Discover India

A direct flight to India from the UK could land you in Delhi in the plains of the central north, Mumbai (Bombay) on the west coast, Kolkata (Calcutta) in the east close to the border with Bangladesh or Chennai (Madras) in the deep south.

Discover the great subcontinent of India, an area steeped in culture and history. A country so diverse in it's geography, ranging from the snowy white peaks of the Himalayas, to the rich green sugarcane fields of The Punjab.

The Geography of India

The Himalayan mountain range to the North, the Indus River to the west and the Ganges River to the east, form a physical barrier that seperates the Indian sub-continent from the rest of Asia.

Northern India actually shares a border with Pakistan on it's western side while bordering on China, Nepal and Bhutan through the Himalayas. To the east it shares borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar. Bangladesh in fact almost but not quite seperates the North East States from the rest of India as it extends northward from the Bay of Bengal up towards Bhuton.

As India tapers southward, it has the western coast flanked by the arabian Sea, the east coast by the Bay of Bengal and finally a southern tip that dips it's toe into the Indian Ocean. Lying off this southern tip to the east is the the tropical island of Sri Lanka and to the west can be found The Maldives.

The area of Northern India is somewhere in excess of 900,000 square miles and Southern India covers some 350,000 square miles. Southern India alone is greater in size than France and Germany put together. The total population of India is currently in excess of 1000 million people, puttting it on a global scale, second only to China.

The North

New Delhi, is the capital city of India, having the seat of government and housing the Diplomatic enclave where all the embassies are located. It is a modern city of wide avenues, tree-lined boulevards, open parks and colonial mansions.

All the contrasts and traditions that are typically India are to be found in Delhi. You will see bullock carts travelling alongside the very latest luxury cars. People of all nationalities and backgrounds, sporting many and varied styles of dress from the suited business men, the western styled youngsters, to those wearing traditional Indian dress and robed Holy men.

Theatres and cinemas host films and entertainment from all over India, while some of the countries finest reataurants can be found here, offering many styles of regional and international quisine.

Delhi lies at the apex of what is known as the golden Triangle, an area filled with ancient sites and monuments. To the southeast is the city of Agra, home to the famous Taj Mahal, a magnificent mausoleum built by Shah Jahan as a monument to the love of his wife, Mumtaz.

The southeast pivot of the "Golden Triangle is the state of Uttar Pradesh and the wondrous city of Varanasi, built on the banks of the River Ganges. The southwest pivot of the triangle is the city of Jaipur, the gateway to the desert state of Rajasthan.

Lying to the south of the triangle is the huge state of Madyha Pradesh. It's greatest attractions, the Fortress at Gwalior and Khajuraho with it's temples and friezes are just 100miles (160 km) from the city of Agra.

The West

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the state of Maharashtra. It is the principal city of Western India and is probably the most dynamic and crowded city in India as a whole.

It is the financial centre of India in addition to being it's busiest port. Mumbai is also the home of "Bollywood", now the largest cinema industry in the world. Migrants from all over the country flock here to seek their fame and fortune in the city paved with gold.

It is a modern city of skyscrapers and industry which, typical of India, go side by side with bustling bazaars and a hectic street life.

To the north of Mumbai lies the state of Gujarat, famed for it's silks and for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. It is also the last refuge of the Asian Lion, the few that remain living deep within the Gir Forest.

Goa is today one of Indias most popular holiday destinations. It is actually a small state along the Konkan coast, south of Maharastra and Mumbai. The 60 mile (100 km) coastline offers some of the finest beaches and Goa's friendly easy-going people go out of their way to make visitors truly welcome.

The East and South

In the east we find the largest city in India and the capital of West Bengal, Kolkata, known until recently by its former name of Calcutta. A city filled with energy and life, bustling markets and bazaars, it is a major business centre of India.

It is difficult to believe that this immense city started out as a simple trading post founded by an English merchant towards the end of the seventeenth century. Over the following two hundred years it grew to become the capital of Great Britain's empire. This imperial heritage is still evident, reflected in the Victorian Gothic buildings, churches and boulevards.

To the north of Kolkata is Darjeeling, the world renowned centre of tea growing. Darjeeling straddles a mountain slope as it drops down steeply to the valley below. From here can be seen Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. It is home to the headquarters of the Indian Mountaineering Institute and is the birthplace of Sherpa Tenzing.

South India's commercial and cultural capital and the state capital of Tamil Nadu, is Chennai, formerly known as Madras. Originally just a cluster of fishing villages, it has grown to become India's fourth largest city. A true mix of the old and the new with stately colonial buildings overlooked by modern high-rises.

Chennai, being a large commercial city, is the centre of the area's air, rail and road networks and so can be a good starting point for exploring the south.