Incredible India
From the highest peaks of the greatest mountain ranges the mighty Himalayas to the serene beaches of Goa, India is known for its incredibly beautiful locales.
In a country as diverse and complex as India, the culture, traditions and values relative to geographic locations and the numerous distinctive manners, habits and food will always remain truly Indian.
History
Nearly five thousand years back India's first major civilisation flourished along the Indus River valley. The twin cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa now in Pakistan were ruled by priests and held the rudiments of Hinduism. These civilisations are known to possess a sophisticated lifestyle, a highly developed sense of aesthetics, an astonishing knowledge of town planning and an undecipherable script language. The Indus Valley Civilization at one point of time extended nearly a million square kilometres across the Indus river valley.
Around 1500 BC, the Aryans came in from the North and spread through large parts of India bringing with them their culture and religious beliefs. The Four Vedas or the important books of Hinduism were compiled in this period.
In 567 B.C. the founder of the Buddhist religion Gautama Buddha was born. Also during this time lived Mahavira, who founded the Jain religion. The Indian subcontinent is full of caves and monuments devoted to these two religions and are worth a visit. Two hundred years later, in the 4th century B.C., Emperor Ashoka, one of the greatest king of Indian history, embraced Buddhism and built the group of monuments at Sanchi - a UNESCO world heritage site (right). The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath has been adopted by India as its National Emblem and the Dharma Chakra on the Ashoka Pillar adorns the National Flag.
Christianinty entered India at about the same time from Europe. Legend has it that St. Thomas the Apostle arrived in India in 52 A.D. Even earlier than that, people of the Jewish religion arrived on India's shores.
In approximately the 7th century A.D. a group of Zoroastrians, or Parsees, landed in Gujarat and became a part of the large mix of religions in India today, each of which adds its colour and distinctive ethos.
In the 15th century Guru Nanak laid the foundation of the Sikh religion in Punjab.
In 1192, Mohammed of Ghori, a ruler from Afghanistan, came into India and captured several places in the north including Delhi. During this time Islam, was introduced into a major part of Northern India. It may be mentioned that even before that, just after the period of the prophet, Islam was brought to the western coast of India by Arab traders and flourished in what is now Kerala. Later the Mughals, who were from Iran, came in and took control of most parts of North India. The Mughals, unlike other invaders & conquerors came and settled in India and contributed to its material, cultural and spiritual development.
The Europeans - Portuguese, French, Dutch, Danish and British - started arriving in the early 1600s. All of them held territories in India and made friends and enemies among India's rulers as they got more and more involved, with the Indian politics; but it was the British who eventually controlled most of India and finally made it one of their colonies.
India got its independence from Britain in 1947 after a long struggle led mostly by Mahatma Gandhi. In the process of becoming independent, India became, two countries - India & Pakistan. In the years since independence India has made huge progress and has developed its industry & agriculture, and has maintained a system of government which makes it the largest democracy in the world.
Geography
India is set apart from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas, the highest, youngest and still evolving mountain chain on the planet. The Indian subcontinent, touches three large water bodies - the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian sea to the west, and the India Ocean to the south.
India has virtually every kind of landscape imaginable. An abundance of mountain ranges and national parks provide ample opportunity for eco-tourism and trekking, and its sheer size promises something for everyone. From north to south India extends a good 2000 miles (3200 km).
Himalayas, the world's highest mountain chain and Nepal as its neighbouring country dominate India's northern border. Following the sweeping mountains to the northeast, its borders narrow to a small channel that passes between Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, then spreads out again to meet Burma in the "eastern triangle." Apart from the Arabian Sea, its western border is defined exclusively by Pakistan.
North India is the country's largest region begins with Jammu and Kashmir, with terrain varying from arid mountains in the far north to the lake country and forests near Srinagar and Jammu. Moving south along the Indus river, the North becomes flatter and more hospitable, widening into the fertile plains of Punjab to the west and the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and the Ganges river valley to the East. Nestling between the states of Punjab & Uttar Pradesh is the capital Delhi.
The states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and part of the massive, central state of Madhya Pradesh constitute West India. Extending from the Gujarat peninsula down to Goa, the west coast is lined with some of India's best beaches. The land along the coast is typically lush with rainforests. The Western Ghats separate the verdant coast from the Vindya Mountains and the dry Deccan plateau further inland.
India is the home of the sacred river Ganges (See left Ganges at Varanasi) and the majority of Himalayan foothills, East India begins with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, which comprise the westernmost part of the region.
India reaches its peninsular tip with South India, which begins with the Deccan in the north and ends with Cape Comorin. The states in South India are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, which is a favourite tourist destination.
Arts & Craft
In India, as elsewhere, craft began with man's attempt to make tools to make his life easier. As basic needs were met, craft became an expression of creativity, a record of the times and a celebration of faith.
Art that reflects daily life, implements created out of natural substances available in plenty, artifacts fashioned out of bio-degradable materials - even the most humble rural Indian artisan embodies the new sensibility. One that lives in harmony with its surroundings, and creates no unnecessary toxic wastes. Explore nature through the innovative fingers of the Indian craftsperson. The perfect place to do so is the annual Surajkund Crafts Mela held on the outskirts of Delhi.
Culture through Sculpture
Temples were raised to the house the Gods and became the focal point for the community. They also became centres of learning and contributed to the advancement of such arts as sculpture, painting, music and dance. Mostly built by kings, who were also the patrons of arts, encouraging a continuity and enriching rituals of worship, the earliest basis of the classical performing arts.
A UNESCO world heritage site in central India, Khajuraho is a famous tourist and archaeological site known for its sculptured temples (right) dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Jain patriarchs. Of the 85 original temples - most constructed of hard river sandstone - about 20 are still reasonably well preserved. Both internally and externally the temples are richly carved with excellent sculptures that are frequently sensual and at times, sexually explicit.
It was from the temples that the Devdasi cult (Temple Dancers who performed for the Lord) began. Once a countrywide practice - the Kulvantalu in Andhra Pradesh, the Maibi in Manipur, the Devdasi in Tamil Nadu and the Mahari in Orissa, all trace their roots to the temple. The countless sculptures of dance poses in the temples, hint at the potency of dance as a path to spiritual exaltation and lays out a complete lexicon of dance techniques.
People & Life style
In a country as diverse and complex as India, it is not surprising to find that people here reflect the rich glories of the past. The culture, traditions and values unique to geographic locations and the distinctive manners, habits and food will always remain truly Indian, even after five thousand years of recorded history.
From the eternal snows of the Himalayas to the cultivated peninsula of the South, from the deserts of the West to the humid deltas of the East, from the dry heat and cold of the Central Plateau to the cool forest foothills, Indian lifestyles clearly celebrate the geography of India. The food, clothing and habits of an Indian differ in accordance to the place of origin.
Indians believe in sharing happiness and sorrow. A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or a home. The whole community or neighbourhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an occasion. A lot of festivals like Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Guru Nanak Jayanti are all celebrated by sharing sweets and pleasantries with family, neighbours and friends. An Indian wedding is an occasion that calls for participation of the family and friends.
Ethnically Indians speak different languages, follow different religions, eat the most diverse varieties of food, all of which add to the rich Indian culture.The beauty of the Indian people lies in the spirit of tolerance, give-and-take and a composition of cultures that can be compared to a garden of flowers of various colours and shades of which, while maintaining their own entity, lend harmony and beauty to the garden - India!
Food
Food in India is wide ranging in variety, taste and flavour. Being so diverse geographically, each region has its own cuisine and style of preparation. The Mughlai cuisine of North differs sharply from the preparations of the south. The Wazwan style of Kashmir is luxurious but the same can be said about Bengal's Macher Jhol, Rajasthan's Dal Bati, Uttar Pradesh's Kebabs and Punjab's Sarson Ka Saag and Makki di Roti.
Technology
India has always been at the forefront of innovation. With Indian companies venturing out into newer markets there has been sudden surge of technological advancements in every possible field. From hi-tech IT Parks Gurgaon (right) to state-of-the-art exhibition centres, India has it all. Today India boasts of various venues in different states that are well-equipped with the latest paraphernalia and skilled workers.
Information Technology in India accounts for a substantial part of the country's GDP and export earnings while providing employment to a significant number of its tertiary sector workforce. India's growing stature in the information age enabled it to form close ties with both the United States of America and the European Union. India has developed a number of outsourcing companies specializing in customer support via hi-tech IT. Prominent among them are Infosys, Wipro & Tata Consultancy Services,
By 2008, India also has a total of 49,750,000 telephone lines in use, a total of 233,620,000 mobile phone connections, a total of 60,000,000 Internet users - comprising 6.0% of the country's population, and 4,010,000 people in India have access to broadband Internet - making it the 18th largest country in the world in terms of broadband Internet users. Total fixed-line and wireless subscribers reached 325.78 million as of June, 2008.