"East or West, India is the Best!" So says a song in a Bollywood film. Whether it is from the west coast of Mumbai to the east coast of Calcutta, or from the mountains of Kashmir to the beaches of Kanyakumari, India is the best. In a country with a population over 1 billion, India boasts some of the world’s most diverse cultures and traditions. Seventeen main languages and hundreds of native dialects can be heard from the city to the rural countryside. Culture is celebrated everyday, in every corner of this subcontinent, whether it is an elaborate religious ceremony celebrating the festival of lights, a three day party to celebrate a wedding, or simply dancing to the tunes of a Bollywood musical. The various geographic attributes of the geography in India only enhance the mystical illusions about this country.
Although the British empire left half a century ago, their influences in architecture, government, and lifestyle is still prevalent. The capital of India, New Delhi, is a fitful location for the head of government as it is also located at the in northern part of the county. From that vantage point in a map, it resembles the all seeing eye of government. The city represents the molding of a new modern era of India and the glorious era of the Mughal empire, from the house of Parliament to the Red Fort. Furthermore, the capital symbolizes what is happening throughout the country; the merging of the modern world with the ancient world of culture and tradition.
On the west coast is the city of Mumbai; or perhaps better known to the outside world as the home of the Indian film industry, Bollywood. Shopping malls, condominium complexes, golf courses, cinemas--the quintessential making of a modern day metropolis. Yet, temples, churches, and mosques are found throughout the city with worshippers lining up around the corner just to get a chance to participate in a religious event, or simply to worship. Heading off toward southern India, Bangalore is a metropolis that rivals Silicon Valley. The computer industries have turned this city into the capital of the computer world in India. The economic influences of this industry are found in the city which is quickly rivaling Mumbai in luxury. Finally, heading off to the southernmost tip of India, Kanyakumari, any traveler would simply be in awe at the sight of three bodies or water meeting together at this point.
These cities are just the tipping point of exploring the world of India, but the heart of this country lies in between these tipping points.
