The three major physical regions of India - the Himalaya,the Gangetic plains and the peninsula have their own great diversity.In eastern foothills of the Himalayas,are some of the wettest regions in the world,still covered in dense rainforest,while in the western ranges are the high altitude deserts of Ladakh.Similarly,the Gangetic plains stretch from the fertile and wet delta of Bengal to the deserts of North Rajasthan.Even the Peninsula ranges from the tropical humid climate of the western coast across the beautiful high ranges of the western ghats to the dry plateau island.In fact the diversity of India comes on its own when one starts palnning a travel itinerary.If it sun,sea and sand,the beaches of Goa and South India rival the best in the world.If it is adventure,the Himalayas beckon whereas if it is history,battle scarred forts,opulent palaces, abandoned cities,ancient cities and monuments clamour for attention.If it wildlife,the verdant flora and fauna satisfy even the most ardent nature lover.
India is just as dynamic as it is enduring and change is inevitably taking place as modern technology is woven into the fabric of society.Yet essentially rurla India remains much of the same as it has been for thousands of years.Possibly no other countires has its religions so intertwined with every aspect of life.India was the birthplace of two of the world's greatest religions - Hinduism and Buddhism and one of the smallest - Janism.It is also home to one of the few remaining communities of Parsis,adherents of the Zoroastrian faith.The modern state itself is a relatively recent creation born out of people's zeal to throw off the yoke of colonailism.even the mightiest of India's ancient civilization could not encompass of modern India and today it is still as much a country of diversities as of unities.It is worth remembering that India has remained the world's largest democracy for more than 50 years.
The 50 plus years of freedom from the colonial rule have seen a remarkable transfomation of the country.India has secured a freedom of political and economic action far greater than any imagined possible,strengthening a vibrant democarcy while achieving an impressive economic growth.Yet despite the pace of change,many traditions remain firmly rooted and India has retained a profound cultural distinctiveness.India today is one of the most richly rewarding regions of the world to visit.Its scenery is amongst the most varied and exciting anywhere,its history and culture are not just packaged and brought out on show for tourist,but lived and its openness, friendliness and freedom from personal threat make it increasingly rare among major travel destinations.
