Indian Geography
India is a land of lofty mountains - The Great Himalayas and mighty rivers.
Its plains are extensive and no less wide are its plateaus. About 950
million people inhabit a vast land with such varied features. The country
consists of three main physical divisions. They are the Great Himalayas on
the North, the Great Plains of Northern India and the Great Plateau of
Peninsular India (South). The narrow coastal strips, which are a part and
parcel of the peninsular landmass, flank the southern plateau.
Indian History India is one of the few
countries in the world, today, in which the social and religious structures,
which define the nation's identity, are intact for over 4000 years. India is
the birthplace of the two of the world's great religion (Hinduism &
Buddhism) and also of Jainism. The Aryans swept south from Central Asia
between 1500 and 200 BC. It was during this period of transition (1500-1200
BC) that the Hindu sacred scriptures, the Vedas, were written.
Maurya's empire came to power in 321 BC. The empire reached its peak under
Emperor Ashoka who converted to Buddhism in 262 BC. Mughal Era. The six
great Mughals were Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb
and their reigns were between 1527 until 1707. Some of the wonderful
monuments built during the Mughal reign are Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Fort
in Agra and Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb in Delhi.
British Raj -
In 1612 British made their first permanent inroad into India. The country
got its independence in the year 1947. However , it was divided in two parts
- India and Pakistan.
Religion
& Culture in India India offers a confluence of almost
every major religion in the world. As the first ray of sun approaches this
ancient land the whole atmosphere echoes with the prayers in temples,
gurubani in Gurudwaras, Azaan in mosques and the chanting of Buddhist
shlokas. Since the time immemorial various forms of dance and music have
been an indispensable part of Indian civilization. The traditions and
customs at one place in India are different from the other places making it
a land of striking diversity, which is sure to captivate you.
Fairs
and Festivals of India The people of India observe all the
festivals with equal amount of zeal and enthusiasm. Some of the major
festivals include Holi, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Easter and Raksha Bandhan.
Every festival has its own story that reflects to the rich cultural heritage
of India. In addition to this countless fairs are also organized throughout
the year. The major fairs include Pushkar Fair, Nagaur fair, Beneshwar fair
and Karni Mata fair.
Indian Arts and Crafts The fascinating and
traditional art and crafts of India is sure to leave you spellbound. Carved
out of expensive materials like ivory, gems and marble, to the cheaper ones
like clay, cane and bamboo and wood, the treasured trove of Indian
handicrafts have an amazingly captivating beauty. Before taking the final
shape these handcrafted items pass through various processes including
'chikankari', 'phulkari and bagh work' that makes them totally distinct.
Climate of India
India has tropical weather. The subcontinent has eight climatic zones all of
which only have the monsoon rains in common. But even the monsoon comes to
different parts of the country at different times. And you can fly in the
space of a couple of hours through a range of weather from the cold crisp
air of the mountains to the burning dry heat of the Rajasthan Desert where
summer temperature regularly reach 45°C and Beyond.
