Incredible India!
I spent two summers living in Bangalore, India and have visited various other parts of the country on multiple occasions. India is a beautiful country with amazing people. The people are generous and find joy in things large and small. They have taught me a lot about myself, and to be grateful for the privilege of living my life.
Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrate it for everything that it is.”
– Mandy Hale
Below I share some of the amazing places I have visited in India, as well as try and show you why I keep going back! For tips on preparing to travel to India, check out this post. Here are some recommended spots to visited in India:
Recommendations in Northern India
Amritsar
Amritsar is home to the holiest Sikh temple, the Harmandir Sahib, commonly known as the Golden Temple. This is the most important site of pilgrimage for Sikhs, and common site for visitors of various religions to visit.
Golden Temple
Before entering the Golden Temple all guests must remove their shoes and cover their heads. If you forget to bring a head covering there are barrels outside the entrances with scarves for visitors to use. Before entering, you must clean your feet by walking through a shallow pool of water, and then you are ready to enter the temple.
As soon as you walk in you can see a rather large pool of water (the sarvour), and then the glorious golden topped temple.
The size of everything in the complex is amazingly large. The pool that surrounds the temple is 510 feet on each side. The water in the pool is considered holy water, thus bathing in it and taking bottles of it home are common. While males can enter the pool anywhere to bathe, there are special areas for women. The women’s areas are enclosed, allowing females to maintain modesty.
Langar
The temple has a large dining hall (the langar). Volunteers prepare the food and wash all the dishes. All visitors are welcome to enjoy the meal, for free, and can have as many meals per day as needed. The food is all paid for by donations.
The temple has many rooms that are open to guests who need a place to sleep, in the evenings. These rooms are available at no charge, and along with the daily meals are a welcome sight for the less fortunate living in the area, or those on long journeys who need a place to stay. This is a great service to the community, and showcases the Sikh commitment to equality.
Jallianwala Bagh
About 500 yards away from the Golden Temple is Jallianwala Bagh – a memorial garden. The garden memorializes the events of April 13, 1919, a Sikh holiday, and day that some 20,000 Indian people gathered on the site to protest British legislation (ignoring British rules against gathering). The British learned of the protest and positioned troops at the entrance to the garden where they began shooting. Several hundred people were killed and thousands were injured that day. Some people even jumped into the well, seeing it as the only potential way to survive. These events contributed to the start of Gandhi’s noncooperation movement, and can be seen in the movie Gandhi.
There is an eternal flame burning and memorial to those that lost their lives. However, the rest of the garden really attempts to paint the picture of April 13. Topiaries throughout the garden are shaped like soldiers shooting guns. The bullet holes from the shooting remain in the walls with circles around many of them to show the many rounds of gun fire. The sounds of gun fire fill the air of the garden. Being in this space is quite an experience, one that I am at a loss for words to truly explain.
These two sites were quite remarkable, each in their own way. This wonderful day in Amritsar was full of learning for me, and one of my most favorite days in India. As you might suspect there are a lot of tourists in the city, and many people peddling different tours. I suggest you secure the services of a reputable tour guide in advance.
Dharamshala
Dharamshala is home to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. The Tibet Museum is a great place to begin exploring. This free museum details the struggles of the Tibetan people and why many of them, including the Dalai Lama, now live in India. It is a small museum, only take about 45 minutes to go through, which is very informative and captivating.
Namgyal Monastery
Up the hill from The Tibet museum is Namgyal Monastery. As you approach the monastery, you will undoubtedly see monks. In the mornings you will see several monks, arranged in groups of two, one sitting and one standing, questioned each other on the Buddhists teachings. After morning classes the monks take to the grass outside and first question each other in groups of twos or threes, and then get into larger groups to question each other. This is very interesting to watch. They have certain hand signals that they use, signaling the end of the question and that they are ready to hear the answer.
Thekchen Choling Temple
After taking in the monks, one should be sure to visit the temple in the monastery. The Thekchen Choling Temple has two sections, each with a large seat for His Holiness, covered in yellow cloth since he is not present. The temple rooms themselves are not very large. There is a lot of gold and many Buddha statues. A hallway lined with MANI prayer wheels is just outside the first room. These wheels, filled with thousands of mantras written on a scroll of paper, are to be turned clockwise to earn the merit equal to the thousands of mantras inside the wheel.
Around the corner from the prayer wheels is the entrance to the second temple room. This room has a very large gold Buddha in it as well as two bookcases filled with original buddhist writings. These writings are all that came from Tibet, as the Tibetans fled from the Chinese.
The Dalai Lama’s residence is directly across from the monastery, though it is not open to the public. If visiting Dharamshala, check the Dalai Lama’s schedule before you travel, to see if you can attend a public appearance. You should do this well in advance, as tickets tend to sell out quickly.
Norbulingka Institute
H. H. Dalai Lama created the Norbulingka Institute to preserve traditional Tibetan arts and craft skills. Master artists train apprentices in wood carving, creating the MANI prayer wheels, painting, appliqué, and embroidery. Visitors can walk into the studios and see the artists in action.
Along with the art studios, the institute features a doll museum, café and a temple. This temple is more impressive than the one in the monastery. This is a larger temple with higher ceilings, and along side the giant gold Buddha in this temple was a painting showing the stages of Buddha’s life.
Dharamshala is quite a place and seeing the monks and the temple the H.H. Dalai Lama presides over, as well as the artists at work in the institute was amazing. This is definitely a city I would suggest everyone visit if given the opportunity. Seeing the monks walk through the city, as well as the cleanliness and safety of the city, set it apart from other Indian cities.
Recommendations in Southern India
Mysore
Mysore, the original capital of the state of Karnataka, and is a 4 hour bus ride from Bangalore. Compared to Bangalore, Mysore is a smaller, quieter city, making it easier and safer to navigate. Here are my suggestions for sights to visit in Mysore.
Devaraja Market
The market is outdoors, and rather large. There is a a row of vendors selling fruit, veggies, and spices. The 2nd isle has vendors selling wood works and jewelry. The third isle is full of saris and silk goods (Mysore is the silk capital of India). Walking through the market is a fabulous cultural experience.
Chamundi Hill
Chamundi Hill is a hill that allows for amazing views of the entire city of Mysore, and is home to the Chamundeshwari Temple. The road to the temple features vendors selling all sorts of goods. There are cows in the streets and monkeys running around the buildings. A walk around the hill, a visit to the temple, and a look over the side of the hill, are all recommended. After visiting the top of the hill, a stop at the statue of Nandi – a 16 ft. elephant statue carved in granite – is suggested on your way back to the city.
Mysore Palace
Mysore Palace is one of the largest Palaces in India and the grounds are even larger. The palace is now a museum, featuring amazing wood work, beautiful stained glass and interesting paintings. Seeing the palace lit up in the evening is a special treat. A sound and light show is conducted in the evenings at the palace, except on Sundays and public holidays. Seeing the palace all lit up is highly encouraged.
Mysore Zoo
The Mysore Zoo is not necessarily a must see, but if you have some extra time, it is a fun way to spend a couple of hours. There are a ton of larger animals including giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos, leopards and tigers. The zoo is privately funded and features fairly large animal enclosures, given the zoo environment.
Planet X
If you are looking for some fun, Planet X is the place to be. It is a small amusement park of sorts. Mini-golf, go-carts, bowling and an arcade are all part of the fun awaiting participants. Additionally, they are open until 11:00 p.m., so this is a great option for evenings in Mysore. Planet X it is on the outskirts of town, so it can be tricky to catch an auto rickshaw late at night. Thus, making an arrangement for transportation at the end of the evening, before enjoying the fun, can serve one well.