The culture of India is one of the most colorful and distinctive in the world. The variety of spiritual and philosophical teachings, ancient architecture, the beauty of nature attract. There is a desire to visit the territory where India is located - the country of the ancient Vedas. This is a country where the beauty and grandeur of the temples amaze, and the music and magical atmosphere immerse you in a world of mystery and sensuality.
India on the world map
Where is India on the world map? Geographically, the country adjoins South Asia and occupies a significant part of the Hindustan peninsula. India has a lot of neighbors - states. In the northwest, the country borders on Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the northeast - with China, Nepal and Bhutan. The Indian-Chinese border is the longest and runs along the main Himalayan range. In the east it borders on the states of Bangladesh and Myanmar. India has maritime borders in the southwest with the Maldives, in the south with Sri Lanka and in the southeast with Indonesia.
The area of the country is quite large and is 3.3 million square meters. km. In the east, south andIn the west, the peninsula is washed by the Bay of Bengal, the Laccadive and the Arabian Sea. The major rivers of India are the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Indus, Krishna, Sabarmati.
Since the territory of the country is large in size, different topography, the climate in different regions is different.
Where is India covered in snow? In the northern part of the country are the Himalayas - one of the highest mountain systems. Here the mountain tops and valleys are covered with snow. In the east of the country is the Ganges valley. The Indo-Gangetic Plain is located in the eastern and central part of the country, and the Thar Desert adjoins it from the west.
State name
Where is India, whose name has changed several times? In ancient times, it was called the "country of the Aryans", "the country of the Brahmins", "the country of the sages". The modern name of the state of India comes from the name of the Indus River, the word "Sindu" in ancient Persian means "river". The country has a second name, translated from Sanskrit it sounds like Bharat. This name is associated with the history of the ancient Indian king, which is described in the Mahabharata. Hindustan is the third name of the country, it has been used since the reign of the Mughal Empire, but it has not been given official status. The Republic of India is the official name of the country, it appeared in the 19th century.
Ancient India
One of the oldest civilizations in the world was born on the territory where ancient India was located. Its history includes two periods. The first is the period of the Harappan civilization, which began its development in the valleyriver Indus. The second period is the Aryan civilization associated with the appearance of Aryan tribes in the valleys of the Ganges and Indus rivers.
In the Harappan civilization, the main centers were the cities of Harappa (modern Pakistan) and Mohenjo-Daro ("Hill of the Dead"). The level of civilization was very high, this is evidenced by the buildings of cities with a harmonious layout and a drainage system. Written language was developed, small plastic art was developed in artistic culture: small figurines, seals with reliefs. But the Harappan culture has declined due to climate change, river flooding and epidemics.
After the Harappan civilization ended its existence, Aryan tribes came to the valleys of the Ganges and Indus rivers. Their appearance breathed new life into the Indian ethnos. From this period begins the Indo-Aryan period.
The main asset created by the Aryans of that period was a collection of texts - the Vedas. They are written in the Vedic language, the oldest form of Sanskrit.
The Vedas contain information about the entire life of the ancient Indians and are the foundation of the spiritual culture of the country.
Culture of Ancient India
The territory where India is located is the place of origin and development of religious and philosophical teachings. The culture of the ancient country is closely connected with the secrets of the universe. Since ancient times, people have been asking questions to the Universe, trying to unravel the meaning of life. A separate place is occupied by the teachings of yoga, where self-immersion into the world of the human soul takes place. The uniqueness of culture also lies in the fact that music anddance are the companion of any event or event. The originality and diversity of culture has largely developed due to the fact that both local peoples and newcomers participated in its formation.
The culture of Ancient India dates back to the period from the middle of the III millennium BC. and up to the VI century. AD
The architecture of this period has its own characteristics. Not a single monument of ancient Indian culture has been preserved. This is due to the fact that the building material of that period was wood, which has not survived to our time. And since the III century. BC. stone is being used in construction. Architectural buildings of this period have survived to this day. The main religion of this period was Buddhism, and therefore characteristic structures were erected: stupas, stambhas, cave temples.
The culture of Ancient India occupies an important place in world history. She had more of an impact on the entire world development.
Agra
The ancient city of Agra was founded in the 15th century. It is located on the banks of the Yamuna River. The city of Agra is very large, and in order not to get lost, you need a map. Where is India during the reign of the Moghuls, the walls of the ancient city will tell. There were many palaces, parks, beautiful gardens in the capital of the Mughal Empire.
Agra is an ancient city saturated with national color. Here you can see and learn the traditions of the Indian people, plunge into the world of national cuisine, buy souvenirs made using the Florentine mosaic technique - Pietra Dura, which has been a national craft since the time of the GreatMughals.
The center of Agra, like many Indian cities, is a huge market. The city is home to one of the largest spas in all of Asia, Kaya Kalp.
Taj Mahal
India has one of the seven wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal, where the mausoleum of one of Shah Jahan's most beloved wives, Mumtaz Mahal, is located, is one of the attractions of Agra. Such an architectural structure has not been seen in the last 400 years.
The Taj Mahal is a monument to love and in Hindi means "The Crown of Palaces". He became the last gift for his beloved. The palace was built for 22 years, marble for it was mined for 300 km. The walls of the tomb are decorated with mosaics of precious and semi-precious stones, although when viewed from afar, the color of the mausoleum seems white. The proportions of the building are perfect. Even the fact that minarets were rejected by him is not accidental. This is done so that in the event of an earthquake, the minarets do not fall on the mausoleum.
The Taj Mahal is a gem of Indian culture that embodies the love and we alth of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
