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DISCOVER INDIA
About India

A BRIEF HISTORY
Evidence suggests that pre historic settlements existed in India up to 500,000 years ago. Advanced Stone Age cultures have left behind cave paintings. Much later the Indus Valley civilization scattered over northwestern India gave the world the first impressions of an urban civilization.

TRIBALS
India's tribal population is scattered across central India and are the remnants of the earliest settlers of the migration from Africa to Australia. The dark skinned Dravidians of the South and the lighter skinned Aryans both originated in the Central Asians region, the former arriving thousands of years before the latter. The northeast region is yet another melting pot of various streams of Tibeto Mongloid, Khymer and other south east Asian influences.

ARCHITECTURE
Architectural skills and craftsmanship have flourished over the centuries throughout the country. Stone carvings in each region have their own distinct stamp. From the golden hued sandstone citadel of Jaisalmer to the poetry in white marble - the Taj Mahal, the remarkable stone temples of Palitana, Khajuraho and Orissa, to the architectural marvels of the south distinct at Hampi, Madurai and Tanjore for their sculptured finesse.

RELIGION
Three hundred and thirty million gods and goddesses represent Hindu divinity! With its colour, noise, public ritual and private devotion religious faith is expressed with fervor across the length and breadth of India. India is secular and though Hindus numerically dominate the country every other major world religion flourishes here. Buddhism and Jainism were born in the Himalayan foothills while Christianity found a home nearly 2000 years ago. Islam, Sikhism, Zorastranism, Judaism, Sufis, Bahais are all to be found scattered in various corners of the country and have made their own vividly distinctive contribution across India.

MUSIC & DANCE
The haunting tones and brilliant rhythms of the sitar and tabla have become the universal sounds that capture the uniqueness and mystique of India. From its original chants of ancient scriptures, Indian music has developed its string of three notes to a complex 22 notes scale. Classical music is often associated with dance. In the villages you find the colourful diversity of local folk dance traditions, sometimes the vehicle for re-living the well-loved stories of the Hindu epics.

FESTIVALS
India has more than one festival a day. There is a festival for every season and every reason. The country is brightened by the riot of colour, sound, music, dance and feasting. The festivals are an excellent opportunity to sample the country's rich heritage of traditional customs. Every community from the west to east and north to south has a festival to boast about. Some of the most notable ones celebrated throughout the country are Holi, Dussehra, Diwali, Id-ul-fitr and Christmas.

FAIRS
Fairs in India don't just happen. They are events awaited for throughout the year even by the people in remote villages, since it involves careful planning and community participation. This is also a national heritage and their continuation is cherished. The same fair or festival takes different appearances in different parts of India. The result is a colourful mosaic that baffles the visitor and makes it a memorable experience. Some of the truly unique fairs are the animal fairs of Pushkar, Sonepur, Nagaur, Kolayat in the north. Pongal, Onam in the south. In the east the tea festival and the various tribal fairs add colour to their typical lifestyle, while in the west we have the Goa Carnival and the Gujarat Kite festival.

CUISINE
Spices of the mysterious east had explorers from the Atlantic coast and other parts of the world come to India in search of pepper, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. What is common in the kitchens of the west today were rare and priced as gold dust those days. It is this very spice that dominates the taste tempting aromas of the varied cuisine of India. Virtually every 50 kms in India allows you to sample a different type of curry. Cuisine in India has the Mughlai richness of the north, the mouth watering non-vegetarian fare of the far northwest as well as the sweet tastes of the east with their specializations of fish and rice. Vegetarians of the south and west compliment the north with their subtle flavors and deft use of spices.

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