India. India Colorful India

India is a colorful country with a centuries-old culture and interesting story... She is known in the world for her colorful films, incendiary dances, famous Indian sweets, bright holidays.

Indian culture is interesting and unusual. Family values, respect and honor for elders are in the foreground here. This is the foundation of Indian society. Indian women proudly wear the national dress, the sari. And they do it not on holidays, but every day.

Tours to India are organized all year round. But you need to know that from June to October it is the rainy season. It is on the territory of India that the wettest place on earth is located - it is Cherrapunji.

This country is also famous national cuisine... The main national dish is rice, which is seasoned with various spices, peppers, and kitchen roots. This dish is served both in expensive restaurants and on street counters.

Tourists can get acquainted in India with a variety of exotic fauna. The largest and most famous of its representatives are the Indian elephant and the Bengal tiger.

Varanasi city is one of the most visited. It is located on sacred river The Ganges and according to the legend of the Indians was built by the Gods themselves. It is the oldest city in the country that embodies Indian culture. It is a bustling and bustling city with uncontrolled traffic. But this does not prevent the sacred Indian animals - cows, from resting in the middle of any street. Varanasi is a city where life and death meet. Thousands of Indians come here to find their last home. Locals consider their city to be the oldest and most sacred city on earth.

Varanasi is full of legends, myths and, at the same time, interesting sights. There are several hundred temples here, which are many hundreds of years old.

Currency- Indian rupee
Timezone — +5:30
Telephone code — +91

Republic of India, whose name in the Hindi language sounds like "Bharat", is the state of South Asia, located on the Indian subcontinent, which is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean. India is the seventh country in the world in terms of area (3,287,590 sq. Km.), Includes 28 states and 6 union territories, which include the Nicorab Islands, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep ...

India - video

The state language is Hindi, the second state language is English, each state has its own official language... In total, the people of India speak 17 languages ​​and 844 dialects.

India holds the second place in the world in terms of population (second only to China). According to data for 2013, the population was 1.22 billion. This country is very multinational, its races and peoples differ significantly from each other, both externally and spiritually. Despite the fact that more than 80% of the population profess Hinduism, other religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and others are quite developed.

Since India occupies a very large territory, the climate is very diverse here. Therefore, you should choose the right time for travel depending on which part of the country you are going to. V India monsoon climate, which is divided into 3 seasons - humid hot (July-September), dry cold (October-March) and dry hot (April-June).

Sights of India

The main attraction and symbol of India can be safely called. He was glorified by a love story, love in the name of which he was erected. Taj Mahal is called one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, but not everyone knows that this is a mausoleum. A wonderful creation of dazzling white marble, became the tomb of the Queen of India Muntas Mahal, who died giving birth to Emperor Shah Jahan, the fourteenth child. In memory of his beloved wife, the emperor ordered the construction of a mausoleum-mosque, which became famous all over the world and pleases the eyes of tourists from all over the world.

Another attraction of India are Ellora cave temples... This amazing cave complex includes 34 temples, 17 of which are Hindu, 12 - Buddhist, 5 - Jain. Despite the significant difference between the temples (Buddhist ones fill with a sense of peace, tranquility and harmony, and Hindu ones, on the contrary, impress with the dynamism of the plot, liveliness and energy), they are united by the beauty of the carved stone. They have been carved into the rock for more than 500 years. The highlight of the Buddhist complex is Buddhist temple, v large hall which, there is a majestic 5-meter statue of Buddha. The main Hindu temple Kailash personifies the sacred mountain of Tibet, it amazes with the subtlety and grace of fine carving. Numerous Indian deities look from the walls of all Hindu temples, dynamic mythical stories are presented to the gaze.

Worthy of attention Harmandir Sahib, or as he is known in the world - Golden Temple... It has such a name for a reason, because in reality the temple is covered with real gold. There is a legend that the dome is covered with 750 kilograms of gold. The main shrine of the Sikhs is located in the middle of the sacred lake Amrit Sarovar ("the lake of divine nectar"), whose name gave the name to the city -. To get to the temple is possible only by walking along a narrow marble bridge. The Golden Temple embodies the essence of the Sikh's beliefs - the equality of all religions, here all people are equal, regardless of religion and social status. The temple has a canteen that feeds 30,000 people daily, and the canteen is staffed by volunteers. Also, there are sleeping rooms in which you can stay overnight. They sleep there just on the floor, side by side, pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.

Temple of Goddess Meenakshi- a symbol of love between Meenakshi and Shiva. There are 14 towers around the main temple, the height of which reaches 50 meters. All the towers and columns of the temple are dotted with brightly painted sculptures, none of which is repeated twice. The heart of the temple is the hall of a thousand columns, in the center of which there is a pool of holy water. Despite the fact that the Meenakshi temple is more than a thousand years old, it does not lose its brilliance, because it is regularly and thoroughly updated.

The Jama Masjid Mosque is one of the main mosques of Muslims. It was built at the behest of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the middle of the 17th century. This is his last architectural creation and the pride of the Mughals. 5 thousand workers worked on the construction of the Jama Masjid mosque for 6 years. The mosque stands on a hill in Old Delhi - in Shahjahanabad (one of the most ancient Mughal cities). Initially, the mosque was called Masjid-i-Jahan-Numa, which means "the mosque that rules the world." It is the largest and most exquisitely decorated mosque in India. It is built of red sandstone and decorated with white marble.

Numerous national parks and reserves are an important attraction in India. Due to the fact that the country occupies such a vast territory, there are a huge number of them. One of the most popular nature reserves - " Periyar". This reserve covers an area of ​​almost 800 square kilometers. It specializes in the protection and protection of tigers (there are 16 such reserves in the country). In addition to tigers and other representatives of the cat family, animals such as elephants, macaques, antelopes live on the territory of the reserve. , wild boars, a large number of species of tropical birds and reptiles (even crocodiles).

Another significant national park "Ranthambore". It is located in central India, covers an area of ​​about 50 thousand hectares. Mango groves, complexes of tropical forests and swamps are protected here. In this park you can meet such animals as Bengal tiger, sloth bear, sambar deer, langur monkey, Indian The fruit bat is a very large bat (wingspan up to 1.7 m), which is also called the flying fox.Among the birds, it is worth highlighting the green carnivorous pigeons, paradise flycatchers and crested snake-eaters (a rare species of eagles).

Other national parks are also noteworthy, such as "Keoladeo", "Kaziranga", "Corbett Park", "Dadva", "Flower Valley", "Soriska", "Shivpuri", "Bandipur", "Dagicham", bird sanctuary "Govind Sagar" and many others.

1. One of the most serious problems in India is the sanitary and epidemiological situation. Moreover, this applies not only to food and water, but also to the situation on the street. Take care of your health - do not drink or brush your teeth with tap water (even though hotels and restaurants disinfect it).

2. Before traveling to India it is worth stocking up on sunscreens, as you can get sunburn here even in cloudy weather.

3. Tipping is accepted only in expensive establishments; in hotels and restaurants, this fee is often included in the bill.

4. At the bazaar, where prices are not fixed, it is customary to bargain. When buying vegetables or fruits at the bazaar, do not let the seller cut them with his knife.

5. Never give money to street beggars! Having shown generosity once, you can no longer get rid of annoying and annoying groups of beggars.

6. It is worth knowing that the voltage of the electricity network in India is 230-240V, and the sockets differ from the standard European ones.

7. Do not forget that India is a colorful and specific country. It is customary here to add all sorts of spices to every dish, and if you are worried about your digestive tract, it is better to ask the waiter to reduce the amount of spices.

India on the map

India is a picturesque country that attracts tourists with its riddles. In addition to beautiful temples and cultural monuments, there is a huge number of natural structures, they were created for decades and are an object of admiration for all tourists. In the north-east of India, at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level, curious travelers can see unusually beautiful and mysterious "living" bridges. These natural structures were built by local residents of the Indian state of Meghalaya - Khasi. The climate there is warm, high humidity, all this contributes to the active growth and development of rubber ficuses. From the roots of these plants, those very living bridges are obtained. There are no similar structures anywhere in the world.

How are living bridges grown?

The khasis have long noticed that ficus roots have a secondary root system and are able to grow outward. Thus, living bridges were created, which, after many centuries, attract the attention of tourists from all over the world. For 500 years, a huge number of bridges have been formed.

The very technology of growing such a bridge is incredibly complicated - one bridge takes 10-15 years of work. The roots of rubber plants grow along the banks of rivers, then they are placed in the hollowed-out trunks of a betel tree. This is how the necessary direction of plant growth is created.

There comes a time when flexible and massive roots grow to the opposite bank of the river, then they are rooted there with the help of huge boulders. This is how a strong natural crossing is created - safe and environmentally friendly.

Every year the living bridge becomes more reliable and stronger, this is due to the fact that the roots continue to grow, they become wider and thicker. The result is a bridge that can support up to 50 adults at a time. Now there are a lot of tourists, all of them are amazed at the talented invention of the inhabitants of the town of Cherrapunji.

In terms of size, the length of the live ferry reaches 30 meters. And the most interesting thing is that you don't need to spend money on the construction at all. The bridge does not require repair, and it also looks great, because the structure is completely natural and merges with nature.

What rubber bridges look like in India

In India, rubber bridges are popular, and even the locals are proud of them. Although the khasis see bridges every day, they are something magical to them. The rainiest place on the planet is the city of Cherrapunji, and there are living bridges here. Once it was decided to replace them with iron ones, but, as a result, the natural crossings remained intact.

Not far from the city there is a resort for tourists, its owner convinced the administration and all local residents that the bridges are real centuries-old relics. They are a reflection of the life of ancient ancestors, evidence of their hard work and skill. In addition, the city will lose its former appearance and become uninteresting for tourists and travelers. Living bridges are things that need to be preserved and augmented.

On top of all this, travelers and visitors to India are always keen to visit these unique living bridges. Literally works of art were created by human hands, there are no more such bridges in the world. Local population earns on the influx of tourists, so bridges are an important and vital part for them. The population not only protects bridges from destruction, but also creates the same new, modernized crossings - more durable and beautiful. Any tourist in India can enjoy the views of living bridges, walk across them and bring cool vacation photos. Let's hope that nothing happens to the unique crossings.

India is one of the most colorful and distinctive countries in Asia. Those who claim that they know everything about her, having visited, for example, Goa, one can only laugh at. After all, the heart of India is not at all beautiful beaches, but enticing caves where you can meditate for hours, the fascinating Golden Triangle, the luxurious Taj Mahal.

Sights of India

There are even more attractions in India than beaches. The most popular route among curious tourists is the so-called Golden Triangle route. During such a trip, you can see both the sights of Old Delhi and the Taj Mahal, located in fabulous city Agra, and Ancient Jaipur, where you can get acquainted with the traditional Indian culture that took shape thousands of years ago. These three cities are the “tops” of the golden triangle.

India, Taj Mahal.

If you deviate from the usual route and go to explore other parts of India, you can also find a lot of interesting things. On the border with Pakistan, there is one of the most beautiful sights of India - the Jaisalmer fortress. Its yellow sandstone walls are especially impressive at sunset. Due to the remoteness from the usual tourist routes, there are not too many guests here, which makes a visit to the fortress even more tempting.

India, Jaisalmer fortress.

India is one of the most interesting countries, whose history is full of mysteries. Here, according to historians, is the most ancient city the world - Varanasi. Today pilgrims come here to swim in the waters of the Ganges River and worship the shrines kept in local temples.

The search for truth in the mountains

India is not only about attractions and beaches. Many come here in search of truth and in the hopes of knowing the higher mind. Yoga tours are becoming more and more popular, moreover, not only in Russia, but all over the world. The best place for this - the center of the country with numerous caves and mountainous part- mysterious and even a little mysterious. It should be borne in mind that a yoga tour can be purchased in Russia, as independent travel, but you can order a short-term program during your vacation in India.

India beaches

Of course, despite the abundance of attractions, the first thing that tourists associate with India are the beaches. The most popular region from this point of view is Goa. By the way, many people mistakenly believe that this is an island in the Indian Ocean. In fact - just a small state located on the coast. It is conventionally divided into two parts: southern and northern. The first is more suitable for a quiet and relaxing holiday, which, albeit with a stretch, can be called elite. The second is endless parties under open air, nightclubs and bars, world famous DJs at the console. In general, a place for those who are not used to sleeping at night.

On the beach in India.

Deciding to spend a vacation on Goa beaches, many of which resemble a picture from a Bounty advertisement, it should be borne in mind that the level of many hotels leaves much to be desired. Most of them fall short of the announced stars. But the prices are also pleasing - they are quite democratic, which makes India a popular beach destination after the closure of everyone's beloved Turkey and Egypt.