There are today two Delhis-the old city of the Mughals built by Shah Jahan, the man who built the Taj, and the new city built by the British in 1931. It is this juxtaposition of the old and the new which is one of the attractions of the capital. While old Delhi evokes a distinctly oriental atmosphere, New Delhi has wide avenues and imposing office buildings. Both the cities are rich in monuments and mosques, which can keep any tourist happy for days on end.

AGRA
       Agra, 204 kilometres (127 miles) from Delh.i, is famous the world over as the 'City of the Taj`. This celebrated monument, completed in 1653, is a memorial of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to his queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Although the Taj dominates the landscape of Agra, the city has many other famous monuments. Thirty-seven kilometres (23 miles) away stands Fatehpur Sikri, the massive red-stone capital, built by Emperor Akbar in 1 569, which he later abaridoned because of scarcity of water.

        Jaipur, also called the 'Pink City', is an hour's flight, or 308 kilometres (1 91 miles) bytrain, from Delhi. Few Indian cities are more evocative of the romantic age of Indian history. Bounded by 18th-ceritury walls, Jaipur contains exquisite palaces and houses and picturesque people-the men wear bright-coloured turbans and the women great swinging skirts. Jaipur is the gateway to much that is old and graceful. It is now the capital of the State of Rajasthan, which once consisted of a number of princely States, each maintaining its limited autonomy.

UDAIPUR
         Redolent with the glamour and chivalry of ancient Rajasthan are two other places : Udaipur and Chittorgarh. Built on the slopes of green hills, Udaipur is a cityof lakes, island-palaces and parks. Chittorgarh, with its ruined forts and Victory Tower, still throbs with a hundred'stories of heroism and chivalry.

VARANASI ( BANARAS )
         Varanasi (Banaras) : If time permits, the visitor will do well to undertake a trip to Varanasi (.Banaras), the holy city of the Hindus, 760 kilometres (472 miles) south-east of Delhi. While ancient monuments embody the religious faith that inspired men in ancient India, Varanasi is a living symbol of that tradition.
Prayer and contemplation in Varanasi is conducted on the riverfront. Endless streams of people come to the great flights of steps leading into the river. They pray and bathe in an eternal procession.
On the outskirts of Varanasi is Sarnath, a centre of Buddhist pilgrimage. It was here that the Buddha preached his first sermon about 2,500 years ago.  More...

BHAKRA 
         Bhakra, 352 kilometres (219 miles) north of Delhi, is the site of the highest straight-gravity dam in the world (225.5 metres-740 ft.). A giant project across the Sutlej, it has become a symbol of India's economic regeneration. 

KASHMIR
        Kashmir: Northern India is dotted vvith picturesque hill resorts like Simla, Mussoorie and Nainital, and exotic valleys. Outshinipg them all is the Kashmir Valley, described by the Mughal King, Jahangir, as 'Paradise on Earth'. Kashmir's capital, Srinagar, lies on the banks of the Jhelum, which is spanned by nine bridges.

        Srinagar has many distinctive charms : living accommodation in houseboats moored o'n the banks of the lakes; a shikara ride in the quiet of a moonlit night with the hills rising in the background, and a limitless variety of handicrafts. Shikaras are graceful fin-like boats equipped with spring cushions.

        Srinagar is only the starting point of a holiday in Kashmir. Outside it, and on higher planes, are the snow-covered mountains of Khilanmarg, fhe elemental majesty of hills and foliage in Pahalgam and the grace and beauty of the sophisticated resort of Gulmarg, laid outwith one of the world's highest golf courses.

KULU VALLY
        Kulu Valley : Rivalling the Vale of Kashmir in beauty, the twin valleys of Kulu and Kangra offer unsophisticated charms. Green with apple orchards arid dotted with ancient Rajput forts on the summits of immense crags, these valleys provide splendid scenery and glimpses of the lifl~ of the vigorous and hardy peasants.