Tourism in India

A region of beautiful pilgrimage places and scenic British era hill stations, Northern India is also a trekkers paradise with the Himalayas standing strong and high. Jammu and Kashmir have resplendent lake rides and snow-capped mountain terrains to explore. Leh roads witness bikers snaking their way amidst rustic mountains across breathtaking valleys and lakes. The northern states create a radiant and colourful mosaic of traditions and culture.

The dusky sand dunes and palaces of Rajasthan await to tell their royal stories. Whereas the world wonder Taj Mahal is an epic monument of the Mughal era. The Golden Temple of Amristar in Punjab offers a perfect divine escape. And the Hindu temples and Mosques in Uttar Pradesh confers the varied beliefs of the community. The capital city Delhi paces itself with ancient monuments, splendid architecture, shrines of worship and bustling restaurants and high-end malls along with traditional market places. The northern land shines with glorious battles fought and won. Music and dance of each of these states of Northern India are unique and vibrant in itself.

Your trip, if planned nearby festivals celebrated or fests (traditionally known as ‘melas’) in North India, will surely give you a deep insight into various traditions and food culture that is prevalent since ages. Tulip festival in Kashmir, Surajkund Mela in Faridabad, Taj Mahotsav, Baisakhi Mela and Pushkar Fair are some of the events loaded with folk music and dance, local food and handicrafts. Every state proudly adorns its traditional cuisines prepared with secret ingredients. Abundant flora and fauna ornate the northern part of Indian land. You can visit Ranthambore National Park, Sariska National Park, Jim Corbett National Park and Nanda Devi National Park (to name a few) to learn different wildlife features.

The blend of cultures replicates in the Northeastern chunk of the Indian Land. Arunanchal Pradesh along with the 7 sister states offer not only lush green patios of hills covered with clouds but also an array of attractions to visit and history to explore. Having neighbours like Bhutan, Tibet and Bangladesh, you will experience rich-cultured locals who proudly don unusual rituals, unknown folklore and differently draped conventional dresses with a huge contrast in food and culture as compared to the rest of India. Buddhist monasteries, tea estates and breathtaking waterfalls will only add charm to your Indian trip. Darjeeling is the pearl of Northeast India. Environmentalists and nature lovers will find Northeastern India, a paradise to swear by.

Also known as the ‘Heart of India’, Central India covers states like Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. This piece of Indian land rests with sprawling areas of majestic forts, rich historic temples, untouched forests, pilgrimage sites and ancient ruins. The resident Narmada river crossing 2 major ranges – Vindyas and Satpura, gifts beautiful valleys, breathtaking waterfalls and nature-centric views. More than 40% of Central India is covered with forests and so it houses numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

From the temples of Khajurao to the ruins in Gwalior, from stupas of Sanchi to pre-historic frames of Bhimbetka, from bio-diverse forests to the plains of Omkareshwar and Maheshwar, all these make Central India an ideal tourist destination. Majorly occupied by tribals, Central India has mixed communities thriving in harmony. Central India is a land of courage, battles fought and won. Its variety of food will add zing to your Indian trip. The region boasts about popular folk music and dance well equipped with literature and art. The tribe rituals will amaze you with their beliefs and customs.

Eastern India will gift you historical and cultural memoirs you will cherish for a lifetime. This part of the Indian land is a wonderful union of culture, cuisines, traditions, architecture, dance forms, music and so much more. The proud states of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar make up Eastern India. With cultural pluralism, Eastern India is bestowed with green plantations, pilgrimage sites, breathtaking hill stations and ruins of the distinguished Nalanda University.

With 19th century marvels of architecture, the city of Kolkatta boasts about being the cultural capital of India. Odisha and Jharkhand proudly showcase architectural wonders while pilgrimage halts like Bodh Gaya and Rajgir give you the perfect divine escape. Ranchi stands as the untamed eastern beauty. Bihar takes pride in the sacred place where Lord Mahaveer and Lord Tirathankara were born- the founder of Jainism.

Food in Bengal surpasses the other states by its ample varieties of sumptuous seafood delicacies, especially fish. Odisha cuisine has main ingredients of fish, mutton and chicken and only 6% of Odia people are known to be vegetarians. Eastern India has its talents and art forms deep-rooted in the history and traditions of the region. A whole individual music form is popular in the country, hailing from West Bengal, known as the Rabindra Sangeet. Odissi music boasts of beautiful folk music and tribal music genres and the 2000-year-old legacy of Odissi classical dance. On the other hand, the nation famous Bhojpuri music and cinema is an introduction in itself. Famous Eastern India dance forms also include Chau, Ghumura, Sambalpuri, dhobi nach and many more.

Western India is a vibrant medley of beaches, economic development, languages and culture. States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadar and Nagar Haveli comprise of Western India and Konkan Region. It is the most unique corner of the Indian land as it envelopes deserts and beaches. The largest city of the region is Mumbai which is also the hotspot of tourism. Goa which is flocked with tourists throughout the year is also a prominent tourist spot. Butterfly Park in the capital city of Silvassa of Dadra and Nagar Haveli opens its arms for butterfly lovers. The area is peppered with petite fishing villages, postcard beaches, and extravagant ruined fortresses to entice visitors.

Western India boasts of rich wildlife comprising of the desert land of Kutch- Gujarat and the coastal plains of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Karnataka. The Western Ghats accommodate ancient forests and thus it flaunts a variety of bionetwork resulting in many bird sanctuaries and national parks. Gir National Park in Gujarat is the only place where you can find Asiatic lions. Some of the other prominent parks include Blackbuck National Park, Nalsarovar National Park, Bandipur National Park and Tiger Reserve, and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary etc.
The region also houses several museums and repositories such as Prince of Wales Museum and National War Museum.

Maharashtra is famous it's folk dances like Pavri Nach, Povadas, Koli etc. Mumbai - the city of dreams, has a separate metro culture of its own influenced by Bollywood, the Indian film industry, the fashion vistas and page 3 model brigade. Goan culture, and also Daman & Diu is spewed with the leftover relics from of the Portuguese heritage. The place still reminds one of the Portugal era in India with its Goan cuisine, pearly white churches, striking architecture and the hippie-like lifestyle.
Gujarat is again a fair blend of domestic and international customs. Even today it observes a lot of international cultural festivals including Rann Utsav, International Kite Festival and Global Garba etc. Besides, it is home to a plethora of folk-dances performed during important festivals and fairs which include Garba, Padhar Dance, Siddhi Dhamal etc. The Karnataka cuisine is dominated by steamed rice, and ragi and the traditional dish is the Ragi ball.

Southern India dons a huge coastline guarded by Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. Comprising of a large part of Karnataka, Kerela, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Union Territories Lakswadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry, Southern India is a distinct tourist destination. Pristine beaches, water sports, wildlife attractions, exotic cuisines- all these tempt visitors to make them stay here forever. Where Bangalore is the IT hub, Ooty is the most loved hill station. The backwaters of Kerela await to narrate stories to its visitors, Tamil Nadu is loaded with ancient temples, pilgrimage sites and Puducherry still sings French songs.

With dense biodiversity in this region, it houses the rarest species of wildlife. You will get to visit numerous national parks and wildlife reserves. Lakswadweep is a home to the unique species of birds. It reserves many tiger and elephant conservation projects. Western Ghats is a UNESCO Heritage site and so it houses many reserves. Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are world-famous honeymoon spots and an explorer’s paradise too.

Southern Indian cuisines take pride in their mouth-watering cuisines. Coconut is the most important ingredient in their food. Unique art forms and handicrafts, traditional dances and music, vibrant culture and ancient religious beliefs make this one of the most visited corners of India. You will find the finest Kanchivaram sarees in this region being manufactured and retailed, which women proudly don. Hot spices are an important part of their tradition and eating on banana leaves is celebrated. World-famous cinema, music and dance forms have given Southern India its own unique identity.