India

Overview

India ( Hindi : भारत Bhārat ), the largest country in South Asia , has many of the world's highest mountains, most populated cities, and longest rivers. As one of the great civilisations of the ancient world, once revered as 'the golden bird', India's heritage and culture are a rich amalgam of the past and present. This vast rapidly developing country, the most populous in the world, offers the traveller a view of fascinating religions and ethnic groups, a smorgasbord of languages, diverse food, and architectural masterpieces that were built millennia ago and remain intact today. As the nation opens up to a globalised world, India still has a depth of history and intensity of culture that awe and fascinate the many who visit there.

"Incredible India", proclaimed a long-running and for once accurate tourism campaign. India is mind-blowing, in ways good and bad. From opulent luxury to abject misery, congested cities to tranquil countryside, dense jungles and coral reefs to desolate deserts and tall mountains , India truly has it all. This extends to people, culture, language and food, which can vary wildly in ways small and large. India shows extreme variation in most things, and one needs patience and luck to find the best. Never assume you know everything about any aspect of India; be prepared to see completely new things every day.

The Indian civilisation, one of the oldest in the world, has been hugely influential throughout history. Many of the cultures of Southeast Asia exhibit strong Indian influences, some of which have also seeped into the cultures of East Asia through the spread of Buddhism. India's scientific discoveries were carried through the Silk Road to Europe and beyond, including astronomy and mathematics. The depth and complexity of the civilisation, with its rich heritage, has fascinated the world for centuries past and continues to captivate those who visit today.

Places to explore

India is administratively divided into 28 states and 8 union territories. The states are broadly demarcated on linguistic lines, and they vary in size; the larger ones are bigger and more diverse than some countries of Europe . The union territories are usually much smaller than the states—sometimes they are just one city—and they have much less autonomy. India has two island chains off the mainland: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.

Sights and landscapes

To see all the places worth visiting in India, even a 6-month visit is arguably inadequate. There are more tourist destinations in India than can be mentioned in a full-length book, let alone a summary. Almost every state of India has over ten major tourist destinations and there are cities which can barely be tasted in a full week. Many Indian states by themselves are bigger and more populous than most of the countries in the world, and there are 28 states and 8 union territories, including two island chains outside the mainland.

Probably the most famous attraction in India is the Taj Mahal , widely recognised as the jewel of Islamic art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage . The Qutb Minar and the impressive Red Fort are the two most prominent historical monuments in Delhi .

Jaipur , west of the Taj, is incredibly rich in forts and palaces , including the tremendous Amber Fort , beautiful Jal Mahal (Water Palace) and unique Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace). In addition, there are innumerable forts in the states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra .

For a rather different and more modern kind of historical monument, the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad , founded by the Mahatma himself, is a repository of all things Gandhi.

Experiences

Goa Fair (carnival). February heralds the carnival at Goa . For three days and nights the streets come alive with colour. Held in mid February the week-long event is a time for lively processions, floats, the strumming of guitars, graceful dances and of non-stop festivity. One of the more famous of Indian carnivals, the Goa Festival is a complete sell out in terms of tourism capacities.

Surajkund Mela (1–15 February). As spring glides in, full of warmth and vibrancy, leaving the grey winter behind, Surajkund adorns itself with colourful traditional crafts of India. Craftsmen from all over the country assemble at Surajkund during the first fortnight of February to participate in the annual celebration that is the Surajkund Crafts Mela.

Holi . The spring festival of India, Holi is a festival of colours. Celebrated in March or April, according to the Hindu calendar, it was meant to welcome spring and win the blessings of gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. It is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable.

Culture and food

Indian cuisine takes its place among the great cuisines of the world. There is a good chance that you have tasted "Indian food" in your country, especially if you are a traveller from the West. But what India has exported abroad is just one part of its extraordinary range of culinary diversity.

Indian food can be spicy: Potent fresh green chillies or red chilli powder will bring tears to the eyes of the uninitiated, and can be found in unexpected places like sweet cornflakes (a snack, not breakfast) or even candies. The degree of spiciness varies widely throughout the country: Andhra food is famously fiery, while Gujarati cuisine is quite mild in taste with the exception of Surti food (from Surat ).

Planning your route

India is big and there are lots of interesting ways to travel around it, most of which could not very well be described as efficient or punctual. Allow considerable buffer time for any journey with a fixed deadline (e.g. your flight back), and try to remember that getting there should be half the fun.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.