In this issue

Start 2020 with a bang with this year's first issue of Discover India. Our feature on the 20 amazing offbeat trails across the country will leave you longing for a vacation. Explore Gandhi’s Ahmedabad and the City of Joy, Kolkata through our city guides. Get ready to be enthralled with our feature on braving the winter in Ladakh. Take a gastronomic journey across Coonoor and discover the heritage village of Pragpur in Himachal Pradesh. If you’re into photography, there’s no better place than the Himalayan belt, as our photo essay reveals.

Kolkata

On the eastern bank of River Hooghly in West Bengal sits the mega city of Kolkata—home to roughly 15 million people, including diverse communities such as Chinese, Jewish, and Armenian, besides the indigenous Bengalis. Kolkata came into existence in the late 17th century when the British East India Company arrived at its shores, established a trading post, and christened the area as Calcutta. Until then, there stood only three villages, ruled by the Nawabs of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty. Calcutta became the capital of British India in 1772, and remained so until 1911. The city prospered, and numerous palaces and mansions were built by the British as well as Bengali aristocrats, lending it the epithet of ‘City of Palaces’. The Bengal Renaissance further established Calcutta as the cultural capital of India, where art, film, theatre, drama, and literature flourished alongside modern liberal thinking. Officially renamed as Kolkata in 2001, the city is shaped by its history and heritage, vibrant mix of cultures, lip-smacking food, and bustling markets.

6 mins

Craft Stories

Next time you are in Jaipur, spend a day with the craftswomen of the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, learning their arts, culture, and life stories, at Badal Mahal in City Palace Jaipur complex.

2 mins

24 Hours In Guwahati

Guwahati, the gateway to Northeast India, boasts an eclectic charm that is rare to cities. A bustling cosmopolitan in the making, the city is a sweet symphony of delectable cuisine, natural marvels, and spirituality. Here’s how you can explore the best of it in 24 hours.

3 mins

Top 10 Hotels in MUMBAI

Mumbai boasts a wide range of properties, from classic to contemporary, that are perfect for business and leisure trips. Here is a handpicked collection of 10 hotels in the city that encapsulate its upscale vibe.

6 mins

A Blend Of Old And New

With an interesting play of traditional and contemporary designs, attention to detail, and newly added facilities, the recently relaunched ibis Jaipur Civil Lines stands out from the crowd in the Pink City.

2 mins

Beyond The Sea In Goa

Situated on the whimsical Divar Island in Goa, Mercure Goa Devaaya Retreat is a stellar example of the state’s growing popularity as a wellness destination.

3 mins

Small-Town Wonders

From a floating church to temples that tell stories, the district of Hassan in Karnataka harbours in its hinterland relics of contrasting pasts.

5 mins

Into the UNKNOWN

India is a land of surprises. And that is why, it is imperative to move away from buttoned-down destinations like the Taj Mahal and the forts of Rajasthan. This year, tread off the beaten path and pick one of these 20 off-beat experiences—hunting for dinosaur fossils in Gujarat, visiting a goat village in Uttarakhand, and many more.

10+ mins

The Life & Times Of Maharajas

Let’s go tale-hunting on a cultural and heritage trail around Mysuru.

6 mins

White Winter Wonderland

A winter vacation in Ladakh is not for the faint-hearted, but the rewards for answering the siren call of the extreme landscape are many.

7 mins

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Discover India Magazine Description:

Discover India, India's premium travel and culture magazine launched in 1988 by Media Transasia India Limited in active cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, with a view to cater primarily to the inbound tourist. It is a beautifully presented glossy monthly, widely circulated and available at all our missions abroad.
Discover India reflects the diverse aspects of India. It deals with India's philosophy, history, culture, architecture, fashion, art and folklore in both the ancient and modern context. It is a magazine with some thing for everyone - the gourmet, the scholar, the architect.