India is a country located in southern Asia. This country has many features such as beaches, the Himalaya Mountains, rivers, desert, jungle and land to grow crops.
It is estimated that over 1.4 billion people live in India. India ranks #2 as the most populated country in the world. China is #1, but not by much.
There are 28 states in India. Uttar Pradesh, located in northern India is the most populated state with over 200 million people calling it home. Uttar Pradesh’s population is more than the top 10 most populated states in the United States combined!!
Mumbai, the most populated city in India and known the financial center of India and famous for Bollywood films. Bengaluru, is known as the Silicon Valley of India and the home of high technology. New Delhi is the capital city of India and where the Presidential Palace, Parliament House, and Supreme Court of India can be found.
The flag of India is made up of three colors: saffron, white, and green.
There is no official language in India, however Hindi is the language used the most. English is also used for official and informal business. As a tourist we were able to travel throughout India using English.
The official currency or money used in India is the Indian rupee (INR). ₹ is the symbol for Indian rupee. The banknotes value is ₹1, ₹5, ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹200, ₹500, and ₹2000. Each banknote varies in size and color, but each one has the face of Mahatma Gandhi on one side and a picture of a various important item or place on the back. Coins used are ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10, ₹20.
The Taj Mahal is a global recognized landmark. However, the Taj Mahal is not a palace or a mansion, it is actually a tomb. The emperor had the Taj Mahal built to honor and house the body of his wife who died during childbirth.
It has been said that Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion. 79% of Indians practice Hinduism. One of the beliefs of Hinduism is that all living things are to be respected and cow are sacred. No harm can be done to a cow, even if they are walking in the road.
The most popular sport in India is cricket. Cricket is an engaging sport for athletes and fans. Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar has been recognized as one of the greatest batsman of all time.
Holi or the Festival of Colors is a popular Hindu holiday celebrated to welcome spring and victory of good over evil. Friends and family gather and throw colored powders on each other.
Diwali (pronounced dee-vaa-lee) is the Hindu Festival of Lights. The reason why it is known as the Festival of Lights is because many lanterns, fireworks, and diyas are used to light up the night to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth into the home.