110 JULY 2019
DESTINATION
FOCUS
The key dates
27 October 2019: Deepavali, or Diwali,
the festival of lights – a five-day Hindu
festival, which includes the lighting of
lamps, plenty of firecrackers and sharing
of sweets.
7 May 2020: Vesak Day, celebrating
the birth, enlightenment and death of
Buddha.The hotspots
Popular destinations include Delhi,
Jaipur, Agra, Kerala, Goa, Mumbai,
Rajasthan and Bangalore. There are more
than 30 World Heritage Sites, including
the Taj Mahal, Delhi’s Qutb Minar, the
churches and convents of Goa, and the
Ellora Caves.The health advice
Be careful with food and water; drink
bottled water, be wary of street food and
take anti-diarrhoeal medicine. Malaria is
prevalent throughout most parts of the
country, and be aware that Chloroquine is
not an effective antimalarial drug in India.THEY SAID IT
“The Indian way of
life provides the
vision of the natural,
real way of life. We
veil ourselves with
unnatural masks.
On the face of India
are the tender
expressions, which
carry the mark of the
creator's hand.”- George Bernard Shaw,
playwright
“In India, ‘cold
weather’ is merely
a conventional
phrase and has come
into use through
the necessity of
having some way to
distinguish between
weather which will
melt a brass door-
knob and weather
which will only make
it mushy.”- Mark Twain, author
FACT FILE
Population:
1.34 billion
Capital:
New Delhi
Religion:
Hinduism, Islam,
plus Christianity,
Sikhism, Jainism
and moreWhile you’re there, please
don’t...
Eat food or pass objects with your left hand;
the left hand is used to perform bathroom
functions, and is therefore traditionally
considered uncleanBefore you go, read...
A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth – one of the
longest books ever to be published, it follows
four families over 18-months as a mother
searches for a suitable boy for her daughter.
Life of Pi, by Yann Martell – a fantastical novel
with a dark underbelly.Before you go, watch...
Gandhi – the story of the leader of the Indian
revolt against British rule and his philosophy
of non-violent protest.
A Passage to India – based on the novel by
EM Forster, the film focuses on doomed
friendships and colonial distrust.Before heading home, buy...
Indian bling: bold, bright and beautiful!