Thousands of years of a fairly turbulent history have left their mark on India, and perhaps the most prominent reminders of the country’s past are the many forts and palaces which lie scattered across India. Moated and turreted, thickly walled and exquisitely decorated with mirror and marble, pietra dura and paint, these citadels have fulfilled functions ranging from the purely practical to the unabashedly ornamental. They have been, like Jaipur’s Amer Fort or the Gwalior Fort, bastions meant to keep out invaders; or they have been, like the City Palace of Jaipur, the Red Fort of Delhi or the Mysore Palace, a no-holds-barred display of the wealth and grandeur of those who ruled.

And best of all, they still stand- proud and imposing, forts and palaces which figure right up there at the top of any tourist itinerary. A tribute to India’s history, a peek into its past- a sight not to be missed.