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Swaminarayan Akshardham is a huge temple complex located in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat. It took 13 long years to build this temple. Spread over 23 acres in area, the temple is a tribute to Swaminarayan, his life, and his teachings which encompasses the BAPS philosophy. Continue reading “Akshardham temple: Interesting facts to know”
The native cuisine of Allahabad is Mughlai and Awadhi. But being a large and central state, one can find the influence of food cultures from neighboring states like Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Haryana.
Allahabad welcomes a wide array of tourists, mostly from spiritual perspectives. Hence, you can find a variety in the vegetarian dishes as well, and needless to mention, entire Uttar Pradesh serves the best meat dishes.
Following are some of the food, you should definitely try in Allahabad.
Chole Bhature combination makes a great meal. Chole is the chickpeas curry and Bhature is a deep-fried, fluffy all purpose flour bread. In Allahabad, the restaurants and vendors serve them with onion and sometimes salad, which makes a perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Kathi Rolls did not originate in Allahabad but are now a popular street food in the city. In this dish, minced chicken and sauteed spices are stuffed in a semi-cooked roti and rolled. It is then served with green chutney or tamarind chutney.
Korma is traditionally a meat dish. The meat is cleaned and braised with yogurt, water, and spices, which gives this curry a thick gravy texture.
Kachori Sabji is a popular breakfast in Allahabad. Especially in the morning, you can find several street vendors and pull carts selling the freshly prepared Kachori and Sabji. Kachori is a crisp stuffed bread and sabji is a gravy-based vegetable. Generally, the Sabji served is potato curry or the peas and chana (chickpeas) curry.
It is generally a chicken dish, served as curry with chapatis or rice. Although the name sounds weird but is one of the easiest chicken dishes, which can be prepared in comparatively lesser time. In Allahabad, the vegetarian version of this dish is also available.
Have a look at this recipe here, and you will get a better understanding of what this dish is about.
You can also hire a cab in Allahabad on day rental and enjoy the food trail.
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The ultimate guide to one day Allahabad trip
Hampi, located in the east-central part of Karnataka state of India, homes the ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire of the Indian history. According to the Persian and European chronicles, Hampi was a grand city on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. During 1500 CE, Hampi was also the second largest medieval-era city after Beijing.
Located in the hilly terrain formed by granite boulders, Hampi covers an area of about 41.5 square kilometers. There are about 1600 monuments built between 1336 and 1570 CE during the Vijayanagara empire.
The Virupaksha temple is the oldest and an important Hindu pilgrimage. The other notable structures of Hampi are-
There are many Jain temples in the compound dating from the same era, of which, the Ganagitti temple complex is the main.
During 1565 CE, at the battle of Talikota, the Vijayanagara empire was defeated by a coalition of Muslim sultanates. The kingdom was captured, pillaged, and destroyed by the armies. It is said that the city was burnt to ashes for six months after the war. Today, what we see is the ruins of this wonderful kingdom.
Hampi showcases the grandeur of the ancient empires. What makes Hampi so special is that it features an entire kingdom and not just a monument. Had it not been ruined, Hampi and the Vijayanagara kingdom would have been a living legend of administration and township. If you are planning a trip, you can also book an intercity cab in Hampi for sightseeing and onward journey.
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Gangtok is the largest and capital town of the Sikkim state of India. It homes a diverse ethnic group and hence the town celebrates a number of local festivals. The town is also integral to the Tibetan Buddhist culture. Following are some of the distinct regional festivals of the town. Continue reading “Gangtok: A cultural tour”
It is also known as Shah-e-Hamadan Masjid or simply Khanqah mosque. It is a shrine of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani.
It is a renowned mosque in Srinagar with Indo-Saracenic architecture.
Opened in 2007, Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden was formerly a Model Floriculture Center and now an expensive tulip garden with different species of colorful flowers.
Nadir Yakhni is a dish made from lotus stem. The lotus stem is soft and brittle and is cooked in milk and yogurt.
Gushtaba is a slow cooked lamb dish. The traditional spices including saffron are added which incorporates a unique flavor to this dish. Gushtaba is the name derived from Gosht, meaning meat.
Kangri is a woven basket with an earthen pot inside. It is a utility in Kashmir but for travelers, it can be a wonderful souvenir.
The Kashmiri shawls, especially the pashmina shawls are famous worldwide for their smooth texture and the warmth they induce. An interesting fact about the Pashmina shawl is it can pass through a finger ring.
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Find a quick way to reach Srinagar
5 places near Srinagar that will keep you awestruck
Fall in love with these amazing food of Srinagar