India is Incredible!
A country astonishingly unique in its amalgamation of natural, historical, architectural, natural and geographical richness.
While most of us know about the Majestic Himalayas, the magnificent Taj Mahal, the colorful history of Rajasthan or the beautiful beaches of Goa and backwaters of Kerala, what we do not realize is, India is probably more diverse than any other country in the world.
Ethnicity, Languages and Religion
Ethnicity: India is a diverse multiethnic country that is home to thousands of small ethnic and tribal groups. India has arguably, greater ethnic diversity than any other country.
Languages: The Constitution of India recognizes 22 languages which are widely spoken. India’s schools teach in 58 different languages. India produces newspapers in 87 languages, radio programs in 71, and films in 15. India has arguably, greater linguistic diversity than any other country.
Religions: Almost all the world religions are practiced in India — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zorostrianism & Bahai faith. India has arguably, greater religious diversity than any other country.
Geography and Climate
Geography: From dry deserts ( in the plains as well as in high altitude Himalayas) , evergreen forests, snowy Himalayas and long coast and fertile plains, India probably has the most diverse geography in the world.
Climate: Blazing heat of the northern plains to freezing points of the Himalaya and while Cherapunji is the wettest place on earth, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Ladakh get very little rainfall. India has arguably, greater climate diversity than any other country.
History
India is a land of ancient civilizations. India's social, economic, and cultural configurations are the products of a long process of regional expansion beginning with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization, between 2800 BC and 1800 BC, and then progressing through, Vedic, Buddhist, Medieval, Mughal and British dominated times. The artefacts of this rich history is strewn all over the country in form of ancient ruins, magnificent forts, palaces and stories.
Arts & Culture
India is enriched with thousands of year old tradition of fine arts and classical and folk music and dances. India has one of the world's largest collections of songs, music, dance, theatre, folk traditions, performing arts, rites and rituals, paintings and writings.
Wildlife
India is blessed with an astounding variety of flora and fauna. In fact, India possesses one of the richest variety of plants and animals known in the world. From Snow leopards to Tigers, Elephants and Rhinos, the variety is incredible! India is the only country where you can see tigers in the wild.
Living in close proximity of dangerous animal like tigers, leopards and bears in villages all over the country, Indians share a unique spiritual bond with the wildlife.
Cuisine
Indian cuisine reflects a 5000-year history of intermingling of various communities and cultures, leading to diverse flavours and regional cuisines. The arrival of the Mughals, the British, Portuguese, French, Dutch and Arabs further added variety to Indian cuisine. On any journey through India, it will soon become clear to you that there is no such thing as typical Indian food. The cuisine of Kerala is as different from that of Kolkata or Amritsar.
Festivals
India is a veritable kaleidoscope of distinctive cultures spanning centuries, each having its own festivals, rituals and lore stitched with myriad colors and emotions.
Charismatic deities, intriguing ancient rituals, melodious music, colorful dance and attire enhanced by modern imagination come together to form an illusion of synchronized contradictions in a larger-than-life canvas of human drama with wonderful opportunities for finding stories you would love to cherish for years to come.