India is a mystical land, with seductive images. The Hinduism is reflected in religious rituals and in the daily life of inhabitants. Its history goes back in time at least until 2500 B.C., when the first known civilization settled along the Indus River. International Indian Congress was formed in 1885, but has progressed very little to independence, until Mahatma Gandhi started the ne-cooperation policy with the british. Such a rich history has left behind many palaces, temples and monuments. The most frequently visited part of India is the Golden Triangle.
Unfairly ostracized, majestic cities Mumbai and Kolkata have a colorful charm,
while the holy city Varnasi or temples of Tamil Nadu are worthy of pilgrimage
locations. For those who seek worldly pleasures, try the palm beaches of Goa.
For moments of solitude, in India there are mountains...
and hills, from the heights
of the Himalayas to lakes and springs.
One of the great fascinations of India is the overlap between old and new. "Silicon
Valley" of Bangalore is part of the world's largest democracy just as much
as the old remote villages. Nothing is predictable in this country. You can expect
only the unexpected, which comes in many forms.
Worthwhile to check the dates of some festivals - you can be attracted and horrified
by the chaos that surrounds them. In may / june there is no festival, and wedding
season is between november and march, when you have the chance to see at least
one procession
through the streets.
India's main Tourist Attractions:
- Discover the two sides of the city Delhi - New Delhi is a modern city with
Lutyens architecture and Old Delhi has existed for several centuries, with
narrow streets, temples and bazaars. Visit the Red Fort, Jama Masjid (largest
mosque in India) and Qutab Minar tower.
- Find the "Golden Triangle". Delhi is at the center. In south-east
lie Agra and the Taj Mahal, and in south-west, Rajasthan, Jaipur the "Pink
City". Visit the Amber Palace and the Palace of Winds. To the east lies
Khajuraho triangle, with its famous strips.
- Visit the most romantic city in Rajasthan, Udaipur, built around Lake Pichola,
also called "Venice of the East".
- Admire the plains with beatifull cashmere flowers, icy mountain peaks and
clear rivers. On Dal Lake you might see houseboats, where you can live surrounded
by a landscape that is close to paradise on earth..
- Leave behind the indian stereotypes in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra,
a bustling port and commercial center of India, with the skyscrapers of steel
and glass. The city houses also the indian film industry (Bollywood).
- Enjoy the beaches of India. Goa offers you the most beautiful beaches and
luxury resorts in Aguada. Marina Beach in Chennai is the second largest in
the world. The Kerala state includes the famous beach Kovalam.
- Admire rock-cut temples such as those of Ajanta, which dates back at least
2,000 years. Ellora caves describe religious stories of Hindu, Buddhist or
Jainism origin.
- South of Chennai, Madras is the fourth largest city and capital of Tamil
Nadu. It has some tall buildings and ambiance of a country town. Visit the
Chennai Lighthouse christian churches.
- Orissa state is famous for its temples. In Bhubaneswar are 500 temples,
including Lingaraja. In Puni, one of the four holy cities, Rath Yatra takes
place in July, when the gods statues are walked on the streets. Konarak is
famous for the Black Pagoda.
- Experience the desert of India, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. In january and
february the Desert Festival is held. Pushkar hosts the camel fair.
- Play golf on the highest ground in the world at Gulmarg. From here you
can see very well Nanga Parbat, one of the highest mountains in the world.
In winter, Gulmarg becomes a ski resort.
- In the Andaman islands in the Bay of Bengal you can practice surface dive.
Exotic archipelago has a rich underwater life, a great variety of coral and
tropical fish.
- Take a ride with the "Toy Train" from Calcutta to Darjeeling, through jungle,
tea gardens and pine forests. From Darjeeling you'll have a great view to
Kanchenjunga (8.586m), the third highest mountain in the world. Sherpa Tenzing
was born and died here, where there is the Indian Mountaineering Institute.
Good to Know
The indians welcome salute is by bringing palms to the chest, with fingers
slightly bent towards to the other person. At that time, the say "Namaste" (Hello)
or "Namaskar". Muslims say "Salaam" or "Salaam Alaikum" and
those of the Sikh religion say "Sat Sri Akaal (God is Truth). Visitors
are asked to be barefoot in the temple. Many indians are vegetarian and many,
especially women, do not drink alcohol. Parsi and Sikh religion followers do
not smoke. Avoid summary clothing.
In general, India's climate is characterized by three seasons - warm, wet
(monsoon) and cool, each ranging in length from north to south. The most pleasant
time for all zones is the cold season (November to February).
Begining with february, the weather warms up, and is becoming warmer in april
or may and in june the weather is really scorching. In central India temperatures
reach up to 45 ° C. Also in south India heat is very unpleasant.
In late May, in some areas already are seeing traces of the monsoon - high
humidity, electrical storms, short rain storms and dust storms that turn day
into night. In the warm season it is best to be headed for the cool hills.
With the arrival of monsoon rain comes in the extreme south in general since
the 1th of June and is covering the entire country by July.
Around October the monsoon ends in most countries. This is when most tourists
come to India. In winter (December to mid January), Delhi and the northern
cities can be very cold, especially at night. In the south, temperatures are
comfortable.