India today is one of the most exciting tourist destinations in the world. The varied and vast landscape of the country forms a beautiful background to the cultural mosaic that is India. The visitor is spoiled for choice. In the north is the pristine, snow clad majesty of the Himalayas – considered one of the most interesting mountain ranges in the world due to sheer diversity of its flora and fauna. From the fragrant valleys of Kashmir, famed for their saffron, sapphires and apples; to the mystic Buddhism of the foggy mountains in Sikkim; from the cold deserts of Leh and Ladakh to the fabled playground of the gods – Uttarakhand; the length and breadth of the Himalayan range offers an unparalleled journey. The south makes an equally strong claim. Home to the Dravidians, considered the original inhabitants of the subcontinent, southern India is a fascinating cultural experience. It is speculated that it was here that Christianity found one of its earliest refuge and it was here again that the Europeans first landed. The home of ayurveda and exotic spices, tropical forests and rock cut temples, peninsular India has its own unique rhythms to enthrall and ensnare the senses. From a boat ride over the back waters of Kerala to the beach where an ocean and a sea finally meet; from Mumbai – the city that harbours dreams but deals in hard currency to the promenades of Goa that hark back to Portugal; peninsular India is unique.
Since India is a country of extremes and opposites it is no surprise that while western India is composed of a desert, north east India is a lush, tropical paradise. The dry Thar desert is one ot eh most popular tourist destinations in India, thanks to its myriad attractions. From the glorious forts that are now heritage resorts and hotels, to the pageantry of a land that sparkles with the brightness of its colours against the sere desert, Rajasthan has long captured the imagination of most visitors. And then there is the captivating brilliance of Gujarat with its rich folk arts and traditions. It is also home to some truly spectacular landscape: the Rann of Kutch. While the western part of India displays its vibrancy of culture via colour, the north eastern states of India rival each other in verdant greenery. Dominated by tribes, the north east is a virtual treasure chest, from the fables that link it to most revered epics of Hinduism – The Ramayana and Mahabharata – to the unique societal practices such as the matrilineal society in Meghalaya, there is much to explore and discover.
India is greater than the sum of its cultural past. It is also a vibrant, growing economy that is busily engaged with modernizing itself and making a claim on the global economic stage. And tourism is beginning to play a key role in that economic development; the foreign exchange earning from tourism in 2010 was estimated at US$ 14.19 billion, or Rupees 64889 crores.
While tremendously proud of its heritage, India today is not hampered by its traditions. Visiting India is not limited to a cultural glimpse; it can be to experience a wide range of experience ranging from adventure travel to therapeutic travel; from medical services to unparalleled learning opportunities in a diverse range of fields and subjects, India has much to offer. Today tourism in India is capable of catering to a variety of sectors and tourist interests; medical tourism allows visitors access to world class health care at a fraction of what it would cost them in the west. The rise of rural tourism is creating unprecedented opportunities for development in a sector that has incredible potential. Realizing the potential for tourism in India, the government has made a concentrated effort to develop infrastructure and launch initiatives that aid visitors in selecting the king of sector they want to engage in; be it a cultural trip designed to visit the monuments or an adventure trip that focuses on sporting opportunities; be it a medical holiday for treatment or a time of relaxation, the Indian Tourism sector really does have it all.
Subodh Kant Sahai
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