India has many different attractions depending on what kind of holiday you're looking for. To find out about the many options, view our in-depth India holidays travel guide and make sure you don't miss anything.
India is the seventh-largest country by geographical area. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of over 7000 kilometers. It borders Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia.
One of the wonders of the world "Taj Mahal" has a beautiful love story behind its construction. It was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers and was completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees.
The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon.
From October to March, India's favourite Goa maintains steady temperatures of between 25°C and 30°C. With an average of 10 hours of sunshine a day, Goa genuinely guarantees hot, sunny weather, alongside its great food, awesome sunsets and laid-back tranquillity. Because Goa's monsoon season starts in June, and ends in September, visitors tend to plan holidays to Goa between the end of October and the end of April. July is the wettest month, while February is the driest.
The climate of India varies from tropical in the south to more temperate and alpine in the Himalayan north, where elevated regions receive sustained winter snowfall. India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. The Himalayas, along with the Hindu Kush mountains, prevent cold Central Asian katabatic winds from blowing in. This keeps the bulk of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations at similar latitudes. The Thar Desert is responsible for attracting the moisture-laden summer monsoon winds that, between June and September, provide most of India's rainfall.
The vast geographical area of India makes it a land of diversities and therefore exciting to explore. For centuries, this uniqueness of India has attracted travellers from all over the world. Whether it's the geographical or the cultural facet, India is like a vast ocean that offers you so much to explore.
As you traverse across India you are sure to get mesmerized by the heritage, culture, festivity and colours of the land. The tour to Agra takes you to the Taj Mahal, the beautiful epitome of love and romance while the backwaters of Kerala promise peace and tranquillity. Tours in India also offer a window into Rajasthan, the multi coloured and one of the most fascinating states in India. Famous as the land of Rajputs, Rajasthan tour takes you to the medieval forts, Havelis and palaces, which are reminiscent of the bygone era. While exploring different places and facets in your India tours, you can bask in the sunshine on beautiful beaches; watch the elephants and tigers in their natural habitat and witness the beautiful peacock dance in the rain on your Indian tour.
India's culture is marked by a high degree of syncretism and cultural pluralism. It has managed to preserve established traditions while absorbing new customs, traditions, and ideas from invaders and immigrants; multicultural concerns have long informed India's history and traditions, constitution and political arrangements. Many Indian cultural practices, languages, customs, and monuments are examples of this co-mingling over centuries. Notable architectural creations, such as the Taj Mahal and other examples of Mughal architecture, examples of Dravidian architecture are the result of traditions that combined elements from several parts of the country and abroad. The vernacular architecture displays notable regional variation.
The Indian film industry is the world's largest producer of feature films with Mumbai-based "Bollywood" which produces commercial Hindi films as its most recognisable face Other strong cinema industries are based on the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, and Marathi languages.
Delhi's nightlife has slowly started to gain momentum. Though most likely after 11 pm you will find the roads deserted but few bars, discos and coffee houses are now open 24 hours Nightlife is dazzling in Mumbai and that is the reason why Mumbai is called the 'city that never sleeps'. The city is dotted with cocktail clubs, hard-rock discos, pubs and coffeehouses.
Goa's nightlife is vibrant and exciting with goans loving to party. There are many restaurant-cum-bars in Goa most of these places serve exquisite seafood and other Goan delicacies and have well stocked bars. Some excellent party finding spots are Ingo's Saturday Night Bazaar and the Wednesday Market in Anjuna. The hottest place to visit and to be seen at in Goa today is Tito's which is right on the beach. This local institution has been going for years and attracts anyone and everyone who's up for a party. Another place to check out is Lidos in Dona Paula. Bangalore has many clubs and bars, and it is also referred to as the Pub Capital of India. There are lots of things to do in Bangalore at night. MG Road and Brigade Road are always buzzing with excitement. There are many movie theatres, 24 hour coffee shops, pubs, lounges, and clubs throughout the city.
Indian markets have multiple options to the traveller from the semi precious stone garland to a trendy leather shoe. Walk through the crowded lanes of the Indian metro cities are be sure to indulge your sense and taste for exquisitely carved jewellery, beautiful handicraft items and excellent paintings. The narrow streets of Johari Bazar of this beautiful city are world famous for their silver, precious stone jewellery. Also you can find alluring designs of pearl studded ornaments of the Pearl City Hyderabad or the dazzling diamond jewellery of Mumbai, Zaveri Bazaar. Be it a colourful ornament or decorative items like bells and chimes, candle holders, flower vases or some intricately designed home furniture’s, shopping is never ending fun with these tempting articles.
The cuisine of India is diverse, as ingredients, spices and cooking methods vary from region to region. Rice and wheat are the nation's main staple foods. The country is notable for its wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. Spicy food and sweets are popular in India.
India's national sport is field hockey, even though cricket is the most popular sport. In some states, particularly those in the northeast and the coastal states of West Bengal, Goa, and Kerala, football is also a popular sport. In recent times, tennis has also gained popularity. Chess, commonly held to have originated in India, is also gaining popularity with the rise of the number of recognized Indian grandmasters. Traditional sports include kabaddi, kho-kho, and gilli-danda, which are played nationwide. India is home to the age-old discipline of yoga and to the ancient martial arts, Kalarippayattu and Varma Kalai.
Indian festivals come in a vast variety; many are celebrated irrespective of caste and creed. The most popular holidays are Diwali, Holi, Onam, Dussehra, Bihu, Durga puja, the two Eids, Christmas, Ugadi, and Vaisakhi. India has three national holidays. Other sets of holidays, varying between nine and twelve, are officially observed in the individual states. Religious practices are an integral part of everyday life and are a very public affair. Traditional Indian family values are highly respected, although urban families now prefer a nuclear family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system.
Traditional Indian dress greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles and depends on various factors, including climate. Popular styles of dress include the sari for women and the lungi or dhoti for men.
