India is the land of diverse religions, cultures, natural landscapes with 1.2 billion people and has the 7th largest area in the world. There are a number of interesting travel destinations across different parts of the country, spanning from Kashmir in the North to Kanyakumari in the South and West Bengal in the West to Assam in the East. It consists of beautiful beaches, wildlife, historical monuments, deserts, backwaters and the list goes on.
Here are the top five unexplored travel destinations of India that will give you a glimpse of the choices that this land offers:
1. Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh
Image by: Gopal Venkatesan
Andhra Pradesh is famous for Tirupati, one of the richest and most visited temples in the world. Here Lord Venkateshwara or Balaji is worshipped on top of seven hills. There is yet another pilgrim center located 120 Km from Kurnool District called “Ahobilam” also renowned as “Nava Narasimha Kshetra”. This is told to be a place where Lord Narasimha (5th incarnation of Vishnu) killed the evil Hiranyakasipu and saved his beloved devotee Prahalada. There are a group of 9 separate temple shrines that were built by Vijayanagar kings in the 16th Century, for the different forms of Lord Narasimha. Many of these temples have easy access while few of them have to be reached by difficult trekking on rocky paths, as this is situated amidst thick forests. The Jwala Narasimha temple is one such difficult place that is encompassed by scenic beauty of the Nallamala Hills. There is also a waterfall on the way which is why it is worth seeing.
2. Majuli Island, Assam
Image by: Suraj Kumar Das
Majuli is one of the world’s largest river water islands formed by Brahmaputra River located 200 km east of the Guwahati city. The Majuli consists of people from varied cultures but is majorly inhibited by missing tribes, who migrated from Arunachal Pradesh several centuries ago. The tourists visit the place for experiencing the pollution free air and wonderful ambience away from the mundane urban life. In the words of Innisfree of William Butler Yeats, Majuli is an island where peace comes dropping slow. It is popular destination for bird watchers who can witness around 100 species of birds. The “Stoke” is one of the endangered species which can be seen perched atop many tall trees in Majuli Island. It is also the cultural center of neo-Vaishnavism and has 6 “Satras” or Monasteries that were setup by Saints.
3. Tinchuley, Darjeeling
Tinchuley is a small mountain village situated in Darjeeling district. The meaning of Tinchuley is 3 ovens and got this name as its conglomeration of 3 hills to resemble an oven. This is still an unexplored new tourist place and is promoted by WWF as an organic village. Nature walking, Trekking and Bird watching are some of the activities that can be done. “Tinchuley viewpoint” facing Mt. Kanchenjunga gives a spectacular view of the sunrise and the snow clad mountains of the Himalayas. “Gumpha Dara viewpoint” facing the river Rangit and part of Sikkim is another view point. There are large rocks in the midst of dense forest at Gumpha Dara which the rock climbers will love to venture. Under the rocks there are hidden caves that are full of mystery and a treat for those who love to explore. Among others that are a must visit are Tinchuley monastery, Tista River and T Rungli Rungliot Tea Estate.
4. Kaas Plateau, Pune
Image by: Sebastian Joseph
Kaas Plateau (Kaas Pathar in Marathi) also known as Valley of Flowers (not to be confused with Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand), is near Sahyadri range of Western Ghats and 22 km from Satara. The place is declared as a world heritage site. Total area is 1000 hectares over which there are close to 850 species of flowers and other plants like Orchids. The soil is not suitable for any vegetation as it is Basalt and formation of the plateau is by volcanic erosion. The wild flowers blossom during the months of August to September and last till October and those are the best times for tourism by nature lovers and scientists. There are few other tourist destinations close by worth visiting like Kaas Lake, Sajjangad fort, Kanher Dam, Vajarai Waterfall. There are lots of other attractions like boating, caves, picnic spots, temples etc. An important aspect is that there are no Hotels/Lodges but tourists need to stay in home stays provided by locals.
5. Tosh, Himachal Pradesh
Image by: Ashok Neelakanta
Tosh is the untouched beauty of the Himalayas and is 5 km from Barshani. You can reach the place either by trekking or by road. Compared to places around, Tosh is thinly populated and is a favourite stop for Hippies. If chosen to go by trekking you can pass through the Marijuana plantations. Finding an accommodation will not be of much difficulty as there are few hotels at affordable prices for stay in the village. Food options that are available are Italian, Israeli and Indian. The village is situated on a mountain slope overlooking a small dam and waterfall. There are many pizza joints, tea stalls and restaurants. Nights are longer at Tosh as the party noise becomes louder in combination with ballet dancing, live music and delicious food. Kasol is another place that is very close to Tosh that tourists will not miss to visit. So Tosh is a perfect getaway for relaxation during the day and partying as the sun sets in. Tourists can visit Tosh and Tinchuley for scenic splendour as that is closer to Himalayas, for bird lovers Majuli Island is the place to be, for enjoying the various species of natural flowers there is Kaas Plateau and for the pilgrimage one can go to Ahobilam.
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