Ambreshwar Shiva Temple

The Ambreshwar Shiva Temple is a historic 11th-century Hindu temple, still in use, at Ambarnath near Mumbai, in Maharashtra, India. It is also known as the Shiv Mandir, Ambarnath.

It is situated on the bank of Vadavan (Waldhuni) river, 2 km away from Ambarnath (East) railway station. 

The temple was built in 1060 AD in the Hemadpanti style, beautifully carved in stone. 

The word Ambarnath refers to ‘Lord of the sky’.

St. Thomas Cathedral; Mumbai.

 

St. Thomas Church is the first Anglican Church in Mumbai and was opened for divine service on Christmas Day in 1718.

It was named after St. Thomas, who was one of the 12 Disciples of Christ and was the apostle to India.

The church was consecrated as a cathedral in July 1837 concurrent with the appointment of the first Bishop of Bombay, Thomas Carr.

The church is considered ‘point zero’ of the city, from where the city was measured in milestones also the name of nearby Churchgate station refers to this church.

Visit to "City of Pearls" - Hyderabad.

Hyderabad is the capital of southern India's Telangana state.It was historically known as a pearl and diamond trading centre, and it continues to be known as the "City of Pearls".Now a major center for the technology industry, it's home to many upscale restaurants and shops.Some of it’s sites include:

The Charminar, a 16th-century mosque whose 4 arches support towering minarets, is an old city landmark near the long-standing Laad Bazaar.

Golconda Fort, a former diamond-trading center that was once the Qutb Shahi dynastic capital.

Hussain Sagar Lake is one of the most popular tourist places in Hyderabad. The lake connects two parts of the city (Secunderabad and Hyderabad) to each other. The largest artificial lake in Asia.

Ramoji Film City, the largest studio complex in the world. is a popular tourism and recreation centre, containing natural and artificial attractions including an amusement park.

Other sites: NTR Memorial Park,  

Visit to Lonar:

Closest  railway station is Jalna. From station to Jalna bus stand is 2.2km, auto rickshaws available. Jalna bus stand to Lonar 90kms around 3hrs. From Lonar bus stand to Crater is 2km.

Lonar Crater is 1.8km in diameter. The lake is on the floor of the Crater which can be accessed by climbing down the slope.

Lonar Lake was created by a meteor impact during the Pleistocene Epoch and it is the only known hyper velocity impact crater in basaltic rock anywhere on Earth.
It is 1.3km in diameter & made of saline water. Ph level of water is high.

Many temples can be found near the lake, today the temples are in ruins. Some migratory birds & monkeys can be seen.

The Gomukh temple is situated on the rim of the Lonar Crater Lake. In the one the Kunda (tank) in the temple, there is an eternal water stream. The water stream is called as ‘Dhar’ in Marathi hence the temple is also named as ‘Dhar Temple’ and the Kunda in which the stream is channelized is called as ‘Dhar Kunda’ which is assumed by devotees to be holy. 

   

Lonar can also be traveled from Aurangabad. 

Dudhsagar Falls

End of February 2017 went to visit Dudhsagar Falls which later I felt was not a good idea.
 

 

Dudhsagar Falls (literally Sea of Milk ) is a four-tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River in the border of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located on the Madgaon-Belgaum rail route about 46 km east of Madgaon and 80 km south of Belgaum. Dudhsagar Falls is amongst India's tallest waterfalls with a height of 310 m (1017 feet) and an average width of 30 metres (100 feet).

 

The waterfall forms the border between Karnataka and Goa states. The area is surrounded by a deciduous forest with a rich biodiversity. The falls are not particularly spectacular during the dry season but during the monsoon season however, the falls are fed by rains and form a huge force of water.

 

 

Boarded a train from Madgaon to Kulem railway station.  At Kulem station was guided to the Dudhsagar view point (around 11km from Kulem station).  On the way passed Sonalium station which is 8km from Kulem station and 3km from view point.  It took me 3hrs to reach the view point from Kulem station, with view of passing goods and passenger trains on the rail track.

 

 

At this time of the year the water flowing through the falls is less and that was very disappointing but quenching my thirst with the cool water from the fall was refreshing. After spending some time at the fall took the path back to Kulem station.

 

 

Note: Walking along the track is punishable under law.

 

Visit - Thiruvananthapuram,India

Attractions in Thiruvananthapuram (Capital of Kerala):

 

Kerala Government Secretariat

The Kerala Government Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram is the seat of administration of the Government of Kerala, housing important ministries and bureaucratic offices. The Secretariat complex was originally constructed as Durbar Hall for Travancore Kingdom.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Padmanabhaswamy temple is built in an intricate fusion of the indigenous Kerala style and the Dravidian style (kovil) of architecture associated with the temples located in the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, featuring high walls. It is the richest Hindu temple in the world.
The principal deity is Vishnu. Sree Padmanabhaswamy is the deity of the royal family of Travancore. The titular Maharaja of Travancore Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is the trustee of the temple. Those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple and devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. The name of the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Malayalam translates to "The City of Lord Ananta", referring to the deity of Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

 

 

Puthe Maliga Palace museum

The palace of the Travancore maharajas has carved wooden ceilings, marble sculptures and imported glass. Inside you’ll find Kathakali images, armoury, portraits of maharajas, ornate thrones and other artefacts.
The palace grounds consist of the Chitrali Museum containing loads of historical memorabilia, photographs and portraits from the Travancore dynasty.

 

 

Thiruvananthapuram Zoo

 



 

The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo (also known as Trivandrum Zoo) is located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. It occupies 55 acres (22 ha) of woodland, lakes, and lawns. It is the oldest zoo in India and Asia.
Napier Museum is an art and natural history museum situated in the compound of the zoological park in Kerala.

 

Veli Tourist Village

This picnic spot, where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea, offers boating facilities and
speedboats are also available for hire. Veli Tourist Village also has a children's park and a Floating Cafe by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC).
The Veli beach not suitable for swimming due to waste poured from nearby industrial unit.

 

Shankumugham Beach

The vast stretch of white sand and the serene atmosphere, provide an ideal place for relaxation with eating kiosks and a vantage point for enjoying the sunset.

 

Kovallam Beach

Kovallam beach is known for its beauty and is a famous beach of India. It consist a host of shops and has a high rank among tourists. Kovallam known as ‘Paradise of South India’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



 

 

 

Visit - Kollam, India

Attractions at Kollam:

 

 

Kollam Beach

 

Kollam Beach, also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach, is a beach at Kollam city. The beach is not safe for a swim due to deadly waves at any time.
The beach also features a park, the Mahatma Gandhi Park, which was inaugurated on 1 January 1961 by the then Vice President of India, Zakir Hussain.

 

 

Tangasseri Lighthouse

 

Thangassery Lighthouse is in operation since 1902, the cylindrical lighthouse tower painted with white and red oblique bands has a height of 41 metres (135 ft), making it the tallest lighthouse on the Kerala Coast.

 

Tangasseri Fort

 

St. Thomas Fort also known as Tangasseri Fort, is a ruined fort located in the beach town of Tangasseri on the shores of the Arabian Sea in the city of Kollam,

Adventure Park

Asramam Adventure Park is an urban park in Kollam city. It was opened after 1980, on 48 acres (19 ha) of city-owned land located beside the backwaters of Ashtamudi, this place popularly known as Asramam Picnic Village. It is the main centre of recreational activities in Kollam city. The Kollam District Tourism Promotion Council conducts regular backwater cruises in houseboats, luxury boats and speedboats from the Boat Club. Many endangering species of trees are surviving here in the park.