Lord Rama is supposed to have shot an arrow into the ground to make Ganga spring forth. Banganga was also the location of the hermitage of Sage Gautam. He advised Lord Rama to worship Lord Shiva to get back his wife. Accordingly Lord Rama made a shivling from the sand (Valuka in Sanskrit) and so the word Walkeshwar Mahadev of the Walkeshwar temple.

Adalaj step well is on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, about 20 kms from the city centre. The step well is about 600 years old. It was started by Queen Rudabai and completed by the conqueror of her kingdom Mahmud Begada.

Nandaprayag marks the confluence of Nandakini with Alaknanda. It is the fourth prayag on the way to Badrinath from Rishikesh. Unlike other Prayags, the two rivers flow gentle and wide, the confluence is broader.

Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh is set against the backdrop of Dauladhar mountains. It is a stone temple built in 1204 at a site where worship was already being practiced. It is built in the Nagara style of temple architecture. It has wonderful carvings on the periphery and two delightful balconies on either side of the main temple. It is close to Dharamshala, the paragliding hotspot of Bir Biling and the tea gardens of Palampur.

The Thrissur Pooram is held in April/May and is one of the largest and most famous of festivals in Kerala. Pooram is a congregation of deities. Ten deities around the Vadakkunathan temple participate in the Thrissur Pooram. It involves ritual procession of the deities to the Vadukkunathan temple, a rhythmic performance called Panchavadyam, exchange of parasols, elephant procession and fireworks.

The Kashi Vishwanath temple is in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand. It is considered as a very sacred temple, equivalent to Kashi. It is on the way to Gangotri from Rishikesh and the Char Dham pilgrims stop and pray at Uttarkashi temple.

Gaumukh is the mouth of river Baghirathi. It is about 18 kms away from Gangotri and requires a long walk on glacial moraine. At Gaumukh, Baghirathi emerges from the glacier as a river. Gaumukh is a sacred pilgrimage.

Le Pakshi is about 120 kms from Bangalore and is believed to be the site where Jatayu fell after its wings were clipped by Ravana. When Rama reached the site, he is believed to have uttered the words Le Pakshi meaning “rise bird” in Telugu language. The earliest inscriptions in the temple date to 1583 CE. The temple is renowned for its pillared corridors, sculptures, murals and a hanging pillar. The temple also has the sculpture of a seven hooded Naga within the complex.

Renukaji is set in the secluded Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. Renukaji is the birthplace of Lord Parashurama. His mother, Renukaji, took permanent refuge in the lake and is said to rise from the lake once a year to fulfil Parashurama’s request. The large Renuka lake is named after her and there is a smaller lake for Parashuram. The overflow of Renuka lake feeds Parashuram lake.

Ki Monastery forms the grand trio of Spiti monasteries with Dhankar and Tabo. Ki is 1000 years old. It appears much larger than the other monasteries in size. It also houses the largest number of monks. From Kaza, it presents its vertical face in full glory, It looks like a building pinched out of worn out rock and mud face. White and dark brown structures stick out of the mountain face. It follows the contour of the rock and mud face and has several levels sliding one down the other.