India is blessed with extraordinarily varied landscapes. From the colossal Himalayas in the north to the never-ending Indian ocean to the wast and south. India is full of hidden gems, most of which are recognized as ‘World Heritage Sites’ by UNESCO. We know many of them, & often read or visited it. 

There are few of them, which are equally or maybe more magnificent but not as famous as the mainstream sites are. This vacation season, let's go off-beat, & dig out the lesser known beauties of this country.

On World Heritage Day, we at The Brunette Diaries have made a list of the same. Read below & start packing your bags already! 

1.    Mahabodhi Temple Complex (Bihar)
How To Reach: The nearest Railway station is Gaya (16 km). From there you can take a bus or a three-wheel taxi to Bodh Gaya. 
Major Attractions: The property encompasses the greatest remains of the 5th-6th century A.D in the Indian sub-continent belonging to this period of antiquity. The Vajrasana, Sacred Bodhi Tree and other six sacred sites of Buddha's enlightenment, the Lotus Pond, etc.

2.    Pattadakal Temple Monuments  (Karnataka)
How To Reach: By Air. The nearest airport is at Belgaum, located about 180 km from Pattadakal. By Train, Badami is the nearest railhead, located about 22 km from Pattadakal. It is also well-connected by road. 
Major Attractions : Virupaksha Temple, Nandi Mandapa, Dravida Shikhara, Mallikarjuna Temple, Sangameshawara Temple, Kadasiddeshwara temple, Jambulingeshwara Temple, Galaganatha Temple, Chandrashekhara Temple, Papanatha Temple, Kasivisweswara temple, Monolithic Stone Pillar, Jain Temple.

3.    Bhimbetka Rock Shelters (Madhya Pradesh)
How To Reach: The Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal is the nearest airport that connects Bhimbetka. The nearest railway station to it is Bhopal, which is around 45 km away from Bhimbetka.
Major Attractions : The paintings from different prehistoric periods like Old Stone Age (Paleolithic Age), Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic Age) , Bronze Age (Chalcolithic Age). 

4.    Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)
How To Reach: The nearest railhead is at Canning, 48 kms away from Sundarbans National Park.  From Kolkata there are suburban train to Canning and road transport to Namkhana, Raidighi, Sonakhali and Najat from where Motor launch services are available for Sundarbans.
Major Attractions : Complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

5.    Rani Ki Vav (Gujarat)
How To Reach : Intercity buses from Ahmedabad to Patan take 3.5 hours, and 1 hour from Mehsana. Nearest airport is Ahmedabad. The train can take you as far as Mehsana (1.5 hours). From there you will need to catch a bus to Patan.
Major Attractions : The steps begin at ground level, leading you down through the cool air through several pillared pavilions to reach the deep well below. There are more than 800 elaborate sculptures among seven galleries.

So now that you’re pretty well informed about the places, then what are you waiting for? Get on the train, baby!