What we love about India_______

A quick pictorial guide to tell you a lot about our country and its culture in 10 minutes, so when you visit, you’ll

know so much more about us !

Bollywood • Fashion • Cricket • Festivals • Taj Mahal • Ajanta Caves • Business Leaders • Monsoons • Weddings •

Rajasthan • Kerala • Food • Animal Handlers • Singers •

Bollywood: Mumbai’s movie industry, creates more than 1,000

films per year averaging 3 hours

(versus 700 movies averaging

1.5 hours produced

annually by Hollywood).

Bollywood sells 3.6 billion tickets around the world (versus 2.6 billion

sold by Hollywood).

Amitabh Bacchan: India’s legendary actor is known to four generations of Indians. He was named BBCs “Man of the Century” beating out Einstein and

Gandhi

Aishwarya Rai: Often called “The Most Beautiful Woman in The World”. Lead actress in Bollywood, face of L’Oreal and Miss World 1994

Shahrukh Khan: Lead actor. Also known as the “Badshah” or Emperor of Bollywood.

Lata Mangeshkar: Lata is one of India’s many

singing legends. Called the

“Nightingale of India”. She has

held the the Guinness World

Record for reportedly singing tens of thousands

of songs in a career spanning 60 years. She is

still singing.

Add to her Subbalaxmi,

Kishore Kumar, Rafi, and see Lil

Champs, the American Idol for little children and

you will understand the

skills, talents and obsession with

singing

India is a cricket crazy nation.

During an important match, the entire country

comes to a standstill, making it an advertisers

dream. India-Pakistan

cricketing rivalry is unparalleled in

world sport.

India is currently the holder of the Twenty Twenty World Cup and

Runner-up in the Last World Cup.

In 2008, the $2 billion Indian

Premier League was created.

Sachin Tendulkar(batting in photo)

is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the

history of cricket. He is the highest scorer in one day matches, and 2nd highest scorer in 5-day matches of

all time.

When Sachin bats, the nation stops to watch.

A popular saying in India is “Cricket is my religion and Tendulkar is my

God”

Taj Mahal: Built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. Completed after 12 years in 1648.

The Ajanta caves is a UNESCO heritage site that is astonishing in the way it was created. 30 large rooms were created by carving into a single massive mountain of rock. Elephants, Buddha, people, animals, birds gigantic pillars,

all carved with bare hands around 2 BC.

Monsoons in India are heavy rains between June and August, and have the potential to cause floods, cause damage and bring cities like Mumbai

to a standstill.

Ratan Tata is Chairman of the Tata Group, which has been on a recent global acquisition spree. He also developed the world’s cheapest car

($2,500). Tata (like many Indian corporations) is a role model of corporate responsibility, transforming towns, and providing free schools,

hospitals and universities to the poor wherever they go.

Infosys is India’s iconic IT Services company started by Narayanan Murthy, currently doubling revenues every two years ($2 billion in 2006 revenues). India has the most CMMI-5 certified companies in the world

(highest certification for software companies) with a Japan-like obsession with software quality certifications

We are obsessed with food, and lay out grand spreads whether its birthdays, anniversaries or heaven-forbid, weddings. Try Naan, Chicken

Tikka Masala, Burra Kebab, Hyderabadi Biryani, Seekh Kebab, Aloo Parathas, Kheer and Ras Malai before you go home.

At Independence, India had many Maharajahs. We took away everything including their titles, but let some of them keep their palaces. Indian

palaces are worth a visit. This one is the Mysore Palace decorated during Diwali, the festival of lights.

Diwali is the Hindu new year. It comes in November. The entire nation is lit up with lamps and candles. Children burst firecrackers. It is a moonless

night, and the story goes that the people of Ayodhya lit the streets so their King could find his way home after 14 years in exile.

Holi is a festival of colors that comes around March, and symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. People celebrate by throwing colors and water balloons at each other, singing songs and playing drums. Children love

the water-balloon fights that start weeks early.

We are obsessed with weddings,which are attended by 400-800 people. Its become a multi-billion dollar industry. While marriages come with social ills and financial burdens for those who cannot afford them, for those who can, these are grand, memorable affairs with week-long festivities that include dancing, drinking, rituals, and lavish dinners.

India prides itself on having great 5-star hotels. India’s top two chains are Oberoi and Taj. Two Oberoi hotels have been are named in Asia’s Top 10

– Udaivilas and Amarvilas

Rajasthan is a region in India of extraordinary architecture, history, people, colors and jewelry. Imagine Jaipur, a city entirely made of pink, or Mount Abu, a temple carved out of translucent marble, or listen to soul-

touching music as the sun sets over the sand dunes.

Kerala is the other region of India. A 2-day trip through the backwaters of Kerala, living on a houseboat and catching fish is an experience of a

lifetime. Everything slows down, and moves with the slow pace of the life along the river banks.

India is an exotic nation. Monkey, bear and snake charmers, elephant,

camels and tigers are splashed across a national canvas of color.

In the last few years, Indian fashion is making an increasing presence on the world stage. The embroidered shoes, nehru collar, silk brocades and

embroidery are influencing creations of the world’s leading design houses. Indians are obsessed and big buyers of “ethnic fashion” that

combines Western and Indian clothing.

India, home to some of the world’s best jewellry setters, finds elaborate precious stone settings in gold and platinum to coordinate with

embroidered outfits. Indian traders control a sizeable share of the world diamond trade, now booming in India. Some of the world’s largest and most famous diamonds were taken from India, a sore subject for the

country – the lost 280 carat Great Mughal and the 106 carat Kohinoor in Britain.

Churchill called us a nation of shopkeepers, repeating a phrase Napolean had used for England two hundred years ago. We do have a bustling

market that is a bargain hunters paradise. And we love exploring them. Now we are becoming a nation of malls.

These pictures or presentation is not intended for any commercial use. They were all taken from the Internet.

Thanks to all those photographers who created these amazing photos.

Share the passion for the nation. Pass it to your friends ! anupendra@yahoo.com