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Destinations in India |
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The name India is derived from Indus, which is derived from the
Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit Sindhu,
the historic local appellation for the Indus River. India is also famous with name
of Bharat and Hindustan. The name Bharat is derived from the name of the legendary king Bharata in Hindu Mythology. Hindustan, which is the Persian word for “Land of the Hindus” and historically referred to northern India, is also occasionally used as a synonym for all of India.
The Constitution of India, the longest and the most exhaustive constitution of any independent nation in the world, came into force on 26 January, 1950. The preamble of the constitution defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.
The President of India is the head of state elected indirectly by an electoral college
for a five-year term. The Prime Minister is the head of government and exercises most executive powers.Appointed by the President, the Prime Minister is by convention supported by the party or political alliance holding the majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament. The executive branch consists of the President, Vice-President, and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet being its executive committee) headed by the Prime Minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of either house of parliament.
The Legislature of India is the bicameral Parliament, which consists of the upper house called the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the lower house called the Lok Sabha (House of People).The Rajya Sabha, a permanent body, has 245 members serving staggered six year terms. Most are elected indirectly by the state and territorial legislatures in proportion to the state's population. 543 of the Lok Sabha's 545 members are directly elected by popular vote to represent individual constituencies for five year terms. The other two members are nominated by the President from the Anglo-Indian community if the President is of the opinion that the community is not adequately represented.
India consists of twenty-eight states and seven Union Territories.
All states, and the two union territories of Puducherry and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, have elected legislatures and governments patterned on the Westminster model. The other five union territories are directly ruled by the Centre through appointed administrators.
The Taj Mahal is one of the most wonderful tourism destinations in India and is aptly considered one of the greatest wonders of the world. People all over the world desire to see the grandeur of the Taj Mahal . The Taj Mahal signifies and glorifies human love, has withstood the test of time, and still stands in all its glory. Emperor Shahjahan has firmly put Agra on the travel and tourism map of the world.
India maintains the third-largest military force in the world,
which consists of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and auxiliary forces such as the Paramilitary Forces, the Coast Guard, and the Strategic Forces Command.
India became a nuclear power in 1974 after conducting an initial nuclear test, Operation Smiling Buddha and further underground testing in 1998.
India maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy. On 10 October, 2008 Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement was signed, prior to which India received IAEA and NSG waivers, ending restrictions on nuclear technology commerce with which India became de facto sixth nuclear power in world.
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Please click on Bar Link..
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| Capital |
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New Delhi |
| Official languages |
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Hindi, English
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| Demonym |
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Indian |
| Government |
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Federal republic,Parliamentary Democracy |
| Total Area |
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3,287,240 km2 (7th Rank in the world) |
| Population |
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1,198,003,000 (2nd Rank in the world- 2009 estimate) |
| Currency |
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Indian rupee (₨) (INR) |
| Time zone |
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GMT + 5:30 |
| ISD Code |
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+91 |
| Drives on the |
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Left |
States:
Union Territories:
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Just as India’s culture is, its geography too is varied and diverse. Right from the snowy mountains in the north to dense forests in the south and arid deserts in the west, India offers it all. With a coastline of 7000 km., india is a peninsular country which protrudes in the deep indian ocean. India is surrounded by Arabian sea on one side and Bay of Bengal on the other.
The geography of ancient India included Pakistan and Bangladesh which later became separate nations after the Indian independence. India is now bordered by Pakistan,Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh. Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia are island nations that are to the south of India. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a channel of sea formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Independent India is divided into 28 states and seven union territories.
Most of the northern, central, and eastern India are occupied by the fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain making it ideal for production of many food grains. The Deccan Plateau occupies most of southern India while the Thar desert is towards the west. India's east and northeastern border consists of the high Himalayan range. In fact, India can be divided into seven physiographic regions such as the Himalayas and the northeast mountain ranges, Indo-Gangetic plains, Central Highlands, Thar Desert, Deccan Plateau, West Coast, East Coast and seas and islands. India is one of the nations having nine major mountain ranges with peaks over 1,000 m The Himalayas are the only mountain ranges in India to have snow-capped peaks. Some of the famous mountain ranges in India are Himalayas, Aravalli Range, Vindhya Range, Eastern Ghats, Patkai range, Sahyadri, Satpura Range, Karakoram and the Kunlun range. India has two major offshore islands namely; the Lakshadweep islands and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands both of which are administered by the Union government of India. Some of the major rivers in India are Indus, Ravi, Jhelum, Chenab, Sutlej, Beas, Ganga, Chambal, Yamuna, Gomti, Bhramaputra, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi, Godavari and Mahanadi.
The geography and climate of India is so varied that it cannot be generalized as its changes from region to region. The seasons of India is mainly defined by summer, rainy and winter. The most pleasant time to visit India is during winters. India’s northern plains are the first to experience summer during the end of March and it builds up in the month of April, May and June. During June, the temperature soars up to almost 45 degree Celsius. The southern India experiences hot and humid climate during this month.
In terms of geography, India is one of the most feasible countries to travel especially with its good road and rail facilities that connect so many places. In India geography, ethnicity, languages, cultures and habits of people are in sync with itself. With each different state of India, one will notice a new culture and a new language. The geography of India truly makes it a favorable tourist destination.
India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert, both of which drive the monsoons. The Himalayas prevent cold Central Asian katabatic winds from blowing in, keeping the bulk of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations at similar latitudes. The Thar Desert plays a crucial role in attracting the moisture-laden southwest summer monsoon winds that, between June and October, provide the majority of India's rainfall. Four major climatic groupings predominate in India: tropical wet, tropical dry, subtropical humid, and montane.
The climate of India defies easy generalisation, comprising a wide range of weather conditions across a large geographic scale and varied topography. Analysed according to the Köppen system, India hosts six major climatic subtypes, ranging from desert in the west, to alpine tundra and glaciers in the north, to humid tropical regions supporting rainforests in the southwest and the island territories. Many regions have starkly different microclimates. The nation has four seasons: winter (January and February), summer (March to May), a monsoon (rainy) season (June to September), and a post-monsoon period (October to December).
India's unique geography and geology strongly influence its climate; this is particularly true of the Himalayas in the north and the Thar Desert in the northwest. The Himalayas act as a barrier to the frigid katabatic winds flowing down from Central Asia. Thus, North India is kept warm or only mildly cold during winter; in summer, the same phenomenon makes India relatively hot. Although the Tropic of Cancer—the boundary between the tropics and subtropics—passes through the middle of India, the whole country is considered to be tropical.
As in much of the tropics, monsoonal and other weather conditions in India are unstable: major droughts, floods, cyclones and other natural disasters are sporadic, but have killed or displaced millions. India's long-term climatic stability is further threatened by global warming. Climatic diversity in India makes the analysis of these issues complex.
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According to the constitution of India, the country is a secular republic.
Indian citizens are free to follow any religion and faith. Indians worship different Gods in many different ways. Religion with its rituals and philosophy forms the life style of any average individual born and brought up in India.
India has also created a platform for many religions from all over the world. However the main religions of India are Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism. Over 80% of Indians practice Hinduism, 13.45% of Indians practice Islam, 2.35% Christianity and 1.94% Sikhism. Popular faiths like Jainism and Buddhism which have originated in India are practiced all over the world today. But Parsis and Judais are a disappearing minority in India now.
All religions of India have a wide reach and are recognized for their strength all over the globe. Indian society follows a rigid caste system. Indian people normally marry within their own communities and castes. Most Indians have a tolerant attitude towards other castes and communities. India has preserved its secular outlook through volatile a history of foreign invasions.
Communal clashes in India do occur but more often than not they are based vested political interests than genuine religious differences. The freedom to practice any religion of his choice is a fundamental right of every Indian citizen. There is an ongoing attempt to modify the Indian constitution in order to establish a uniform civil code for all Indian citizens. This concept is still in the process of taking manifestation as a directive principal. Religious communities follow their own personal codes for now. However Indian law is the same for people of all communities in India.
Based on the religion, there are many religious festivals that are widely observed in India and they hold a great importance for the people. India's secular governance states that no religious festival should be given the status of a national holiday. Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Durga puja, Dussehra and Sankranthi are the most popular Hindu festivals in India. The Islamic Eid festivals of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha are the most celebrated among the Muslims. Christmas, Buddha Jayanti, and Guru Nanak's Birthday are holidays among the remaining religious groups. However, the best part is that be it any festival Indians from all castes and communities come together to celebrate the event.
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India is a country that will leave you spellbound with its alluring contrasts and striking features in all that it beholds! Its captivating beauty lies in its
‘unity in diversity’, cosmopolitan culture and rich heritage. India is a beautiful motif of various colors; all complementing each other to attract the eye of the beholder!
India is a land of adventure and romanticism that takes pride in its epics and grandeur history which weaves together the yarns of courage, passion and love. The smell of this soil will surely mesmerize you to leave its dints on your heart and yet it will amaze you with its astonishing volatility every time that you will put your feet on this ‘heaven on earth’!
Indian cultures adapted to the onslaught of many invasions through a long and dynamic process of historical evolution. A versatile culture with multiple languages, many religious customs and varied life styles bears testimony to this. The Indian culture is very old and its landscape is vast and varied.
The diversity in culture and foods of India, clothing and languages, religion and life styles is marked by a unique sense of integration - based on a common heritage. This sense of unity also serves to preserve India’s national integrity. An Indian is first an Indian, and then a Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Punjabi, Bengali or Sindhi. Each state in India is integral to its entity as a whole even while carving a unique niche for itself.
Unity in diversity forms the distinct culture of India. In India culture today is characterized by a unique vision of oneness. North, south, east and west all have their own distinct religious identities. This has resulted in multiple cultures and life styles in the country. Yet the whole country remains bound together as a single nation.
India is the birthplace of many religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. These religions have extended to acquire the status of world religion today. Many nations invaded India from time to time to influence its culture. Indian life was variously affected by Persians, Turkish, Arabian and British influences from time to time. This combined with the rich traditions of ancient Indian culture has served to change the face of the world in some ways.
Today, India culture is a term that has a multifaceted entity. The metaphysics and ritualistic pattern of Indian religions, its folk culture and ancient arts has gripped the minds of people from all over the world. People come to India in search of peace and salvation from all over the globe. However urban India is now being overtaken by the rhythm of globalization. Western culture is also seen mingling with its Indian counterpart in big cities.
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