Explore India this Independence Day weekend

New Delhi, Aug 10 With a lengthy Independence Day weekend coming up, make plans to honour India's history while enjoying some downtime. Take some time out to explore India's vast cultural and geographic variety up close and personal and to feel proud of our country's accomplishments.

The largest exhibition of the world's countless cultural ideas, each with its own customs, traditions, language, and cuisine, can be found in India. And we don't even need visas to travel to explore and enjoy this mind-blowing legacy—literally it's only a short drive or flight away! Celebrate India this year by travelling to one of these locations for a glimpse into some seductive, some ancient, and some eclectic cultural and natural history while you indulge yourself, soak up traditional hospitality, and have a well-earned, mindfully opulent vacation.

Check in at these beautiful properties to savour the best of India:

Visalam, Kanadukathan, Tamil Nadu

Explore 19th century Chettiar way of life with this exquisite 15-roomed heritage-boutique property in the Chettinad village of Kanadukathan.

Visalam is a 100-year-old labour of love, a gift from a father to his eldest daughter - a progressive and rare occurrence in those times. A veritable museum, Visalam is one of the finest examples of a typical Chettiar home, Burmese teak woodwork and ornate ceilings, chandeliers from Europe and the Far East, Belgian glasswork, Italian marble, and beautiful handmade tiles, as well as a beautiful heritage pool, all lay testament to the travels, explorations, global design and aesthetic sensibilities of the otherwise traditional Chettinadu traders.

Visalam is authentic through its entire fabric of offerings and serves as a perfect base to explore the Chettiand landscape of local traditions and rich heritage of arts - cycle/walking tours of luxurious architecture and interiors of Chettinad homes, meet the cotton weavers in action, learn the process of making the traditional, vibrant Athangudi tiles, observe the local village life. Hyperlocal experiences have been crafted within the property, including the fiery, nutritious and distinctive Chettinad cuisine cooked by the local village women.

Samode Haveli, Jaipur:

A visit to Rajasthan isn't complete without a taste of the much-spoken-about Rajasthan's royalty. What better way to experience this than to stay at one of the truest reflection of Rajputana hospitality located just within the Old city of Jaipur, the 200-year old Samode Haveli. With gorgeously intricate walls murals, some 100s of years old, art and furnishings of colourful flowing fabrics, and elegant rooms and suites spread across bougenvilla fringed courtyards, terraces and alcoves, the Haveli is what fairytales are made of. Indulge in local Rajasthani cuisine, there's much to explore for plant and meat lovers, as well as other International cuisines and don't miss the morning guided walks around the old-city curated by the hotel; step outside the gates to revel in the city markets, museums and art centres, Samode Haveli is perfect for a whole-some flavour of sophisticated royalty, binge-eating, Jaipur experiences and instagrammable holiday!

Jehan Numa Palace, Bhopal:

It is easy to see why the Bhopal city and the surrounding regions are so well-planned, clean roads, elegant architecture

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