India Travel Guide
Do you want to dazzle your senses? Do you want your mind to whirl? Does your
adventurous soul seek the unpredictable? It is all in India. Be prepared to have
your wanderlust be swept away by this dramatic melting pot.
India is 7th largest country in the world with its bordering countries like
Pakistan to the west,
Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east, Bhutan to the northeast,
China and
Nepal to the north.
Sri Lanka,
Maldives and
Indonesia are
also neighboring countries since they lie southeast of the Indian Ocean.
With its vast size, India is divided into 6 major regions. First is the
Himalayan North, which is a picturesque mountainous region, frequented by the
spiritual and adventurous. It features India's most visited hill stations and
religious places, such as the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir. Are you
curious to see where cashmere comes from? Here, you visit the goat from which
the expensive textile is harvested.
The Plains is the Hindi-speaking heartland of the nation. This is where the
capital city of New Delhi is located and the rivers of Ganga and Yamuna flow
throughout the plains. They say that many events which shaped the history of
India happened in this region. Western India is home to the vibrant cities of
Rajasthan (Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Goa). India's biggest city, Mumbai
(formerly Bombay) is located in western India, as well as the center of the
country's film industry - Bollywood.
Southern India is a strong foundation of the indigenous culture. It presents
famous and historical temples, charming beaches, backwaters in Kerala, beautiful
hill stations in Tamil Nadu and tropical forests. Aside from being a mainstay in
Indian culture, it is also home to cosmopolitan cities such as Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh.
The eastern side of India is the most rural region of the country and its
largest city is Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). East India is home to Orissa which
is the temple city and where Puri of Lord Jagannath fame and Bhubaneswar are
located. The northeastern part of the country is also remote and sensitive. It
is famous for its bewitching landscapes and famous tea gardens. India has been
one of the major tea producers and suppliers in the whole world. This part of
the country has 7 tiny states which are popularly nicknamed as "The Seven
Sisters".
While in India, there are several cities you can choose to visit:
- Delhi which is the capital of India and the center of Northern India
- Bangalore which is the dubbed as the garden city and now transformed into the
city of technological companies
- Chennai which is formerly called Madras and touted as the Automobile Capital
of India
- Cochin which is the gateway for pristine beaches in southwest India
- Jaipur which is also known as "Pink City" and is a major exhibit of Hindu
Rajput culture in northern India
- Varanasi which is considered as the most sacred Hindu City and is located on
the banks of Ganges River
If having incredible natural beauty is what you are looking for, then India has
a reserve far from few. There is the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Sik holy site of
Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Lake Palace of Octopussy fame in Udaipur,
Khajuraho where the famed erotic sculptures can be admired, Hampi which is the
empire ruins of Vijayanagara and of course, the spectacular Hindhu temple in
Madurai called Meenakshi.
