Indian city Ahmedabad and the state of Kerala have been mentioned in TIME magazine’s list of world’s greatest places of 2022.
- Other places which find a mention among the “50 extraordinary destinations to explore” around the world, are: Ras Al Khaimah, UAE; Park City, Utah; Seoul; Great Barrier Reef, Australia; The Arctic; Valencia, Spain; Trans Bhutan Trail, Bhutan; International Space Station; Bogota; Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia; Istanbul and Kigali, Rwanda.
Ahmedabad
- TIME hailed “India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City” Ahmedabad as a place for higher learning .
- It mentioned landmarks like the Gandhi Ashram — which sits on 36 acres on the banks of the Sabarmati River — along with Gujarat Science City, which is a “sprawling entertainment center and theme park” that unveiled “three major attractions last year, including a 20-acre nature park to educate the public on local flora as well as provide new spaces for playing chess and practicing yoga”.
- It stated that there is also a “new interactive robot gallery that celebrates innovation in robotics and features a towering replica of a Transformer”, along with the fact that Science City’s new aquarium “showcases aquatic species from around the globe” and is now India’s largest.
Kerala-God’s own country
- Kerala is often hailed as ‘God’s own country’ for its lush green cover, famous backwaters, temples, food, and cultural offerings.
- Alappuzha s referred to as the Venice of the East. It is famous for its boat races, backwaters, beaches and coir industry.
- The Kuruvadweep or the Kuruva Island is a “cluster of islets” in Kabini River in Wayanad. It is famous for boat rides on bamboo rafts.
- The historic Bekal Fort is the “best preserved Fort” in the state, located next to a beach. Built in the 17th century, it is shaped like a giant keyhole.
- The Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad is also called ‘Sairandhrivanam’ after Sairandhri — the secret identity assumed by Draupadi/Panchali — in the Mahabharat, when she spent her time in exile here, hiding from the Kauravas along with her five Pandava husbands.
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