INDIA IS POSSIBLY the most diverse nation in the world. In area, it is the seventh largest country, and in population second only to China. Within its geographical confines, stretching from the Great Himalayas in the north to the tropical peninsular south, there is a dizzying variety of languages, cultures, ethnic groups, beliefs, and lifestyles that few continents, leave alone countries, possess. India, for first-time tourists and long-term residents alike, can be a powerful assault on the senses —noisy, frenetic, vibrant, and chaotic; a land of incredible contrasts and paradoxes. And yet, underlying the contrasts, there are patterns of continuity, an indefinable essence that is quintessentially Indian. Overwhelming at first, this country of a billion people and "a million mutinies" can gradually unfold rare delights. Luxury tours in India , include centuries-old temples, tombs and forts; in the exquisite crafts still made in the traditional way; in the bustle and aromas of its bazaars; or in the sudden glimpses of serene beauty that filter through the chaos. LEGACY OF THE PAST Much of India's fascination lies in the fact that it is both a young nation and an ancient country rolled into one, where the past and the present constantly collide. Its recorded history goes back 5,000 years to the Indus Valley Civilization, where excavations reveal a sophisticated urban culture. This was followed, in around 1500 BC, by the arrival of the Aryans from Central Asia, who settled along the Genetic Plains of northern India. The Indo-Aryans evolved a very distinctive culture that continues to be part of India's living tradition. The hymns of the Rig Veda, composed by them, are still recited in temples as well as in households in the 21st century. A less happy legacy of the Indo-Aryans was their division of society into four varnas (castes). This may have been a rational ordering of society in its time but it has now degenerated into a system of inherited discrimination, which continues to have a hold on society and politics, even though such discrimination is banned by law. PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE One of India's great paradoxes is that the orthodoxy and rigidities of its society have been continually tempered by revolts and reforms, as well as by outside influences - India has an amazing ability to absorb and assimilate varied ways of being. Long before the New World created "melting pot" cultures, India played host (not always willingly) to invaders and conquerors, adventurers and traders, all of whom shaped, and were shaped by, the land they made their own. This is why there is no racial stereotype, no monolithic culture to define India. Broadly speaking (though there are many exceptions), North Indians are usually light-skinned (or "wheat-complexioned", to use the language of matrimonial ads), southerners are darker, and people in the east have Mongoloid features. In addition, over 70 million Indians belong to a variety of tribes, ranging from Proto-Australoici groups in Orissa, to Mon-Khmer peoples in the northeast. Equally diverse are India's languages. with 17 major regional languages, and hundreds of dialects. Hindi is spoken by the largest number of people. But it is nowhere near displacing the powerful regional languages such as Tamil, considered India's oldest living language, or Bengali that boasts a rich literature and a Nobel laureate, poet Rabindranath Tagore to boot. Though most Indian languages are derived from Sanskrit, they have developed their own distinct script and literature. The four main languages of the south, for instance, are more different from one another than, say, Italian is from Spanish. The Hindustani that is spoken in the streets of North and Central India is itself a blend of Sanskrit-derived Hindi and the Persian-inspired Urdu, a vibrant evidence of the cross-fertilization of cultures. The English language is among the lasting legacies of British rule in India. It is spoken by pan-Indian elite, widely used as a link language, and is the surest passport to upward mobility and also, thanks to the Internet to virtual reality. CULTURE India's culture, like its people is a rich mosaic whose myriad elements have been born of its ancient roots, its foreign influences and its regional variety. Its richness also stems from the manner in which the "Great" and "Little" traditions intertwine. India's classical music and dance are highly developed forms, based on texts that are 2,000 years old. At the same time, there are earthier folk traditions, as well as the song-and-dance routine of Bollywood films, that form the staple of popular culture. It is the same story in the visual arts and architecture. On one hand is the breathtaking grandeur of Mughal monuments or South Indian temples. On the other, is the simple elegance of village homes, made with local materials to suit the climate, such as the mud and thatch huts of the Rabaris of Kutch. Like elsewhere in the world, pre-modern Indian art is largely inspired by religious themes and nature. The Buddhist murals of Ajanta; the inlaid carvings of flowers and animals in Mughal and Rajput palaces; the exquisitely sculpted deities in Hindu and Jain temples; the miniatures and folk paintings illustrating scenes from the two great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, are just a few examples. Indian handicrafts, which have grown out of ancient traditions, continue to thrive despite rapid industrialization and a fast growing market economy. Objects of utility as well as beauty, such as quilts, shawls, copper pots, clay water jars, lamps and agricultural tools are in daily use in millions of homes, hand-made by artisans who keep alive the skills and traditions of their ancestors. Religion and Society Religion and ritual pervade almost every aspect of life in India. Four major world religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, slainism and Sikhism — were founded here. India has the third largest number of Muslims in the world, and Christianity has ancient roots here, introduced into the country by the apostle, St Thomas, around 2,000 year ago. The Zoroastrians, who fled persecution in Persia in the 9th century, also made India their primacy home. On paper, 85 per cent of India's population is Hindus. But this figure does not quite convey the enormous fluidity of beliefs and practices that thrive under the broad rubric of Hinduism, which has evolved by interacting with all the other religions of India. It has become something of a cliche to say that Hinduism is not a religion per se but a way of life, but like most cliches it contains an essential truth. The Hindu religion has no single Book or God or prophet, and every community has its own favourite deity, chosen from an ever-expanding pantheon of gods. The "Great" and "Little" traditions that underline so much of Indian life are intrinsic to Hinduism as well. At one level, it is a religion of abstruse philosophy and metaphysical quests. It is this philosophical strain which has given India the reputation of being a "spiritual" land. For most Indians, however, religion is more a matter of rituals and ceremonies that mark each day, season and passage in life. Gods are not remote figures, but part of every household and street corner and worship can range from silent meditation to boisterous festivities. Though each sect has its own rules, rituals and taboos, ordinary Indians largely follow a "live and let live" philosophy. It is this underlying spirit of tolerance that has enabled India to remain a unique tapestry of varied cultures and faiths, notwithstanding periodic spells of strife. While attitudes towards religion tend to be relaxed, social hierarchies are far more rigid. Though beginning to crumble in recent decades, the patriarchal joint family structure, with its deep-rooted belief in arranged marriages, obedience to elders, and emphasis on duty over individual liberties, remains the norm in much of India. Poverty, illiteracy, and caste-based divisions remain evident, particularly in the countryside. Women continue to face in-equality and the girl child is still regarded as an unwanted burden in many communities. MODERN INDIA But things are changing, and changing quite rapidly. Across the country, the old certainties are giving way to new equations, creating both conflict and hope. A great deal of this change has been fuelled by India's vibrant, secular democracy, the largest in the world and, in recent years, also by new economic opportunities. Holiday packages in India organized by Swan Tours, include various experiences related to cuisine , shopping , architecture ,etc. Cinema, cricket and politics are arguably the three great national passions of India, enjoyed and dissected endlessly by all strata of Indian society. Of the three politics offers the greatest sense of participation blends with the old, tradition. Though many of the country's adapt to technology, continuity millions are unlettered and poor, they goes hand in hand with change unfailingly exercise their right to vote in election after election. The very fact that ordinary people can vote politicians in and out of office has given them a sense of power and pride that is gradually eroding their age-old subservience.
More visible evidence of a rapidly changing India is the emergence of a large “new middle class”. For several decades after Independence in 1947, India had a quasi-socialist mixed economy, dominated by the public sector. But in the 1990s, the government changed track and encouraged private enterprise and the entry of multinational corporations into India. The Information Technology (IT) revolution has also had an enormous impact on India. Computers and satellite television have, in a remarkably short time, dramatically changed people's mindsets. Not everyone has gained from the new technologies, and vast stretches of India remain under the seemingly eternal haze of heat and dust. But in town after small town, there are growing numbers of people who are better off than their parents could ever dream of being, wielding mobile phones, driving cars and chatting in cyber cafés. Whether this consumerist boom will fuel an economic miracle or increase inequality is a topic of much heated debate. One thing is certain, though. Winds of change never lead to radical ruptures in India. India Most Selling Tour Packages Here is list of India Most Selling Tour Packages:
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