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If you have always wondered why Indian women wear a dot on their forehead or why nearly 1 billion people consider the cow sacred, or have marveled at pictures of the Taj Mahal, or have imagined India to be a mysterious land of snake charmers, colorful people, ancient temples and royal palaces, then our heritage and culture travels would be ideal for you.

A 5,000 year-old civilization, India is one of the world's most ancient cultures and has a rich heritage. The sheer diversity of India's wonders and its people is bound to captivate any traveler. From the intricately decorated palaces in Rajasthan to the colorful dances of Kerala and the mysterious monasteries near the Indo-China border in Sikkim, our Heritage and Culture travels will take you to explore this mysterious country through Indian history and tradition and are bound to leave you mesmerized. India is completely different to any other country with its diverse mixture of peoples, climates, scenery, religions and cultural influences.

India has a unique geography and the absorption of customs, traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors as well as by preserving its ancient heritages. India's great diversity of cultural practices, languages, customs, and traditions are examples of this unique co-mingling over the past five millennium. The various religions and traditions of India that were created by these amalgamations have influenced other parts of the world too. The culture of India can be seen majorly in most part of Rajasthan.

When someone explores India, he judges that nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked. In short, it is impossible not to be astonished by India.

People and Lifestyle

Indians believe in sharing happiness and sorrow. A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or a home. The whole community or neighborhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an occasion. A lot of festivals like Diwali, Holi, Id, Christmas, Mahaveer Jayanthi are all celebrated by sharing sweets and pleasantries with family, neighbors and friends. An Indian wedding is an occasion that calls for participation of the family and friends. Similarly, neighbors and friends always help out a family in times of need.

Ethnically Indians speak different languages, follow different religions, and eat the most diverse varieties of food all of which add to the rich Indian culture. The beauty of the Indian people lies in the spirit of tolerance, give-and-take and a composition of cultures that can be compared to a garden of flowers of various colors and shades of which, while maintaining their own entity, lend harmony and beauty to the garden - India!

Cuisines

Food in India is wide ranging in variety, taste and flavors. Being so diverse geographically, each region has its own cuisine and style of preparation. Indian cuisine, renowned for its exotic gravies seems complicated for any newcomer. The Mughlai cuisine of North differs sharply from the preparations of the south. The Wazwan style of Kashmir is luxurious but the same can be said about Bengal's Macher Jhol, Rajasthan's Dal Bati, Uttar Pradesh's Kebabs and Punjab's Sarson Ka Saag and Makki di Roti. In India, recipes are handed down from generation to generation.

The unique and strong flavors in Indian cuisine are derived from spices, seasonings and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Most of the spices used in Indian cooking were originally chosen thousands of years ago for their medicinal qualities and not for flavor. Many of them such as turmeric, cloves and cardamoms are very antiseptic, others like ginger, are carminative and good for the digestion. All curries are made using a wide variety of spices.

Fairs and Festivals

Every season brings along new festivals, each a true celebration of the bounties of the rich traditions followed for time immemorial. That's not all! The birthdays of Gods and Goddesses, saints and prophets, great historical happenings and the advent of the New Year, all find expression in colorful festivities. The same festival, though celebrated differently in the various parts of the country, exhibits an eternal harmony of the spirit of celebration.

Packed with fun and excitement, festivals serve as an occasion to clean and decorate houses, to get together with friends and relatives and to exchange gifts. New attire, dance, music and rituals- all add to their joyful rhythm. It is a time for prayer, for pageantry and procession…a time to rejoice, in celebration of life.
Main festivals are Diwali (Nov), Lohri (Jan), Holi (March), Baisakhi (April, Punjabi)