India will sideswipe you with its size, clamour
and diversity. Nothing in the country is ever quite
what you expect, and the only thing to expect is
the unexpected which comes in many forms and will
always want to sit next to you. India is a litmus
test for many travelers and some visitors are only
too happy to get on an aircraft and fly away, but
if you enjoy delving into convoluted cosmologies
and thrive on sensual overload, then India is one
of the most intricate and rewarding dramas unfolding
on earth.
Warning
In light of the dispute over Kashmir and the possibility
of deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan,
many governments are urging against travel to the
Jammu and Kashmir regions.
The prospect of hostilities raises the stakes of
the long-running border dispute, which has been
an issue between the countries for more than 50
years. During the 1947 partition that led to the
creation of Pakistan, Kashmir was free to choose
which country it wanted to join. |
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Warning |
In light of the dispute over Kashmir
and the possibility of deteriorating relations between
India and Pakistan, many governments are urging
against travel to the Jammu and Kashmir regions.
The prospect of hostilities raises the stakes of
the long-running border dispute, which has been
an issue between the countries for more than 50
years. During the 1947 partition that led to the
creation of Pakistan, Kashmir was free to choose
which country it wanted to join.
The local leader allied with India, and the region
has been contested ever since, leading to two
wars between the neighbours.
In addition to the conflict in Kashmir, religious
and cast violence between Hindus and Muslims and
different castes in the state of Bihar has claimed
many lives . Travellers should exercise caution
in these regions.
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| Full country name: |
Republic of India |
| Area: |
3,287,590 sq km (1,229,737 sq
mi) |
| Population: |
1,129,866,154 (July 2007). |
| Capital city: |
New Delhi |
| People: |
72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian,
3% other |
| Language: |
Hindi, English |
| Religion: |
80% Hindu, 14% Muslim, 2.4%
Christian, 2% Sikh, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% Jains, 0.4%
other |
| Government: |
Federal Republic |
| President: |
Smt. Pratibha Devsingh Patil |
| GDP: |
US$2.664 trillion |
| GDP per head: |
US$2600 |
| Annual growth: |
5.4% |
| Inflation: |
5.4% |
| Major industries: |
Textiles, chemicals, food processing,
steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining,
petroleum, machinery, rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton,
jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo,
sheep, goats, poultry, fish, IT, BPO, Softwares |
| Major trading partners: |
US, Hong Kong, UK, Japan, Germany,
Belgium, Saudi Arabia |
| Time: |
GMT/UTC plus five hours 30 minutes |
| Electricity: |
230-240V, 50 HZ |
| Weights & measures: |
Metric |
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Weather |
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| October to March tend to be the most
pleasant months over much of the country. In the
far south, the monsoon weather pattern tends to
make January to September more pleasant, while Sikkim
and the areas of north-eastern India tend to be
more palatable between March and August, and Kashmir
and the mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh
are at their most accessible between May and September.
The deserts of Rajasthan and the north-western
Indian Himalayan region are at their best during
the monsoon.
Bangalore is like the airconditoned city of India
, that's why it attracts maximum foreign investment
and known as silicon valley of India.
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India Foods |
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India, more than in any other country in the
world, has a colorful and diverse range of food
and tastes to offer. For centuries, Indian food
and spices have been known far and wide for their
authentic taste and rich quality. India has a
variety of dishes, be it North Indian food or
South Indian food, that use spices and herbs such
as coriander, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamoms,
cloves, aniseed and asafetida - that are used in
different combinations and flavors to enhance the
pleasure of a meal.
Click here to
read more on Indian food |
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