Buddhist Train Destinations Delhi Delhi, The Capital of India The capital of India, almost explodes with cultural splendour as well as heritage and a powerful history. Add to it the monuments, museums and other attractions that Delhi has and what you get as a result is the travel nerve centre of India. How to reach Delhi? Delhi is the gate that opens the rest of India to you. All the major countries are connected to Delhi by regular flights with the India Gandhi International Airport of Delhi. Plan early if you want to reach Delhi in the tourist season. Even within the country Delhi is pretty well connected with the rest of the major cities of India. Delhi Destinations India Gate - The India Gate was constructed as a memorial for the soldiers who laid down their lives during World War I. It is located at Rajpath and is often used as a picnic spot by the people and as a place to relax during the summer evenings. India Gate was designed and constructed by Edwin Lutyens who is considered the main planner of Delhi. Another memorial called Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much later in the memory of soldiers who laid down their lives in the 1971 India Pakistan war. Lotus Temple - It is a modern structure in Delhi which is a place of worship for the Baha'i people. The Baha'i faith considers that all religions lead to the same destination and it regards all the human beings equally therefore people of all faiths are allowed in here. It is located in the Kalkaji locality of South Delhi and is shaped like a lotus and that explains the name that has been given to it. It is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. Rajghat - The Rajghat is located on the banks of river Yamuna and it is a memorial for the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi. The memorial is built of black stones with his last words Hey Ram inscribed on it. A large number of visitors are attracted towards the site regularly. Red Fort - The Red Fort of Delhi is octagonal in shape and was built during the reign of Shahjahan. It is an imposing structure the walls of which cover a perimeter of about 2.41 km. It is surrounded by moats on all sides that were once connected with river Yamuna. The major gates of the Red Fort are Lahori Gate, Hathi Pol and the major attractions of the Red Fort are Mumtaz Mahal, Rang Mahal, Khas Mahal, Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas and the Shah Burz. Birla Temple - The place is also known as the Lakshmi Narayan Temple and though it is not part of the Delhi that was designed by Edwin Lutyens yet it came along and became very much a part of it. It is a Hindu temple built by the industrial family of the Birlas. It is located just off Connaught Place and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Old Fort - It is said that Humayun wanted to construct his new capital at the site where the ancient city of Indraprastha existed. Humayun was a learned scholar and it can be said that the site was chosen deliberately. Most of it was destroyed by Sher Shah who overthrew Humayun who later built his own city instead. However, when Humayun wrested the city back from Sher Shah's son, he did not destroy the buildings built by Sher Shah. Rather he completed the unfinished work of his predecessor. Jama Masjid - It is the biggest mosque in India and is only about half a km away from the Red Fort of India. Its construction was started by Shahjahan in 1650 and was completed after six years. The structure of the mosque is huge and is awe inspiring to the lesser mortals. It is constructed in Sandstone and white marble, and you can enter it from both the directions. Departure From Delhi It is definitely going to join the list of the most luxurious trains of the world. It leaves from the Safdarjung Railway station in Delhi for Gaya and the dinner will be served on board the train. Agra This is the city which can be declared to be the most authoritative centre of tourism in India. Agra is known all over the world for the legendary monument Taj Mahal which is also one of the seven wonders of the world. The Lodhi ruler Sikandar Lodhi made Agra his capital some time in the sixteenth century. Later Agra went into the hands of Mughals and it was the time when some of the most stunning monuments of the human history came up in the city. Agra is an important destination on the tourism scene of the world and this city alone accounts for three heritage monuments. These are - Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Not very many cities of the world can match the history and heritage of Agra. Agra Destinations Taj Mahal -It takes just one and half hours to reach the city of Taj Mahal from Delhi by an express train. It is among the most well preserved architectural wonder of the world. It is quite a feat to stand out among the flood of monuments and the Taj Mahal manages to do exactly that. It is located on the banks of river Yamuna. Although the Red Fort is also located on the banks of the river but the river is not known for that. The Taj is said to be sheer poetry in marble which took 22 years to complete. Agra Fort - Its construction was begun by Emperor Akbar which was continued by the later generations. Shahjahan replaced many of the Akbar's creations with his own creations made of marble. The main buildings inside the fort are Jehangir Mahal, Jodha Bai's Palace, Anguri Bagh etc. Itmad-Ud-Daula - This tomb was built by empress Noor Jehan in the memory of her father. The monument also has the cenotaph of Nurjehan's mother. The tomb sometimes is also referred to as baby Taj. Chini Ka Rauza - The monument is named so because of the profusion of the decorations in the form of carvings. It is the mausoleum of Mulla Shukrulla Shirazi and it was built by himself. He was the prime minister of Shahjahan. The main tomb is pretty simple in plan and lacks architectural grandeur. Fatehpur Sikri - The place is only 37 km away from Agra and is a complete city built in Red Sandstone. The town was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar as his capital but had to be abandoned due to shortage of water. The city still retains many of its old structures due to the efforts of the Archaeological Department. Fatehpur Sikri is an excellent example of the Mughal Architecture at its peak. Fatehpur Sikri Destinations Diwan-e-Aam - It is the hall of public audience which was used for celebrations and mass prayers. In the western side there is a pavilion with a throne of the emperor. Diwan-e-Khas - It is the hall of private audience where in one chamber it is believed that emperor Akbar used to sit on the throne with the ministers sitting on the four corners. Buland Darwaza - The massive gate was constructed to commemorate Akbar's victory over Deccan. Gaya Arrival In Gaya Upon your arrival in the city of Gaya, you'll be transferred to the hotel where you'll freshen up for the day. In the meantime your breakfast is ready because your day ahead is going to be a busy one as you'll soon be off to some of the best known religious destinations of India in Bodhgaya. Gaya, The Religious City Gaya anyway is associated with the word pilgrimage in India as Hindus from all over the world congregate here to pay homage to their departed forefathers so that their souls may rest in peace. The services of thepriests are also available for the purpose. Gaya and the nearby Bodhgaya have some of the most sacred Buddhist and Hindu shrines situated here. Bodhgaya, The Place of Enlightenment Bodhgaya is only 14 km away from the city of Gaya. This is the place where Siddharatha, prince of Kapilvastu, meditated under a peepal tree on the bank of Niranjana river for 49 days after which he attained enlightenment. Later on the place came to be known as Bodhgaya and the river was known as Phalgu. The peepal tree later came to be known as Bodhi tree. It is said that emperor Asoka also visited the place several times. The tourist inflow especially increases during the anniversary of Lord Buddha in May when the place turns into a festive city. Bodhgaya Mahabodhi Temple The most striking thing about the Mahabodhi temple is the vast image of Buddha which is installed here. The Mahabodhi temple is shaped like a pyramid which has a prayer on the first floor. The temple entrance is built in the South Indian style and there are four towers on the four corners of the temple. It is believed that the temple was first built by Asoka which was renovated later by Burmese Buddhists, General Cunninghum etc. The temple was renovated in recent times as well. Tibetan Monastery It is a two storeyed structure which is located to the west of the temple. It has been built with attractive ornamentation and Lord Buddha is the presiding deity here. Surya Temple, Deo - It is about 20 km away from Gaya and is famous for being the site of Chhath Puja in November.