Jai Ho! Get high on a spiritual holiday

The Trip takes you to three temple towns for an eclectic dose of Indian classical dance and mythology, Kumbh Melas and breathtaking rock-cut architecture

The Trip takes you to three temple towns for an eclectic dose of Indian classical dance and mythology, Kumbh Melas and breathtaking rock-cut architecture

Konark

Located three kilometres from Puri town, Konark gets its name from its Sun Temple.

There are charming legends about Konark, one of them being that it was born after Lord Vishnu was resting his laurels after defeating the demon Gayasur.

He placed his sankha (conch shell) in Puri, chakra (wheel) in Bhubaneshwar, gada (mace) in Jaipur and padma (lotus) in Konark and that's how each city was born.

Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram

Called the Black Pagoda by European settlers, as it was an important landmark while reaching its shores, the temple was built to depict a gigantic chariot, with 12 beautifully carved wheels pulled by seven horses.
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Every December, the city hosts the annual Konark Dance Festival, dedicated to the Odissi dance form.

Haridwar

One of the most popular destinations on any pilgrimage, Haridwar literally means gateway to god.
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Popular well before families from saas baahu TV soaps made it their favourite getaway, Haridwar is located where the Ganges descends from the hills into the plains.
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It's the venue for the Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years. About 200 kms from Delhi, the town is noted for its many holy 'hot spots'. Hari Ki Pairi, the focal point is where devotees dip into the Ganges.

According to legend, it was the spot where nectar is believed to have fallen from the churning oceans when the world was created. But heaven's nectar or not, a word of caution: don't drink the water!
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Mahabalipuram

This 7th century port city achieved eminence during the reign of the Pallava dynasty. The temples of Mahabalipuram are unique because of their monolithic and rock cut architecture.
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The most well known among these is the Shore Temple, with three shrines dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. It stands on the shore, facing the Bay of Bengal. Sometimes during high tide, water gets swept into the temple.
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Another must-see structure is Pancha Rathas or the five chariots dedicated to Pandavas and Draupadi.

These intricate sculptures are monolithic, that is, each rath is carved from one massive stone. Also visit Arjuna's Penance u2013 a stunning rock-cut marvel in the vicinity.