Incredible India… a taster

India, officially known as the republic of India, has a wealth of fascinating, colourful and, well, just magnificent things to show you and here I have a few which I feel will leave you wanting more…

I have had the honour of living in India for a time. A country of warmth and hospitality and when I talk about warmth I talk of India’s people. I might not be in India now but she has certainly stayed with me, in fact, I feel as if I have left a part of me there, as if she is waiting for me to return and return I will someday.

In the streets of India you will see children and adults alike playing Cricket everywhere. Indian’s are cricket crazy so why not have the highest cricket ground in the world. At an altitude of 2,444 meters the Chail Cricket Ground in Himachal Pradesh is the highest in the world. Build in 1893 it is part of the Chail Military School.

A spa for Elephants and why not. These magical creatures deserve their own spa don’t they. Indian people think so. Elephants are given massages, they are bathed, fed and watered. Their spa, named the Punnathoor Cotta Elephant Rejuvenation Centre in Kerala. A beautiful area of India and one I talk about in my next article.

English comes naturally to Indians. India is second after the USA outside of England to speak with the English language. The worlds second largest English-speaking country with more than 130 million people speaking the language which is a small percentage of the population, around 10% or so. Official languages are Hindi, English and 21 other local languages. Quite amazing when you think about it.

India is the seventh largest country in the world by total area that is. With a population of 1.35 billion based on 2018 UN data, which is the second largest population. Ever tried catching a train in India? It will make your local commute seem simple

The highest mountain in India is Kanchenjunga, at 8,598m tall, making it the third highest mountain in the world.

Respect for animals is an extremely important part of Hindu religion and is part of Indian beliefs. Cows are sacred and can not be harmed. Cows wander through the streets with the traffic and people, they really are part of society. I have often been stuck in a traffic jam, turns out it was the cows in the road which stopped the traffic. We just sit and wait it out. Peacocks are the national bird of India.

With over 65,000 species of animals, India has a remarkable climate to support such numbers. From Elephants, snakes, rhinos to tigers and over 12,000 species of plants. Not to mention the birds and other reptiles. It really is a special eco system.

You’ll even find crocodiles and if you go as far as the Sundarbans, which is the worlds largest mangrove forest, you will find many more animals, Dolphins, tigers, turtles and crocodiles. Sadly this area is under threat from illegal tree cutting for firewood. There are some very rare animals in India including the Snow Leopard (there are believed to be less than 750 snow leopards left in the wild across J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim), bears, black buck and ever so special are the one-horned rhinos.

I write about different aspects of this remarkable country and it’s people in my future articles. From Chennai to Mumbai, from Delhi to Agra, Kerala and beyond, join me on a journey into the sights, sounds and smells, food and culture of India. The place I call home away from home. Sign up now for your free ebook on travelling in India and see for yourself why I have my heart and soul in this fascinating place.

You can read a more in-depth article on attractions in India, where to stay, what to see and do here

A little about the author:

Andria runs a lifestyle, travel & photography blog #A2BwithAB and is an award-winning international freelance photographer. She writes for various travel and ex-pat magazines and guest blogs across various sites documenting global culture. A keen traveller herself and big cat lover she shares her thoughts, journey and experiences with you and hopes you enjoy her travel articles and tips as much as she does herself. 

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Andria B

Author of A2BwithAB