To enjoy India’s rich and diverse culture nothing beats a heritage tour. You could visit the temple towns of Kanchipuram, Tanjore, and Madurai in South India, which are also famous for their dance heritage. You could admire the splendor of Buddhist architecture in Sanchi, or the magnificent forts and palaces of Rajasthan. Or you could simply soak in the gracious confluence of Mughal and Indian craftsmanship, best exemplified by the Taj Mahal. The West coast was visited by the Persians and the Europeans, who came to trade in spices and textiles. In the North, rulers from Central Asia plundered India for her wealth and stayed back to savour her many pleasures and beauty. The Mughals came as invaders, later the British came as traders. Both stayed on to rule for many years and left a lasting impact on Indian culture and traditions.
India’s cultural heritage dates back to 5000 years. Very few countries in the world has a social and religious structure which withstood invasions and persecution and yet kept its identity by being resilient enough to absorb, ignore or reject all attempts to radically change or destroy them. Indian culture is unique because of its diversity and variety in physical, religious, racial, linguistic and artistic fields. In India religion is a way of life being an integral part of Indian tradition. Many dances, theatrics and folklore are religious and based on Indian mythology and folk legends. One has to have background knowledge of Indian mythology to enjoy and appreciate the
Indian Arts.
Experiencing the rich Indian heritage also means enjoying classical music from gharanas all over the country, finding peace in the spirituality of the many faiths, celebrating the many festivals and melas, including the magnificient Kumbh Mela, relaxing in the lush and gentle backwaters of Kerala also known for its ancient Ayurvedic spas, or delighting in the fascinating textile heritage.
