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      Detail from a mural at Ajanta.

      Welcome to India,

       Land of Colour and Contrasts

      by Bikram Grewal

Page Contents
4 Namaste! Welcome to Majestic India
8 A Rich Historical Record
14 A Nation of Dazzling Ethnic Diversity
18 Land of Many Faiths
22 New Delhi: The Capital City
26 The Monumental Splendours of Agra
30 Legendary Rajasthan: "Land of the Kings"
36 Sacred Benares on the Banks of the Ganges
38 Erotic Temples at Khajuraho
42 Magnificent Ladakh
44 Cool Hill Stations
48 Bustling Mumbai (Bombay)
52 Ancient Cave Temples at Ajanta & Ellora
54 Idyllic Goa
58 Colourful Kerala: A Lush, Tropical Paradise
62 The Former Kingdom of Mysore (Karnataka)
66 Courtly Hyderabad: Capital of Andhra Pradesh
68 Madras (Chennai): Gateway to the South
72 Fascinating Gujarat
76 Orissa: The Picturesque Land of Temples
78 Colonial Calcutta (Kolkata)
82 Exotic Sikkim
84 Curry & Spice: The Fabulous Flavours of India
88 The Amazing Crafts of India
92 An Unforgettable Passage to India

      namaste!

       welcome to

       majestic india!

      A traditional South Indian girl holding a thali (plate) of diyas (lamps) - the traditional Indian form of welcome.

      India is one of the most richly rewarding regions of the world to visit. Her scenery is varied and exciting, her history and culture are lived experiences, and the openness and friendliness of her people are legendary.

      dERIVING HER NAME from the river Indus, India is a country of subcontinental dimensions. The home of one of the earliest civilizations on earth and several of the world's great religions, India's historical and cultural heritage dates back several centuries. She has changed and reshaped herself through the ages, forever producing new forms of cultures and absorbing new influences. India is, besides, a country of amazing contrasts and diversity, with a physical environment that ranges from thickly populated plains, awe-inspiring mountains and palm-fringed golden beaches, to dense rainforests. India boasts a wonderful mix of tradition and modernity that finds its best expression in the distinctive lifestyles of the people who live across this vast land. The people of India are also her greatest wealth, borne out by the fact that India is the world's largest secular democracy, and home to over 1,000 million people.

      The majestic Sivasamudram Falls in Karnataka-a telling reminder of nature's bounty.

      Terraced cultivation in the lower reaches of the Himalayas. Dancers rehearsing at Kalakshetra, an academy

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