Everything you need to know about INDIA: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more

India: Asian Powerhouse and World's Largest Democracy

The Indian mainland was inhabited initially by indigenous communities and Dravidian's but later on around 1500 BC the Aryans entered from the north to give rise to a cultural fusion that has only grown in complexity since then. Later on in 3 rd and 4 th century BC Mauryan Empire under reign of Ashoka gave new zenith to Indian culture and society. During these era the teaching of Buddha flourished and Buddhist religious philosophy was propagated to people. After the downfall of the mighty Gupta Empire, the Persian and Turkish incursion started after which the Europeans followed in end of 15 th century culminating in India's colonisation by the British in the 18 th century. This resulted in a historic struggle for independence spearheaded by Mahatma Gandhi, which finally won India its independence in 1947. However independence also brought partition in the form of Pakistan but not before much blood was shed. India and Pakistan have since then fought three wars and are embroiled in the Kashmir dispute, some part of which is under Pakistan occupation. The 1990's saw economic liberalization that resulted in splendid economic growth but also led to ever widening disparities between the rich and the poor.

India Profile: Overview of Facts and Figures

• National Name: Republic of India
• Capital: New Delhi
• Total area : 3.1 million sq km (1.2 million sq miles), excluding Indian-administered Kashmir (100,569 sq km/38,830 sq miles)
• Population: 1.1 billion (UN, 2007)
• Currency: Indian Rupee
• Languages: Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%
• Ethnicity/ Races: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
• Religion: Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
• GDP (Per Capita): $2,600 (2007 est.)
• Life Expectancy: Male: 66.87 years, Female: 71.9 years (2008 est.)
• Literacy Rate: Male: 73.4%, Female: 47.8% (2001 census)

Geographical Information on India :

India is located in Southern Asia bordered by the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east. The mighty gigantic ranges of the Himalayas guard India from the north. The geographical features of India are decided by the great mountain ranges of north, the alluvial Indo-Gangetic plain, the plateau region of central India and the coastal plain of south India.

The geographical features of India provide diverse climatic and weather conditions to India. India lies to the north of Equator and proximity to equator provides warmer climate to southern India. The peninsular region enjoys maritime climate because it is surrounded by water bodies from three sides.

The climatic season of India can be divided broadly three seasons summer (from March to June.), monsoon (from June to September) and winter (from November to February).

Culture, Cuisine and Tradition Of India:

The traditional, cultural and religious beliefs of Indian culture originated from the age of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The faith and beliefs are rooted deep and its reflection can be seen in the custom, characters, and conduct of people. This characteristic managed to preserve established traditions while absorbing new customs, traditions, and ideas from invaders and immigrants and spreading its cultural influence to other parts of Asia. With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous nation in the world. It is impossible to speak of any one Indian culture. Religion plays central role in Indian culture and its practice can be seen in virtually every aspect of life in the country.

Tourist Attractions of India:

India is a spiritual land, a land where religion and philosophy have attained their zenith. India has tremendous floral and faunal diversity that includes deserts of Rajasthan, Himalayas of Kashmir, Nilgiris of South and plateaus of the central regions.

Agra: Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is home to the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument of love took over twenty years and more than 20,000 workers to build and features intricate designs and marble carvings.

Varanasi: Varanasi an infinite, endless and eternal city situated on the left (west) bank of the River Ganga in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This is India's spiritual heartland, a place of pilgrimage and daily devotion.

Major Sight-seeing Places in India include:

•  Nilgiri Hills

•  Khajuraho Temples

•  Bodh Gaya

•  Udaipur

•  Mumbai