Tour
Guide to North India
Culture
in North India
People
India is probably the only country with the largest and most diverse mixture
of races. All the five major racial types - Australoid, Mongoloid, Europoid,
Caucasian and Negroid - find representation among the people of India.
History
The history of
India is shrouded in antiquity. The country has been thought of as a nation
of philosophers with a well-developed and even idyllic society. Excavations
of sites belonging to the Harappan era show that the people lived in brick
houses in towns with excellent drainage. One of the oldest scriptures in the
world is the four-volume Vedas that many regard as the repository of
national thoughts that anticipated some of the modern scientific
discoveries.
National Anthem
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya hey, Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
punjaba-sindhu-gujarata-maratha dravida-utkala-banga
vindhya-himachala-yamuna-ganga ucchhala-jaladhi taranga tava subha name jage
tava subha ashisha mage gahe tava jaya gatha. Jana-gana-mangala dayaka, jaya
hey, bharata-bhagya-vidhata, java he, jaya he, jaya he, java jaya jaya, jaya
he.
Fairs
& Festivals
India is a rich land which has attracted invaders from Central Europe and Asia
who left their imprint on this land, its religions and its lifestyles over 40
centuries. The Greeks , under Al-exander the great, travelled as far down as
the lower Indus River which they mis pronounced as the "Hindu River"
Consequently, all the various in vaders, with their conflicting faiths, who
inhabited the land of the Indus River were called Hindus and their land, Hindustan.
It was shortened to "HIND", then "IND" and finally INDIA.
Physical Features
India, with an area of 3.3 million sq. km, is a subcontinent. The peninsula
is separated from mainland Asia by the Himalayas. The country lies between 8°
4' and 37° 6' north of the Equator and is surrounded by the Bay of
Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean to the
south.
Religions
The Hindu
religion had its origin in the concepts of the early Aryans who came to
India more than 4,000 years ago. It is not merely a religion but also
philosophy and a way of life. Hinduism does not originate in the teachings
of any one prophet or holy book. It respects other religions and does not
attempt to seek converts. It teaches the immortality of the human soul and
three principal paths to ultimate union of the individual soul with the
all-pervasive spirit.
