History is something I love and I am very keen to know how our fore fathers lived, the kings, forts etc. So on my visit to England, I went to Warwick castle, that is around two hour drive from London. The entry ticket costed more than £20 which covered the guide who explained every detail, although it didn't have much story that I remember.
It was a big rocky building that stood amidst beautiful green nature. The nature is a blessing in these cold countries. May be it is due to sparse population and extreme winters that keeps nature intact. Anyway, the castle had a number of halls inside, which were decorated and setup with all the furniture as though people lived in it till the day before. There were a number of live performances outside the castle to entertain people. There was so much of effort put in to keep the castle alive and attract tourists that we hardly find in India. The castle didn't leave any lasting impression on me as such history wise but I was impressed by how it was preserved and glorified. No part of the monument seemed old, so nicely maintained with people around so proud and passionate about it. That's when I thought what if the most beautiful forts that I had seen in India, the Amer fort and Agra fort existed here? They would definitely make it to the wonders list :)
It was a big rocky building that stood amidst beautiful green nature. The nature is a blessing in these cold countries. May be it is due to sparse population and extreme winters that keeps nature intact. Anyway, the castle had a number of halls inside, which were decorated and setup with all the furniture as though people lived in it till the day before. There were a number of live performances outside the castle to entertain people. There was so much of effort put in to keep the castle alive and attract tourists that we hardly find in India. The castle didn't leave any lasting impression on me as such history wise but I was impressed by how it was preserved and glorified. No part of the monument seemed old, so nicely maintained with people around so proud and passionate about it. That's when I thought what if the most beautiful forts that I had seen in India, the Amer fort and Agra fort existed here? They would definitely make it to the wonders list :)
Our forts have such rich history and the forts are laid out so well with amazing plans. They have natural heating and cooling system, mind blowing techniques to fool the enemies, amazing carvings and paintings with colours that still come alive and what not! How much do we know about these forts? There are numerous forts like this, the unbeaten Jaljira fort standing in Arabian sea fighting the strong currents every moment and yet in tact, the Red fort are some of the very few that I have seen. There are a numerous unique superb ones which I am yet to see! Apart from forts we have amazing rock architecture like the ones in Hampi, the astronomical wonder Jantar Mantar, the beautiful Taj Mahal, the caves of Ajanta and Ellora, the GolGubaz of Bijapur, the wonderful golden Temple and many other astonishing temples in South India which we all must see in our life time! Nature is no less appealing. The beautiful western ghats that are lush green with water streams every where during rainy seasons are worth a drive around, the Jog falls in Karnataka, the snow capped mountains in Kulu Manali, the mighty Ganga river on the banks of Haridwar, the Amboli falls in Karnataka during rainy season are only a few to name.
Taj Mahal is amazingly breath taking. This beautiful white marvel is no doubt a wonder. The entry fee is a meager Rs.5. But the Agra city does not stand to the reputation of the wonder. The city is very poorly maintained with no due attention to hygiene. I felt frustrated thinking what impression are we leaving on the tourists who come from abroad? Is this the reason why India is depicted as a poor developing country outside? Yes, I think so.
Museums are another good destination abroad. Every city has a museum that it is known for. Every bit is maintained so well. This keeps me thinking all the time about India. Almost every place or city stands for some notable feature. But only thing that lacks is our passion for what we have at home. We always see the green grass on the other side. We could have millions of museums in India showcasing our history, culture, festivals, food, languages, states, religions, diversity and what not. India is an abundant country and what needs is just our realisation.
India has rich history which is not given the attention it needs. All we speak of is the fight for freedom, but there is much beyond that. Tourism must be given a new perspective and the ancient wonders be glorified! Preserving them for our future generations is the need of the hour and it is each one of our responsibility.
Having said that, on our return back to home, we have decided to set out on the tour often to visit all the wonderful places out there and I hope to write my tour diary!
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