India is a wonderful paradox. The real strength of Indian lies in the ability to celebrate its amazing diversity.
Catch the glorious hues of India’s diversity.
Will Durant described India as ‘mother of us all’, through which the great river of ‘time’ flows incessantly, making it the oldest continuous civilization on earth that has not yet lost its past completely. It speaks in 20+ languages, and thousands of dialects; its dresses are fashion statements – from Sarees to Dhotis to Kurtas to colorful Turbans to Ghangras. Its tastes vary from north to south, east to west.
India, the so called sub-continent is in reality, a continent by itself. Every ten miles will introduce you to a new lifestyle, new dialect, new food, new rivers, new mountains, new people. Every village has a history of its own. Each of the 28 states has its own governance, politics, festivals and events.
India has very diverse climates. From the arid deserts in Rajasthan to the land full of rivers known as Bengal in the East. Himalayan ice – breathtaking snow-capped mountains, rapid rivers for yatra or rafting are numerous. India plays all the sports in the world.
Its ethnicity is one of the most diverse in the world. Deep ancient spiritual abodes, temples and sacred places are everywhere. Sacred rivers are in the daily prayers of millions – Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari and a hundred more.
The history of modern civilization India is at least 5000 years old. Taking into account the eras of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata – it can easily flash back 10,000 years. Therefore, there is a real possibility to find pre-historic evidence of existence. Thus, virtually every kilometer in India may unfold a hidden history. But time is cruel. It eliminates much of the past to welcome the new. Takshashila is no more, it is now simply Delhi University or an IIM. So, India is a mix of the old and modern, contradictory in its habits and way of life. There is much that is wrong today, but its creativity is visible clearly. Hope is eternal to balance the old and new, past and modern.
The number of monuments, temples, palaces here is incomparable world-wide. From the Taj Mahal to the Chiitor Fort to Krishna temple (occupied by a Mosque) to Victoria Memorial in Kolkata to the India Gate in Delhi, from the Hawa Mahal in Rajasthan to the Temple in Kanya Kumari – all bear the stamp of India’s rich heritage.
Nature’s artistry is visible in the ‘Sunder’ trees in the Sunderbans of Bay of Bengal to the leaf-shedding trees in Kashmir. From Royal Bengal tigers and Lions in Gujarat – India is one of the few places on earth to encounter these big cats. And ancient herbs, medicinal plants including Neem and Turmeric are found in abundance.
Not of Indian origin? India must be on your list of places to explore. If you are a PIO and have not visited yet, discover your roots here. If you are an NRI, visit this magnificent country every year, you will discover a new India every time.
Instead of opting for flashy Indian tourism packages, you can choose exclusive, exciting trails of spirituality, yoga, Ayurveda, mystic rivers and mountains and so on. And then, you discover the real soul of India.
