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India - introduction
Namaste, welcome to Incredible India, where culture echoes, tradition speaks, beauty enthrals and diversity delights. Bounded by the majestic Himalayan ranges in the north and edged by an endless stretch of golden beaches, India is a vivid kaleidoscope of landscapes, magnificent historical sites and royal cities, misty Mountain retreats, colorful people, rich cultures and festivities.
The timeless mystery and beauty of India has been waiting for you for 5000 years, always warm and inviting, a place of infinite variety - one that favours you with different facets of its fascination every time you visit India.
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History
The people of India have had a continuous civilization since 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River valley developed an urban culture based on commerce and sustained by agricultural trade. This civilization declined around 1500 B.C., probably due to ecological changes. During the second millennium B.C., pastoral, Aryan-speaking tribes migrated from the northwest into the subcontinent. As they settled in the middle Ganges River valley, they adapted to antecedent cultures. The political map of ancient and medieval India was made up of myriad kingdoms with fluctuating boundaries. In the 4th and 5th centuries A.D., northern India was unified under the Gupta Dynasty. During this period, known as India's Golden Age, Hindu culture and political administration reached new heights. Islam spread across the Indian subcontinent over a period of 500 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established sultanates in Delhi. In the early 16th century, descendants of Genghis Khan swept across the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal (Mogul) Dynasty, which lasted for 200 years. From the 11th to the 15th centuries, southern India was dominated by Hindu Chola and Vijayanagar Dynasties. During this time, the two systems--the prevailing Hindu and Muslim--mingled, leaving lasting cultural influences on each other. The first British outpost in South Asia was established in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast. Later in the century, the East India Company opened permanent trading stations at Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta, each under the protection of native rulers.
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Cities
Delhi - Delhi, for instance, is the political capital of India and it is a major tourist attraction, bearing a rich and heavy cultural and historical past. Here you can visit Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, India Gate, Jantar Mantar, Purana Qila, Laxminarayan Temple, Akshardham Temple, Bahia Lotus Temple and Sikh temple.
Mumbai - Mumbai is another of the tourist cities of India, which exudes glitz, glamour, glitter, gold and bollywood. Set along the Arabian Sea, this land of dreams and opportunities. Here you can visit Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Elephant Caves, Nariman Point, Chowpatty Beach, Juhu Beach and Marine Drive.
Kolkatta - Kolkata, another of the tourist cities of India, exudes a character of culture, education and warmth. Also know as city of Joy. Here you visit Victoria Memorial, Botanical Garden, Indian Musuem, National Library of India and Academy of Fine Arts.
Chennai - Chennai is set along the Bay of Bengal in the southern India. This capital city of Tamil Nadu is again a major center for art and culture. Try and visit the city during Pongal to soak in the flavor of the true Tamil culture. Dig into the dosas, idlis and uttapams and visit some of the Bharatnatyam shows to get a grasp of the Tamil culture.
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Weather
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India has hot tropical weather with variations occurring region to region. While the coolest month are November to mid March, hottest are from April to June. From mid July to September one can experience Monsoon rains.
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Winters in India are pleasant with plenty of sunny days. Most of North India remains dry, dusty and unpleasant during the summer months. For a tourist, India provides ample opportunities to participate in diverse activities in different parts of the country. You can explore India in all the seasons, but you will have to be selective about the destinations.
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Custom
A number of faiths and religions have merged in India and exist simultaneously. India is a country with “Unity in Diversity”. This diverseness in culture makes India a unique country in the world with a lot of different customs and traditions. Traditions and rituals in India have become an integral part of everyday life. Customs of India are a major attraction for the tourists coming here. Right from birth to death, an Indian keeps on performing various customs and traditions. Almost every occasion in India (birth, engagement, marriage, death and so on) has a ceremony attached to it.
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To do
Once you are in India, you will be surrounded by a host of activities. India has a number of wildlife sanctuaries and riding in the elephants back to get a glimpse of wildlife is a heavenly experience. The elephant moves slowly, therefore enjoying the vast texture of trees, giving birth to rarest plants and the jungles resounding with echoes of birds and wild animals make it a veritable paradise for every lover of jungles. Elephant riding in Kerala specially has now become a craze amongst tourists. Even camel safaris through Thar Desert are an experience that defies all imagination. While riding on camel.s back, you can view the unending stretch of virgin lands, sand dunes of Jaisalmer and Bikaner, the heritage resorts, the erstwhile ancient culture of the region manifested in the hospitality of villagers at oasis, the remote forts and other magnificent sites. The camel safaris begin from Khuri and end before nightfall. Another attractive set of activities includes mountaineering, trekking and rock climbing. Its done usually during April to November, when the sky remains pleasant and Himalayas remain refulgent in the sunny brightness. The mountaineering, the trekking and rock climbing makes you feel the magic in the bracing air. As you ascend higher, you witness the mist wrapped beauty of the hills and places, sometimes the emerald green tea bushes loom large in front of you, and sometimes the purple glory of the morning sunshine lights up the faraway hamlet.that.s what its all about. Trek along and all too soon a soft white mist wreathes itself around trees, vales hills and you. It stays with you long after you have returned home.
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Map
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Photo gallery
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