India
India is a fascinating melting pot of modern lifestyle and traditions rooted thousands of years back in time. Here you will find rustic little food stalls and ancient temples side by side with large shopping centres of steel and glass. Holy cows wander peacefully around spluttering auto rickshaws, elegant Morris Oxford taxis and women wearing saris. India offers an unusually rich cultural heritage, a wealth of architectural masterpieces and spectacular scenic landscapes, from the dizzy heights of the Himalayas to the lush rainforests and rich fauna of southern India. India’s kaleidoscope of colours, atmospheres, sounds and smells has to be experienced with all the senses.
India’s geography
The word India is an ancient term for the entire Far East. Today’s India first came into being when the British left the country in 1947. India is divided into 25 states and, because of its enormous diversity, it is more like a mini-continent than a single country. Even the differences in scenery are almost too great to be found all in a single country. In the most northerly districts, the colossal Himalayas slope down and create wooded areas and fertile inclines; to the west is the dry, completely desolate Thar desert, and to the east are the states of Bengal and Assam, covered in tropical rainforest, said to be the wettest place on earth. To the south, the enormous land mass is drier, and the coasts are becoming veritable magnets because of their sandy beaches and idyllic lagoons. India’s fauna boasts a wide variety of species, due to the huge expanse of the country, but many species are unfortunately under threat of extinction. This applies to the tiger, elephant, lion and leopard, among others. On the other hand, there is a substantial stock of cattle, but, as Hinduism forbids their use in agriculture, they must live on the streets as roaming deities.
India’s climate
The climate in India is a chapter in its own right. Instead of four seasons, as in our latitudes, India’s climate can only be divided into three: the hot season, the wet season and the dry season – of course, with large variations from north to south. As early as February, the heat begins to spread from the northern plains of India. Temperatures peak in June, and 45°C is not uncommon in central and southern India. After this, the monsoon rains begin to turn the dry, dusty plains into humid, muddy plains. Around October, the rainy season draws to a close, and tourists flock to India. Until February, temperatures range from pleasantly cool to unbearably cold in the northern mountainous regions.
Population
India is the second most highly populated country in the world. Only the population of China beats India’s 1.1 billion inhabitants, despite the fact that China is three times the size of India in terms of area. The vast majority of Indians are Hindus, and Hinduism puts its stamp on life and the street scene throughout the country, especially through the caste system, although this was officially abolished more than 50 years ago. Besides Hinduism, all the world’s major religions are represented in India, and Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism originated in India.
India’s tourist sights
Many tours of India take in what is known as the Golden Triangle of the cities of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra in northern India. Here, you can feast on history and living, colourful culture. Delhi is the seething capital, where the present and the past coexist, and just outside Delhi you can observe country life as it has been since time immemorial – charmingly chaotic. Jaipur, “the pink city”, is the capital of the pretty state of Rajasthan, and in Agra you can experience one of the most impressive buildings in the world – the majestic Taj Mahal. If the goal of your trip to India is to experience nature, the tiger reserve of Ranthambore is a good choice. As well as the beautiful tigers, it also offers fantastic scenic experiences and lots of other animals. In summer, there is the opportunity to visit Buddhist Ladakh, or Little Tibet, as it is also called. Ladakh is a unique area high up in the Himalayas, and the many ramblers’ trails in the distinctive mountainous areas are your guarantee of a unique holiday. It is not for nothing that India receives travellers from all over the world wishing to get to know its fascinating history, ancient cultures and hospitable people.