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Duck the heat ... Summer destinations Madras: 37 degrees C New Delhi: 44 degrees C Calcutta: 41 degrees C Bombay: 37 degrees C Ahmedabad: 41 degrees C Bangalore: 32 degrees C Hyderabad: 40 degrees C Awful! Right? Those temperatures! Time to get away. It is definitely time to get away. Let the hot winds blow. And the earth bake. As the parched land shrivels up like a scene from Guide, pack your bags and head for some of these delightful destinations: Kodaikanal and Palani, Tamil Nadu Kodaikanal has always been one of Tamil Nadu's -- nay, all of South India's -- beloved honeymoon destination. And not without reason. Today, though the town is being marred by increasing commercialism, it offers gorgeous views of the lush plains below, waterfalls, interesting rock outcrops and a wonderful climate. Even in summer Kodaikanal, situated in the Palani hills and by the Kodai Lake, is cool and refreshing and scented with pine and eucalyptus. Popularised by the British as early as the 1850s, the town, which is located on the edge of shola woodlands has a total Raj feel to it -- with the quaint cottages, special walks and beautiful gardens. Kodai is indeed a great place to unwind, offering plenty of accommodation options and interesting hikes, boating and horse riding. Travel a li'l bit beyond Kodai and you hit the temple town of Palani, a unique little place in its own right. Palani's main claim to fame is its Shri Dandayudhapani temple and its tranquility. A quiet, town away from the commercial honeymoon bustle Palani is a good side trip to make, especially because the drive from Palani to Kodai through tea country is quite spectacular. Fast Facts Netarhat, Bihar Even at the best of times Bihar is a difficult region to crisscross on a touristy jaunt. Strikes, delays, lack of infrastructure and law and order problems may prevent adventurous journeys across this beautiful state. Netarhat is a however a very peaceful, pretty corner of the state not too difficult to access from Ranchi or Betla. A hill station, where the popular Sainik school is located, Netarhat has few sites to offer as such, apart from a trip up to the nearby falls. But Netarhat does offer the possibility of chilling out by the edge of thick saland bamboo forests, miles from civilisation. Situated at 1,127 metres above sea level, Netarhat has a bird’s eye view of the plains below and a very pleasant climate. There are several points about the town, to head to, for splendid views of the sunset and sunrise. Most importantly Netarhat is way, way off the beaten track of tourist hordes. Very few tourists stomp through here and you are likely to have the town all to yourself! Fast Facts Panchmarhi, Madhya Pradesh One of the only 'British-discovered' hill stations of Madhya Pradesh, Panchmarhi is cool, quaint, calm and 1,100 metres above sea level… and extraordinarily captivating. It is a popular destination for a conference, honeymoons, get togethers and family holidays… even the famous Panchmarhi Meet was hosted here by newly anointed Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. But Panchmarhi is still very unspoilt and offers everything one would need on a holiday -- natural beauty, intriguing attractions, peace, agreeable temperatures and relaxation. Madhya Pradesh Tourism offers excellent Raj style accommodation. For a full rundown on Panchmarhi please do check out, Whistlestop tour of Panchmari: A guide to a Satpura retreat. Fast Facts Puri, Orissa Hot, but by the beach, Puri is a popular destination for the summer. And why not? The causarina-edged, bleached beaches of Orissa, particularly at Puri, are some of the prettiest in India. And Puri's Jagannath temple, the home of Lord Jagannath, is a spectacular looking shrine that climbs to the sky above Puri. The town draws a mixed crowd. Zealous Bengali tourists living up the summer, beachwallahs and the devout. Puri has many names. Purushottam, Srikshetra, Sankhakshetra, Jagannath Puri, Jagannath Dham, Nilachal, Nilgiri, Niladri. Many of these names are derived from the famous temple in its neighbourhood. The twelfth century Jagannath temple is a char dham, one of the four Hindu holy spots. Built by the Ganga ruler, Ananthavarman Chodaganga for his new capital, the temple is 65 metres high and located on Nilgiri Hill. The temple complex is huge and several smaller shrines with their own specific functions are housed there. European sailors passing the Orissa coast, in days gone past, referred to the temple as a black pagoda. Jagannath Temple is the site of an impressive, not-to-be-missed rath yatra festival on a day of the full moon in June. While the temple is not open to non-Hindus, Hindus of all castes have always been very welcome. The power of purification of this shrine is believed to be legendary and it is said even if a dog were to corrupt the prasadamor sacred offering it would not get apavitraor unholy. Tripping out on the beach, riding the waves on a catamaran and visiting the large Ananda Bazaar are some of the interesting activities to do while in Puri. Fast Facts Joshimath, Uttar Pradesh Serene Joshimath is situated in the shadow of some majestic Himalayan peaks about 250 km north of Rishikesh. A wayside place, not too many travellers stop at this mountain town. It is however actually quite a sensible place to base yourself. At 1,875m above sea level and located on an old caravan route, Joshimath is a charming place. Quiet and tiny, Adi Shankaracharya's religious centre was established here. The cable car for Auli starts its journey at Joshimath and a ride -- the longest in India-- brings you right into the neighbourhood of the shimmering Nanda Devi, Hathi and other peaks. Auli is just 15 km away, Badrinath some 45 km further ahead and Gobindghat is nearby, 30 km away. Gobindghat is the starting point of a tough trek to the lovely alpine Valley of Flowers discovered by the mountaineer Frank Smythe in the 1930s. Fast Facts Ranthambore, Rajasthan. Deep in the dark jungles and on the lookout for tigers is the place to be when the mercury rises, especially in a scorchingly hot part of the country like Rajasthan. A reasonable census of tigers had put Ranthambore on the world map, long before Prez Clinton and beti traipsed through and Ranthambore is one of the parks where the chances of spotting a tiger are the highest. In summer the probability is still better. Green all year round because of its lakes and perennial rivers, the 410 sq km park is home to perhaps two dozen tigers, panthers, chital, nilgai, crocodiles, jackals, birds of all feathers. An added attraction is the gracious,1000-year old fort on the periphery which was once conquered by Alauddin Khilji. Ranthambore was the royal hunting grounds of the Jaipur maharajas and the scene of many flamboyant hunts. The park till a few years ago had many more tigers. The serious poaching, that has gone on in the last decade, has altered the census dramatically Unfortunately unlike at other national parks accommodation is available outside the cool forests. It is therefore advisable, if budget permits, to opt for air conditioned accommodation. Fast Facts Kalimpong, West Bengal No doubt about it, Darjeeling is the most popular hill station of West Bengal. But the less-sought Kalimpong has always had its takers. Very close to the border of Bhutan and Tibet, and neighbouring Sikkim, sitting on top of a ridge, Kalimpong is a place of flowers. Orchids, roses, dahlias, amaryllis, gladioli grow all over this sleepy town and a flower festival is held in October. Monasteries -- Bhutanese and Tibetan -- are another important sight -- the Thongsa Gompa, Ringkinpong Gompa, Pedong Gompa and the Tharpa Choling Gompa. Kalimpong switched hands between the Sikkimese and the Bhutanese before it was taken over by the British. Scottish missionaries were once rather active in this area and a legacy of this is the Dr Graham Home, a school. The town and its environs is dotted with a variety of interesting sites -- a cheese farm, a twice weekly market, nurseries, bakeries, waterfalls, river beaches and schools. Don't miss visiting David McDonald's home (Himalayan Hotel), almost like a Tibetan museum. McDonald, a British agent helped the 13th Dalai Lama exit Tibet and went on a mission to Tibet earlier to that in 1904. Fast Facts Tiracol, Goa The Times, London has listed Palolem beach in Cancona in south Goa as the best beach in the world. Slowly but surely the sun worshipping hordes will transform the face of this awesome and once pristine strip of sand. And as each isolated patch of Goan sand gets 'discovered', one wonders… are there any quiet beautiful corners left? And should we tell you about them... lest tomorrow new hordes ruin the last bastions of white sand in this wonderful state. Tiracol in the very north is still one such undiscovered or rather unfrequented kingdom of beautiful sand. A fabulous beach, Tiracol offer good hotel accommodation to boot. The hotel is located within the rambling Tiracol Fort. Perhaps overpriced, it is however an atmospheric place to stay. An Usha factory is the only unsightly view around but the government is in the process of dismantling it. Don't waste time. Go to Tiracol soon before there are more towels on the beach than sand. Fast Facts Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh Travelling through Arunachal Pradesh needs patience. Distances are enormous and roads not always in the best shape. But persistence will be rewarding because Arunachal Pradesh offers some of the most stunning scenery in the country, from snow covered peaks to fertile alluvial plains. And the Tawang monastery is situated at a simply divine spot. Located seven or eight hours away from Tezpur in Assam, the nearest rail and airport, reaching Tawang is a long journey and takes a bit of energy. But the drive is especially pretty. You will pass apple orchards, rain forests, pine woods, alpine valleys, lakes. Tawang Monastery is located at an elevation of 3,000 m, nearly kissing a ring of snow clad peaks and overlooking narrow valleys, located hundreds and hundreds of metres below. In short it has an awesome location. A giant complex, the largest in India, Tawang consists of nearly 70 charming looking, timber buildings and is the home to nearly 500 lamas. The monastery houses a rare collection of thankas and manuscripts. Buddhists believe that the sixth Dalai Lama was born here Fast Facts Chikhaldhara, Maharashtra Much of Maharashtra bakes in summer. The state's summer refuges are sparse -- a few oft-visited spots in the ghats. Chikhaldhara, which we have highlighted before, therefore deserves yet another mention. This tiny foresty place, though magical looking in monsoon, is soothing and cool in summer too. Read all about Chikhaldhara. Fast Facts Varkala, Kerala In summer, temperatures in Kerala rise only marginally. Humid and warm all year round, Kerala summers are not really well defined. You may just as well choose to visit Kerala in summer as in spring. And Varkala is a beautiful beach spot. Some say it is the new alternative to Kovalam. Apart from a great looking Pavanacham beach, an added attraction is its 2,000 year old Janardhana Swamy Temple, natural springs, the Nature Cure hospital and ashram. The attractive palace of the former king of Travancore is now a government guest house. Varkala is located 20 kilometres south of Quilon. Fast Facts Kapurthala, Punjab Close to Jalandhar, Kapurthala was once Fateh Singh Ahluwalia's royal capital. Kapurthala was a 13-gun-salute Sikh princely state that spread across about 650 sq miles. Conquered by the Ahuwalias in the late 1700s, this clan and their royal seat had a colourful history. Kapurthala remained on the side of the British during the Mutiny. And its maharajas made world headlines in the 60s when an English woman claimed that one of the Kapurthala kings, Paramjit Singh willed his fortune to her. She was able to present a will penned by Singh and tried to access a Paris safety deposit box, said to have contained jewellery worth £ 600,000. French courts however ruled that Singh's fortune and the jewellery belonged to his son. A town of pretty palaces and monuments -- Shalimar Garden, Panch Mandir, Jagjit Palace, Moorish Mosque -- this is a pretty corner of Punjab not too far from the Pak border. Kapurthala's interesting buildings are a legacy of Jagatjeet Singh's reign. Singh, another colourful Ahuwalia, who apparently maintained an enormous harem, was much influenced by European styles Kapurthala does heat up a fair bit in summer and, in fact, the Kapurthala monarchs had their summer palace in Shimla. But a trip to Kapurthala and a stay at the efficient Punjab Tourism guest house makes a pleasant chotabreak. Fast Facts Keylong, Himachal Pradesh Pretty Keylong, the administrative headquarters of the district of Lahaul is also the gateway to the district. Like much of northern Himachal the landscape around here runs to fields of barley, potatoes, vegetables and hops, dry moonscape, interesting looking monasteries and awesome views of snow-capped peaks. Not a terribly attractive town, Keylong is nevertheless a good place to park. Trips to the Khardong, Sha Shur and Tayul monasteries and even prettier destinations like Trilokinath, Udeypur, Baralacha La and even Leh -- further afield can be easily accomplished from Keylong. Fast Facts Nagarhole, Karnataka The thick deciduous forests of Nagarhole in western Karnataka are ideally visited in summer. The park's large artificial lake does not dry up even in the high heat and its shores are a strategic viewing point for wildlife. Since the lake is the only source of water in this 650 sq mile park animals arrive here to parch their thirst. The unique but high tariff Kabini River Lodge easily ranks as one of the popular hotels in the world. Once a royal hunting lodge, the lodge is a cool and excellent hangout in summer and the best way to do this park. Look out for elephants, bison, boar and maybe a tiger in the tall grass. A coracle ride across the lake at dawn is indeed a special experience to have too. For an account of a visit to Nagarhole please do check out The Silent Hills Fast Facts For information on how to get to the above selected destinations, hotel rates and more, do check out Fast Facts. EARLIER FEATURES: The great escape: Fifteen summer destinations Diwali breaks Millennium new year holidays Tell us what you think of this feature

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