Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
This distinctive curved tower-block houses several local TV companies and is easy to spot if you're looking for Jhandewalan Cycle Market.
Must-see attractions in India
Zigar Drukpa Kargyud Institute
Himachal Pradesh
A short detour uphill from the lake en route to the giant statue, this three-storey complex is a Buddhist study centre with outsized statues of Tantric…
Himachal Pradesh
Just 50m down the lane beside the castle, this 11th-century stone temple is a relatively squat example of the sikhara style and contains a staring-eyed,…
South Goa
Quiet and clean, Arossim, is not a bad place to settle into solitude with a good book. It's a short distance west of the busy village and train stop of…
Bodhgaya
Within the Mahabodhi Temple complex, there's a well-manicured Meditation Park for those seeking extra solitude, though it lacks the atmosphere of the main…
Vrindavan
When complete, this Hindu temple should be the tallest religious monument in the world, at around 700ft tall. Construction is underway but will take years.
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
The Scindia School, a top Indian boys' boarding school, occupies most of the southern end of the Gwalior Fort plateau. It's not open to casual visitors.
Bihar & Jharkhand
If you have time to kill in Madhuban, pop into the small Jain Museum, full of kitschy dioramas. It's on your left at the bottom end of the main road.
Dalhousie
A number of Tibetan refugees have made their homes in Dalhousie and have adorned Garam Sarak with several painted rock carvings of Buddhist deities.
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
Dedicated to Murugan, this nondescript temple 3km northeast of town affords beautiful panoramas of the surrounding hills and the plains miles below.
Himachal Pradesh
Adding a little unsophisticated colour to old Kalpa's central temple group, this Buddhist shrine has a prominent chorten (stupa) in its forecourt.
Bihar
These ruined monastery foundations mark the mango grove given to Buddha by Jeevak Kaumarbhritya (525–450 BC), the court physician of Maghada.
Orchha
Courtiers built their own mansions within the fortified walls of the palace area. This one, built in the 17th century, was one of the largest.
Naagar-Nagar Interpretation Centre
Srinagar
Beside the Makhdoom Ropeway, this empty hall has a few boards explaining the Mughal history of the Hari Parbat ('Naagar-Nagar') walled city.
Odisha
Closest to Barkul, this island temple really comes to life when innumerable pilgrims travel there during the Makar Mela festival in January.
Bihar
Surprise everyone by turning up at this derelict-looking building and requesting to see the four rooms of thousand-year-old sculptures.
Guwahati
The old courthouse, with its distinctive beehive dome, has been replaced by the very similar new High Court diagonally across the road.
Parvati Valley
Recently restored in concrete but with a wooden porch, this sikhara-type temple stands on the esplanade east of the gurdwara.
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Day-time entry tickets to the park and Victoria Memorial museum are sold here, but there's no access to the sound and light show.
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Day-time entry tickets to the park and Victoria Memorial museum are sold here, but there's no access to the sound and light show.
Khajuraho
Near the Vishvanath Temple, the white Pratapeswar is a much more recent bricks-and-mortar structure built around 200 years ago.
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Colourfully painted, pointed-arch gate over the street 400m east of the Gopal Mandir.
Kozhikode (Calicut)
The city beach, 1km west of the city centre, is enjoyable for a sunset promenade stroll but not really a place for swimming.
Shimla
This major Sikh temple isn't a particular attraction but makes a useful landmark beside busy Cart Rd below the bazaar area.
Himachal Pradesh
This unsophisticated red-painted arch makes a useful landmark, spanning the street at the northern end of the Chowgan.
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Pondy's lighthouse was completed in the 1830s and functioned for more than a century before being replaced in 1979.
Uttar Pradesh
A large bell erected in honour of the Dalai Lama on the grounds of ancient Kushinagar, near Maharparinirvana Stupa.
Jaipur
The outer walls of Sisodia Rani Palace are decorated with murals depicting hunting scenes and the Krishna legend.
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
The tall white minaret of this mosque is a landmark en route from the train station to the Mahakaleshwar Mandir.
Tamil Nadu
Badly damaged by the 2004 tsunami, this 14th-century seafront temple is now repainted in kaleidoscopic colours.
South Goa
Though marred by the chemical plant to the north, Velsao Beach makes for a quiet place to get away from it all.
Uttar Pradesh
This small ghat on the Hiranyavati River was built in remembrance of Buddha's cremation near the river banks.
Guwahati
The Guwahati Planetarium looks like a cross between a mosque and a UFO and has two shows in English per day.
Mussoorie
Mostly a landmark and point of reference, this old movie theatre is now a gaming and entertainment centre.
Port Blair
Like most Indian cities, Port Blair has a memorial statue of Mahatma Gandhi standing in a busy roundabout.
Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya Entrance Gate
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Entrance and ticket counter of the Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya.
Calangute & Baga
St Alex’s Church has a magnificently golden and ornamented reredos (ornamental screen) and pulpit.
Port Blair
This pale yellow clock is a central landmark in the heart of Port Blair’s busy Aberdeen Bazaar.
