India is a subcontinent with a long history, a land of legend, fantasy and reality. A country that extends from the Himalayas in the north to the semi-desert terrain and tropics of the south. A place of incredible contrasts and fascinating splendour. Delhi is the political and administrative capital of India and a melting pot of both culture and religion. A constantly expanding metropolis built on the site of twelve former cities and centre of power for almost a thousand years. Jama Masjid, the Friday Mosque, is one of ancient Delhi's main landmarks that was bequeathed to the city by the mogul king, Shah Jahan and close to the mosque is the bazaar district of Chandni Chowk, a busy commercial area.
The white temples of Ranakpur are the sanctuaries of the Jains and are situated in a picturesque valley to the west of the Aravalli Mountains north of Udaipur. At around the same time that Buddhism was introduced to the area, Jainism also arrived, the religion of the country's great hero, Mahavira. Rajasthan is the Land Of The Maharajas in all its splendour, a living fairytale beneath the desert sky. Agra was once the imposing metropolis of the mogul monarchy and today the city has lost nothing of its mediaeval atmosphere.
Calcutta, or Kolkata, as it has been known since 2001, is the capital of West Bengal and also the second largest city in India. A city of contrasts that could not be more striking. Each morning hundreds of people go to the Howrah Bridge to bathe on the banks of the Hooghly River, a tributary of the sacred River Ganges. In 1853 Bombay had its first railroad and the Indian rail network was soon extended. The Victoria Terminus was built, one of the most impressive train stations in the world.
Incredible India, a remarkable country that has always fascinated travellers by the amazing diversity of its people, culture and landscapes.