Bhimeshwar Temple ( Nainital, Uttarakhand )

Bhimtal is a town and a nagar panchayat in Nainital district in the state of Uttarakhand, India situated at an altitude of 1370 meters above sea level and is about 22 kilometers from Nainital. The major attraction in Bhimtal is the Bhimtal Lake which has an island at its centre. Besides tourism, Bhimtal has also now become a mini district headquarters since most of the district administration offices have been shifted to the newly constructed Vikas Bhawan, the building complex for district administrative offices.

Bhimtal is an ancient place named after Bhima of Mahabharata. Bhimeshwara Mahadev Temple, an old Shiva temple in the bank of Bhimtal lake, is believed to have been built when Bhima visited the place during the banishment (vanvas) period of Pandavas. The present temple was built in 17th century, by Baz Bahadur (1638-78 AD), a King of the Chand dynasty, and the Raja of Kumaon

Bhimtal came under British rule after the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16), when Naintal became the summer capital of the province.

Bhimtal is older than nearby Nainital as the city of Nainital is just 150–160 years old. But Bhimtal has been a stoppage for the travellers of the region from hills to plains or vise versa for a long time. The old pedesterial road is still in use here and this road connects nearby Kathgodam to all Kumaun region and even to Nepal and Tibet. It might have been the part of the famous ancient silk route.

Pavagarh Temple ( Gujarat )

Pavagadh is a historical and religious destination at the base town of Champaner. The hill of Pavagadh rises from Champaner in three stages and this plateau lies at an altitude of 1,471 feet.

image credit : Vaibs

Gateway to Panchmahal, 46 kms away from Vadodara (Baroda), it is a tribal area populated predominantly by the Bhils. The government has granted many concessions and offers subsidies to the new industries coming up in this area.

A pilgrimage spot, called the Shakti Peeth, the Pavagadh hill leads to the hill top temple of the Goddess Kali, who is the incarnation of the Goddesses Parvati, Durga, and Sati as Shakti or power. The mythological belief makes the Pavagadh hill popular is the symbolic toe of the Goddess Sati, who happened to have fallen on earth as the grief-stricken Lord Shiva, Sati’s husband, carried her dead body on his shoulders. The myths and religious fervor attracts around 2.5 million pilgrims and tourists to Pavagadh each year.

image cerdit : srinivasan

Champaner-Pavagadh is promoted as World Heritage site with developments on move as modern tourism destination. GoG promotes tourism to Champaner-Pavagadh site along with other tour packages such as travel spots at Nimetabag, the Azwa lake, Jambughoda Sanctuary and Dhaboi.

Pavagadh along with Champaner and Machi is a UNESCO world heritage site. This site reflects grand historical confluence, displaying 1,200 years of history and culture. It is believed to bear testimony to the Indian Puranic ages, the Rajput saga, the glory of the reign of the Marathas, the Islamic influences and finally lays proof to the British occupation within its remain.

The 15th Century Muslim influence as muslim period began with Muhammad Begada defeating the Patai Raval clan that was ruling the area, and strategically moving his capital from Ahmedabad to the Champaner site.

Pavagadh is also known as the birthplace of Gujarat’s famous musician, Baiju Bawra.

Haji Ali Mosque ( Mumbai )

image credit : raymond chenon

Haji Ali is a venerated tomb (dargah) of the Muslims. Not only from Mumbai, people from all parts of India come to pay homage to this mosque. Located on an island off the shoreline of Worli, Haji Ali Mosque looks stunning amidst the blue waters of the sea. It also makes the most popular landmark of Bombay. In 1431, the mosque was built by Haji Ali – a rich Muslim merchant, who gave up all worldly charms before going to the pilgrimage of Mecca.

image credit : Bad Photos of Foreign Places

As per the legends, Haji Ali left this world during his journey to Mecca and a coffer carrying his body hovered back to Mumbai. Other stories state that the great saint drowned at the place, where the mosque stands at present. On Thursdays and Fridays, the shrine is visited by at least 40,000 pilgrims. Irrespective of faith and religion, people visit the ‘dargah’ to get the blessings of the legendary saint.

The edifice is a brilliant specimen of the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. Built on a small island, the mosque is sited about 500 yards from the shoreline, in the middle of Worli Bay. This island is connected to the Mahalakshmi area by a narrow walkway, which is not even constrained by railings and is prone to sea waters during high-tide. Consequently, you can reach the mosque only during low-tides.

The walkway, offering 500-yard-walk, is the highlight of this expedition, where the touch of cool waters and pleasing breeze altogether will make this a divine experience. Sprawling in an area of 4,500 meters, Haji Ali Dargah has a tomb that is always covered with a brocaded red and green sheet, supported by a delicate silver frame. The marble pillars inside the main hall are decorated with multihued mirrors and embrace the ninety-nine names of Allah.