164 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in India - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in India

Chand Baori

Thousands of exquisitely carved stone water storage wells, hundreds of stone steps fill this exquisite medieval stepwell.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Cherrapunjee, India

The Root Bridges of Cherrapunji

Centuries-old bridges grown from tangled roots.

bertieinindia

Added by bertieinindia

Palace of Winds

The 953 windows undoubtedly make this the world's most beautiful screened porch.

Skeleton Lake of Roopkund, India

A lake with hundreds of ancient skeletons surrounding it. The surprise is what killed them.

Dylan

Jal Mahal

More than half of this Indian palace is drowned but it looks all the more spectacular for it.

Chris White

Added by Chris White

Ellora Caves

This complex of vertically-excavated Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu monolithic temples in India's Maharashtra providence illustrates a spirit of tolerance characteristic of ancient India.

capvt

Shatrunjaya Hill

A mecca for India's Jains.

Alicia Bones

Added by Alicia Bones

Chandigarh, India

Nek Chand Saini

A palatial sculpture park, built illegally and in secret by a self-taught artist over a period of 36 years.

Added by mbison

See All 164 Things to Do in India See All 164 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in India

Szechuan Button

Gastro Obscura

Ingredients & Condiments

Szechuan Button

This herb gives cocktails another kind of buzz.

Gastro Obscura

sarahcorsa

Added by sarahcorsa

Pista Burfi

Gastro Obscura

Pista Burfi

The pistachio fudge makes a vibrant accompaniment to celebrations in Northern India.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

Falooda

Gastro Obscura

Falooda

A 2,500-year-old Persian dessert evolved into this Indian summertime favorite.

Gastro Obscura

SeemaKg

Added by SeemaKg

Chai at Sahu Tea Shop

Gastro Obscura

Chai at Sahu Tea Shop

In an unassuming shop in Jaipur, a family has been serving highly addictive chai for decades.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Anita Squared

See all 36 things to eat in India See all 36 things to eat in India

Atlas Obscura Trips

Northern India’s Colorful Cities, Villages, and Celebrations

Visit towering forts and palaces, explore local villages, experience Diwali with an Indian family, wander centuries-old ruins, learn to cook in a family home, and witness the sunrise over the Taj Mahal and the River Ganges on this immersive tour of Delhi, Rajasthan, and Varanasi.

Tao Tao Holmes / Atlas Obscura

Explore India

Launch Map

India Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent India Activity

Aishwarya Santosh

Aishwarya Santosh wants to go to 101 Dining Table at Falaknuma Palace

Aishwarya Santosh

Aishwarya Santosh has been to Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

Aishwarya Santosh

Aishwarya Santosh has been to Thiruvalluvar Statue

Aishwarya Santosh

Aishwarya Santosh has been to Krishna's Butter Ball

Aishwarya Santosh

Aishwarya Santosh has been to Kanyakumari Gandhi Mandapam

Stories
About India

Whatever happened here didn't just happen once.

The Bones at India's Mysterious 'Skeleton Lake' Came From All Over

New research reveals that the hundreds of anonymous dead spanned both continents and centuries.

by Matthew Taub

August 21, 2019

Shah Jahan on the Peacock Throne at Delhi receiving deputations.

Eat Like Royalty With This Cookbook From the Emperor Who Built the Taj Mahal

Shah Jahan developed one of the most famous cuisines of India.

by Reina Gattuso

August 05, 2019

A worker uses a gas cutter to dismantle a disused vessel at Alang Shipbreaking Yard.

A Unique Bric-a-Brac Market Sells Salvaged Goods From Broken Ships

At Alang on the western coast of India, you may find second-hand doors, lifebuoys, and light bulbs.

An Indian trader at the Pushkar Camel Fair 2018.

To Save India's Camel Culture, a New Dairy Is Selling Milk and Cream Cheese

The ungulate population has dropped precipitously.

by Morgan Randall

In the 1790 painting <em>Bhang Eaters Before Two Huts</em>, by Pemji, a group of men mix and consume bhang.

This British Colonial Report Offers a Rare Glimpse Into India's Historic Cannabis Cuisine

And a description of some very stoned canines.

by Reina Gattuso

Kōlam festivals are one of the few remaining opportunities to showcase this slowly fading tradition.

How an Ancient Indian Art Utilizes Mathematics, Mythology, and Rice

Computer scientists have studied these “pictorial prayers.”

by Rohini Chaki

Yes, it is very tall.

Nepal's Mounting an Expedition to Discover if Everest Has Shrunk

The long history of measuring the world’s highest point.

by Jonathan Carey

Mmm, curry.

The Subversive, Surprising History of Curry Powder

One of India’s most popular gastronomic exports tells a tale of empire.

by Rohini Chaki

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