Tour India’s Golden Triangle
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
India's Golden Triangle is a popular tourist circuit that includes Delhi, the "capital of India;" Agra, "Taj Mahal City;" and Jaipur, "Pink City." It presents the Indian culture in its most colorful forms and offers a dazzling vista of grandiose architectural buildings, forts, monuments and palaces, as well as its legendary heritage and a fertile tradition of art.
Delhi has two distinct parts ― Old Delhi and New Delhi ― that reflect the complexities, contradictions, beauty and dynamism of a city where the past co-exists with the present. Diverse cultural elements absorbed into daily life have enriched its character. The remains of seven distinctive capital cities ― among them Shahjahanabad and Qutub Minar ― can be seen. Museums, art galleries and cultural centers attract the finest exhibitions.
Agra is famous for being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal. The architectural splendor of its mausoleums, fort and palaces is a vivid remainder of the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Jaipur is as remarkable for its marvelous architecture and town planning as it is for the lively spirit of the people who inhabit it. The city presents a unique synthesis of culture that has to be experienced in order to be appreciated.
Golden Triangle tours usually last three or four days. It is recommended to make the trip as a circuit starting and ending in Delhi. It is easily accessible and possible by coach, train or private journey.