HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016

In LetsGoIndiaTours We know how important are your dream holidays and we take it really seriously. We offer personalized Tours in private cars for Individuals and small group of travelers who want to start on any day of your choice.

Ramesh Kumar  Founder of Let’s Go India tours has been driving professionally in INDIA for over 14 years.Travelling extensively all over this amazing country which he now knows intimately.

We have chosen the best and most trusted drivers and guides available in India. You can trust our services, (Happy Customers). We specialize in tours in and around Delhi, the most famous and popular Golden Triangle Tour, The colorful state of Rajasthan, and the Heritage and culture tour in North India.With us you can experience the real India, its life, people, culture and history with excellent prices.

May the New Year bring us more wonderful opportunities to work together.

Here’s wishing you the gift of peace and prosperity throughout 2016.

May you garner the support of all in your endeavors to make your dreams come true in 2016. Happy New Year!

Jantar Mantar

Interesting Information About Jantar Mantar,Jaipur

1. Jantar Mantar Jaipur is located in the Old City, between the City Palace and Hawa Mahal
2. Jantar Mantar is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list
3. Jantar means “instrument” and mantar means “formula” or “calculation”, hence Jantar Mantar collectively means ‘calculation instrument’
4. Jantar Mantar Jaipur is one of five observatories built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, including one in Delhi
5. Jantar Mantar Jaipur is modelled on the observatory in Delhi
6. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best preserved of the five observatories
7. There are fourteen architectural astronomical instruments at Jantar Mantar Jaipur
8. Jantar Mantar Jaipur can be entered on a composite ticket which includes entry into Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, Nahargarh Fort and Albert Hall Museum over two days
9. Audio guides in various languages are available at Jantar Mantar Jaipur for an additional fee
10. Jantar Mantar Jaipur is best visited in the afternoon for best effect

We specialize in tours in and around Delhi, world famous Taj Mahal, the most famous and popular Golden Triangle Tour, The colorful state of Rajasthan, and the Heritage and culture tour in North India.With us you can experience the real India, its life, people, culture and history with excellent prices.

An unforgettable India experience!. - See more at: http://www.letsgoindiatours.com

10 Interesting Facts About City Palace Jaipur

Summary

City Palace Jaipur makes it on to everyone’s list of places to visit in Jaipur for good reason. Not only is it located right in the middle of the Old City, it is a beautiful and well preserved attraction that can be seen in a few short hours. If you’re heading to Jaipur and are planning to visit City Palace Jaipur, read this post for interesting facts about the City Palace as well as all the important information to help you plan your visit to this star attraction.

10 Interesting Facts About City Palace Jaipur

1. City Palace Jaipur, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar make up the three main attractions in the Old City of Jaipur
2. City Palace Jaipur was built between 1727 and 1732 by Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of the city of Jaipur, who also built the Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar
3. Apart from Jai Singh II, there were two architects involved in the development of City Palace Jaipur – Vidyadar Bhattacharya, the chief architect in the royal court, and Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob
4. The architecture of City Palace Jaipur is based on a fusion of the Vastu Shastra of Indian architecture – combining Rajput, Mughal and European styles of architecture
5. Part of City Palace Jaipur is a museum; the other part is the residence of the descendents of the former rulers of Jaipur
6. City Palace Jaipur can be accessed through any entrance gate except for Tripolia gate which is reserved for the royal family
7. The most impressive part of City Palace Jaipur are the four small gates in the third courtyard that represent the four seasons of the year
8. One of the most interesting items in the palace are two sterling silver jars that are officially recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest sterling silver vessels
9. Another popular attraction in the Mubarak Mahal of City Palace Jaipur is the set of voluminous clothes worn by Sawai Madho Singh I, who was 1.2 metres wide and weighed 250 kilograms
10. The flag at the top of Chandra Mahal belongs to the royal family and is only unfurled when the Maharaja is in the palace

We specialize in tours in and around Delhi, world famous Taj Mahal, the most famous and popular Golden Triangle Tour, The colorful state of Rajasthan, and the Heritage and culture tour in North India.With us you can experience the real India, its life, people, culture and history with excellent prices.

An unforgettable India experience!. - See more at: http://www.letsgoindiatours.com

Jaipur, Rajasthan tours

Summary

If you’re heading to Jaipur, you must add Hawa Mahal on your list of places to see as it’s one of the highlights of the old city of Jaipur. Read this post for interesting facts, frequently asked questions and detailed information about Hawa Mahal Jaipur.

Interesting Facts About Hawa Mahal Jaipur

Iyou’re heading to Jaipur, you must add Hawa Mahal on your list of places to see as it’s one of the highlights of the old city of Jaipur. Read this post for interesting facts, frequently asked questions as well as detailed information about Hawa Mahal Jaipur.

Interesting Hawa Mahal Facts

• Hawa Mahal means Palace of Winds
• Popular for its elaborate and fanciful architecture, Hawa Mahal is an important and dominant landmark of Jaipur
• Located in the old city, Hawa Mahal is part of the City Palace complex of buildings
• It is shaped like a mukut or crown which adorns Lord Krishna’s head
• It also looks like the honeycomb web of a beehive with 953 small, intricately carved jharokhas or windows
• You can get great views of the old city of Jaipur and Jantar Mantar from Hawa Mahal
• Hawa Mahal can be entered on a composite ticket (valid for two days), along with Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, Amber Fort and Albert Hall

AGRA TOURS

Taj Mahal Calligraphy

The Taj Mahal always welcomes each of its visitors with an inscription, written in beautiful handwriting, on the great gate that reads "O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you." It was Abdul Haq, who created this in 1609, and was bestowed with the title of 'Amanat Khan' by none other than Emperor Shah Jahan himself. Along with spellbinding architecture and a picturesque background, the calligraphy done is one of the fantabulous ornamental decorations done on the surface of Taj Mahal. The calligraphy of the Taj Mahal mainly consists of the verses and passages from the holy book of Quran. It was done by inlaying jasper in the white marble panels. These passages were inscribed by Amanat Khan in an illegible Thuluth script. A number of the panels also bear his signatures.

Black marble has been used to decorate both the south gateway and the main mausoleum with Arabic inscriptions. The texts chosen refer broadly to the themes of judgment and fruitful paradisiacal rewards for the faithful. The inscriptions over the gateway invite the reader to enter the paradise. And as one enters towards the main mausoleum, the tone of the inscriptions changes from paradisiacal to that of an impending doom that awaits the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment. However, once inside the mausoleum, the tone of the inscriptions changes yet again from judgment to paradisiacal. It is also believed that Amanat Khan even chose the passages for the calligraphy of Taj Mahal, Agra. The exterior of Taj Mahal are loaded with verses from the Quran like:

Surah 91 (The Sun)

Surah 112 (The Purity of Faith)

Surah 89 (Daybreak)

Surah 93 (Morning Light)

Surah 95 (The Fig)

Surah 94 (The Solace)

Surah 36 (Ya Sin)

Surah 81 (The Folding Up)

Surah 82 (The Cleaving Asunder)

Surah 84 (The Rending Asunder)

Surah 98 (The Evidence)

Surah 67 (Dominion)

Surah 48 (Victory)

Surah 77 (Those Sent Forth)

Surah 39 (The Crowds)

On the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal located in the burial chamber, the ninety names of God can be found as calligraphic inscriptions on the sides, in the crypt including "O Noble, O Magnificent, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious..." And the tomb of Shah Jahan bears a calligraphic inscription that reads "He travelled from this world to the banquet hall of eternity on the night of the twenty sixth of the month of Rajab, in the year 1076 Hijri". However, the central focus is provided by passages on the upper cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal. The words of the Quranic prayer recited by the angels, implore Allah to allow the faithful to enter paradise, a touching request for God's mercy towards His devout servant, Mumtaz Mahal.

We specialize in tours in and around Delhi, world famous Taj Mahal, the most famous and popular Golden Triangle Tour, The colorful state of Rajasthan, and the Heritage and culture tour in North India.With us you can experience the real India, its life, people, culture and history with excellent prices.

An unforgettable India experience!. - See more at: http://www.letsgoindiatours.com

Story

TAJ MAHAL STORY

Male Protagonist: Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram)
Female Protagonist: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Banu Begum)

Taj Mahal, the magnificent monument that stands at the heart of India has a story that has been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj has been visible. A story, that although ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the form of Taj and is considered a living example of eternal love. It's the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two people from the course of history who set an example for the people living in present and the future to come. An English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor's love wrought in living stones." The story that follows next will prove why the statement is true.

Shah Jahan, initially named Prince Khurram, was born in the year 1592. He was the son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the grandson of Akbar the Great. In 1607 when strolling down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning courtiers, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. It was love at first sight and the girl was Mumtaz Mahal, who was known as Arjumand Banu Begum at that time. At that time, he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. The match got solemnized after five years i.e., in the year 1612.

It was in the year 1628 that Shah Jahan became the Emperor and entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He also bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the "Jewel of the Palace". Though Shah Jahan had other wives also, but, Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and accompanied him everywhere, even on military campaigns. In the year 1631, when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some complications. While Mumtaz was on her deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would never remarry and will build the richest mausoleum over her grave.

It is said that Shah Jahan was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the court into mourning for two years. Sometime after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task of erecting the world's most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved. It took 22 years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument. When Shah Jahan died in 1666, his body was placed in a tomb next to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as "Taj Mahal" and now counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the true story of the Taj Mahal of India, which has mesmerized many people with its bewitching beauty.

Facts

Taj Mahal Facts

Planning a visit to the Taj Mahal? If you don't know already, there may be a few questions running through your mind like who built the Taj, why was it built, when's the best time to visit, the timings, the fee and a whole lot of stuff that you'd want to know before you pay a visit to the Taj. Don't worry at all, as this section on "Taj Mahal facts" will provide you with a few fast facts to up your knowledge along with the basic queries that you want to be answered as soon as possible. Read on to get some quick information about Taj Mahal and Agra. And once read, don't waste time. Just pack your bags, book your tickets and pay a visit to the world's most spectacular monument that epitomizes love at par. 

Fast Facts

Year of Construction: 1631
Completed In: 1653
Time Taken: 22 years
Built By: Shah Jahan 
Dedicated to: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum), the wife of Shah Jahan
Location: Agra (Uttar Pradesh), India 
Building Type: Islamic tomb 
Architecture: Mughal (Combination of Persian, Islamic and Indian architecture style)
Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Cost of Construction: 32 crore rupees
Number of workers: 20,000
Highlights: One of the Seven Wonders of the World; A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Timings: Sunrise to Sunset (Friday closed)
Fee: Rs 750 (Foreign Tourists)
Rs 510 (Citizens of SAARC & BIMSTEC Countries)
Rs 20 (Domestic Indian Tourists)
No Entry Fee for children below 15 years of age (Domestic or Foreigner)

Interesting Facts Of Taj Mahal

• Before his accession to the throne, Shah Jahan was popularly known as Prince Khurram.
• Shah Jahan fell in love with the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum and married her, making her his third wife.
• Arjumand Bano Begum was christened by Shah Jahan as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the “Chosen One Of The Palace” or “Jewel of the Palace”.
• Shah Jahan lost Mumtaz Mahal, when she died giving birth to their 14h child.
• For the transportation of the construction materials, more than 1,000 elephants were employed.
• As many as 28 different varieties of semi-precious and precious stones were used to adorn the Taj with exquisite inlay work.
• Depending on what time of the day it is and whether or not there’s moon at night, Taj Mahal appears to be of different color every time. Some even believe that this changing pattern of colors depict different moods of a woman.
• Passages from Quran have been used as decorative elements throughout the complex.
• On the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, 99 names of Allah can be found as calligraphic inscriptions.
• Taj Mahal was built in stages, with the plinth and the tomb taking up roughly 15 years. Building of minarets, mosque, jawab, and gateway took additional 5 years to be completed.
• Different types of marbles used in construction of Taj Mahal were brought over from many different regions & countries: Rajasthan, Punjab, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Srilanka, & Arabia.
• Many precious stones and Lapis Lazuli (a semi-precious stone) were ripped off from its walls by the Britishers during the Indian rebellion of 1857.
• Taj Mahal attracts 2-4 million visitors annually with over 200,000 from overseas.

Best Time to Visit Taj Mahal

Best Time to Visit: October to March

Just as there's no such thing as "a bad time to live", there's no such thing as "bad time to visit" one of the most scintillating and marvelous wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. Whatever be the time of the year, the Taj Mahal will not stop with its mission to spread its charm and glory and will continue to be as luminescent as ever. But as a visit in the months of summers requires a high threshold to bear the heat, the period between the comparatively cooler months i.e. October to March is generally considered a best time to visit the Taj Mahal. Having said that, know that the radiance of the Taj Mahal is simply dazzling, and changes with every passing hour, reflecting a different aura in different seasons. Also, the visual beauty of the Taj Mahal is at its peak during sunrise, sunset, and under the full moon night.

Taj Mahal at Sunrise

Watching the sun rise up from under the sea of sky is a sight to behold, and what better way to experience it than to watch it take its place up there while you stand on the premises of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It's a moment of delight when the beauty of the sunrise and the Taj Mahal culminate together to make for some awe-inspiring images of the Taj, being transformed from soft grey and pink to a soft red glow.

Taj Mahal at Sunset

After shining its glory all through the day, when the sun climbs down the stairway of heavens and gets ready to say adios to the world, it plays its final trick in the book by lending Taj Mahal a different appearance with the shades of fiery yellow being transformed into soft exotic orange and finally to pearl white again, until the full moon prepares itself to accompany the Taj all through the night while dazzling the world with its quiet heavenly elegance.

Taj Mahal under Full Moon Night

By the night when the full moon is high up in the sky, the beauty that Taj Mahal breathes out is beyond the scope of words. A silver glow that takes over Taj Mahal is so mesmerizing that most of the things you'll see after that will feel ordinary at best. This fabulous interplay of colors all through the day, and then night, symbolically implies the presence of God, who is never represented in the anthropomorphic form.

The best time to arrive would be just before the sunrise or sunset. Night viewing is allowed on the full moon night, two days before it and two days after it. Tickets for the same need to be booked one day in advance.

When visiting India browse through this beautiful list of places to see in India to make your trip a memorable one.

Golden Triangle Tours

Why Golden triangle India a most popular tour circuit?

India is very famous for its beauty and historic places all over the world. If you are planning to visit India or Indian citizens who have decided to make tour in India, then Golden Triangle India tour is best and popular tour circuit to do. This golden tour covers three cities which include Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. This tour covers the glory and history of three most beautiful cities of ‘Delhi’, ‘Agra’ and ‘Jaipur’.

Golden Triangle India is most famous tour circuit because of many reasons. The reasons behind its popularity are:-

• All the 3 cities in the Golden Triangle have famous monuments and places of India which represents its history and architecture. One gets to know about the history and ancestors of India.

• The tour to this triangle is through a well organized route and makes a triangle in the map because when you travel this golden triangle, you first visit the city Delhi, next Agra and then Jaipur. The visiting of the cities in this order makes a triangle in the map that creates an excitement.

• It introduces to all the tourists different types of landscapes of the country. This Golden triangle covers all those places that will provide much information about India and is made for those who cannot travel all the major cities of India.

• While visiting the tour, one can experience the cultural gems of India. One can see ancient buildings and places and know about India in detail.

This trip introduces you to the great icons of India. Starting from the capital of India i.e. Delhi, you discover the markets of the city and historical monuments. Then further moving on to Agra, you must visit the beautiful Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Enjoy the experience of visiting the wonder of the world in Agra. Then next step is to visit the city Jaipur. It is famous as the Pink City and also described as the capital of Rajasthan. Here, you will find the most famous Amber fort, temples, etc.

4 interesting facts about Rajasthan

Rajasthan is known worldwide for its vibrant and colourful culture, breathtaking cenotaphs, amazing desert lifestyle and cuisine. Rajasthan palaces have become one of the most sought after destinations to have luxury weddings and are often thronged with all kinds of tourists all the year around. Here are few facts about this wonderful place which you did not know about. Take a took.

Jaisalmer Fort

Jaisalmer Fort, known for its amazing architecture and stone work, is one and only fort which is still inhabited by people! This Sonar Quilla or Golden Fort of Rajasthan has made it into the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list and was once the bastion of the rich merchants of the region.

Kumbhalgarh Fort

Did you know that after the Great Wall of China, the majestic wall of the KumbhalgarhFort is the largest in the world! This wall stretches continuously across 26 kilometres around the fort.

Mehrangarh Fort

The grandiose Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur has been featured in two of the mega Hollywood productions namely: The Dark Knight Rises and Octopussy.

Jaipur

Jaipur, the pink city, happens to be the first planned city in the pre-independence era. Architect Purohit Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya was summoned by Sawai Jai Singh II to structure this beautiful city.

Rajasthan people

People of RajasthanIn olden days, the profession of the people decided their caste. This system has now been broken. Today, individuals have the freedom to opt for any profession irrespective of caste. The profession based caste system has now been transformed into birth-based caste system. People of various castes and sub-castes reside in Rajasthan.

The Rajasthanis are sturdy, cheerful and simple folks relatively untouched by the fast pace of modern times making Rajasthan one of the safest destinations anywhere in the world.

Colourful and OrnamentalIt is also one of the most colourful. To offset the barren, colourless landscape and the monotony of its cloudless sky, the people of Rajasthan show a distinct preference for bright costumes. From the simple village folk or tribal to the rajas and ranis, the preferred colours are bright red, dazzling yellow, lively green or brilliant orange, highlighted by a lavish use of sparkling gold and silver zari or gota.

Tribal and nomadic women are known for their love for silver jewellery (although men too sport ear studs and earrings). The ornaments follow age-old designs typical of a particular tribe. In daily use the ladies wear normal ornaments of neck, hand, nose and ear but on special occasions and social functions. Women wear all the ornaments of different parts of the body to look beautiful and attractive. For its exquisite designs and delicacy of art Rajasthan Jewelry is a rage not only for ladies of India but also for women of foreign countries.

Mind-boggling TurbansIn India, the turban is popularly known as a pagdi. There are different variations of the turban, depending on the religion and region. In fact, in Rajasthan, it is said that the turban style changes with every 15km you travel. And Rajput turbans are different from Sikh turbans, which are in turn different from the classical Arab turbans. Then, there are the royal turbans from different parts of India, and the rural turban which is often just a towel wound round the head. India is a land of diversities. And it is all the more pronounced in Rajasthan. An old local saying sums it up.

"The dialect, cuisine, water and turbans in Rajasthan change every 12 miles."

In fact there are about 1,000 different styles and types of turbans in Rajasthan, each denoting the class, caste and region of the wearer.Turbans come in all shapes, sizes and colours; and there are specific turbans for specific occasions as well.

A lineage of beautiful womenRajasthani women have been renowned for their grace and beauty. Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, was so smitten by the beauty of the legendary Maharani Padmini Devi of Chittaurgarh that he waged a war - in vain - for her hand. In her heydays, the present day Rajmata of Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi, was considered by Vogue to be amongst the Ten Most Beautiful Women in the World. And her charm hasn't diminished one bit till today!

Fatehpūr Sikrī

Fatehpūr Sikrī,AGRA TOURS

The Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fatehpūr Sikrī about 35 km (22 mi) from Agra, and moved his capital there. Later abandoned, the site displays a number of buildings of significant historical importance. A World Heritage Site, it is often visited by tourists. The name of the place came about after the Mughal Emperor Bābar defeated Rāṇā Sāngā in a battle at a place called Sikrī (about 40 km (25 mi) from Agra). Then the Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted to make Fatehpūr Sikrī his headquarters, so he built a majestic fort; due to shortage of water, however, he had to ultimately move his headquarters to Agra Fort.

Buland Darwāza or 'the lofty gateway' was built by the great Mughal emperor, Akbar in 1601 CE. at Fatehpūr Sikrī. Akbar built the Buland Darwāza to commemorate his victory over Gujarat. The Buland Darwāza is approached by 52 steps. The Buland Darwāza is 53.63 m high and 35 meters wide. it is made of red and buff sandstone, decorated by carving and black and white marble inlays. An inscription on the central face of the Buland Darwāza demonstrates Akbar's religious broad-mindedness, it is a message from Jesus advising his followers not to consider this world as their permanent home.