India fascinates, bewitches and attracts like a magnet. Once acquainted with it, you will forever lose the rest and become its prisoner. Captive eastern colors, ancient traditions, the Taj Mahal, and the Shambala country gentle waves of the ocean. In this country, is not that how we all live by different rules. And if the “civilized” society lives by the laws of money, the Indians are living under the law of Karma. So, getting to India for the first time, you feel a jolt: a different culture, drive on the left, another nature, and new smells.
Geography
The Republic of India is located in South Asia, the Indian subcontinent, washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean and much of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It has borders with Afghanistan, China, Nepal and Bhutan in the east – from Bangladesh and Burma (Myanmar) to the west – with Pakistan. On the east by the Bay of Bengal in the south – Polkskim strait that separates it from the island of Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea in the west. Capital – New Delhi.
History
India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Until the mid-III millennium BC in India has developed Dravidian civilization. In the period from 2500 to 1500 BC India was conquered by the Indo-Aryan tribes. In the VIII century in India began to penetrate Islam. Muslim rule lasted until 1398, when the country came to the army of Tamerlane. In 1526 a descendant of Tamerlane, Babur conquered almost the whole of India and founded the Mughal Empire, which lasted up to 1857 full political leadership turned to the UK in 1828-1835, and in 1857 India became a British protectorate in fact.
August 15, 1947, India gained independence, but was divided into two countries India and Pakistan. January 26, 1950, India was declared a democratic republic. The political system – a federal republic. Indians proudly call themselves “the greatest democracy in the world.” The head of state is the president, a mostly representative function. The republic has six national parties, 37 state parties, and all were more than 300. The government is headed by the Prime Minister.
Culture
80% of people – Hindus, Muslims constitute a significant religious minority – 12%. The number of Christians reached only 18 million are mainly Roman Catholics and Protestants. There are also Orthodox parishes. From the confessions were born on Indian soil, stands Sikhism, the number of followers that exceeds 17 million in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is concentrated small (about 200 thousand), but influential Parsi community of fire-worshipers. In the coastal cities of Kerala can be found followers of Judaism (about 6 million). About 26 thousand representatives of the aboriginal tribes practiced various pagan beliefs.
Weather or when to go?
India is a country of contrasts of bright, not only in culture but also in terms of weather. In general, places to visit and tour topics are:
Winter season – from September to April
Places to visit: Rajasthan, Goa, Fr. Andaman, Kerala, Orissa and other districts in the plains and coastal areas of the Indian peninsula.
Theme tours: culture (tours), wildlife, pilgrimage tours, water sports, recreation and beauty
Summer season – from April to September
Places to visit: Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Ladakh, Kashmir and other states in the Himalayan region.
Theme tours: Tourism in mountain resorts (Resorts and Spa) Pilgrimage (Hinduism, Buddhism, Tibetan culture), trekking, rock climbing, river rafting, etc.
Wellness and beauty – all year round resorts in different states.
It must be remembered that the climate in the north and south India are completely different from each other. There are three main seasons: winter, summer and monsoon. The winter months are bright and pleasant, with abundant snowfall in the northern mountains. Summer season (April-June) zharok in most states in India and in this period, numerous mountain resorts offer respite from the heat. During the monsoon rains are plentiful on the west coast from June to September, and on the east coast between mid-October to December.
Heat
The heat starts to hang on the northern plains of India from February to April-May, reaching its peaks reaching up to the peak in June. In central India temperatures of 45 degrees and above – this is a common cause. South India also becomes uncomfortable hot at this time. In late May, the first signs of an impending monsoon – high humidity, wind storms, rain storms are small, dust storms that turn day into night. In this season, many leave the plains and come to rest from the heat in the mountain location, resorts are experiencing the peak of their season.
Monsoon
The beginning of the monsoon does not happen overnight. After a distinct weather warnings rain comes a long time, usually starting June 1 in the south, and crawls to the north, to cover the whole country by early July. Monsoon does not bring real relief from the heat – the earlier it is hot, dry and dusty weather is simply replaced by hot humidity. Monsoon does not mean incessant rain all day – but to say that he goes every day, still possible. If the thunder subsides and leave the clouds, they were immediately replaced by the sun, creating a damp atmosphere banepodobnuyu. The main monsoon comes from the southwest, but south-east coast (and southern Kerala) are also exposed to the surprise vlagoobilnogo northeast monsoon, because of which the southern rains from October to early December.
Cold
By October the monsoon ends throughout the country and in this period, the country’s largest number of tourists. However, by this time too late to visit Ladakh (best time is from May to October). During October and November throughout India, and not too hot nor too cold (although in some areas, in October, may still be wet). At the peak of winter (mid-December to mid January), Delhi and other northern cities become surprisingly cold, especially at night. And, of course, the frost comes in the northern mountainous areas of the country. In the south, where never a really cold, the temperature remains comfortable during this period.