Discover a tropical hill resort in the middle of the Rajasthan desert. Surrounded by forests and flowering shrubs, Mt. Abu was selected as the site of the most sacred mystic rites in ancient times, the sacrifice of the fire pit. Also, it is the centre of Jain pilgrimage. Check out the intricate carvings of the marble Dilwara temples and expect to get lots of spicy vegetarian food.
 

While in Jodhpur, visit the Bishnoi Village. The Bishnoi clan holds a special significance in the culture of India. Their commitment to the natural environment is extraordinary. The basic philosophy of the clan is that all living things have a right to survive and share all resources.
In the fifteenth century, Jambhoji, a resident of a village near Jodhpur, had a vision that the cause of the drought that had hit the area and the hardship that followed was caused by people's interference with nature. Nature protection was given foremost importance in these tenets. Since then, the sect has religiously followed these tenets.
The blackbuck and the chinkara are not afraid of humans here and are often seen near the villages eating out of the villagers' hands.

Mandu in Madhya Pradesh is a celebration of life, a tribute to the tender love of the poet-prince, Baz Bahadur for his consort, Rani Roopmati. The balladeers of Malva still sing of their love. Roopmati's pavilion gazes down fondly upon Baz Bahadur's palace, an outstanding example of Afghan architecture. The other structures of interest are the massive Jama Masjid and Hoshang Shah's Tomb, which served as models for the master-builders of the Taj Mahal, centuries later.
The magic of Mandu lives on in its palaces, mosques, and in its ballads. Mandu comes to life in the monsoon season. But anytime is a good time to see this spectacular place.
 

Make sure to be on board the Darjeeling Himalayan Train. Described by the Guinness Railway Book as ‘one of the world’s most spectacular’ rail Journeys, it is one of the things you must do when you are in India. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a piece of inspirational railway engineering. A tiny locomotive engine heaves its way up a near-vertical mountain, daily hauling its trainload of men and materials up a climb of over 2000 metres.

 Manipur is a great place to see over two dozen tribes. Famous for Manipuri dances and handloom textiles, the capital is surrounded by hills and lakes where one can go on nature walks and understand the meaning of true peace.

The magnificent synagogue is named after 'Pardesi' (meaning 'foreigners') who are the 'White Jews' a mixture of Jewish exiles from Spain and Portugal. It is the oldest synagogue built in the former British Empire.
In 1568, the Rajah of Cochin, Paraja, gave a piece of land to the Jewish community next to his palace to build the synagogue. The synagogue houses 1600-year-old copper plates on which the community charter of independence and the privileges granted to the Jewish community are inscribed. It was reconstructed in 1662, after the Portuguese bombardment of that year.
 

A visit to a spice garden is memorable. Here one can find spices native to the state growing in a garden. Pull some nutmeg from the bark of a nutmeg tree or wrench out some peppercorns. Owned by families, one can get a glimpse into their simple homes and taste of their gracious hospitality.
 

Kanya Kumari, the southernmost point of peninsular India, is where the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea meet - a place from where one can see spectacular sunrises, colourful sunsets and the full moon rising from another part of the sky!
A temple dedicated to goddess Kanyakumari is located close to the seashore. Off the coast, on a rocky island, is the memorial to that great Indian philosopher – Swami Vivekananda who sat in meditation here in 1892.