India
Getting Inspired by India
Did you know that the country with the second-largest population is also one of the most visited? Literal millions come here every year: 2012 alone saw over 6.5M foreign tourists coming into the country. Fortunately, the land is large enough to support the constant influx of sightseers. India is also one of the largest countries in the world in terms of land area—the seventh largest, to be exact. This is no small territory that you can cover in a day or a mere week. Getting to know India and feeling the rhythm of the land’s heartbeat requires time and more than a little bit of exposure to the country through traveling. It only makes it all the more worthwhile to explore for the eager adventurer.
Where should one start? Well, why not with the great monuments? India owns more than its fair share of world heritage sites and internationally known locations, including that epic tribute to romantic sentiment, the beautiful Taj Mahal. In Jaipur one may see such sights as the Jal Mahal, a five-story building in the middle of a lake and sitting on the water instead of on an island. In Mumbai one can discover a trove of treasures at Chor Bazaar, where the best buys can often be found by the best hagglers. In Srinagar one may see for oneself the changing colors of the pool at Kheer Bawani (black waters at the pool have generally foreshadowed a disaster). Every part of India boasts something at which mankind may marvel.
One may bask in Indian culture as well: why not don a sari or learn the local dances, or perhaps participate in some local festivals? And if all this seems too rustic for you, why not get your cultural experience from the comfort of a modern theatre, where Bollywood films can be found playing with the latest flicks from Hollywood?
India is indeed a land of marvels for the eager tourist. There is much to be seen and sampled, much to touch and taste. And for the tourist who comes with an open mind and heart, there is surely the experience of a lifetime just waiting for him.
