“If there is to be heaven on earth, it is here” said the poignant Mughal king Akbar commenting on the picturesque landscape of Kashmir. Kashmir evokes awe-inspiring response from an incessant flurry of tourists. The place is covered with such natural splendor that it may take many lives to soak it entirely. With the mighty Himalayas looming over it and the hills of Karakoram and Nanda Devi adding to the effect, the place looks seeped in beauty. River Lidder, Jhelum and Chenab augment the impact of beauty.

The place is generally covered in snow. This drives the tourists crazy. Rose and tulip sprouting from the snow and brown and black horses trailing through the tuft of green grass make for a spectrum of colors. Tulip festival in Kashmir is rated by many as one of the most celebrated floral events of Asia. Lacs of tulips blossom and create rich paraphernalia exuding a riot of orange.

Gulmarg is a place which needs specific mention. The place is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and it has huge acreage of greenery spreading over it like the reverse canopy of sky. Owing to the long queue of tourists, the place has been blessed with resorts and hotel chains which deal in great accommodation and superior ethnic food.

Pahalgam is another must watch. The place also marks the point of commencement for those leaving for Amarnath pilgrimage.

Dal Lake stands at the cornerstone of history. It has a floating garden and a historic group of four trees called Char Chinar held over a high pedestal. The water is unlike that found in Lakes. It can get really tumultuous at times. Mughals had built beautiful gardens in the State. Kashmir houses the Shalimar and the Nishat gardens.

Unfortunately the place had been marred by violence and cross-border terrorist activities had piled the intrinsic beauty of it with loads of gore and bloodshed. Thankfully, the situation seems to have come in hand.

All images via Flickr's Creative Commons pool.

INDIA

India is a country with many states. It is the seventh largest country and also home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Here is a list of states that you can visit. Though there are many states I can mention only a few of them.

JAMMU AND KASHMIR

This is the northern most state of India. It is specially known for it's "house boats". These are boats in which there are arrangements for staying overnight. They float in a lake called "Dal Lake" situated in a city called Srinagar. Here is a luxurious houseboat. There is also a desert which is covered with snow throughout the year. If you need a memento, the sheep there produce a special type of wool called Pashmina wool. You can get a shawl or sweater.

DELHI

This is the capital of India. Delhi is the state where one of the Seven Wonders of the World is present. It not exactly situated in Delhi but is considered to be. It is the Taj Mahal which is completely built of white marble. In addition to this there are many other monuments like Humayun's tomb( the Taj Mahal and Humayun's tomb are both tombs of famous emperors of India, you can see the similarities in the architecture). There is also the red fort which is made of red sandstone, then there is the India Gate that was built in the memory of those who laid down there lives for the independence of the country. One of the most interesting places is the Jantar Mantar where there are huge sundials , and . There are many others but I am mentioning just one more: that is the Qutub Minar (tower). Beside it is an iron pillar which was built around 400 B.C but has not rusted till now! The secret to this is that the builders formed a thin layer of magnetic oxide by painting it with different salts, heating and quenching. So you see, Delhi is worth the visit.

BENGAL

Bengal was the capital of India for some time when India was under the British. It is the only place in India where there is a tram system. Previously, it was also the only place with a metro railway system, but now it is also made in Delhi. Talking about the places you can visit, you can go to the Victoria Memorial built in memory of Queen Victoria. One more place is Sunderbans which is a Royal Bengal Tiger reserve. It homes crocodiles and tigers but many unfortunate people who visit the place never return because the tigers and crocodiles attack sometimes. Nothing to worry they do it very rarely and you can take an armed guide with you. There are many many more places to visit but if I start the list….you won't be able to finish it.

So you see, India is a wonderful tourism spot and these are only three states there are many more states you can visit if you search. I hope this article encourages you to visit the country.