TAJ MAHAL
One of the most recognized monuments
in existence, this mausoleum is also one
of the seven wonders of the world—and
a must-see when making the trek to
India. Located in Agra (part of India’s
popular Golden Triangle circuit, which
also includes Delhi and Jaipur), the marble
monument was commissioned by Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of
his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took
22 years and 20,000 workers to complete—
and cost the equivalent of approximately
$800 million today. While this UNESCO
World Heritage Site will undoubtedly be
crowded when you go (a whopping 7 to 8
million tourists visit each year), it’s well
worth seeing.
PUSHKAR
This town, located in the northeastern
state of Rajasthan, is set on Pushkar Lake,
a sacred Hindu site where pilgrims bathe
along its ghats. It’s also home to the only
temple of Brahma, the Hindu god known
as the creator of the world, Bhardwaj says.
“This is one of my all-time favorite places
in India,” he says.HAMPI, KARNATAKA
The remains of more than 1,600
monuments are scattered over the
16-square-mile area of this UNESCO
World Heritage site, which is the former
capital of the Vijayanagar empire (in power
from the 14th to 16th centuries). Amid the
elegant ruins of medieval Indian culture,
you’ll also find humbler shrines expressing
the local villagers’ heartfelt devotion to
Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. This area is the
legendary Kishkinda, realm of the monkey
gods, where Rama, one of the most widely
worshipped Hindu deities, is said to have
met the monkey god Hanuman on his
quest to rescue his kidnapped wife, the
goddess Sita.HISTORICAL SITES
AGRA