Which is the most underrated tourist spot/attraction in India?

 Here are some of the most underrated tourist spot in South India (I haven't explored North Yet)

1. Valparai

Valparai is a hill station in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nallamudi Viewpoint has vistas of the Anamalai Hills in the Western Ghats and surrounding tea estates. To the northwest, in Kerala, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is a forested area, with teak plantations and trails, sheltering tigers and Indian elephants. Northeast of town, the Anamalai Tiger Reserve is home to tigers, panthers, elephants, and macaques.

P.S. a ride/drive through Malkapara forest to Athirapally waterfalls is a must when visiting Valparai

2. Vagamon

Vagamon, also spelled Wagamon, is an Indian hill station town primarily located in Peerumade taluk of Idukki district, and also Meenachil taluk and Kanjirappally taluk of Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.

3. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary / Top Slip

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, which also includes the erstwhile Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 391 square kilometers protected area in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, South India. The wildlife sanctuary, which had an area of 285 square kilometers was established in 1973

4. Marayoor / Chinnar Wildlife

Marayur or Marayoor is a town in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. It is located 42 kilometers north of Munnar on SH 17 connecting Munnar with Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu. Marayur is the only place in Kerala that has natural sandalwood forests. Ancient dolmens and rock paintings in Marayur date back to the Stone Age.

5. Gavi

Gavi is a village in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is located 28 km southwest of Vandiperiyar, a town in Idukki on N.H 220, the highway connecting Kollam and Madurai.

6. Meghamalai

popularly called the Highway Mountains, is a mountain range situated in the Western Ghats in Theni district, Tamil Nadu near to Kumily, Kerala. It is dotted with cardamom plantations and tea estates. The place is situated at an elevation of 1,500 m above sea level and it is rich in flora and fauna. This area, now mostly planted with tea, includes Cloudlands, Highways, Venniar and Manalar estates, the access to which is now largely restricted. It still includes large untouched remnants of evergreen forest

7. Ponmudi

Ponmudi is a hill station in the Peringamala Panchayat of Trivandrum District of Kerala in India. It is located 53 km north-east of Trivandrum City, 78km south-east of Varkala Beach and 69km north-east of Kovalam Beach at an altitude of 1100 m.

8. Varkala

Varkala is a commercial, industrial and tourism centre in the Thiruvananthapuram district, situated in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the northern suburb of Trivandrum City. Varkala is also a taluk headquarters. In 2019, Varkala Beach was selected as the second most stunning cliff beach in the world.

9. Povaar

Poovar is a tourist town in Neyyattinkara in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, South India. This village is almost at the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram while the next village, Pozhiyoor, marks the end of Kerala. This village beach attracts tourists throughout the year

10. Kudremukha

Kuduremukha is a mountain range and name of a peak located in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station cum mining town situated near the mountain, about 20 kilometers from Kalasa

11. Coonoor & Kotagiri

Kotagiri or Kothagiri is a taluk and a Panchayat town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the third-largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills.

Coonoor is a hill station in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for its tea estates in the surrounding Nilgiri hills. Sim’s Park is a sprawling public garden with plants like rhododendrons, roses and eucalyptus trees. The steam Nilgiri Mountain Railway travels between the towns of Mettupalayam and Ooty via Coonoor. Dolphin’s Nose is a vantage point with views of the cascading Catherine Falls.

12. Kolukumalai

This highest tea estate in the world is definitely a place worth visiting, especially for those who swear by a cup of tea. Located at a height of 7900 ft above sea level, the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate is popular for growing special flavoursome teas, known for its divine freshness and rich taste

P.S. Some of the pictures are straight out of Google Images, Credits to the photographers.

What are some unknown or underrated travel destinations in India?

 

• Rani ki Vav or Ranki vav (lit. 'Queen’s stepwell') is a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat state of India.

Engineering sketch plan of the step-well.

• It is located on the banks of Saraswati river. Silted over, it was rediscovered in 1940s and restored in 1980s by the Archaeological Survey of India.
• Rani-ki-Vav was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2014.

Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, daughter of Khengara of Saurashtra, queen of the 11th-century Solanki dynasty and spouse of Bhima I.

As the history goes, Patan where the stepwell is located was the capital of Gujarat when King Siddharja Jaysingh was in power. Then, it was known as Anhilpur Patan. The construction of Rani Ki Vav was commissioned in the Solanki or Chalukya regime. It is said that the stepwell was built as a tribute to Bhimdev the First whose father had founded the Solanki dynasty in 1050 AD. The construction was proposed by the queen Udayamati, wife of Bhimdev the first.

• The entrance is located in the east while the well is located at the westernmost end and consists of a shaft 10 metres in diameter and 30 metres deep. The stepwell is divided into seven levels of stairs which lead down to deep circular well.
• The finest and one of the largest examples of it's kind and designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, the stepwell is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels; more than 500 principal sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery.
• The walls, pillars, columns, brackets and beams are ornamented with carvings and scroll work. The niches in the side walls are ornamented with beautiful and delicate figures and sculptures. There are 212 pillars in the stepwell.
• The structure was flooded by the Sabarmati River and remained silted till the late 1980s, when the ASI excavated it.
• The steps lead to the deepest bottom through several pillared pavilions. The lowermost step ends at a small gate which opens to a 30-km tunnel. It is supposed to have been used as an escape to the nearby town Sidhpur in times of invasion by enemies.

The World Heritage Site status has made Rani Ki Vav the queen of stepwells in India, for its sheer magnificence, intricate carvings, celestial sculptures, and water-preserving technology.Since July 2018, the new 100 rupee banknote features rani ki vav in its rear side.

The beauty of this step-well architecture is beyond the words.

Who are the most talented and underrated actresses in India?

 10 Brilliant Supporting Actresses In Bollywood Who Deserve More Spotlight Than The Leads

Lead actors and actresses in Bollywood movies may usually be put on a pedestal but when it comes to acting prowess and talent, some supporting actresses have won our hearts. Take a look at some of the most underrated Bollywood divas whom we’ve loved more than the “heroines”:

1. Sayani Gupta

The Bong powerhouse of acting is simply flawless. Period. Although she’s rising up the Bollywood ranks pretty fast, we want her to make her presence felt in the industry!

2. Kubra Sait

Kubra broke a lot of gender stereotypes with her jaw-dropping portrayal of Kuckoo in Sacred Games and we know that she has more to offer than just be a supporting actress for big productions. We want to see her in more movies!

3. Dia Mirza

Dia has been around for a while now and has made a special place in all our hearts but somehow has never been the centre of attention despite owning all the qualities for it. This woman deserves so much more!

4. Divya Dutta

A phenomenal actress, Divya has always been casted for supporting roles and seldom played the part of a protagonist. We genuinely think she’s proven her worth well enough to be under the spotlight.

5. Maanvi Gagroo

Very confidently breaking the stereotypical standards of beauty in Bollywood, Maanvi is our body positive icon and a tremendously good actress. Can we see more of her already?

6. Kalki Koechlin

She’s made her presence felt way too many times for us to ignore what a powerful force she is in the film industry. Kalki deserves to be on our movie and TV screens 24x7 and we’re not even exaggerating!

7. Radhika Apte

Netflix is obsessed with Radhika and so are we. What’s not to love about this gorgeous and immensely versatile actress? She’s one of the only few actresses who genuinely deserve way more recognition and stardom than the existing heroines.

8. Amrita Puri

The Kai Po Che! and Aisha star is an effortless actor when it comes to her body language and acting. We wish to see her in more prominent roles though.

9. Richa Chaddha

Richa has become a household name for all those accustomed to the world of web series but mainstream viewers with conventional choices are yet to discover her massive yet amazing presence.

10. Rasika Duggal

Mirzapur famed Rasika has been around for years but has admitted to being approached only for supporting roles. For all those who’ve watched her on screen know that she’s a brilliant actress and deserves more!