10 Photogenic Places in India: World Photography Day

There is no dearth of photogenic places in India. India is a land of diversities- the Himalayas; amazing glaciers, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls; the Thar Desert; old fold mountains; mangroves, forests, and jungles; seas and oceans; historic monuments and iconic cities and lush villages. Celebrating World Photography Day with my top 10 list of best photogenic places in India.

Khardungla Top in Ladakh

Before the construction of the road passing through Uming La (19024 feet) in Ladakh, Khardung La (17582 feet) was the World's Highest Motorable Road. Khardungla Top (18380 feet) is a must-stop for photoshoots. Our own photo clicked at Khardungla Top is for our remarkable memory but the photos clicked of landscape are stunning. The snow, the huge rustic mountains, the meandering road, some of the world's highest Maggi stores, the vastness of the landscape, the colorful prayer flags, the wild yaks, and the bluest of blue wide sky weave magic. This magic makes Khardungla Top numero uno on my list of photogenic places in India.

Taj Mahal and in and around Agra, Uttar Pradesh

The Taj Mahal is the most photographed monument in India. So Taj Mahal and its surroundings in Agra definitely make it to my list of photogenic places in India. The Taj Mahal is a marvel in marble; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This monument in ivory white marble, located beside River Yamuna, is an architectural wonder. It is a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, commissioned in 1631, by her husband, Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor. The Agra Fort is another gorgeous structure around the Taj Mahal.

Varanasi's Dasaswamedh Ghat during Ganga Aarti

Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, undoubtedly, is one the most photogenic places in India. The ghats (river banks), the temples, and the narrow lanes of Kashi have always been intriguing photographers. However, the most spectacular photos are those of the Ganga aarti in the evening at Dasaswamedh Ghat. After sunset, the event begins with elegant priests honoring the holy Ganga with fire and flowers. The chants, lights, and sounds of bells, conches, and drums create a transcendental environment. Tourists flood in to watch the aarti; sitting on the steps of the banks or on boats in the river.

Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai

A frame with the iconic Gateway of India, the majestic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, and the Arabian Sea, is a photograph that reflects heritage and history. Mumbai, the capital city of the state of Maharashtra, is the business capital of India and the people from the busy city life are photographers' delight. There are some amazing buildings with great architecture, an awesome sea link, and beautiful beaches. Yet, to me, the frame I described makes Mumbai (Bombay) one of the top photogenic places in India.

Streets of kolkata from a Tram

Can a vehicle represent a city? Ofcourse it can. Think of a tram, a yellow taxi, and a hand-pulled rickshaw. They all scream of one place- “Kolkata”. Kolkata, the capital city of the state of west bengal, was known as the ‘City of Palaces', and Dominique Lapierre, in his novel, called Kolkata, ‘The City of Joy'. The busy streets and narrow lazy lanes of this city, the bridges over and the ghats of the River Hooghly (Ganga), and the humungous old buildings are narrating stories. It is such a unique frame to see someone sitting inside a tram that runs only in this city. These shots have been movie directors' favorites. So definitely, my city is on my list of photogenic places in India.

Backwaters of Kerala

The picturesque backwaters of Kerala are a serene stretch of brackish lagoons, canals, and lakes, located parallel to the Arabian Sea. There are villages with coconut trees and temples and churches on small islands, floating restaurants, amazing Kerala houseboats called ‘Kettuvallam', and villagers commuting by canoes. These make the place intriguing and the Chinese fishing nets, made of teak wood and bamboo poles add to the glory. This interesting, unique, and serene place definitely makes it to my list of photogenic places in India.

Architectural wonders of Hampi

Hampi is an ancient village dotted with ruins of numerous temple complexes, 340 kilometers northwest of Bangalore in Karnataka. Temples like Virupaksha Temple, Vijaya Vittala Temple and a stone carved chariot in front of it are architectural wonders. The sprawling ruins are set on the banks of the Tungabhadra River and the area is rocky and rustic with caves to explore and a few low hills at the backdrop. The boulders are ancient. From a hilltop or from the top of a boulder, one can get a 360-degree panoramic view of the area and can click amazing photographs. The availability of such a stretch and wide-angle view makes Hampi one of the most photogenic places in India. Hampi is both historically and mythologically significant.

Palolem Beach in Goa

Palolem, in South Goa, is a crescent-shaped, not-so-crowded beach, lined with curved coconut trees and low hills in the backdrop. The beach has white sand and the sea is deep blue and clear. Palolem is a picturesque beach frequented by foreign tourists. Age-old picture postcards of Goa always showed a deep blue sea and a crescent beach lined with curved coconut trees, proving why Palolem Beach in Goa is one of my favorite photogenic places in India.

The Thar Desert in Rajasthan

Deserts and dunes are not unique to India. However, the Thar Desert of Rajasthan is special for its undulating and shifting dunes, differing in size throughout the desert. The dunes of the Thar are notable for their constant movement. The dunes, the camels, and the extremely colorfully clad inhabitants together with humongous forts make the Thar Desert one of the most photogenic places in India. A sunset at Thar captured through the lens of a camera can produce one of the world's best nature photographs.

Jabalpur's Bhedaghat with 2 Unique Natural Beauties

Bhedaghat, 30 kilometers from Jabalpur, a city in Madhya Pradesh, is famous for 2 gorgeous and mighty natural beauties. They are the ‘Dhuandhar Falls' and ‘Marble Rocks'. From the Narmada River originates this majestic waterfall and then flows through a marble gorge called ‘Marble Rocks'. The marbles are white and pink too and meandering on a boat through them opens floodgates of photography. The gushing waterfall is undoubtedly grand and awe-inspiring. Bhedaghat therefore, has to be in my list of photogenic places in India.

A Bonus as I End– Sandakphu, West Bengal

India has such a diverse landscape, and the list of photogenic places in India can go on. Limiting this article to 10 photogenic places is not doing perfect justice to the natural beauties and the historical places in India.

However, as every good thing comes to an end, I end my list too, just with the addition of a bonus place on this list. I have a special spot in my heart for the snow-clad Mount Kanchenjunga. Sandakphu, in West Bengal, is superb for viewing both Mt. Kanchenjunga and the Everest Range. Mt. Kanchenjunga is considered holy and is the third largest mountain peak in the world and Everest, locally called Chomolungma, is the world's highest peak. Sandakphu to Phalut stretch, on a sunny day, gives views that if clicked produce some of the world's best photographs.