India is a pictorial kaleidoscope of landscapes, opulent historical sites and royal cities, golden beaches, misty mountain retreats, colorful people, rich cultures and festivities.
India is rapidly gaining ground in the international scenario as a popular destination for foreign travellers, international students, and even for some others who choose to migrate to this mystical land for health and medical tourism. A trip to India is exceptional for tourists, as this wonderland has always been a prime travel destination for those who are charmed by exotic beaches of the south India, the mesmerising backwaters, the spell-binding remains of the ancient civilization in the north, the lofty mountain ranges along the Ghats, lush greenery, the tropical rain forests etc.

It is said that if you have travelled the world then you have seen half the world, and if you have visited only the Indian subcontinent, you have seen the whole world! India has metamorphosised into one of the most sought after destinations for travel, much due to the presence of several renowned world heritage sites, and an inherent spiritualistic force, which pulls enthusiastic travellers towards it from all over the world.

Home to the Indus Valley Civilization and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four major world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated there, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium CE and shaped the region's diverse culture.

India got its independence on August 15th, 1947. It was the day when the Indians got liberated from the rule of the British.

Agriculture is not only the dominant occupations of the people of India but is also one of the most important economic sectors for the country. The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu. The latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi, which translates as "the people of the Indus". The geographical term Bharat, which is recognized by the Constitution of India as an official name for the country, is used by many Indian languages in various subtle guises. The eponym of Bharat is Bharata, a mythological figure that Hindu scriptures describe as a legendary emperor of ancient India. Hindustan was originally a Persian word that meant "Land of the Hindus"; prior to 1947, it referred to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan. It is occasionally used to solely denote India in its entirety.

Location
Area	3.3 Million sq. km
Telephone Code	+91
Coastline	7516.6 km encompassing the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
National Flag	The National Flag is the horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. At the center of the white band is a navy blue wheel, which is a representation of the Ashoka Chakra at Sarnath.
National Emblem	The National Emblem of India is derived from the time of the Emperor Ashoka. The emblem is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation to the four quarters of the universe.
National Anthem	The Jana Gana Mana is the national Anthem of India, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. It was officially adopted by the constituent Aseembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950.
National Song	Bankim Chandra Chatterji's composed song "Vande Mataram" was adopted as the National Song. It has an equal status with "Jana Gana Mana". It was first sung in the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
National Animal	Tiger is the National Animal of India. It is symbol of India's wildlife wealth. The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris, is a striped animal.
National Bird	The Peacock, Pavo cristatus, is the national bird of India. Emblematic of qualities such as beauty grace, pride.
National Flower	Lotus botanically known as the Nelumbo Nucifera is the national flower of India.
Official Language	Hindi, English
Capital	New Delhi

Dance in India has an unbroken tradition of over 2,000 years. Its themes are derived from mythology, legends and classical literature, two main divisions being classical and folk. Classical dance forms are based on ancient dance discipline and have rigid rules of presentation. Important among them are Bharat Natyam, Khathakali, Kathak, Manipur, Kuchipudi, Odissi and many tribal dances from states.

Indian States
India is a federal union of states comprising 28 states and 7 union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.

Art and architecture

Much of Indian architecture, including the Taj Mahal, other works of Mughal architecture, and South Indian architecture, blends ancient local traditions with imported styles. Vernacular architecture is also highly regional in it flavours. Vastu shastra, literally "science of construction" or "architecture" and ascribed to Mamuni Mayan, explores how the laws of nature affect human dwellings; it employs precise geometry and directional alignments to reflect perceived cosmic constructs. As applied in Hindu temple architecture, it is influenced by the Shilpa Shastras, a series of foundational texts whose basic mythological form is theVastu-Purusha mandala, a square that embodied the "absolute". The Taj Mahal, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by orders of Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, has been described in the UNESCO World Heritage List as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture, developed by the British in the late 19th century, drew on Indo-Islamic architecture.