Adventures in India!

  Did you know that in India, cars drive on the left side of the road as they do in the UK and Australia? Road signs on national highways are in English and Hindi. Bullock carts  have been traditionally used for transport, especially in rural India. The  arrival of the British  saw drastic improvements in the horse carriages which were used for transport since early days. Today, they are used in smaller towns and are referred as  tanga  or  buggies .  Victorias of Mumbai , which were used for tourist purposes, are now banned and plans are afloat to replace it with Victoria-styled electric carriages. Horse carriages are now rarely found in the cities of India baring tourist areas and hill stations. [16]  In recent years cities have banned the movement of slow moving vehicles on the main roads. [17] [18] [19]

  India is the  second most populous country  in the world and it has many big cities. However, about two thirds of the population still live in rural areas. Indian girls at a festival in Rajasthan Most of the people in India live in the country's northern regions along the fertile banks of the Ganges river and the southern coastal regions.  India's biggest cities  are: Delhi: 32 million Mumbai: 22 million Kolkata: 15 million Bangalore: 12 million Tradition and social classes or 'castes' are still part of the society, although there are laws in place that make 'Untouchability' illegal and fortunately discrimination due to the caste-system is becoming less in the Indian society. Family values are important in traditional families and arranged marriage still play a big part especially in rural regions. Street life in Kolkata Did you know that in India, cars drive on the left side of the road as they do in the UK and Australia? Road signs on national highways are i

  India is home to many large mammals such as the snow leopard, the Indian rhinoceros, the Bengal tiger or the Asian elephant.  Asian elephants There are also water buffalos and many different antelope species. Some species are endangered and threatened due to the rising population and settlements moving closer to wildlife habitats.  Cows are considered as sacred by the Hindus and thus these animals are highly respected and honoured as they represent strength and provide life-giving milk. So do not be confused when you see cows wandering about in the middle of the road, or even if somebody is bowing to a cow! India Cows walking in a street in Uttar Pradesh

  Mumbai Gateway to India Taj Mahal in Agra Red Fort in Delhi Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link in Mumbai Gadi Sagar is an artificial lake in Rajasthan Palolem Beach in Goa

  The  longest river in India is the Ganges River.  This is the most sacred river to the Hindus. Many Hindus view the river as a “life-giving river,” calling it Mother Ganges. They believe that swimming in its waters washes away sin. Many Hindus go on long trips  to visit holy sites along the Ganges, especially at its confluence with other rivers. Varanasi at the Ganges River Another important river in India is called the Indus. Did you know that the name 'India' is derived from the river  Indus?  The  Indus  river flows through India and along the border to Pakistan into the Arabian Sea.

  India is the seventh largest country in the world. India is slightly bigger than one third of the USA. The country is located on the Asian continent. The Himalayan mountains are located in the North of the country while the country on the peninsula is surrounded by the Indian Ocean. India has some the world's highest mountains and a large high-lying area in the southern part of the country, the Deccan plateau.  The  highest mountain in India is the Kangchenjunga . This is also the third highest mountain in the world with 8,586 m/28,169 ft. The  Thar Desert  covers a large area in the north west of the country and forms a natural border between India and Pakistan. About three quarters of the desert are located in India.

 Here is some general information about India! Population : 1.4 billion people live in India (2022) Capital city : New Delhi with about 32 million inhabitants Government : Democracy Languages : 22 official languages: Hindi is the most commonly spoken language and spoken by more than half of the Indians. Religion : mainly Hindus (80.5%), but also Muslims (13.4%) and other faiths. Climate : Mainly tropical. Mostly high temperatures and dry winters, tropical monsoon season from June to September.  Currency : Indian Rupees National Symbols : Lotus (national flower), tiger (national animal) and peacock (national bird).  Prime Minister : Narendra Modi