Ancient India

The Ganges River starts from the Himalayas and passes through an Asian peninsula surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It nourishes this land and gives birth to a glorious land. The splendid civilization has become the "holy river" of a country. And this lucky country is one of the four ancient civilizations in the world - India.

In December 2002, China and India signed a memorandum of understanding on the implementation plan for Chinese citizens to travel to India in groups. Before setting foot on this ancient and mysterious land, we might as well take a wander.

Psalm-like pure tunes

India is a melting pot of cultures. The country's unique historical background encompasses a variety of cultural trends from ancient times to modern times, from the West to the East, and from Asia to Europe. In addition, it is a country composed of five major ethnic groups, and it is like a large cultural museum. Mumbai, on the west bank of the capital New Delhi, is the center of culture, while Kolkata has news about culture every day. The diverse music, dance, dance dramas and comedy dazzle tourists and make them forget to leave.

After living in noisy big cities for a long time, people yearn to return to nature. The basis of Indian traditional music is "nature". It celebrates the relationship between people, the relationship between people and nature, and the relationship between people and God. The melodies of the four seasons are reflected in the traditional tune "raga" - legend has it that the ancients were inspired by the chirping of birds and the sound of burning branches in the forest to create the first "raga". As for the content of the song, it originated from North Indian religious rituals. To this day, traditional songs still retain the ancient pronunciation, and the singer's voice is pure, allowing the songs to maintain a simple and pure hymn feel. Even if you don't understand the lyrics, you can still feel the sacredness and peace of nature.

Natyam, one of the oldest dances in India, means "the art of dance" in Hindi. In addition to emphasizing the rhythm of dance, it also emphasizes that the accompaniment music must be pleasant to the ear, consisting of solemn poetry and simple music. This dance was originally used for sacrifices and could fully reflect the emotions of the dancers. It was originally performed in temples by temple dancers. The key to this dance is to keep your upper body straight, your legs half-bent, your knees spread apart, and your feet like a half-open fan. Although there are strict movement specifications, every actor's performance is actually different, and most of the time the performances are improvised, so each Natyam has a very strong personal style.

Now, this traditional dance is making a comeback in a retro trend. However, in ancient times, Natyam was usually performed solo, but now group dances are more popular. A group of graceful dancers in colorful traditional costumes dance like fairies to beautiful music, and the effect is even better than dancing alone. Today, Natyam has developed into a technical art system.

Food cooked in clay oven charcoal fire

Indian curry is famous all over the world. Many people think that rice and curry are the main food and seasonings of India. But in fact, only some places in India use rice as the staple food, and curry is an unfamiliar seasoning to most Indians.

In fact, the biggest feature of Indian cuisine is that there is no unified style. And not only are the eating habits very different between cities in India, but every family has a distinct eating style. But in general, chicken, fish and lamb are the most common. Gravy is a staple sauce in India and is popular throughout India. Of course, each place's gravy has its own distinctly local flavor. In Indian kitchens, only fresh green chillies and sun-dried red chillies are spicy. So tourists who don’t like spicy food don’t have to worry about not being able to eat authentic Indian food.

For tourists, India's most famous traditional dish has its origins in the Indian royal family. Stews, sauces and rice are the basis of three different cooking styles. But after all, royal food can only be eaten in specialized restaurants and big hotels, and ordinary people are not "cold" by it.

In the local area, many popular Indian dishes are very popular at home, such as unleavened oatmeal bread and green mustard cooked over coal fire all night. Such a simple winter snack is popular among farmers and city dwellers alike. They all regard it as their favorite. In southern cities, authentic crispy pancakes and steamed rice cakes are famous. As for some coastal areas, in addition to seafood meals such as crabs, lobsters, tiger shrimps and shellfish, fragrant coconut is also the most commonly used ingredient.

The clay oven charcoal cooking method is a unique cooking method in India. It is very particular about time control. When the furnace temperature reaches 600 degrees Celsius, the cooking difference of one or two minutes, or even one or two seconds, affects the success or failure of cooking. The meat cooked in this way does not require oil, and is dipped in yogurt when eating. Even before the food is served, the sizzling sound of the charcoal fire and the lingering aroma will already make your index fingers tickle.

In addition, in many places in India, people like to use a large shallow plate called "thali" to serve food. When eating with "thali", you should taste it slowly as the locals do. Gobbling it up will only make the locals laugh.

Various travel options

Camel tour

Hiking allows you to experience the customs and customs of India more closely, but if you are too lazy to walk , you might as well take a trip on the "Desert Boat". Camel safaris generally last from a few hours to a few days and are very casual. Camels are available for rent in the desert near Jaisalmer and Pushkar. This is not a program available in every country. If you happen to come to India between October and February, don’t miss the experience of being a “Camel Rider”.

Snow Mountain Tour

January to March is the best season for skiing in India. Narkanda and Auli are both famous local ski resorts. Although skiing is a relatively new tourism project in India and has not yet matured, it will only make your journey closer to nature and more fun. While enjoying the dynamic excitement that skiing brings you, you might as well have a cup of steaming ginger tea and a piece of fragrant Indian pancake, and then quietly enjoy it under the blue sky.

Museum Tour

As one of the four ancient civilizations in the world, India’s cultural heritage is still charming today. There are breathtaking ancient architectural ruins in many places across the country, telling you about India's yesterday intermittently. But if you want to see all five thousand years of India's history in one go, you must go to the museum.

When the British ruled India in the 19th century, they were amazed by Indian culture, so they vigorously collected various cultural relics and established the first museum in Calcutta in 1875. Today, in independent India, museums have become more diversified. There are science museums, natural history museums, folk art museums, and more. The museum's collections are rich and well-documented, with items ranging from civilians to emperors, guaranteed to be a feast for your eyes.

A trip to the Himalayas

Compared to the Himalayas in Nepal that are crowded with tourists, the part of the Himalayas in India is quieter and more peaceful. If you want to listen to the sounds of nature quietly on the world's largest mountain, you might as well take a hiking trip. The most suitable season for mountaineering trips is from April to November, but the opening hours of each climbing point are different, so it’s best to check before planning your trip.