India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
INDIA: A COUNTRY FOR ALL SEASONS India India is the land land of amaz amazing ing clt clt!e !es" s" g!ea g!eatt di#e di#e!s !sit it$" $" %a!m %a!m &eo&l &eo&lee and and magnificent nat!al 'eat$( The cont!$)s nat!al 'eat$ is !eflected in sno%* ca&&ed montain &ea+s" &!ofond desse!ts" golden 'eaches" e,otic %ildlife and go!geos go!geos dee& 'le seas( India also 'oasts of !ema!+a'le !ema!+a'le histo!ical monments %hich a!e the testaments of a great Indian history ( The -o#ial fai!s -o#ial fai!s and festi#als of India &t India &t the icing on the meta&ho!ica meta&ho!icall ca+e( It is indeed an astonishingl$ astonishingl$ cha!ming cha!ming and magnetic magnetic cont!$ that 'ec+ons &eo&le f!om all &a!ts of %o!ld to ha#e thei! holida$s in India( India( India is a #e!$ &o&la! destination among travel agents %ho offe! se#e!al Indian packages that ma$ inclde chea& tic+ets to India on #a!ios flights to India( The fact that India can 'e #isited almost an$ time of the $ea! ma+es it all the mo!e fascinating( Se#e!al ai!lines o&e!ate di!ect flights fo!m London to India( The seasons in India a!e e.all$ e,.isite %ith each season ha#ing its o%n set of a&&eals and cha!ms( The nation)s ma-o! seasons a!e / %inte!s" smme!s" s&!ing and atmn( Winters in India
0inte!s 0inte!s in India a!e #e!$ %elcoming %elcoming and all!ing( Es&eciall$" Es&eciall$" the no!th &a!t of the cont!$ t!ns its cha!m on in the season( 1lma!g is a &o&la! s+i !eso!t that is the &lace to 'e fo! indi#idals loo+ing fo! ad#ent!e s&o!ts( In Soth India" 2e!ala is a g!eat %inte! to!ist s&ot( Summers in India
The smme!s in India a!e hot and hmid 't than+fll$ the!e is no dea!th of &laces to chill ot in smme!s( 3a!ios &a!t of India feat!e diffe!ent hill stations( Coorg
Coo!g is one &lace %he!e $o %old li+e to 'e in the smolde!ing heat of Indian smme!s( It is a beautiful hill station that is +no%n fo! its lo#el$ nat!al sights" delecta'le food and coffee a!oma( Manali
4anali is a #e!$ &o&la! to!ist destination in No!th India( India( 5eo&le on holida$s" t!e++e!s t!e++e!s and &a!t$ goe!s all find 4anali an ideal destination( destination( The hill station is located in the state of 6imachal 5!adesh and is -st a'ot 788 +m f!om Delhi( Mahabaleshwar
9
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
4aha'alesh%a! is %este!n India’s highest hill station that is !ega!ded as a &o&la! hone$moon s&ot( 4o!eo#e!" 4aha'alesh%a! is a ma-o! &ilg!im site( Spring in India
S&!ing in India is a !e&!esentation of -o$ and ha&&iness( The atmos&he!e is fll of s%eet*scented flo%e!s and go!geos colo!s( Yo can #isit an$ &a!t of India in this lo#el$ %eathe!( Autumn in India
0ith atmn come festi#ities and cele'!ations( Indeed" atmn is a season of festivals in India ( It is the &e!fect time to #isit India if $o %ant 'e the &a!t of the cont!$)s legenda!$ cele'!ations( The tem&e!at!e d!ing this time is also #e!$ &leasant %ith the !ains o#e! and %inte!s on thei! %a$( The !ains also '!ing ot the 'eat$ of India)s e,otic %ildlife and ths atmn is the &e!fect time to #ie% India)s amazing Flo!a and Fana(
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
Introduction
India is one of the most att!acti#e to!ist destinations in Asia( India is a la!ge cont!$ in sothe!n Asia( It;s the second la!gest cont!$ in the %o!ld in &o&lation" !an+ing onl$ 'ehind China( In 88<" fo!eign to!ists #isiting India s&ent 9=(< 'illion USD * the ninth highest in the %o!ld( India is also !an+ed among the to& 7 ad#ent!e to!ism destinations( One can e,&ect to s&end a'ot >9"?=8 in 88= dolla!s fo! a t%o %ee+ #isit" sta$ing in accommodations e.i#alent to 0este!n ones( India is a land of often 'e%ilde!ing di#e!sit$( It is a -igsa% &zzle of &eo&le of e#e!$ faith and !eligion" li#ing togethe! to c!eate a ni.e and colo!fl mosaic( The!e is a festi#al fo! e#e!$ !eason and fo! e#e!$ season( E#e!$ cele'!ation cente!s a!ond !itals of &!a$e!" see+ing 'lessings" e,changing good%ill" deco!ating hoses" %ea!ing ne% clothes" msic" dance and feasting( India also has a la!ge #a!iet$ of &!otected %ildlife( The cont!$;s &!otected %ilde!ness consists of ?= National &a!+s of India and <9 Sancta!ies" of %hich 9@ fall nde! the &!#ie% of 5!o-ect Tige!( Its climatic and geog!a&hic di#e!sit$ ma+es it the home of o#e! 7=8 mammals and 988 'i!d s&ecies" man$ of %hich a!e ni.e to the s'continent( Some %ell +no%n national %ildlife sancta!ies inclde Co!'ett" 2anha" Sa!is+a" 5e!i$a!" Rantham'o!e" and ha!at&!( 5e!ha&s India;s 'est*+no%n site is the Ta- 4ahal" one of the %o!ld;s g!eatest a!chitect!al achie#ements( It %as 'ilt 'et%een 9B79 and 9B=7 '$ Em&e!o! Shah ahan in hono! of his %ife" A!-mand an" mo!e &o&la!l$ +no%n as 4mtaz 4ahal( The Ta- 4ahal se!#es as he! tom'( One of the &o&la! to!ist ci!cits is called the 1olden T!iangle: the cities Delhi Ag!a site of the Ta- 4ahal and ai&!( Delhi is a&&!o,imatel$ 88 +ilomete!s a%a$ f!om Ag!a" and =8 +ilomete!s f!om ai&!( Culture & eople!
The &eo&le of India s&ea+ 9< ma-o! langages and mo!e than 9888 mino! langages G dialects( India has th!ee main land !egions : a( The 6imala$as '( The No!the!n 5lains c( The Deccan o! the Sothe!n 5latea 0ith nea!l$ 9 'illion citizens" India is the second most &o&los nation in the %o!ld( It is im&ossi'le to s&ea+ of an$ one Indian clt!e" althogh the!e a!e
7
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
dee& clt!al continities that tie its &eo&le togethe!( English is the ma-o! langage of t!ade and &olitics" 't the!e a!e fo!teen official langages in all( The!e a!e t%ent$*fo! langages that a!e s&o+en '$ a million &eo&le o! mo!e" and contless othe! dialects( India has se#en ma-o! !eligions and man$ mino! ones" si, main ethnic g!o&s" and contless holida$s( When to "isit India!
India has sch a %ide !ange of climatic facto!s that it;s im&ossi'le to &in do%n the 'est time to #isit %eathe!*%ise %ith an$ ce!taint$( 4ost of India has th!ee seasons: a( Cool Season * Octo'e! to Fe'!a!$( '( 6ot season * ma!ch to ne( c( Rain$ H 4onsoon * monsoons sta!t f!om mid ne to Se&tem'e!( Octo'e! to 4a!ch tend to 'e the most &leasant months fo! most of the &a!ts of the cont!$( The montainos a!eas in No!th India sall$ ha#e sno%fall 'et%een Decem'e! and 4a!ch( 2ashmi! and the montainos !egions of 6imachal 5!adesh a!e at thei! most accessi'le 'et%een 4a$ and Se&tem'e!( The 'est time to #isit Si++im and the a!eas of no!th*easte!n India is 4a!ch and Agst( The 'est time to #isit dese!ts of Ra-asthan and the no!th*%este!n Indian 6imala$an !egion is d!ing the monsoon( #vents!
India is 'lessed %ith a hge nm'e! of festi#als" and se#e!al a!e so s&ectacla! that $o %old 'e a fool to miss them if $o %e!e !emotel$ %ithin s&itting distance( The s'continent of India lies in soth Asia" 'et%een 5a+istan" China and Ne&al( To the no!th it is 'o!de!ed '$ the %o!ld;s highest montain chain" %he!e foothill #alle$s co#e! the no!the!nmost of the cont!$;s B states( F!the! soth" &lateas" t!o&ical !ain fo!ests and sand$ dese!ts a!e 'o!de!ed '$ &alm f!inged 'eaches ( Side '$ side %ith the cont!$;s stagge!ing to&og!a&hical #a!iations is its clt!al di#e!sit$" the !eslt of the coe,istence of a nm'e! of !eligions as %ell as local t!adition( Ths" the to%e!ing tem&les of soth India" easil$ identifia'le '$ thei! o!natel$ scl&t!ed s!face" a!e associated %ith a g!eat man$ c!afts and &e!fo!ming a!ts of the !egion(
<
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
In the dese!t of 2tch" 1-a!at" on the othe! hand" a scatte!ing of #illages &it themsel#es against the a%esome fo!ces of nat!e" !eslting in S&a!tan lifest$les made #i'!ant '$ a &!ofsion of -e%el!$ and o!namental em'!oide!$ sed to ado!n a&&a!el and hosehold linen( In the e,t!eme no!th is the high altitde dese!t of Lada+h( Local clt!e is #isi'l$ sha&ed '$ the faith * ddhism *as %ell as '$ the ha!sh te!!ain( Yet anothe! facet of Indian clt!e is o'se!#ed in the colo!fl t!i'al lifest$les of the no!th easte!n states of Nagaland" 4izo!am" T!i&!a and 4ani&! %ith thei! fol+ clt!e( In the cent!al Indian states of O!issa and 4adh$a 5!adesh t!i'al #illage life has !eslted in a #a!iet$ of a!tisticall$ e,ected handic!afts( India;s montains &!o#ide heli s+iing" !i#e! !nning" montainee!ing and t!e++ing( Its 'eaches &!o#ide laz$ sn*'athing as %ell as %ind s!fing and sno!+eling" and its -ngles &!o#ide shooting %ildlife *%ith a came!a( India;s histo!$ goes 'ac+ to 7"88 C %hen 6indism %as fi!st fonded( ddhism" ainism" Si+hism( daism( o!oasht!ianism" Ch!istianit$ and Islam all e,ist %ithin the cont!$ toda$( As a conse.ence of India;s size" the histo!$ of the cont!$ has seldom 'een the same fo! t%o ad-oining te!!ito!ies" and its g!eat nat!al %ealth has l!ed a sccession of t!ade!s and fo!eign inflences to it" each ha#ing left thei! im&!int in the cont!$" ho%e#e! faint o! localized( Ths" Chinese fishing nets in 2e!ala a!e a th!o%'ac+ to that cont!$;s ancient ma!itime t!ade" %hile in the no!th" te!!a*cotta fig!ines of the cent!ies C 'ea! distinctl$ 1!ee+ t!aces( 4ode!n India is home ali+e to the t!i'al %ith his anach!onistic lifest$le and to the so&histicated !'an -etsette!( It is a land %he!e tem&le ele&hants e,ist amica'l$ %ith the mic!ochi&( Its ancient monments a!e the 'ac+d!o& fo! the %o!ld;s la!gest democ!ac$ %he!e atomic ene!g$ is gene!ated and indst!ial de#elo&ment has '!oght the cont!$ %ithin the %o!ld;s to& ten nations( Toda$" fishe!men along the cont!$;s coastline fashion sim&le fishing 'oats in a cent!ies old t!adition %hile" a fe% miles a%a$( moto! #ehicles glide off con#e$o! 'elts in state*of*the*a!t facto!ies( India is set a&a!t f!om the !est of Asia '$ the 6imala$as" the highest" $ongest and still e#ol#ing montain chain on the &lanet( The s'continent as it is !ightl$ called" toches th!ee la!ge %ate! 'odies and is immediatel$ !ecogniza'le on an$ %o!ld ma&( This thic+" !oghl$ t!iangla! &eninsla defines the a$ of engal to the east" the A!a'ian sea to the %est" and the India Ocean to the soth( India holds #i!tall$ e#e!$ +ind of landsca&e imagina'le( An a'ndance of montain !anges and national &a!+s &!o#ide am&le o&&o!tnit$ fo! eco*to!ism and t!e++ing" and its shee! size &!omises something fo! e#e!$one( F!om no!th to soth India e,tends a good 888 miles 788 +m" %he!e the island nation of
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India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
S!i Lan+a seems to 'e s.eezed ot of India li+e a g!eat tea!" the s$na&se fo!ming the 1lf of 4anna!( 6imala$as" the %o!ld;s highest montain chain and Ne&al as its Neigh'o!ing cont!$ dominate India;s no!the!n 'o!de!( Follo%ing the s%ee&ing montains to the no!theast" its 'o!de!s na!!o% to a small channel that &asses 'et%een Ne&al" Ti'et" angladesh" and htan" then s&!eads ot again to meet !ma in the Jeaste!n t!iangle(J A&a!t f!om the A!a'ian Sea" its %este!n 'o!de! is defined e,clsi#el$ '$ 5a+istan( No!th India is the cont!$;s la!gest !egion 'egins %ith amm and 2ashmi!" %ith te!!ain #a!$ing f!om a!id montains in the fa! no!th to the la+e cont!$ and fo!ests nea! S!inaga! and amm( 4o#ing soth along the Inds !i#e!" the No!th 'ecomes flatte! and mo!e hos&ita'le" %idening into the fe!tile &lains of 5n-a' to the %est and the 6imala$an foothills of Utta! 5!adesh and the 1anges !i#e! #alle$ to the East( C!am&ed 'et%een these t%o states is the ca&ital cit$" Delhi( The states of 1-a!at" 4aha!asht!a" 1oa" and &a!t of the massi#e" cent!al state of 4adh$a 5!adesh constitte 0est India( E,tending f!om the 1-a!at &eninsla do%n to 1oa" the %est coast is lined %ith some of India;s 'est 'eaches( The land along the coast is t$&icall$ lsh %ith !ainfo!ests( The 0este!n 1hats se&a!ate the #e!dant coast f!om the 3ind$a 4ontains and the d!$ Deccan &latea f!the! inland( India is the home of the sac!ed Ri#e! 1anges and the ma-o!it$ of 6imala$an foothills" East India 'egins %ith the states of 4adh$a 5!adesh" iha!" O!issa" %hich com&!ise the %este!nmost &a!t of the !egion( East India also contains an a!ea +no%n as the easte!n t!iangle" %hich is enti!el$ distinct( This is the last gl& of land that e,tends 'e$ond angladesh" clminating in the Naga 6ills along the !mese 'o!de!( India !eaches its &eninsla! ti& %ith Soth India" %hich 'egins %ith the Deccan in the no!th and ends %ith Ca&e Como!in( The states in Soth India a!e 2a!nata+a" Andh!a 5!adesh" Tamil Nad" and 2e!ala" a fa#o!ite leis!e destination( The sotheast coast" mi!!o!ing the %est" also !ests sngl$ 'eneath a montain !ange***the Easte!n 1hats(
S&ecial 6olida$s T!a#el %ill 'e &leased to gide G assist $o fo! an$ additional Re.i!ement o! do)s and don)ts so as to ma+e $o! India #isit a memo!a'le e,&e!ience(
B
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
$IS%'( ) I*+IA
Nea!l$ fi#e thosand $ea!s 'ac+ flo!ished India;s fi!st ma-o! ci#ilisation along the Inds Ri#e! #alle$( The t%in cities of 4ohen-oda!o and 6a!a&&a no% in 5a+istan %e!e !led '$ &!iests and held the !diments of 6indism( These ci#ilisations a!e +no%n to &ossess a so&histicated lifest$le" a highl$ de#elo&ed sense of aesthetics" an astonishing +no%ledge of to%n &lanning and an ndeci&he!a'le sc!i&t langage( The Inds ci#ilization at one &oint of time e,tended nea!l$ a million s.a!e +ilomet!es ac!oss the Inds !i#e! #alle$( It e,isted at the same time as the ancient ci#ilizations of Eg$&t and Sme! 't fa! otlasted them( S!#i#ing fo! nea!l$ a thosand $ea!s the Inds #alle$ ci#ilisation fell to tectonic &hea#als in a'ot 9?88 C" %hich cased a se!ies of floods(
The coming of the A!$ans a!ond 9=88 C" ga#e the final 'lo% to the colla&sing Inds 3alle$ ci#ilisation( At the da%n of 3edic ages the A!$ans came in f!om the No!th and s&!ead th!ogh la!ge &a!ts of India '!inging %ith them thei! clt!e and !eligios 'eliefs( The Fo! 3edas o! the im&o!tant 'oo+s of 6indism %e!e com&iled in this &e!iod(
In =B? (C( the fonde! of the ddhist Religion 1atama ddha %as 'o!n( D!ing this time li#ed 4aha#i!a" %ho fonded the ain Religion( The Indian s'continent is fll of ca#es and monments de#oted to these !eligions and a!e %o!th a #isit(
T%o hnd!ed $ea!s late!" in the
|
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India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
Asho+a &illa! at Sa!nath has 'een ado&ted '$ India as its national em'lem and the Dha!ma Cha+!a on the Asho+a 5illa! ado!ns the National Flag(
The$ %e!e follo%ed '$ the 1&tas in the no!th" %hile in the soth &a!t of India se#e!al diffe!ent 6ind em&i!es" the Cholas" the 5and$as and the Che!as s&!ead and g!e%" t!ading %ith E!o&e and othe! &a!ts of Asia till the end of the 9988s(
Ch!istianint$ ente!ed India at a'ot the same time f!om E!o&e( Legend has it that St( Thomas the A&ostle a!!i#ed in India in = A(D( E#en ea!lie! than that &eo&le of the e%ish !eligion a!!i#ed on India;s sho!es(
In a&&!o,imatel$ the ?th cent!$ A(D( a g!o& of o!oast!ians" o! 5a!sees" landed in 1-a!at and 'ecame a &a!t of the la!ge mi, of !eligions in India toda$" each of %hich adds its im&o!tant and distincti#e fla#o!(
In the 9=th cent!$ 1! Nana+ laid the fondation of the Si+h !eligion in 5n-a'(
In 99@" 4ohammed of 1ho!i" a !le! f!om Afghanistan" came into India and ca&t!ed se#e!al &laces in the no!th inclding Delhi( 0hen he %ent home he left one of his gene!als in cha!ge %ho 'ecame the fi!st Sltan of Delhi( D!ing this time Islam" %as int!odced into a ma-o! &a!t of No!the!n India( It ma$ 'e mentioned that e#en 'efo!e that" -st afte! the &e!iod of the &!o&het" Islam %as '!oght to the %este!n coast of India '$ A!a' t!ade!s and flo!ished in %hat is no% 2e!ala(
The Dehli Sltanate g!adall$ too+ cont!ol of mo!e and mo!e of No!th India o#e! the ne,t 88 $ea!s" till Tim!" %ho %as called JTim! the LameJ o!
K
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
JTam'e!laneJ came f!om T!+e$ in 97@K to attac+ India( 6e and his a!m$ stole all the #ala'les that the$ cold ca!!$ and left again" and afte! that the Delhi Sltanate %as ne#e! so st!ong again( Soon the 4ghals" %ho %e!e f!om I!an" came in and too+ cont!ol of the no!th(
In the meantime soth " in 977B" the 6ind 3i-a$anaga! em&i!e %as set & and 'ecame #e!$ st!ong( The E!o&eans * 5o!tgese" F!ench" Dtch" Danish and !itish * sta!ted a!!i#ing in the ea!l$ 9B88s( All of them held te!!ito!ies in India and made f!iends and enemies among India;s !le!s as the$ got mo!e and mo!e in#ol#ed" %ith the Indian &olitics" 't it %as the !itish %ho e#entall$ cont!olled most of India and finall$ made it one of thei! colonies(
India got its inde&endence f!om !itain in 9@
1eog!a&h$ India is set a&a!t f!om the !est of Asia '$ the 6imala$as" the highest" $ongest and still e#ol#ing montain chain on the &lanet( The s'continent as it is !ightl$ called" toches th!ee la!ge %ate! 'odies and is immediatel$ !ecogniza'le on an$ %o!ld ma&( This thic+" !oghl$ t!iangla! &eninsla defines the a$ of engal to the east" the A!a'ian sea to the %est" and the India Ocean to the soth(
India holds #i!tall$ e#e!$ +ind of landsca&e imagina'le( An a'ndance of montain !anges and national &a!+s &!o#ide am&le o&&o!tnit$ fo! eco*to!ism and t!e++ing" and its shee! size &!omises something fo! e#e!$one( F!om no!th to
@
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
soth India e,tends a good 888 miles 788 +m" %he!e the island nation of S!i Lan+a seems to 'e s.eezed ot of India li+e a g!eat tea!" the s$na&se fo!ming the 1lf of 4anna!(
6imala$as" the %o!ld;s highest montain chain and Ne&al as its Neigh'o!ing cont!$ dominate India;s no!the!n 'o!de!( Follo%ing the s%ee&ing montains to the no!theast" its 'o!de!s na!!o% to a small channel that &asses 'et%een Ne&al" Ti'et" angladesh" and htan" then s&!eads ot again to meet !ma in the Jeaste!n t!iangle(J A&a!t f!om the A!a'ian Sea" its %este!n 'o!de! is defined e,clsi#el$ '$ 5a+istan(
No!th India is the cont!$;s la!gest !egion 'egins %ith amm and 2ashmi!" %ith te!!ain #a!$ing f!om a!id montains in the fa! no!th to the la+e cont!$ and fo!ests nea! S!inaga! and amm( 4o#ing soth along the Inds !i#e!" the No!th 'ecomes flatte! and mo!e hos&ita'le" %idening into the fe!tile &lains of 5n-a' to the %est and the 6imala$an foothills of Utta! 5!adesh and the 1anges !i#e! #alle$ to the East( C!am&ed 'et%een these t%o states is the ca&ital cit$" Delhi(
The states of 1-a!at" 4aha!asht!a" 1oa" and &a!t of the massi#e" cent!al state of 4adh$a 5!adesh constitte 0est India( E,tending f!om the 1-a!at &eninsla do%n to 1oa" the %est coast is lined %ith some of India;s 'est 'eaches( The land along the coast is t$&icall$ lsh %ith !ainfo!ests( The 0este!n 1hats se&a!ate the #e!dant coast f!om the 3ind$a 4ontains and the d!$ Deccan &latea f!the! inland(
India is the home of the sac!ed Ri#e! 1anges and the ma-o!it$ of 6imala$an foothills" East India 'egins %ith the states of 4adh$a 5!adesh" iha!" O!issa" %hich com&!ise the %este!nmost &a!t of the !egion( East India also contains an a!ea +no%n as the easte!n t!iangle" %hich is enti!el$ distinct( This is the last gl& of land that e,tends 'e$ond angladesh" clminating in the Naga 6ills along the !mese 'o!de!(
98
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
India !eaches its &eninsla! ti& %ith Soth India" %hich 'egins %ith the Deccan in the no!th and ends %ith Ca&e Como!in( The states in Soth India a!e 2a!nata+a" Andh!a 5!adesh" Tamil Nad" and 2e!ala" a fa#o!ite leis!e destination( The sotheast coast" mi!!o!ing the %est" also !ests sngl$ 'eneath a montain !ange***the Easte!n 1hats(
99
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
9
India : A Land of All Seasons for all Reasons
97
