India is a vast and very diverse country. The north and the south of India are so different that they seem like two different countries on different sides of the world. Yet the many similarities in the elements of this unique culture will remind you are right here in India, one of the most fascinating countries in Asia.

India is a federal republic, with New Delhi as its capital. It gained independence from Britain on January 6th, 1947. Located in southern Asia and the 7th largest country in the world, India has an area of 3,287,590 km² and a population of nearly a billion people. It consists of 25 states and 7 territories. The currency of India is the rupee, which is divided into a hundred paise. The Bengal Tiger is its national animal.

There is no single "Indian" language, but Hindi and English are commonplace. Besides these two languages, there are also 17 other "official" languages recognized by the government: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipurir, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Then, there are thousands of "unofficial" local languages.

The main religion is Hinduism, which is practised by 80% of the population. Other religions include Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism.

India is a tropical country, which means it has weather patterns that are very different from ours in Canada. It has only three seasons, the hot season, the wet season, and the cool season. The hot season starts in February and lasts until May, the wet season begins in June and ends in November, and the cool season offers relief from the heat from December to mid-February.

During the wet season, the monsoon brings rain to all of India. It is very important to farmers as it is their most important source of water for their crops. In times of drought, the harvest fails and the farmers have to rely on the government's supply of grain for food. However, if there is too much rain it will cause floods that will drown the crops. The monsoon rain does not fall continuously; instead it usually comes in a sudden burst of precipitation in the afternoon everyday.

May is the hottest month throughout most of India, while December and January are the coolest. However, areas near the Equator are always hot no matter what time of the year it is. During the hot season, temperatures can reach 40ºC in most of India. It is still very warm in the wet season; the temperature is about 35ºC. The cool season provides a break from the heat as temperatures fall to a comfortable 22ºC.

India has three major industries: agriculture, manufacturing/processing, and mining. Other important industries are movie-making and tourism. Since gaining independence, India's economy boomed and prospered, but recent investments in industrial expansion has put the country in great debt.

Two-thirds of the people in India depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The main crops are rice and wheat, but tea, jute (used to make ropes and sacks) and cotton are also important. India is the largest producer of tea and jute in the world. These two crops are very crucial to India's economy as they are exported worldwide. Some other crops are: bananas, beans and pulses, chickpeas, coconuts, mangoes, onions, oranges and tangerines, peanuts, pepper, potatoes, sesame seeds, sorghum, and sugar cane.

Mining plays a vital role in India's economy, too. Iron ore is mined all over India, with the largest deposits in the east. Coal, limestone, petroleum, gold, silver, and precious stones (especially diamonds) are also mined.

Manufacturing and processing is becoming more and more important today. Traditional leather products and textiles are important exports, and electronic equipment and chemicals are becoming significant as technology advances. Processing the materials that are produced by agriculture and mining is also a major part of this industry. Other goods include bicycles, brassware/silverware, cement, clothing, fertilizer, steel, medicine, motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks), paper, sewing machines, and wood products.

Hundreds of movies are filmed in India every year. It produces even more movies than Hollywood! Most of them are filmed in Mumbai (Bombay), which is also nicknamed "Bollywood". Indian movies are laden with action, romance, songs, and dancing.

Like manufacturing/processing, tourism is gradually becoming a significant industry. There are many things to see and learn about in India. Thousands of tourists visit India every year to see the sights, listen to the sounds, taste the different foods, and to feel the pulse of life that flows throughout India.

There are many, many great places to visit in India. Below are some recommendations of interesting and spectacular places to visit. They all have international airports, so you don't have to be doing any long-distance traveling within India.

Delhi

Delhi is the capital of India. It is split into two parts, New Delhi and Old Delhi. Delhi has a population of 11.3 million people who speak mainly in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, or English. The best time to visit is between October and March, when the cool season brings temperatures down to comfortable levels.

One of the star attractions is the Red Fort in Old Delhi. The Mughal ruler Shah Jahan finished the fort in 1648. It was used as a headquarters when the British ruled India. Inside the fort there are magnificent halls, beautiful gardens, and historic sites. The Lahore Gate is called the "symbolic heart" of modern India. During the fight for independence, one of the nationalists' speeches was that the Indian flag would fly over the Lahore Gate someday.

The Connaught Place in New Delhi is much newer than Red Fort. It is a business and tourist centre and a busy place with shops, restaurants and banks. Shopping here is definitely part of the experience of Delhi.

Mumbai (Bombay)

Bombay, recently renamed Mumbai, is a city with spirit and personality. Contrary to popular belief, it is a relatively safe city, although it is the most crowded city in India with a population of 15 million. The main languages here are Hindi and Marathi. Visit Mumbai between September and April, when it is coolest.

Chowpatty Beach is not a place to have fun in the sun! The real excitement starts at night, when it seems like there is a carnival going on and there are all sorts of people such as monkey trainers, gamblers, and balloon sculptors who will entertain and delight the tourists and local people. There are a group of food stalls at the edge of the beach; sampling authentic Indian snacks there is a unique experience that can't be missed.

The Gateway of India is another interesting place to visit. In 1947, the last British regiment left India through this gateway. Although it is not a famous tourist attraction anymore, it is a favourite meeting place for the people who live in the surrounding area.

Calcutta

Unlike Delhi and Mumbai, Calcutta is a relatively modern place. Created by the British as the capital of what was then a British colony, it has many reminders of the Raj, which was the time period when the British ruled India. Calcutta has some of the worst slums in the world. Most of the 12 million people who live there speak in Bengali. It is best to visit Calcutta between November and March.

The Victoria Memorial in Calcutta is filled with objects from the Raj. It is a large museum built from white marble. Inside, there are portraits, statues and busts of people who were important to British-Indian history. There are also some other "miscellaneous" items inside.

There are many different forms of transportation in India. Some kinds of transportation might not be very fun, but they are part of the unique experience of India. 61850km of rails runs throughout India. These trains carry 10 million passengers every day! There are several different stages of classifying the trains. At the highest level, they are divided into express and passenger trains. Next, the trains are grouped into broad gauge, metre gauge, and narrow gauge. Gauge is the distance between the two rails. Then, the carriages are divided into first class and second class. Finally, the classes are split into air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned, with the former costing twice as much as the latter.

The safest (and most expensive) way to travel is by air. Air India is the national airline of India. There are international airports in four of the major cities: Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras. In smaller cities, there are domestic airports that handle flights within India.

India has over 700 000km of road. There are not many vehicles on highways, but city streets are literally jammed with cars, trucks, buses, taxis, motorcycles, and auto-rickshaws. Larger vehicles have the right of way over smaller vehicles, and all vehicles have the right of way over pedestrians. It is also legal to do many things that are illegal in Canada. Needless to say, there are many serious accidents every year.

Another way of getting around is by bus. Like the trains, the buses are very crowded and slow. Baggage is carried on the roof to maximize room, but even then, some people have to ride on the roof. If you can't stand loud noises, don't take the bus; Indian "music" blares at a deafening volume inside!

In cities, it is possible to ride on auto-rickshaws. They look like motorcycles with an extra wheel and seats attached to one side. Auto-rickshaws can weave in and out of traffic, allowing them to quickly reach their destination. Unfortunately, they bounce up and down on every single bump and sitting in one puts you at the same height as the exhaust pipes of buses and trucks!