| Introduction | | | | kilometers away from Agra, and 250 |
| India is one of the most attractive | | | | kilometers from Jaipur. |
| tourist destinations in Asia. India is a | | | | Culture & People |
| large country in southern Asia. It's the | | | | The people of India speak 14 major |
| second largest country in the world in | | | | languages and more than 1000 minor |
| population, ranking only behind China. | | | | languages & dialects. |
| In 2004, foreign tourists visiting India | | | | India has three main land regions :a. |
| spent 15.4 billion USD - the ninth | | | | The Himalayasb. The Northern Plainsc. |
| highest in the world. India is also | | | | The Deccan or the Southern Plateau |
| ranked among the top 3 adventure tourism | | | | With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is |
| destinations. One can expect to spend | | | | the second most populous nation in the |
| about $1,750 in 2005 dollars for a two | | | | world. It is impossible to speak of any |
| week visit, staying in accomodations | | | | one Indian culture, although there are |
| equivalent to Western ones. | | | | deep cultural continuities that tie its |
| India is a land of often bewildering | | | | people together. English is the major |
| diversity. It is a jigsaw puzzle of | | | | language of trade and politics, but |
| people of every faith and religion, | | | | there are fourteen official languages in |
| living together to create a unique and | | | | all. There are twenty-four languages |
| colourful mosaic. There is a festival | | | | that are spoken by a million people or |
| for every reason and for every season. | | | | more, and countless other dialects. |
| Every celebration centres around rituals | | | | India has seven major religions and many |
| of prayer, seeking blessings, exchanging | | | | minor ones, six main ethnic groups, and |
| goodwill, decorating houses, wearing new | | | | countless holidays. |
| clothes, music, dance and feasting. | | | | When to Visit India |
| India also has a large variety of | | | | India has such a wide range of climatic |
| protected wildlife. The country's | | | | factors that it's impossible to pin down |
| protected wilderness consists of 75 | | | | the best time to visit weather-wise with |
| National parks of India and 421 | | | | any certainty. Most of India has three |
| Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the | | | | seasons :a. Cool Season - October to |
| purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic | | | | February.b. Hot season - march to |
| and geographic diversity makes it the | | | | June.c. Rainy / Monsoon - monsoons start |
| home of over 350 mammals and 1200 bird | | | | from mid June to September. |
| species, many of which are unique to the | | | | October to March tend to be the most |
| subcontinent. Some well known national | | | | pleasant months for most of the parts of |
| wildlife sanctuaries include Corbett, | | | | the country. |
| Kanha, Sariska, Periyar, Ranthambore, | | | | The mountainous areas in North India |
| and Bharatpur. | | | | usualy have snowfall between December |
| Perhaps India's best-known site is the | | | | and March. Kashmir and the mountainous |
| Taj Mahal, one of the world's greatest | | | | regions of Himachal Pradesh are at their |
| architectural achievements. It was built | | | | most accessible between May and |
| between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah | | | | September. |
| Jahan in honor of his wife, Arjumand | | | | The best time to visit Sikkim and the |
| Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz | | | | areas of north-eastern India is March |
| Mahal. The Taj Mahal serves as her tomb. | | | | and August. |
| One of the popular tourist circuits is | | | | The best time to visit deserts of |
| called the Golden Triangle: the cities | | | | Rajasthan and the north-western Indian |
| Delhi; Agra (site of the Taj Mahal); and | | | | Himalayan region is during the monsoon. |
| Jaipur. Delhi is approximately 200 | | | | |