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 in which the beauty and grandeur of temples amaze, and music and a magical atmosphere immerse into a world of mystery and sensuality.
India on the world map
Where is India located 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 ridge. In the east it borders with 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 amounts to 3.3 million square meters. km In the east, south and west, the peninsula is washed by the Bay of Bengal, the Laccadive and Arabian Sea. The major rivers of India are the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Indus, Krishna, Sabarmati.
Since the country's territory is large, with 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 peaks 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 parts of the country, and the Tar desert adjoins it from the west .
State name
Where is India located, whose name has changed several times? In ancient times it was called the "land of the Aryans," the "land of the Brahmins," the "land of the sages." The modern name of the state of India comes from the name of the Indus River, the word "Sindu" in translation from ancient Persian means "river". The country has a second name, in translation 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 the official status has not been assigned to it. The Republic of India is the official name of the country; it appeared in the 19th century.
Ancient india
In the territory where ancient India was located, one of the oldest civilizations in the world was born. Her story includes two periods. The first is the period of the Harappan civilization, which began its development in the Indus Valley. The second period is the Aryan civilization associated with the appearance in the valleys of the Ganges and Indus Aryan tribes.
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 construction of cities with a well-planned layout and a drainage system. Written language was developed, small art was developed in artistic culture: small statuettes, relief prints. But the Kharap culture has fallen into decay, due to climate change, river spills and epidemics.
After the Harappan civilization ended, 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 arias 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 whole 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 addressed questions to the universe, trying to unravel the meaning of life. A separate place is occupied by the teaching of yoga, where self-immersion in the world of the human soul takes place. The uniqueness of culture lies in the fact that music and dance are a companion of any event or event. The originality and diversity of culture has largely developed due to the fact that both local nationalities and newcomers participated in its formation.
The culture of ancient India dates back to the period from the middle of the 3rd 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 caused by the fact that the building material of that period was a tree, which to our time has not been preserved. And starting from the III century. BC. in construction begin to use stone. The architectural buildings of this period have survived to the present day. The main religion of this period was Buddhism, and therefore characteristic structures were erected: stupas, stambhs, cave temples.
The culture of ancient India in world history occupies an important place. She had a greater 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 under the Mughal rule, tell the walls of the ancient city. In the capital of the Mughal empire there were many palaces, parks, beautiful gardens.
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, purchase souvenirs made using the Florentine mosaic technique - Pietra Dura, which has been a national craft since the time of the Mughals.
The center of Agra, like many Indian cities, is a huge market. The city has one of the largest in all of Asia, the Kaya Kalp spa.
Taj Mahal
One of the seven wonders of the world has India. Taj Mahal, where the mausoleum of one of the most beloved wives of Shah Jahan - Mumtaz Mahal is located, is one of the attractions of Agra. A similar architectural structure has not been encountered over the past 400 years.
Taj Mahal is a monument of love and in translation from Hindi means "Crown of Palaces". He was the last gift for the 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 semiprecious stones, although when viewed from afar, the color of the mausoleum appears white. The proportions of the building are perfect. Even the fact that his minarets are rejected is not accidental. This is done so that in case of an earthquake the minarets do not fall on the mausoleum.
The Taj Mahal is the pearl of Indian culture, which embodies the love and wealth of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.