Things to Do in India

The heritage village of Dakshinachitra, meaning ‘A Picture of the South,' was established to help preserve the folk art and cultural traditions of southern India, particularly from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Artisans trained in traditional techniques work in the 17 heritage houses and village tableaus within the 10 acres (four hectares) of rural land just south of Chennai. Many of the pots, baskets, woven silk pieces, puppets and stone carvings you see being made can be purchased directly from the artists or in the gift shop; and items from these artists are both authentic and of high quality. Dancers, musicians, traditional fortune tellers and puppeteers all perform throughout the day in the open-air venue.

The Dakshinachitra grounds house a South Indian restaurant and a small guesthouse with both private rooms and dormitories. While a few hours should be sufficient to see all the sights, a night’s stay makes for a nice escape from the busy city center, particularly if you’re traveling with children. Despite the sometimes heavy traffic on the way from Chennai, the well-maintained cultural center is well worth a visit.

Cubbon Park is a 300-acre (121-hectare) oasis located in the heart of Bangalore just off the city’s main thoroughfare, MG Road. The park is a hive of activity in the early mornings when people come here for their morning walks and then again in the early evenings when the walkers descend again. With close to a hundred different species of plants and trees, this is also a favorite haunt for nature lovers and birdwatchers.

The park is painted a different color each season as the tall majestic trees flower and drop their petals to the ground, creating a beautiful carpet of flowers. In the spring, the Rain Trees are covered with delicate pink blossoms, while summer is when the Jacarandas release their bright purple blossoms, creating a brilliant tapestry on the ground. At the height of summer, it’s the Gulmohars’ turn as they bloom and turn the park’s avenues a bright red. Twice a year, the eccentric Cannonball tree flowers, releasing the blossoms’ intoxicating perfume. Those who want a quiet moment for contemplation head to the park’s atmospheric bamboo groves and lotus ponds.

Cubbon Park is also the home to several important government buildings including the Karnataka High Court, the Central Library and the Government Museum and Art Gallery.

The word “haat” signifies an informal weekly market, the kind that often occur in rural areas of India. Dilli Haat was opened in 2003 to recreate the haat experience in the city and provide a place for craftspeople from throughout India to sell their wares without paying high maintenance costs. The result is an open air craft and food market with 200 stalls specializing in arts and crafts from each state of India.

Vendors rent space for periods of two weeks at a time, so the variety of goods is always changing. Unlike other craft and souvenir shops in Delhi, where you’re buying from an intermediary, Dilli Haat allows you to purchase directly from artists, many of them coming to the city from rural parts of India to sell their pieces. It’s one of the most fairly priced and authentic shopping experiences in the city.

College Street, located in central Kolkata (Calcutta) in the University area, is the heart of intellectualism in a city that prides itself on its esteemed academic traditions. Thousands of secondhand bookstalls line the street to either side where you can find nearly any book ever sold in the city, including rare titles at bargain basement prices. Haggling is expected.

Of all the centers of learning located in the College Street vicinity, the Presidency College is the most respected. Established in 1817, it’s one of the oldest and most prestigious academic institutions in India and the place where filmmaker Satyajit Ray attended university. Directly across the street is the nationally famous Indian Coffee House, where students and Bengali intellectuals cram each night for heated debates over a cup of coffee.

Unfortunately, the tiny stalls with piles of old tomes are giving way to modern book malls filled with new or nearly new publications, making it more difficult to hunt down rare volumes. Now is the time to visit this quickly changing neighborhood while it still retains some of its old charm.

Located in the northern Kolkata (Calcutta) neighborhood of Dakshineswar along the Hoohley River is the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. The temple complex, dating back to the nineteenth century, consists of one large temple to Kali and 13 smaller temples dedicated to the worship of other deities in the Hindu pantheon.

The main temple, built in 1855, is an important pilgrimage spot for devotees of Kali, the patron goddess of Kolkata. It is also the temple where spiritual leader Ramakrishna had a vision that prompted him to turn against the caste system and preach religious unity instead. The small room where he lived much of his life is now a small museum celebrating his life.

The temple complex tends to get crowded on Sundays. Visit in the early morning hours to beat the heat and watch the locals feed the pigeons or browse the small flower market just outside the temple grounds.