Beyond the syllabus: Lesser known wonders of India

Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world and this is a globally known fact. But, India - besides being home to this wonder - also boasts of some other phenomenal natural wonders which are known to a few people only.

From the Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim to the Rosemary church in Shetihalli, India is home to some of the most amazing natural wonders that can leave anyone and everyone awe-struck. Also, these places make up for great travel destinations. 

The places listed here are not amongst the seven wonders of the world but each of these have a reason of its own to deserve a spot in this list. Take a look at these and if we have missed any of the lesser known wonders share the same in the comments section.

And if you are an MBA student, then there is all the more reason for you to know these lesser known wonders of India as according to the new strategy adopted in MBA exams such CMAT, many questions revolve around GK ranging from folk dances to handicrafts of India.

1.     Cleanest village in Asia

Location: East Khasi Hill District, Meghalaya

Visit this place to know a thing or two about cleanliness. Dubbed as the " Cleanest village in Asia", Mawlynnong Village is located in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya and is also referred to as 'God’s Own Garden'.

Basking in natural beauty, this village collects the waste in dustbins made out of bamboo which is further directed to a pit and then used as manure. Anyone visiting the place can also get a chance to witness other heavenly delights like the Living Root Bridges and a balancing rock.

2.       The second coldest inhabited place in the world

Location: Kargil District of Jammu and Kashmir

Located about 60 km from Kargil on the Kargil-Srinagar Highway, Drass is well known as the ‘second coldest inhabited place’ in the world after Siberia.

Also known as the 'Gateway to Ladakh', Drass is situated at an altitude of about 10,597 feet above sea-level and starts from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway to Ladakh.

The town experiences a bone-breaking temperature of - 40 to -45 degrees in winters. However, the case is not the same in summers as the valley turns into a completely different place during this weather.

3.       One of the highest lakes in the world

Location: Gurudongmar Lake

Located in Sikkim at an altitude of 17,100 feet, Gurudongmar Lake is considered to be one of the highest lakes in the world but is stationed just five kilometers from the Sino-Indian border.

This beautifully peaceful place is also one of the sources of River Teesta. It is believed that Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who visited the place during his trip to China and Tibet, dug his walking stick at a place where a tree now stands.

4.       Living root bridges

Location: Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya

The living root bridges at Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya are a sight to behold. These single and double decker bridges are tangles of massive thick roots intermingled to form a bridge that has the capacity to hold several people at a given point of time.

The locals have been trained efficiently to grow these unique bridges across the raised banks of streams to form a solid bridge, made from roots. Formed from the roots of the Ficus elastica tree, these bridges are somewhere around and over 100 feet long and take about 10-15 years to become fully functional.

5.       Lonar Crater Lake

Location: Lonar Town, Maharashtra

Discovered in 1823, the Lonar Crater Lake is situated on the outskirts of Lonar town in Maharasthra's Buldhana district. Third largest of its kind in the world, this lake was formed when a meteorite hit the earth causing the depression.

It is believed that over a period of time, the crater has evolved into an idyllic lake and has further become a tourist attraction for many. Infact, the site also attracts scientists from over around the world. The lake, which is 1.83 km in diameter and about 150 meters deep, is home to several birds and animals too.

6.       Majuli

Location: Assam

Considered as the largest riverine islands in the world, Majuli is located in Assam and nestles in the lap of River Bramhaputra. The very island is home to 65 such satras of which only 22 exist today.

Boat making, fishing, pottery and handloom are some of the things that are commonly practiced in the villages located at the island. Also, Majuli is a place where one can easily spot rare and endangered avi-fauna species including the greater adjutant stork, pelican and the whistling teal among others.

7.       Nohkalikai Falls:

Location: Cherrapunjee

Nohkalikai falls, located near one of the wettest places on Earth, Cherrapunj, have the tallest plunge in India at over 11000 feet. The water of the falls are gathered by rainwater that further gets collected on a plateau.

The falls got their name from a local legend involving a young lady called Ka Likai who jumped off the cliff when her new husband, jealous of her love for her daughter from the earlier marriage kills the little one and cooks her flesh a meal and feeds it to her mother.

8.       Sunderbans

Location: West Bengal

One of the largest mangrove forest in the world, Sunderbans is spread over across 140,000 hectares and is located on the delta of three rivers -Ganga, Meghna and Brahmaputra on the Bay of Bengal. Also, this place is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger.

The very forest is home to  over 260 bird species, as well as threatened species of the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python as well as the Bengal Tiger.

9.       Longest Drive in Beach

Location: Kerela

Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach is located in the state of Kerala and is parallel to National Highway 66 between Kannur and Thalassery. Known as the largest Drive-In Beach in Asia, it is one of the important tourist attraction in the district of Kannur in Kerala.

The beach, since the late 90's, has witnessed a steady entry of European tourists during winter. And after the facelift of the beach recently, the beach has seen a major improvement in the facilities that are made available to the beach visitors including roads, resorts etc.