an emblem of the glorious battle of 1857 which was a threshold in Indian history.

As a tourist, you might not want to stay confined only within the stories from the past. For the more curious you, here are some quick facts about the fort of Agra. The Agra fort lies on a huge cut of land of 94 acres. There are four gates of the fort of which the Delhi Gate and the Lahore Gate are most popular. There are three Mahals or divisions in this great historic mansion which are respectively named as Bengali Mahal, Akbari Mahal and Jahangiri Mahal. The artifacts and the composite structure of the fort will tell you the stories of that era. You will truly feel that history murmurs in Agra Fort!