Top 5 natural wonders in India

New Delhi: India has been widely acknowledged for its scenic beauty and elegance. India has always served as an abode to people of all interests because of the diversity that can be seen across the country.Even the nature has bestowed some of the amazing wonders in the country which does leave the onlooker mesmerized by its charm.Some of these destinations are home to a variety of natural wonders such as flora and fauna that may never be found elsewhere in the world.These unique things are the nature's way to spellbind the humans and their existence.Here we present you the top 5 natural wonders in India: Hot water springs at ManikaranLocated in the Parvati Valley along the banks of river Parvati in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, Manikaran is a small town which serves as a pilgrimage centre for Hindus and Sikhs.The hot water springs are one of the greatest tourist attractions in the town that allure tourists from across the world to visit this place.The springs at Manikaran come out to surface with pressure and are very hot.Although it is said that no sulphur or iron mixed in the waters, but it is said to be radio active. The water of these springs is so much hot that dal, rice, vegetables etc. can be boiled and cooked in it.Vegetables etc. are cooked in a pan resting on the hot water. Usually the meal is cooked fine in 20 minutes. Even 'chapatis' are cooked by immersion. The heat near the boiling place, where the meal is cooked, is so high that a person who is not used to it can not even stand and tolerate the heat for some minutes.Many temples and gurudwaras are found in the town. Bora Caves at Arakku Valley in VishakapatnamKnown as one of the largest caves in the country, the Bora Caves at Arakku Valley in Vishakapatnam comprises of numerous formations together called speleothems along with irregularly shaped stalactites and stalagmites.The Caves basically have Karstic limestone structures.It is said that water percolating from the roof of the caves dissolves limestone and trickle drop by drop to form stalactite at the roof of the cave and then dripping down to the ground form stalagmite.Stalactites are calcium carbonate deposits that hang from the top of the cave. Stalagmites are deposits that form at the bottom of the cave and grow upward.These deposits have developed into interesting forms and structures inside the caves such as Shiva–Parvati, Mother–Child, Rishi's beard, Human brain, mushrooms, crocodile, temple, church, etc. which are named as per their structure. Valley of Flowers - UttarakhandActually a national park in Uttarakhand, Valley of Flowers is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora.The valley which also serves as a home to rare and endangered animals and birds like the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox and blue sheep, comprises of various kinds of flowers which might not be found anywhere else in the world.The flowers are said to bloom from the months of August to September.The snowcapped mountains, waterfalls and shiny streams make this place of Uttarakhand, one of the most attractive tourist destinations.The valley which was declared a national park in 1982 is now a World Heritage Site. Ice Shivling at AmarnathSituated in Jammu and Kashmir, the Ice Shivling at Amarnath is considered to be the holiest shrines in Hinduism.While the Amarnath cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva, it also holds an important place in Hinduism.Ice Shivling inside the 130 ft high Amarnath cave is basically the stalagmite that is formed due to freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave on to the floor and grows up vertically from the cave floor.While the cave is said to be around 5000 years old, this stalagmite considered to be a Shiva Linga by Hindus.It is also believed that the lingam grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon reaching its height in summers, although there is no scientific evidence for this belief.An annual pilgrimage known as the “Amarnath Yatra” is held every year to visit this cave and worship the ice shivling. Balancing Rock at MahabalipuramLocated in the Mahabalipuram town of Tamil Nadu, the balancing rock is originally known as Krishna's Butterball which is serves as a one of the major centre of tourist attractions in the town.The “butterball” is actually a giant balancing rock which is 5 meters in diameter, is perched on a smooth slope, seemingly defying all laws of physics.There is a round rocky huge ball that is miraculously balanced in place at an angle of 45 degrees.The huge ball is clearly visible within the streets and this is what attracts every visitor to Mahabalipuram as the awkward position of the rock makes it quite popular with locals and tourists alike as it makes for an interesting backdrop for some whacky photographs.