FACTS ABOUT INDIA
Indian History
" India " is derived from the river Indus , along whose banks the Aryans from Central Asia came down over the Himalayas and into the Indo-Gangetic plain around 1500 BC. However, the first evidence of human settlement in the Indian sub-continent dates back to 6000 BC, and these settlements expanded around 3000 BC into what is today known as the Indus valley civilisation, which apparently flourished till the coming of the Aryans. Available archaeological evidence is insufficient, and the Indus script yet un-deciphered, to enable a detailed account of this period in Indian history, but there is enough to show that the Indus valley civilisation was highly urbanised, its cities marvels of town planning, based on agriculture and commerce and trading with contemporary Mesopotamia, Sumeria and Egypt.
Historians have not yet been able to satisfactorily explain what caused the destruction of the Indus valley civilisation. Virtually no trace of its urban sophistication can be seen in the pastoral, nomadic existence of the early Aryans. However, as time went by, the Aryans also metamorphosed into an urbanised culture, spreading ever southwards, pushing the indigenous Dravidian inhabitants down into the Indian peninsula. The social, economic and political change involved is depicted in the two great epics of ancient India , the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The old Vedic religion, naturalistic and sacrificial, gave way to the pragmatism of the Upanishads, and this is turn stimulated the rise of reformers like Vardhaman Mahavira and Gautama Buddha around the 5th century BC. Both Mahavira and Buddha sought only to reform Hinduism, but their reform attempts triggered the development of the two religious faiths known today as Jainism and Buddhism respectively.
The political history of India is the history of the rise and fall of many empires, some indigenous, some established by invaders who came to conquer and ended up by being absorbed into the Indian mainstream, contributing to the diversity of Indian culture today. The empires mentioned in the Epics were centred around today's Delhi but as the Aryans colonised more of the sub-continent, the centre of power shifted and the capitals of the great dynastic empires of ancient India were in the area today covered by the state of Bihar . These dynasties included the Nandas (3rd century BC) who stopped Alexander the Great from entering the Gangetic plain (326-325 BC), the Mauryas (2nd - 1st century BC) whose zenith was the empire of Ashoka, a convert to Buddhism who helped spread this faith throughout the Far East, and the Guptas (4th century AD) in whose time Kautilya wrote the famous Arthshastra. Cities like Magadha and Pataliputra developed into prosperous centres of commerce, culture and learning, and their fame spread far and wide. The last great empire in this period of Indian history was that of Harsha in the 7th century AD.
What is known as the medieval age of Indian history can be loosely termed the age of invasions, beginning with the Turks in the 11th century. The Turkish Sultanat gave way before the onslaught of the Mongols who established the great Mughal empire (1526 to 1857), which at its zenith stretched from today's Afghanistan to deep down into India 's Southern peninsula. With Vasco de Gama's arrival at Calicut on India 's western coast in 1498, the latter half of India 's medieval era saw the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the British entering India from the sea, initially as traders and later as colonisers.
The British overcame indigenous resistance (beginning with the Battle of Plassey in 1757) and French competition (the first Anglo-French war was fought in 1748), turning the Mughal Emperor into a puppet controlled by the East India Company. After the end of the First War of Independence in 1857, also termed the Great Indian Mutiny as many of the Company's indigenous troops supported the attempt to restore the power of the Mughal Emperor, the British Crown took over the government of British India from the East India Company. The last descendant of the Great Mughals was exiled to face a solitary death in Rangoon ( Yangon ). Virtually the only imperialistic invaders in Indian history not to stay and be absorbed into India , the British ruled India till 1947, when those fighting for India 's independence achieved their goal, and Mahatma Gandhi was immortalised for having formulated the path of non-violent resistance.
Tourism in India
India -the name conjures up images of mysticism and maharajas, tigers and elephants, Gandhi and the British Raj. But there's much more to India , a country of endless variety that offers you a stupendous range of colours, scents, styles, customs, languages, architecture and geography. Visiting India is like visiting several countries rolled into one. The diversity of India 's geography, climate, history and culture ensures that whatever you are seeking - whether it is sun and sand or mountains and snow, historical sightseeing or adventure holidays or an ever-changing human panorama with different languages, racial characteristics, customs, religions, social norms and lifestyles - can be found in India at any time of the year.
If you have a sense of history you will love the legendary palaces, temples and forts. If you enjoy cultural traditions you can see a spectacular music, dance and folklore show almost every day of the year. If you are into adventure, you can choose from rafting, gliding, trekking and desert safaris. Or go tracking wildlife in one of India 's numerous forest reserves. Whether you want an inexpensive holiday or you want to experience the luxury of staying in a Maharaja's palace, your travel agent can tailor packages to suit every budget and every taste. And talking of taste, eating in different parts of India , with its many highly refined regional cuisine, is yet another voyage of discovery. And the shopping is equally varied, with an amazing array of arts, crafts and materials, often at bargain prices. English is widely spoken and serves as a link language all over the country.
All you normally need to travel to India is a valid passport and visa. No vaccination certificate is required except for people travelling to India from certain African and South American countries where yellow fever is endemic. A special license is required to photograph protected monuments using a flash and tripod. If you have stayed in India for more than 90 days, an income tax clearance form would be required when leaving the country. An airport tax of Rupees 750 has to be paid on departure. There are some conditions for bringing in certain personal goods such as film, video cameras, liquor, tobacco and weapons, while all high value articles and professional materials must be declared on arrival and re-exported on departure. All India is on the same time, GMT + 5 hours 30 minutes, throughout the year. Voltage is 220 AC 50 cycles and effective international telephone and postal connections are available almost everywhere.
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