See India through heritage destinations

When summer rolls around, the desire to travel peaks for many especially for children. It’s hard to decide an apt vacation for you and your family. Vacation is the time to reconnect and relax with family, to recreate favourite childhood memories and new ones together.

India holds its eternal glory with its head held high when it comes to culture and history. After the latest edition of World Heritage Sites in India, the country has 36 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO and that makes India among one of the top countries globally in terms of a number of world heritage sites.

Taj Mahal, Agra
A monument which symbolises love of Shah Jahan to his wife Mumtaz. World famous for its beauty as it has a prestigious place in “Seven Wonders of the World”. The “Sangmarmar” stones make it the monument, which should be on every traveller’s list. The best time to visit the Taj is from sunrise to sunset. Kids will surely be astonished by the architecture and it will be surely on their must-do list in future.

Jaipur, Rajasthan
Kids will be astonished by the tryst of royalty that Jaipur offers. Popularly known as “Pink City” it has the monuments well preserved and a glimpse of proud Rajputana culture. Let them be royal kings by taking them to famous elephant ride to Amber Fort. Hawa Mahal of Jaipur also attracts many tourists and don’t forget them to take Nahargarh Fort.

Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar
A sacred place for Buddhist living all around the world. Built-in Dravidian style around the Bodhi tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. A place where kids will get the message of peace and self-control loud and clear. A peaceful place not only for kids but for anyone who wants to give time to oneself.

Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
Ajanta caves one of the significant milestones of Buddhist art. During Gupta period (5th and 6th century) many more paintings were added. Situated at Aurangabad, Maharashtra, the caves present rich Indian culture, and art. Children visiting this place will be overwhelmed by the cultural aspect it provides. It attracts tourist from every corner of the country and from the world.

Kaziranga National Park, Assam
A thrilling wildlife will always attract kids and it is the best choice if you are looking for wildlife adventure. It is home to great one-horned rhinoceroses which attracts many tourists. The world heritage site is located on the edge of Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity hotspot providing high species diversity and visibility. The park is also home to buffaloes, swamp deer, and elephants.

Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra
A milestone in Indian architecture where rock-cut cave temple was carved out of single solid basalt rock. The caves are full of temples of Hindu god and goddess. The main attraction in the cave is a sculpture of Lord Shiva, which shows his three moods as the creator, the destroyer and the preserver and sculpture of Mount Kailash, Parvati and Ravana are masterpieces. Kids will see the beautiful side of Indian art and architecture and will also give a unique experience for them.

Ruins of Hampi, Karnataka
It may be in ruins today but Hampi which is in northern Karnataka project the riches, grandeur which Vijayanagara boasted for. It is being listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The kids will love the richness and endeavour the place provides. It is sure that the kids will change their mind about India after exploring the ruins.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, West Bengal
Toy train the name itself will excite the kids. The toy train is 2ft narrow gauge railway based on zigzag and loop-line technology which runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. It started by the British government in the 19th century. The journey unfurls some of the magnificent scenes of nature. The delightful scene of Kanchenjunga is revealed to the travellers as they reach the highest point in Jorbunglow (2438) meters. The kids will certainly love the journey in the Himalayas and they will definitely say “Once More”.

By: Jayanth Sharma
The writer is co-founder & CEO of Toehold.