After Agra what next?

tboxcar

Just finishing up Varanasi, will be in Agra early on the 21st, I can see maybe 2 days there so maybe until the 23rd or so. My departure flight it out of Kolkata very early on the 29th of June. So with the remaining time where should I go, Darjeeling was my choice but now with the strikes it out of the question! Can spend a few days at most in Kolkata, but I still have several days to burn? what is somewhat close to Agra (I don't mind another train ride) on the way back by train to Kolkata? Currently in Varanasi and loving it!

kalbarri

are bodh gaya, not too far from varanasi. train station is gaya and bodh gaya is about 14ks by bus from there. where the buddha got enlightened.
below calcutta is an amazing place (i think) puri. further down the coast is bhubaneswar,(not sure of spelling) lots of interesting things to see there.

tboxcar

Hmmm that's a thought, would like to stay closer to Kolkata as my flight leaves from there, Hmm. wondering how the weather might be south of Kolkata, as the monsoon is increasing. Currenlty a light mist here in Varanasi on June 18th

Penultimate Buddha

lol there is always a place to see near you in India.
But tell me soemthing isn't Agra in the opposite direction? I mean if you eventually have to travel back to kolkata. My suggestion is go to places east of Varanasi. Kalbarri's suggestion makes perfect sense...Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Gaya, Puri (it has the famous sun temple) and back to calcutta.
However if you DO WISH to touch agra, one option is to do Agra, Delhi and Jaipur, also called the golden triangle. Else if you do not plan to venture far to the west then along with Agra try mathura and vrindavan for millions of krishna temples, Bharatpur for its bird santuary and Deeg for its palace. I am presuming you will go to the historical places of sikandara and fatehpur sikri as they are the outskirts of Agra.
good luck

singsub

rightly said about india. but cant agree with the puri bit. its konark that has the famous sun temple. OP i also suggest you try out the bhubaneswar-puri-konark triange from kolkata. or else try visiting burdwan and shantiniketan in west bengal. there's also murshidabad and the forests of "dooars".

grikoo

Yes, I was going to suggest konark as well.

Penultimate Buddha

oops. u are right singsub. sorry tbox, puri and konark are 2 different places, both of them are tourist hubs. But i can take relief in the fact that they are close to each other. the distance is about 30 odd kms. however my apologies for the mistake.
also if you havent been to kolkata, keep 2 days for it when you reach there. it still has the remenesence of the british raj.

zoltan

What abour Orissa ?

Not too far south of Bengal and you could easily enjoy a few days there.

Cheers
Zoltan

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tboxcar

Thank for all the suggestions and Yes, I wil be backtracking to Agra, but this is really a 'photo journey' short and sweet and taking nothing but photos. So going the try to hit the Taj Majal for a photo session.

Puri, after reading a bit about it, does sound like the most logical place, being an ocean, water kinda of person. The biggest factor in my way is going to the 'monsoonal weather'and Puri being near the coast might be getting really bad.

Currently here in Varanasi, it mostly cloudy, humid and about 29 C. some light rain with mist this AM.

Thanks everyone

Penultimate Buddha

if you are in Agra, let me show you the Taj Mahal...last summer i had an old classmate come down from london with a few english friends of his and i agreed to show them the Taj Mahal. We spent 6 hours at the monument with them refusing to leave the place

wonderwomanusa

Closer to Kolkata, you might think of spending a day or two at Bushnupur; search the library here for photos of those beautiful terracotta temples!

kalbarri

i spent some rainy season at puri and further down the coast and it was still really great, not raining all the time. in fact, we walked along the beach to konark, starting in the night, sleeping for a bit then continuing the next day. we checked out the scenery above the beach now and again and saw the locals fishing in lakes and going about their daily lives. arriving at konark was funny as we went up to have some tea and food at a cafe and chatted to locals, then said our goodbyes and started to head back to the beach to continue to konark and the locals said where are you going? we said, to konark, and they said. you are here!!!
there was some rainbowy colours in the sky above the amazing temple, when we went to it. nice journey.

singsub

the beach "strip" between puri and konark is a great place to have picnics and even a night's camping.