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India - An attractive tourist destination

Introduction

India is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Asia. India is a large country in southern Asia. It's the second largest country in the world in population, ranking only behind China.

In 2004, foreign tourists visiting India spent 15.4 billion USD - the ninth highest in the world. India is also ranked among the top 3 adventure tourism destinations. One can expect to spend about $1,750 in 2005 dollars for a two week visit, staying in accomodations equivalent to Western ones.

India is a land of often bewildering diversity. It is a jigsaw puzzle of people of every faith and religion, living together to create a unique and colourful mosaic. There is a festival for every reason and for every season. Every celebration centres around rituals of prayer, seeking blessings, exchanging goodwill, decorating houses, wearing new clothes, music, dance and feasting.

India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected wilderness consists of 75 National parks of India and 421 Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the home of over 350 mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the subcontinent. Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Corbett, Kanha, Sariska, Periyar, Ranthambore, and Bharatpur.

Perhaps India's best-known site is the Taj Mahal, one of the world's greatest architectural achievements. It was built between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal serves as her tomb.

One of the popular tourist circuits is called the Golden Triangle: the cities Delhi; Agra (site of the Taj Mahal); and Jaipur. Delhi is approximately 200 kilometers away from Agra, and 250 kilometers from Jaipur.

Culture & People

The people of India speak 14 major languages and more than 1000 minor languages & dialects.

India has three main land regions :

a. The Himalayas b. The Northern Plains c. The Deccan or the Southern Plateau

With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous nation in the world. It is impossible to speak of any one Indian culture, although there are deep cultural continuities that tie its people together. English is the major language of trade and politics, but there are fourteen official languages in all. There are twenty-four languages that are spoken by a million people or more, and countless other dialects. India has seven major religions and many minor ones, six main ethnic groups, and countless holidays.

When to Visit India

India has such a wide range of climatic factors that it's impossible to pin down the best time to visit weather-wise with any certainty. Most of India has three seasons :

a. Cool Season - October to February. b. Hot season - march to June. c. Rainy / Monsoon - monsoons start from mid June to September.

October to March tend to be the most pleasant months for most of the parts of the country.

The mountainous areas in North India usualy have snowfall between December and March. Kashmir and the mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh are at their most accessible between May and September.

The best time to visit Sikkim and the areas of north-eastern India is March and August.

The best time to visit deserts of Rajasthan and the north-western Indian Himalayan region is during the monsoon.

Events

India is blessed with a huge number of festivals, and several are so spectacular that you would be a fool to miss them if you were remotely within spitting distance. For complete list of festivals you can visit : www.eholidaysindia.com/festival.htm, which provides you the month wise listing of all the major festivals of India.

The Month of particular festival may help you in determining the timing of your visit to India.

Golden Triangle Tour - India

Introduction

Golden Triangle Tours - India, take you to cities rich in history and monumental splendor. Golden Triangle tour is one of the most popular tourist circuits of India. This tour presents the true color of India. View the ancient and modern attractions of Delhi, the marvelous Taj Mahal in Agra, and the forts and palaces of Jaipur. Come and explore the architectural and cultural wonders of India, with India Golden Triangle.

Looking for the perfect leisure holiday? Your search ends here. Welcome to the golden triangle tours of India. The holiday you will cherish for the rest of your life. India's golden triangle of holidays clubs royal Rajasthan with the terrific city of the Taj Mahal besides the dazzling and delightful Delhi. The golden triangle tours of India is probably the most captivating holiday that can be spent at India.

The three destinations of the golden triangle are well connected amongst themselves. The triangle is not huge with less than 250 kms from point to point. The traffic of the tourists in the golden triangle tourist circuit is regular. Thus the journey to the various destinations of the golden triangle is safe to travel. The surface transport is the most popular and secure. Though India boasts of other tourists triangles too its the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur that remains unsurpassed in its charm.

Let us cover the cities of Golden Triangle One By One:

DELHI :

Capital city of the Federal Republic of India. It is one of India's fastest growing cities. It has sprawled over the West Bank of the river Yamuna. The city has two distinct parts, Old Delhi & New Delhi. Old Delhi is centered on the Red Fort built by Emperor Shah Jehan between 1636 & 1658.The streets of Old Delhi are narrow & bustling. The beauty & serenity lies inside the courts of the main buildings.

Delhi has some of the finest museums in the country. Its boutiques and shopping arcades offer access to a wealth of traditional and contemporary crafts, from all over the country. New Delhi was proclaimed the capital of India by the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), & is tree-lined & spacious.

AGRA:

A city known for the famous monument of love - the Taj mahal. Taj Mahal in India is one of the seven wonders of the world, an unique monmument of Love. Taj was constructed by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jehan. It is said he built this monument in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is ethereal at any part of the day - blushing in the rosy glow of dawn or sunset ,appearing like a pearly mirage in the moonlight or reflected in the pools of the garden. No tour in India can complete without paying a visit to this erstwhile Mughgal city of Agra.

JAIPUR:

Jaipur is the final destination of this Tour. The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is not only the gateway to the state, it is also the most natural place to begin a discovery of Rajasthan's multifaceted attractions. A city like Jaipur, where modernity and traditions live hand-in-hand, is truly rare. Perhaps this is what makes it an attractive destination for tourists who flock to Jaipur, year after year.

The lively spirit of fanfare, festivity and celebration adequately matches the colourful and intricately carved monuments. Even today, one can find weather beaten faces with huge coloufrul turbans, fierce moustaches and lips that spontaneously crease into a heart warming smile. As a city, Jaipur is fairly young, less than three centuries old. It was laid out by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of the Kachchawaha dynasty from Amber which is less than 10-km away, was the former capital of the state.

For complete list of Cities you can visit : www.eholidaysindia.com/cities.htm, which provides you the listing of all the major cities of India. Studying various cities of India may help you in determining Where to visit in India.

Hope you found this article usefull, if looking forward to visit India in near future..