Travel Guide

India Introduced
Welcome to the largest democracy of the world. The country where no detail has ever been ignored and the traditions and culture - in fact the civilization itself exist in a continuum. There seems to be no space for abruptness in its existence. There is nothing in this country which is not massive or huge in scale, mountains included. If ignoring India is difficult, then describing it completely is tougher.


The Map of India
If we divide India broadly, then the northern region is the largest which begins with the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This state is pretty diverse in itself as it has arid mountains in the north as well as the forests near Srinagar and Jammu. As we move southwards, the north India gets plain and mild and the region can be further sub-divided into the regions of Punjab, Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and plains of river Ganga in the eastern part of the country. Delhi, the capital of India is situated right in between Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan, better known for the Thar desert is situated on the south-western edge of north India. West India consists of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Goa. Some of the best beaches of India lie on the west coast of India. Eastern India is made up of parts of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, and the North Eastern states. The southern India begins with Deccan Plateau and goes up to Kanyakumari. In between there are states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The western and eastern coasts are lined up with the mountain ranges of Western and Eastern Ghats.


The Incredible Past of India
You may say why talk about the past when you are going to see the present day India. But the fact remains that it's the history that provides us with the present day monuments. Right from the beginning, India has been too big and complicated for any invader or empire to affect its way of life. The past of India begins with the Indus valley civilization which coincided with the existence of Egyptian and Sumer civilizations, but it lasted longer than them. The Aryans came to India in 1500 BC and brought with them very strong cultural traditions. They eventually settled in the northern plains of India. After some invasions which either faded or had marginal impact on India, some monarchies left lasting impression on the political and cultural topography of India. First came the Maurya dynasty, followed by the Gupta dynasty. After the influence of Guptas had diminished, six thriving dynasties came into power in India. During this period, some of the best temples were constructed such as that of Bhubaneshwar, Konark and Khajuraho. Then the Muslim invaders gradually began to make their presence felt. Among Muslim rulers, it was Akbar who adopted the policy of tolerating and accepting local religions and customs which ensured the longevity of the Mughal rule. Then came the English after which India attained independence.


People in India
India has more than one billion citizens which makes it the second most populous nation in the world. In terms of cultural influences, we can see the diversity as well as unifying strands in the various shades of cultures in India. English, in the present has become a major language in India although there are 14 official languages of India. Hindi can be said to be the most popular languages of all as well as the national language of India. Religion is a very important part of everyday lives of Indians. Hinduism is the predominant religion although there are other religions as well such as Islam, Sikhism and Christian religion.


Indian Climate
The size of India ensures that the climate of India does not depend only on the season, but on location as well. Normally, it's somewhat cooler in the north (between September and March). Between November and January, south is at its coolest. The south west monsoon brings heavy rains to the western parts of India. The east coast gets its share of rain from the north east monsoon. Although it's been seen that tourists avoid coming to India in the monsoons. It's probably because they probably fail to see the positive side of it. True, it rains nearly every day, but the downpour does not last long and leaves behind a fresh and clean feel all around. There are two more seasons here - spring and autumn.


Means of Transportation
First things first, we begin with the very beginning. In the ancient days, people used to walk long distances on foot. Even today, in some of the rural areas, people still walk their way through their daily routines. Then came Bullock Cart, Palanquin, Horse Carriages, Cycle Rickshaw, Bicycles etc. Today railways, road network are the main means of long distance travel along with air travel. There are about 20 international airports along with more than 334 airports in India.


Wandering in India
Some of the most popular tourist destinations of India are: Reaching India
There are about many international airports in India which in turn are connected by road and railway networks with other major cities of India. Some of the major international airports of India are: