India, located in South Asia, is the world’s largest democracy and 7th largest country with an area of 3.28 million sq. kms. It is divided into 29 states and 6 union territories, each of which varies considerably in size and economic progress. The capital city of India is New Delhi, with a population of about 14 million, and other major cities include Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore.

The liberalization of India’s economy in the 1990’s has seen tremendous economic growth and improvements to the country’s inward investment and infrastructure. During this time it has also opened up new and exciting areas previously restricted to foreign travellers, particularly along the north-west and north-east frontiers, giving a great boost to both adventure and culture tourism.

Location and Geography

The Himalayan range of mountains forms a natural boundary to the north, and the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal lie to the west, south and east respectively. India is bordered by Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, Pakistan to the northwest, Myanmar to the northeast and Bangladesh to the east.

Geographically, India is a land of sharp contrasts and can be divided into four natural regions; the northern mountain region with its snow-capped Himalayan peaks and undulating valleys; the great northern plains, encompassing the valleys of the Indus River, the deserts of Rajasthan and the fertile valleys of the Ganga, Yamuna and Brahmaputra; the vast Deccan Plateau in the south, separated from the Gangetic plains by the Vindhya and Saputara mountains; and the Western and Eastern Ghats which lie to either side of the Deccan plateau.

The People

The population of India has now reached over a billion, 28% of whom live in urban areas. The main ethnic groups are Indo-Aryan (72%), Dravidian (25%), Mongoloid and other (3%). Hindi, spoken by about 40% of the population is the official language, with English used for official purposes; although in total more than 1,600 languages or dialects are spoken, comprising 18 officially recognized languages. India has a secular constitution and protects freedom of worship. Hindus represent the majority (82.4%) with Muslims (11.7%) Christians (2.3%) Sikhs (1.9%) and others, including Buddhists, Jains and Parsis (2.5%).

India’s poverty is confronting; around 400 million are considered to live below the poverty line. 40% of the population is illiterate, with women, tribal and scheduled castes particularly affected. The main causes of poverty are illiteracy and a population growth rate far exceeding the country’s rate of economic growth.

The heritage and traditions of India’s music, dance, architecture, arts and crafts is everywhere to behold, and its people are overwhelmingly hospitable and welcoming. You will find a wide variety of handicrafts to tempt you while in India. These include: furniture; metal craft, sculptured and cast in brass or copper; woodcraft, sometimes carved from scented sandal or rose wood); stone carvings; marble inlay work; terracotta pottery; carpets; wall paintings; Mughal miniature paintings; textiles - embroidery, lace and hand block printing; and precious and semi-precious stones, including tribal Jewellery.

Climate

The best time to visit India is between October and March, except the northern region of the Himalayas where the weather is glorious between April and September. India being so vast and the topography so diverse, the climatic conditions vary from region to region. Generally, the weather from mid-October, with the ending of the monsoon, until about mid-March is lovely; the coolest, driest time of year throughout the country, being from December to February. April and May become increasingly hot, with temperatures reaching into the 40’s, until the arrival of the monsoon. This tends to reach the south of India during late May or early June, progressing northwards until it covers the country by the end of July.