India

Indian Economic Social History Review. National Commission on Population, Govt of India. Registrar General of India, Govt of India. Retrieved 26 November Urban Agglomerations and Towns. Retrieved 1 January World DataBank, a compilation of databases by the World Bank. Ministry of Finance India. Retrieved 23 January Retrieved 23 July Retrieved 27 October Retrieved 25 August Archived from the original on 25 August Retrieved 18 October Hindus dip to below 80 per cent of population; Muslim share up, slows down". Retrieved 20 July Census of India, Government of India.

Retrieved 23 May Evidence that Mammalian Sex Ratios at birth are partially controlled by parental hormonal levels around the time of conception". Retrieved 1 August Archived from the original on 12 May Retrieved 26 September A total of 12 types. Retrieved 27 January Smashing India's language barriers. The good and bad news". Retrieved 10 December Evaluating demic diffusion scenarios".

Explicit use of et al. Retrieved 16 June Ethnic groups of India. This tree diagram depicts the relationships of the major ethnic, linguistic and religious groups in India. This list excludes caste groups like the Dalits which is a socio-political identity across linguistic, religious and racial lines.

In addition, it should be noted that the terms ' Indo-Aryan ' and ' Dravidian ' refer to linguistic differences that exist between both groups. Book Category Asia portal. Retrieved from " https: Demographics of India Demographic history of India. Use dmy dates from March EngvarB from March All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from August Views Read Edit View history.

In other projects Wikimedia Commons. This page was last edited on 8 December , at By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Map showing the population density of each district in India. Even with earplugs it can be nerve-wracking. Do not expect public restrooms at all, or even most, bus stops.

Unfortunately, the bus industry is extremely fragmented and there are few operators who offer services in more than 2 or 3 neighbouring states. Travel agents usually only offer seats on private buses. However, long distance bus operators such as Raj National Express and KPN Travels [45] are currently beginning to roll out their operations across the country modelled on the lines of coach services such as Eurolines in Europe, National Express in the UK and Greyhound in the United States.

Their services are excellent and they provide entertainment on board. Regardless of class of travel, all buses have to contend with the poor state of Indian highways and the havoc of Indian traffic which usually makes them slower, less comfortable and less safe than trains. Night buses are particularly hazardous, and for long-distance travel it's wise to opt for sleeper train services instead. In India driving is on the left of the road. India has the second largest road connectivity in the world, after the US, but that does not ensure road quality anyway.

You can drive in India if you have a local license or an International Driving Permit, but unless you are accustomed to driving on extremely chaotic streets, you probably will not want to. The average village road is narrow, often potholed and badly marked. National Highways are excellent roads, with generally 4 to 6 lanes but still, Indian driving discipline is non-existent. In the cities, the quality of roads depend upon the part of the city. In the past few years the Central government has embarked on an ambitious project to upgrade the highways.

The Golden Quadrilateral connecting the four largest cities of Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata with four-laned highways has been completed and is of international standard. However, improving the quality of the roads does not improve the way in which people drive and it is very dangerous to drive on the roads in India as many of the people drive as they like without regard to any rules.

Generally, driving on your own in the city roads is not recommended in India at all. Lane cutting and over taking in blind turns are universal.

You will not find any lane discipline in the driving and you always have to expect for something sudden, like a car suddenly turning towards you, and DO NOT hope that they will stop and give way. You will find many two-wheeler riders squeezing between any empty space between cars and a two lane road can end up like a four laned one.

Pedestrians too do not follow any sort of traffic rules and walk into the middle of the road at any time. Honking is wide spread and is like a greeting in India, it is used as a "Hi" or a "Hello" between cars. Drivers also flash their headlights as a signal for you to allow the driver to pass or as a warning in blind turns. To add on to these issues, there are numerous marriage, death and other religious processions that disrupt traffic and block roads. You will find people taking huge idols, dancing, playing with colors on the roads occasionally.

These do disrupt traffic, but they are key parts of the cultural richness of India and are indeed fun to watch. The Indian traffic police has improved their quality of service by a huge margin. They have become quite strict with the traffic issues and punish offenders. They generally ask for a driving license and vehicle papers. The traffic conditions have improved after the police have implemented date-wise parking, towing away of many vehicles and clearing traffic manually using patrol cars.

To drive a private vehicle in any part of India the following documents are required- a valid driver's license for the driver International driving permit for a foreigner , vehicle registration certificate, vehicle insurance certificate and emission certificate if the vehicle is more than one year old called pollution under control certificate in India. No other document is required for driving a private vehicle in any part of India except some restricted areas.

If a policeman is asking for some other document like No Objection Certificate etc, most likely he is hinting at a bribe. In case of an accident, it is not unheard of for the crowd to assault the driver of the bigger vehicle involved. So in case of hitting a pedestrian or a vehicle smaller than your own vehicle, even if not your fault, it is better to immediately leave the scene and be present at the nearest police station. Even if you are not driving the vehicle, it is better to immediately leave the scene and inform the police. Instead, if you desire going by a car, opt for driver while renting the car.

Rates are quoted in rupees per km and you will have to pay for both ways even if you are going only one way. The driver will find his own accommodation and food wherever you are travelling, although it is customary to give him some money to buy some food when you stop somewhere to eat. A common rental vehicle is the legendary Hindustan Motors Ambassador, which is essentially an Indian-made copy of the Morris Oxford: However, the Tata Indica a hatchback and Tata Indigo a small sedan is now replacing the Ambassador as the cheap car of choice.

Imported international models may be available at a premium. If the number of people travelling together is large, popular rental vehicles are Tata Sumo, and Toyota Innova. It is rare to find a driver that speaks more than a few words of English. As a result, misunderstandings are common. Use the present tense. Use single words and hand gestures to convey meaning. Make sure you can trust your driver before you leave your goods with him. If he shows any suspicious motives or behavior make sure you keep your bags with you. Conversely, if your driver is very friendly and helpful, it is a nice gesture to buy him a little something to eat or drink when stopping for food.

They will really appreciate this. Your driver may in some cases act as a tout, offering to take you to businesses from which he gets baksheesh a sort of commission. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - he may help you find just what you're looking for, and add a little bit to his paltry income at the same time. On the other hand, you should always evaluate for yourself whether you are being sold on a higher-cost product than you want. Also, many times, these places that supply commissions to the driver especially restaurants may not always be the best or most sanitary, so use your judgement.

Avoid touts on the road posing as guides that your driver may stop for because he gets a commission from them; supporting them only promotes this unpleasant practice. The driver might ask for a tip at the end of the trip. If you rent a car for a trip to a remote destination, make sure before getting out that you will recognize the driver and write down the license plate number and his phone number nearly all drivers have mobile phones.

Touts at tourist areas will may try to mislead you into getting into the wrong car when you leave; if you fall for this you will certainly be ripped off, and possibly much worse such as sexual assault if you are female traveller. Be wary of reckless driving when renting a car with a driver. Do not be afraid to tell the driver that you have time to see around and that you are not in a hurry. Indian highways can be extremely dangerous. Make sure also that your driver gets enough rest time and time to eat. In general as you visit restaurants, the driver may eat at the same time either separately at the same restaurant or at some other nearby place.

He may be willing to work nonstop for you as you are the "boss", but your life depends on his ability to concentrate, so ensure that your driving demands are reasonable; for example, if you decide to carry your own food with you on the road, be sure to offer your driver time to get a lunch himself. Avoid travel at night. Indian city roads are dimly lit , and there are chances of some traffic hazards such as reckless drivers after mid-night.

Some parts of highways are well lit, and some are not, as they are not considered important. Try sticking to the main highway and avoid taking diversions in the highway at night, as you never know where it might end up. However, highway driving at night is not very dangerous also and violent crimes such as assaults are rare. The highway police force does a lot to keep it that way. Some people point out that the best way to experience India is on a motorbike. Riding a motorbike and travelling across India you get the closer look and feel of India with all the smells and sounds added.

There are Companies which organize packaged tours or tailor made tours for Enthusiastic bikers and adventurous travellers for a safer motorbike experience of India. Blazing Trails tours, Wild Experience tours and Extreme Bike tours are the known names in the market. Another choice, popular with people who like taking risks, is to buy a motorcycle. Not for the faint of heart or inexperienced rider. The Royal Enfield is a popular some would say, the only choice for its classic looks and macho mystique. Or, one can opt for the smaller yet quicker and more fuel efficient bikes.

They can range from cc to the newly launched cc bikes. Two most popular bike manufacturers are Bajaj and Honda. Preferably tourists should go for second hand bikes rather than purchasing new ones. There are lots of garages that provide motorcycle for rent as well. You can check for options on websites like RideIndia and Drivezy.

They may or may not take a deposit. Foreigners have a top hand while negotiating. There are no standards for pricing, hence you can negotiate freely. Hitch hiking in India is very easy due to the enormous number of cargo trucks on every highway and road. Most drivers do not speak English or any other international language; however, most have a very keen sense of where the cities and villages are located along the road.

It is rare for any of them to expect payment. It might not be advisable for women to hitch hike alone in India. The auto-rickshaw, sometimes abbreviated as "auto" and sometimes as "rickshaw", is the most common means of hired transportation in India. Most residents usually refer to them as a "three wheeler.

Most are green and yellow, due to the new CNG gas laws, and some may be yellow and black in color, with one wheel in the front and two in the back, with a leather or soft plastic top. When getting an auto-rickshaw, you can either negotiate the fare or go by the meter. In almost all cases it is better to use the meter -- a negotiated fare means that you are being charged a higher than normal rate. Never get in an auto-rickshaw without either the meter being turned on, or the fare negotiated in advance.

In nearly all cases the driver will ask an exorbitant sum for Indian standards from you later. In most of the cities, auto-rickshaw drivers are provided with a rate card that elaborately describes the fares on per kilometre basis. A careful tourist must verify the meter-reading against the rate-card before making a payment. Ideally, you should talk with a local to find out what the fare for any estimated route will be. Higher rates may apply at night, and for special destinations such as airports. Finally, factor in that auto drivers may have to pay bribes to join the queue for customers at premium location such as expensive hotels.

The bribe will be factored in the fare. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are unfortunately where you'll be most commonly ripped off - and dealing with them can be incredibly tiring. While many taxis and auto-rickshaws will charge you by the meter or the tariff card, don't be surprised if the drivers refuse to carry you by the proper way and insist on receiving a flat rate for travellng a fixed distance. While the former is more preferable, it is in the latter situation, that people new to a city both Indians and foreigners are most likely to be overcharged by a large extent.

Just take your belongings, pay what was originally agreed and walk away. Your driver may also make unscheduled detours to shops - refuse to get out and firmly tell them that you do not want to go to any shops - they will always be overpriced and are not worth the time and effort. Auto-rickshaw travel in Indian cities are generally of two types.

These are Sharing and Reserve. In such a kind of booking, never allow any other person to accompany the driver, even if he insists. This could spell trouble for unwary travellers. It is costlier, faster and more comfortable to travel this way as compared to the other option, in which the auto-rickshaw is shared by a couple of more passengers for fares as cheap as Rupees 5 or 10 each.

In this option the auto travels on a fixed route and makes multiple stops en route to the final destination, picking and dropping passengers on the way. In some cities and towns, both the modes are available to chose from while in the rest only one of the two is on offer.

An alternative to using the above mentioned taxis and auto-rickshaws is to use Uber or its local competitor Ola. Both are available across most cities in India and offer rates that are usually only marginally more expensive than autorickshaws. Functioning exactly as they do in any western country, cabs can be hailed using an app loaded on a GPS and internet enabled smart phone and will usually arrive between minutes after being hailed.

Since these cabs use GPS navigation to get to your destination, they are by far superior alternatives to freelance taxis and auto rickshaws which may easily dupe you. If you need to get anywhere, call in advance and ask for detailed directions. Postal addresses are often stated in terms of other landmarks, as in "Opp. Prithvi theatre" or "Behind Maruti Showroom". Unlike the western system of address, the Indian system uses municipal ward number, plot number, house number, land mark and the location instead of street name and block number.

Finding a place will usually involve some searching, but you will always find someone out on the streets to guide you. Unlike many other countries, Indians usually do ask passers-by, nearby shopkeepers or policeman for guidance on street addresses.

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It is usually safe to ask a policeman or traffic-policeman for guidance. If you do not feel like asking strangers for directions, you can use Google maps. Most locations in cities and towns are well covered by Google Maps and this can be a handy tool for navigation. It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain permit for entering into the protected state.

The document is an effort by the Government to regulate movement to certain areas located near the international border of India. This is a security measure and it is applicable for the following states:. India is home to thousands of languages. The main language families in India are Indo-European and Dravidian which are about million speakers and million speakers respectively.

Other language families include Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman, among other minor ones. Of these, Hindi is recognised as the main official language of the Union Government there is no recognised National Language of India , with English acting as a "subsidiary" official language. There are also hundreds of other less prominent languages like Tulu , Bhojpuri and Ladakhi that are the main spoken language of some places.

Many more speak it as a second language. However, these figures include dialects like Bhojpuri Bihar and the Pahadi dialects of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand that may differ significantly from standard Hindi.

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However, the prestige dialect of Hindi used in media and education is generally homogeneous and is based on the dialect of the Delhi and Western UP. Hindi is often spoken as "Hindustani", which is a mix of Hindi and Urdu , which are both mutually intelligible languages. While Hindi is the main working language of the Union Government, and also sometime spoken as a second language by Indians from outside the "Hindi Belt", it is by no means a lingua-franca for all of India.

Many of the people in Southern and North Eastern states cannot understand Hindi. Bengali is the second most widely spoken language of India. It is the native language of West Bengal, and is the national language of Bangladesh, the country east of India. The national anthem of India is actually in the Bengali Language, which was originally a poem by Rabindranath Tagore.

Languages in the Dravidian language family may come in handy in Southern India. Telugu , is the native language of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It shares classical language status in the Indian Government along with Tamil , Kannada and Malayalam. Tamil is also an official language of neighboring Sri Lanka, off the coast of India. Kannada is the official and native language of Karnataka, in which the city of Bangalore resides.

Malayalam , is the official and native language of Kerala. In Eastern India, it is often easy to get by on either Hindi or English, but the local languages there include Assamese , Sikkimese , and Odia , among others. Code-switching between English and the native language often in the same sentence is very common among youngsters and is widely used in daily conversation, SMS in Roman script , TV advertising, FM radio and Bollywood. While fluency in English varies vastly depending on education levels, occupation, age and region; it is generally not a problem getting by with English in urban areas.

English is generally spoken as a second language by Indians, with native language speakers only numbering about a couple of hundred thousand people. Generally speaking, most official signs are bilingual in the state language and English, and to some extent Hindi. Signs at railway stations are generally trilingual outside the Hindi-speaking belt. There is generally also a large local English speaking media available, as well as press.

Though extremely limited in numbers and influence compared to English, India has small areas where Portuguese and even French are spoken. Portuguese speaks may be found in Goa, Daman and Diu, around the village Korlai, and some other places, all of which were once Portuguese colonies. Some French speakers would be found in Pondicherry where about ten thousand french speakers reside.

Non-verbal communication is also important. Much has been made of the confusing Indian head nod for yes and no, but the only important thing to understand is that Indians have different nods for yes, ok and no. If you really want to see all the worth visiting places in India, one tourist visa of six months can be argued to be considered enough. There are more tourist destinations in India than can be mentioned in one book. Almost every State in India has over ten major tourist destinations and there are cities which can not be fully experienced even in one full week. Not to forget that several states of India are bigger than most of the countries in the world and there are twenty-nine states in India.

Goa Fair carnival - February heralds the carnival at Goa. For three days and nights the streets come alive with color. Held in mid February the weeklong event is a time for lively processions, floats, the strumming of guitars, graceful dances and of non-stop festivity. One of the more famous of the Indian Carnivals the Goa Festival is a complete sell out in terms of tourism capacities. Surajkund Mela - Febuary As spring glides in, full of warmth and vibrancy leaving the gray winter behind, Surajkund adorns itself with colorful traditional crafts of India.

Craftsmen from all over the country assemble at Surajkund during the first fortnight of February to participate in the annual celebration known as the Surajkund Crafts Mela. Celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calendar, it was meant to welcome the spring and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. As with all the Hindu festivals, there are many interesting legends attached to Holi, the most popular being that of Prince Prahlad, who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu.

It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable. Diwali - "Diwali", the festival of lights, illuminates the darkness of the New Year's moon, and strengthens our close friendships and knowledge, with a self-realization.

It symbolizes that age-old culture of India which teaches to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the festival of lights even to-day in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of India. Very few, if at all any, fairs in the world can match the liveliness of Pushkar. Most people associate the Pushkar Fair with the world's largest camel fair. But it is much more than that.

Depending on the area and terrain National Parks provide ample opportunities to the visitors to have a close encounters with the wilds. Indian National Parks have great variety and range of attractions and activities including the observation of their flora, avifauna, and aquafauna, or witnessing various wild creatures in their natural surroundings from on foot or a viewpoint riding upon an elephant or from inside a jeep. Anshi National Park ,near Dandeli , Karnataka state. There are many places in India that offer yoga teacher training.

There is quite a long list of few destinations but these are very popular among international yoga community. Rishikesh is considered as "Yoga Capital of the World". This beautiful city is located on the foothills of the Himalaya. One can learn almost all forms and styles of yoga here. This place is also one of the best places to learn Hatha yoga. Mysore is located in southern state of Karnataka and this city is world famous for its Ashtanga yoga. Best time to learn yoga here from September till March.

Demographics of India

Here you have an opportunity to learn Ashtanga yoga from world class yoga Gurus. Goa offers a blend of leisure and yoga together. You will feel like you are at a yoga retreat. If you are a serious yoga learner then this might not be the ideal place. Kerala' is more popular for Ayurvedic massage cure and its backwater. Gokarna has gained more popularity in the past few years but this place is considered to be less touristic. India is an amazing land to be explored and discovered. India offers a different aspect of her personality - exotic, extravagant, elegant, eclectic - to each traveller of the country.

There are six regions or zones according to tourism point of view: One finds ancient roots of both Hinduism and Buddhism here.

Hinduism in India - Wikipedia

If you plan on taking on Indian tourist places, do note that India is a huge land and has all kinds of people living here- friendly as well as non-friendly ones, so be street-smart wherever you are and enjoy an amazing trip. E-Tourist Visa has been extended to 37 more countries recently The list now has countries. Indian government has become more tourist friendly, however tourists do find themselves paying a lot more than usual due to differential pricing of travel agents through out the country.

Do not get in the hands of touts and cheats who post Government Approved Agent signs all over their shops There are many online travel sites to help you plan your trip in a systematic and organised way. Like for booking Train Tickets you can visit http: The Indian Rupee Symbol: Previously, "Rs" was used or "Re" for the singular rupee.

It is very likely you will continue to see the previous nomenclature in your Indian travels, especially with smaller businesses and street vendors. It will take many years for the new symbol to become universally adopted in the country. The old notes are no longer exchangeable as of The currency in India is the Indian rupee sign: The rupee is subdivided into paise singular: It is always good to have a number of small notes on hand, as merchants and drivers sometimes have no change.

Then, it will not be obvious how much money you have. This is often a lie so that they are not stuck with a large note. It is best not to buy unless you have exact change. Coins of less than 50 paise are no longer legal tender. Indians commonly use lakh and crore for , and 10,, respectively. This format is not that difficult, but may puzzle you as it is different. You can rectify this when you start thinking in terms of lakhs and crores, after which it will seem natural. The Indian Rupee is not officially convertible, and a few government-run shops and hotels will still insist on seeing official exchange receipts if you are visibly a foreigner and attempt to pay in rupees instead of hard currency.

Rates for exchanging rupees overseas are often poor and importing rupees is restricted, although places with significant Indian populations eg. Dubai, Singapore can give decent rates. Try to get rid of any spare rupees before you leave the country. Outside airports, you can change your currency at any one of the numerous foreign exchange conversion units including banks and at hotels.

In many cities and towns, credit cards are accepted at retail chain stores and other restaurants and stores. Small businesses including hotels and guest houses and family-run stores almost never accept credit cards, so it is useful to keep a moderate amount of cash on hand.

ATMs are abundant across India - though often not found in smaller airports. It is always worthwhile to have bank cards or credit cards from at least two different providers to ensure that you have a backup available in case one card is suspended by your bank or simply does not work work at a particular ATM. If you find the ATM saying "invalid card", try inserting it and removing it more slowly. Increasing number of banks e. So far , State Bank of India, which has the largest number of ATMs, doesn't charge any fee for foreign transaction.

If the ATM has a fee it will always ask you for confirmation before you continue this is a legal requirement. In short, India is cheap, although the different costs of living can vary greatly by city. They are a very safe mode of travel. So the total for one day would be about as below:. In India, you are expected to negotiate the price with street hawkers but not in department stores and the like. If not, you risk overpaying many times, which can be okay if you think that it is cheaper than at home.

In most of the big cities and even smaller towns retail chain stores are popping up where the shopping experience is essentially identical to similar stores in the West. There are also some government-run stores like the Cottage Emporium in New Delhi, where you can sample wares from all across the country in air-conditioned comfort. Although you will pay a little more at these stores, you can be sure that what you are getting is not a cheap knockoff. The harder you bargain, the more you save money. A few tries later, you will realise that it is fun. Often, the more time you spend in a store, the better deals you will get.

It is worth spending time getting to know the owner, asking questions, and getting him to show you other products if you are interested. Once the owner feels that he is making a sufficient profit from you, he will often give you additional goods at a rate close to his cost, rather than the common "foreigner rate". You will get better prices and service by buying many items in one store than by bargaining in multiple stores individually. If you see local people buying in a store, you can probably get the real Indian prices. Ask someone around you quietly, "How much would you pay for this?

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Also, very often you will meet a "friend" in the street inviting you to visit their family's shop. That almost always means that you pay twice as much as when you had been in the shop without your newly found friend. Retailers are not supposed to charge more than this. Though this rule is adhered to at most places, at tourist destinations or remote places, you may be charged more.

Also, keep in mind that a surprising number of things do not come in packaged form. Do check for the authenticity of the MRP, as shopkeepers may put up a sticker of his own to charge more from you. Indian cuisine is superb and takes its place among the great cuisines of the world. Most of the time you may find it good and spicy.

There is a good chance that you'd have tasted "Indian food" in your country, especially if you are a traveller from the West, but what India has exported abroad is just one part of its extraordinary range of culinary diversity.

Hinduism in India

Indian food has a well-deserved reputation for being hot , owing to the Indian penchant for the liberal use of a variety of spices, and potent fresh green chilies or red chilies powder that will bring tears to the eyes of the uninitiated, and found in unexpected places like sweet cornflakes a snack, not breakfast or even candies. The degree of spiciness varies widely throughout the country: Andhra food is famously fiery, while Gujarati cuisine is quite mild in taste. To enjoy the local food, start slowly.

Don't try everything at once. After a few weeks, you can get accustomed to spicy food. If you would like to order your dish not spicy, simply say so. Most visitors are tempted to try at least some of the spicy concoctions, and most discover that the sting is worth the trouble. Cuisine in India varies greatly from region to region. The "Indian food" served by many so-called Indian restaurants in the Western hemisphere is inspired by North Indian cooking, specifically Mughlai cuisine, a style developed by the royal kitchens of the historical Mughal Empire, and the regional cuisine of the Punjab , although degree of authenticity in relation to actual Mughlai or Punjabi cooking is sometimes variable at best and dubious at worst.

North India is wheat growing land, so you have Indian breads known as roti , including chapatti unleavened bread , paratha pan-fried layered roti , naan made from refined wheat flour, and cooked in a clay tandoori oven , puri deep-fried and puffed up bread , and many more. A typical meal consists of one or more gravy dishes along with rotis, to be eaten by breaking off a piece of roti, dipping it in the gravy and eating them together. Most of the Hindi heartland of India survives on roti, rice, and lentils dal , which are prepared in several different ways and made spicy to taste.

Served on the side, you will usually find spiced yogurt raita and either fresh chutney or a tiny piece of exceedingly pungent pickle achar , a very acquired taste for most visitors — try mixing it with curry, not eating it plain. A variety of regional cuisines can be found throughout the North. Tandoori chicken, prepared in a clay oven called a tandoor , is probably the best-known North Indian dish, innovated by a Punjabi immigrant from present-day Pakistan during the Partition.

For a taste of traditional Punjabi folk cooking, try dal makhani stewed black lentils and kidney beans in a buttery gravy , or sarson da saag , a yummy gravy dish made with stewed mustard greens, served with makke di roti flatbread made from maize. There's also the hearty textures and robust flavours of Rajasthani food, the meat heavy Kashmiri dishes from the valley of Kashmir, or the mild yet gratiating Himalayan pahari cuisine found in the higher reaches.

North India also has of a variety of snacks like samosa vegetables encased in thin pastry of a triangular shape and kachori either vegetable or pulses encased in thin pastry. There is also a vast constellation of sweet desserts like jalebi deep-fried pretzel with sugar syrup- shaped like a spiral , rasmalai balls of curds soaked in condensed milk and halwa. Dry fruits and nuts like almonds, cashews and pistachio are used a lot, often in the desserts, but sometimes also in the main meal. Authentic Mughal-style cooking, the royal cuisine of the Mughal Empire, can still be found and savoured in some parts of India, most notably the old Mughal cities of Delhi, Agra and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh , and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

It is a refined blend of Persian , Turkic and Subcontinent cooking, and makes heavy use of meat and spices. The names of some Mughal dishes bear the prefix of shahi as a sign of its prestige and royal status from a bygone era. The Great Himalayas lie mostly above the line of perpetual snow and thus contain most of the Himalayan glaciers. Those are especially prominent in the northwest, where the Zaskar Range and the Ladakh and Karakoram ranges all in Jammu and Kashmir state run to the northeast of the Great Himalayas.

Also in Jammu and Kashmir is the Pir Panjal Range , which, extending along the southwest of the Great Himalayas, forms the western and southern flanks of the Vale of Kashmir. Collectively, the latter group is also designated as the Shillong Meghalaya Plateau. The plain occupies the Himalayan foredeep, formerly a seabed but now filled with river-borne alluvium to depths of up to 6, feet 1, metres. The plain stretches from the Pakistani provinces of Sindh and Punjab in the west, where it is watered by the Indus River and its tributaries, eastward to the Brahmaputra River valley in Assam state.

The eastern portion is made up of the combined delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, which, though mainly in Bangladesh, also occupies a part of the adjacent Indian state of West Bengal. That deltaic area is characterized by annual flooding attributed to intense monsoon rainfall, an exceedingly gentle gradient, and an enormous discharge that the alluvium-choked rivers cannot contain within their channels. The Indus River basin, extending west from Delhi , forms the western part of the plain; the Indian portion is mainly in the states of Haryana and Punjab.

The overall gradient of the plain is virtually imperceptible, averaging only about 6 inches per mile 95 mm per km in the Ganges basin and slightly more along the Indus and Brahmaputra. Even so, to those who till its soils, there is an important distinction between bhangar —the slightly elevated, terraced land of older alluvium—and khadar , the more fertile fresh alluvium on the low-lying floodplain. In general, the ratio of bhangar areas to those of khadar increases upstream along all major rivers. An exception to the largely monotonous relief is encountered in the southwestern portion of the plain, where there are gullied badlands centring on the Chambal River.

That area has long been famous for harbouring violent gangs of criminals called dacoit s, who find shelter in its many hidden ravines.

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It is mostly in northwestern India but also extends into eastern Pakistan and is mainly an area of gently undulating terrain, and within it are several areas dominated by shifting sand dunes and numerous isolated hills. The latter provide visible evidence of the fact that the thin surface deposits of the region, partially alluvial and partially wind-borne, are underlain by the much older Indian-Australian Plate, of which the hills are structurally a part. We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind.

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Dec 17, See Article History. Page 1 of Next page The Deccan. Learn More in these related Britannica articles: In India Jesuits were welcomed to the court during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar — The noted Jesuit Roberto de Nobili — sought points of agreement between Hinduism and Christianity as a means of evangelization, but this caused difficulty with the church. Their fundamental approach included translating the Scriptures, establishing a college to educate an India n ministry, printing Christian literature, promoting social reform, and recruiting missionaries for new areas as soon….

The India n National Congress, several Muslim associations, and other groups raised their voices against the British system…. In India there were traces of missionary activities from premodern centuries e. More About India references found in Britannica articles Assorted References flag history In flag of India agriculture famine occurrence In famine: Historical responses to famine farm management In farm management: India history In origins of agriculture: The Indian subcontinent irrigation In origins of agriculture: Irrigation land reform programs In land reform: Other recent reforms mangoes In mango milk In dairying opium In opium: