Travel India: Looking Beyond the Taj Mahal and the Abject Poverty

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What instantly comes to your mind when you first think of India? Let me guess, is it the famous and iconic the Taj Mahal? Or is it the slums and the abject poverty that usually gets highlighted in most Indian and international movies shot in India? Well, to start with the stark contrast between the rich and poor comes out quite clearly in India, no matter which city you choose to live in. However, I am not focusing on what is popular and not quite popular here in the country. This post is going to talk about various more reasons why you should come to my country and what you can get out of it.  Let’s get started without wasting more words and time.

Diversity

I strongly believe that what attracts more people to India is the diversity in culture and traditions that they find here. I have spoken to many people from different parts of the world online and this is the most common answer that I’ve received so far. The culture and traditions and the entire lifestyle of the people is so different especially when you move from one state to another. For instance, the Kashmiris in Kashmir up north live differently than Punjabis in Punjab which is the next state. Rajasthanis have their own way of living which is different from the next state Uttar Pradesh and so on.

Every state is unique in its own way as people speak different languages in every state. At present there are 22 official languages in India and 1,653 different dialects or mother tongues. If you are passionate about clothes then you must surely visit India for you will find different colorful dresses that you will find nowhere else. You will also find different lifestyles here that will surprise you whether you are in the same country or not.

Food

India is a land of 1.27 billion foodies and should I say we are always in hunt for the best food. If you are passionate about food you should come down here and try various food items that are here. From street food to regional cuisines, India offers so many different varieties that it will take you some time to try them all. To begin with you can try your hands on some tangy and spicy fast food in some of the metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata and even Bangalore.

However, if you want to truly taste some regional dishes you will need to pack your bags and move into the heartland of India where you’ll find restaurants that have been serving regional cuisines for decades and some even for centuries. Of course, there are five star hotels here as well that serve you the best international cuisines as well, but if you’re hungry for some Indian food, you’ll need to dig deeper. You’ll fall in love with the Mughali cuisine of the north and the spicy curries of the south.

Festivals

Bundling up so many cultures, traditions and religions in one country means that there are more festivals than you can imagine. India is perpetually on a festival mode, unlike other countries where the festival mood only lights up during Christmas. Being on a high dose of festivity you can come down here to participate in festivals and make the most of your holidays. From January to December you can come here anytime and you’ll find Indians busy preparing for the next festival in the lineup.

Although, not all festivals are celebrated throughout the country and with the same intensity, but you certainly get the feeling of festivity while you are here. Some festivals that are quite popular internationally as well are Makar Sankranti (Kite Festival), Holi (Color Festival), Eid-ul-Fitr (Ramadan Eid), Diwali (Festival of Lights ) and Christmas. There are around 20-25 other festivals that are also celebrated in various parts of India which makes India the land of festivals.

History and Architecture

History and Architecture of India go hand in hand as over a period of time India has been ruled by different kings and emperors and even colonial powers. The temples across India are famous for their sculpture and architecture as many of these temples are rock-cut architecture that attract many international tourists from around the world. You can explore the world famous stupas and temples that were constructed during the Maurya Empire dated 185 BC. From the temple complex of Khajuraho to the Sun Temple at Konark you’ll find so many such monuments all over India. India also has an Islamic influence that became prominent during the Mughal Era.

You can find The Red Fort of Agra, the immensely popular Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid and the Agra Fort. It all changed in 1615 when British overthrew the Mughal empire and reigned over India for around three centuries. You’ll find Gothic buildings and monuments all over India. For instance, the Victoria Terminus in Mumbai and Fort St. George in Chennai (formerly known as Madras) and The Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.

When you head to places like Pondicherry you’ll come across French architecture that stands out from the rest of the Indian architecture around. The immensely popular Goa still has many monuments and buildings that speak of Portuguese architecture as it was the Portuguese that dominated this part of India and ruled here for 400 years. The magnificent cathedrals, basilicas, churches and seminaries that they built are still in use and take you back in history. Head into the interior cities like Surat, Bharuch and Kochi and the architecture here speaks of the Dutch. In these cities you will still come across many bungalows and old buildings that Dutch designed when they had their control and supremacy in India.

Wildlife

India is blessed with many natural resources and therefore there is no shortage of variety of animals in the country. The country is home to Royal Bengal tiger, Asian lions, Asian elephants and to species of deers, monkeys, snakes, pythons, wolves, foxes, bears and even crocodiles. Currently, India has 89 national parks, 18 bio-reserves and more than 400 small and large wildlife sanctuaries that offer a window in the world of the wild. When you head to some of these wildlife sanctuaries you will also come across the popular Indian Rhinoceros and Wild Asian water buffalo and sloth bear. On the other hand, if you love to explore the flora of India you have tons of it with more than 45,000 species of flowering plants that cover 7% of the world’s flora population.

Well, I can go on and on with what India has to offer and how you can make your trips better, but I will end it here. I hope the post has tempted you enough to pack your bags and come to India and explore a land that has so much of variety to offer to make you smile, to make you feel good and to make you feel that life is not just all about luxury and comfort, but about living together as one big happy family.