INDIA - a land of dreams and romance. A land blessed by the Sun, Shimmering Waters, Landscapes Painted golden with its rays, Silhouetted mountained, And a warm glowing welcome. A land of enormous Contrasts from North to South, East to West. India unfolds for you, a Series of diversities. The People, The Culture, The Languages, The Costumes, The Religions, Their art, architecture, forms of dances and music all amazingly different from another. The land of remarkable assemblage of the traditional hospitality. An irresistible magnet for visitors through the ages.

Every year millions of people visit India from all over the world and discover more than a culture as old as time. So make your travel plans now and have a memorable experience of a lifetime with Recreation.

NORTH INDIA
North India has an amazingly varied topography. In the far north, the Himalayan mountains, snow covered sentinels, separate India from the rest of Asia. Nestling in their lower ranges are the Picturesque hills and valleys of Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal, Punjab/Haryana.

Rajasthan is the desert state of India. It is also a land which successfully combines burning sands with shimmering lake palaces.

SOUTH INDIA
The states of South India have much in common. Located in Peninsular India, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. All four southern states have extensive coast lines and remain mainly tropical areas, except for the day scrub of the Deccan Plateau.

Start from Hyderabad, the city of Nizams, in Andhra Pradesh or Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Visit the vibrant city of Bangalore in Karnataka, an exciting mixture of the traditional, colonial and modern. Move on to the gracious ambience of Mysore with its air of still living in a royal past. Bandipur National Park, Belur, Halebid, Hampi & Badami are other worth-seeing places. Visit historic port town of Kochi and explore Kerala's warm beaches and magical Backwaters/House Boat for a perfect holiday experience of South India.

EAST INDIA
The entire eastern region is one of the great natural beauty and variety. The snow clad mountains of Sikkim give way to lush, green hills where bamboos and orchids flower in great profusion. Towards the south the forests and lakes of Orissa teem with an abundance of wildlife. The state is full of temples. Still further, scattered in the Bay of Bengal, lie the tropical Andaman and Nicobar Islands. With rain forest, beautiful beaches of clean lagoons edged by The North East is composed of seven states whose natural beauty has earned them the sobriquet 'seven sisters'.

Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maipur, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya have been generously blessed by nature.

Bihar is another state in North East where one can visit Patna, Gaya, Bodhgaya, Nalanda and Rajgir - Buddhist places.

WEST INDIA
Mumbai - India's Western gateway and capital Maharashtra, with a major international airport and harbour. Aurangabad, 400 kms. from Mumbai is famous for spectacular rock cut caves - Ajanta & Ellora of 2nd/3rd century B.C.

Goa - the most comprehensive beach resort in the country.

Bhopal, the capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh is famous for Udaygiri, Sanchi for Buddhist art and architecture. One can also visit Mandu, Gwalior with excursion to Orchha, Shivpuri and Khajuraho.
 
SHOPPING IN INDIA :-
India's vast cultural diversity has resulted in a treasure trove of handicrafts for the discerning shopper, in a truly remarkable variety of styles and prices. Below are some of the best buys, either for the souvenir hunter or the connoisseur.

SILKS :- ( Varanasi, Mysore, Kanchipuram, Assam, Kashmir)
Every part of India offers its own variety of rich silk and its own individual colours and weaves. Indian silks are in great demand with foreign designers who use them extensively in fashion garments. Today silk is not just restricted to saris. It is also sold by the yard. A wide range of ladies' and men's wear like dupattas, garments, fabrics, caps, handkerchiefs, scarves, dhotis, turbans, shawls, ghagras or lehengas, and even quilts, bedcovers, cushions, table-clothes, curtains are made of silk.

COTTON :- (West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh)
Jamdanis are amongst the most exclusive of muslins. These muslins have lyrical names like Shabnam (evening dew), Malmal Khas(muslin reserved for kings) and Abrawan(flowing water). The base fabric for Jamdanis is unbleached cotton yarn and the design is woven using bleached cotton yarns so that a shadow effect is created.

CARPETS :- (Kashmir, Mirzapur, Bardoi, Warangal, Eluru)
India has one of the World's largest Carpet Industries. Carpets of silk and cotton have been popular exports dating back centuries. Even today, plush silk carpets, perfected under Mughal design sensibilities, are great take-aways. Fine knotted cotton durries as well as sturdy rugs and Islamic prayer rugs or kilims are good value for money. Also light-weight durries(floor coverings) are available in numerous styles.

POTTERY :- (Rajasthan, Bihar, Vrindavan, Hamirpur, Agra)
The popularity of ceramics can be seen from the numerous categories and types one finds all over India. Functional, unsophisticated, simple but attractive pottery shapes lay an emphasis on the dignity of form. The most common clay object is the all-purpose kullar(cup-like container) used for serving water or tea, sometimes decorated with geometrical and floral designs.

LEATHER GOODS :- (Maharashtra, Jaipur, Bikaner, Chennai, Kolkata, Pondicherry)
Leather products are a popular buy amongst foreign visitors to India. The most popular leather products are footwear and handbags. In major cities, there are shops specialising in leather wear from jackets and gloves to luggage and office accessories.

FURNITURE :- (Mumbai, Jodhpur, Udaipur)
Indian furniture is regarded as prized because of its ethnic flavour. Traditional Indian woodcarvers continue to follow the style of their ancestors keeping traditional crafts alive. Carved and decorated chests, chairs, cradles, low tables and stools are hard to resist. Each object is pleasing, whether inlaid with brass sheet work, painted with dancing figures, or embellished with hunting scenes.

JEWELLERY :- (Rajasthan, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Ferozabad)
Different regions of India have jewellery traditions and styles unique to them. Popular styles that have passed on for centuries include fine filigree work in silver, the art of enamelling or Meenakarai, temple jewellery and kundan or the setting of semi-precious or precious stones in gold.

MARBLE :- (Agra)
There is a wide variety of marble items, inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones, such as table tops, coasters, plates, boxes, and elephants. 

CUISINE :-
The unforgettable aroma of India is not just the heavy scent of jasmine and roses, it is also the fragrance of spices so important to Indian cooking especially to preparing curry. Broadly speaking, meat dishes are more common in the North. Mughlai cuisine is rich creamly, deliciously spiced and liberally sprinkled with nuts and saffron.

The essence of good Indian cooking revolves around the appropriate use of mixed aromatic spices. Base ingredients of such mixed spices are elements such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, red pepper, nutmeg, mustered, saffron, cinnamon, card0amon, ginger powder etc. the skill lies in the subtle blending of these spices to enhance rather than overwhelm the basic flavour of a particular dish. These spices act as appetizers and digestives.

The Indian cuisine boasts of an immense variety not restricted to only curry. An authentic Indian curry is an intricate combination of a stir-fried Masala - a mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes; various spices and seasonings with which meat; poultry, vegetables or fish is prepared to produce a stew-type dish. Note: the word Masala also means spice.

Food in India is wide ranging in variety, taste and flavour. Being so diverse geographically, each region has its own cuisine and style of preparation. Indian cuisine, renowned for its exotic gravies seems complicated for any newcomer. The Mughlai cuisine of North differs sharply from the preparations of the south. The Wazwan style of Kashmir is luxurious but the same can be said about Bengal's Macher Jhol, Rajasthan's Dal Bati, Uttar Pradesh's Kebabs and Punjab's Sarson Ka Saag and Makki di Roti. In India, recipes are handed down from generation to generation.

The unique and strong flavours in Indian cuisine are derived from spices, seasonings and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Most of the spices used in Indian cooking were originally chosen thousands of years ago for their medicinal qualities and not for flavour. Many of them such as turmeric, cloves and cardamoms are very antiseptic, others like ginger, are carminative and good for the digestion. All curries are made using a wide variety of spices.

In Indian cuisine, food is categorized into six tastes - sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter and astringent. A well-balanced Indian meal contains all six tastes, not always can this be accomplished. This principle explains the use of numerous spice combinations and depth of flavour in Indian recipes. Side dishes and condiments like chutneys, curries, daals and Indian pickles contribute to and add to the overall flavour and texture of a meal and provide balance needed.

Although a number of religions exist in India, the two that have influenced Indian cooking and food habits the most are the Hindu & Muslim Traditions. Each new wave of settlers brought with them their own culinary practices. How ever, over time they adopted a lot of specialties and cooking methods from the Indian Cuisine and blended the two perfections. The Portuguese, the Parsians and the British made important contributions to the Indian culinary scene. It was the British made important contributions to the Indian

No meal is complete without a Paan (betel leaf). The green leaf is rolled with an assortment of digestive spices like aniseed, cloves, arecanut, and cardamom. To make it more palatable sometimes it is stuffed with sweetened rose petals locally known as Gulkand. Paan is considred to be an ideal round off for any Indian meal.

The food in all over South India is dominated by rice and curries. Tamarind, coconut and spices are important ingredients. As the sea and rivers are an integral part, sea food is the most common preparation. Specialities to look out for are Dosa, Sambar, fish curry etc. On the west coast there is a wide choice of fish and shellfish; Mumbai duck and pomfret are just two. Fish is also a feature of Bengali cooking in East. The variety of Indian cooking is immense, it is colourful and aromatic Indian cuisine is the most popular cuisine in the world.

 ART
Fine Arts
Contemporary Indian Art
Early Paintings
As an Art form, painting has been a part of India since very early times. The earliest example of painted pots was found in 3rd century BC as part of the Indus valley civilization. The cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora are among the earliest paintings using coloured dyes, and the paintings in our ancient temples of Thanjavur and Vidarbha show a tremendous improvement in technique and processes.

Forms of Indian Art
Contemporary Indian Art is available in the standard forms, of oil on canvas, acrylic, paper or wood, water colour paintings on paper and a large range of lithographs, oleographs, and screen prints, as well as mixed media works that could include indigenous materials like natural dyes, clay, metal chips and a variety of items. The traditional craft forms such as Miniatures, Tanjores and Madhubanis are also being adapted to modern techniques and to the requirements of the discerning buyers.

Contemporary Indian painting can trace its roots to the beginning of the 20th century and to art schools in Calcutta and other centres of India. The fight for independence also saw the emergence of a very highly individualized style of Indian painting. Raja Ravi Verma is considered to be the father of modern Indian painting. His visual representation of Indian women, their clothes and jewellery have become masterpieces and are valued collectors items. Abindranath Tagore played a major role in bringing the Bengal School of painting to the forefront. Among the other renowned painters of this series were Jamini Roy, A.K.Haldar, Sarada Charan and Nandlal Bose. Rabindranath Tagore developed his own style of painting and was among the first modern Indian painter to hold an exhibition in Paris.

Folk Art
Folk art everywhere in the world is real and catches the steady thud of the earth's heartbeat. At its purest it is true, uninfluenced, and expressing the rawest concerns of its people and forging the closest links to a people's environment and its underlying economy. There is no dressing up, no false note.

An unabashed paean to color
The most vibrant and festal wall paintings are found in Rajasthan. The interior and exterior walls of palaces as well as ordinary dwellings are an unabashed paean to color. They are made over completely with huge frescoes of elephants, horses, and camels, scenes of royal processions and exciting hunts as well as depictions of mythological characters and stories. Painted wet on lime plaster in mineral colors the paintings slowly became embedded in the wall giving the effect of inlay work of colorful stone on white marble, another specialty of the region.

The temple and monastery paintings in Tamil Nadu and Andhra as well as the murals at the Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kerala reflect their regional skills. The Rathva tribals of Gujarat and the Bhilala tribals of Madhya Pradesh in central India paint on the mud walls of their houses the myth of creation. Sometimes airplanes and clocks also make their appearance in this essentially tribal worldview.
 
DANCE & MUSIC
DANCE - If dance is the spirit made visible, then the first swaying of the spirit blossomed in an infinite variety of dances in ancient India. The expression of joy was sanctified by the submission of this happiness at the altar of the Creator. After all Indians do believe that it is creation itself that is the dance of the creator. All Indian dances - folk, gypsy, classical or simply ritual - have a mad riot of color and an internal geometry of forces that is entirely beguiling. All of them have elaborate costumes and jewelry that are unique and visually alluring.

Dance evolved in India both as sheer exuberance and orgiastic self-expression and later as a structured offering to the Gods of the best in the human spirit. Folk dances, like the Bhangra or the Maharashtrian Lavani, embody wild happiness, whereas classical dances, like Bharatnatyam and Odissi, have a stylized form that needs a certain amount of familiarity to pick out its nuanced eloquence. The gypsy and tribal dances of India are repetitious movements that lull you by their sheer beat.

MUSIC - Indian music has developed within a complex interaction between people of different races and cultures. Today, Indian classical music can be classified into two broad traditions, North Indian and South Indian. The North Indian tradition is known as Hindustani Sangeet. The different forms of Hindustani Music are Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Tappa and Thumri. The South Indian tradition of music is called Carnatic Sangeet. Both traditions are fundamentally similar but differ in nomenclature and the way they are performed.
 
WEDDINGS IN INDIA
The religious, regional, and cultural diversity of India is reflected in its wedding ceremonies. No matter where you go, an Indian wedding is an unforgettable experience.

Indian Weddings
Indian weddings characterize the exuberant enthusiastic approach to life that most Indians have. The ceremonies begin shagun, an engagement ceremony where rings are exchanged and gifts are given by the bride's parents to members of the groom's family.

There are many similarities in the initial stages of an Indian wedding. It is only during the actual wedding ceremony that their respective traditions and beliefs are highlighted.

On the day of the wedding an important ritual connected with the bride is the bangles ceremony, where the maternal uncle and aunt of the bride put white and red bangles on the bride's wrists. Light ornaments of beaten silver and gold, called kalira, are tied to the bangles.

The bridegroom's entourage, the barat, has its own customs to observe - more singing and dancing, decking up the bridegroom, tying the sehra (a sort of ornamental veil) over his face, leading him in procession, often on ghodi (horseback), to the marriage venue to the accompaniment of a brass band. The actual ceremony is conducted in front of the ceremonial fire with both parents seated on either side of the bride and groom. They are deemed to be married only after they have gone around the sacred fire seven times - called the lawan phere.

The concluding ceremony is the doli where an emotional farewell is given to the bride as she is taken to her new home in an elaborately decorated car.

Wedding Arrangements:
In order to make the wedding even more memorable, here are some of the options that we offer: The most important factors is the venue, . It has to be unique, spacious enough to cater to the number of guests expected and managed by wedding party. Other arrangements such as Accommodation, Welcome Ceremony, Decoration , Dinner & Transportation etc.

Travel in India Welcome Ceremony
An auspicious and ceremonial welcome in Indian Traditional style at the Hotel with Shehnai & Nagada wadan (music) at the entrance, with caparisoned camels / elephants at the gate with men & women showering flower petals. The 'Barat' (bridegroom's entourage) are greeted by with a ritual called ' aarti' followed by ' tikka'.

Accomodation:
A suit in Haveli for one night for newly Weds on complimentary basis. A special discount on Room rent to accommodate other guests.

Bridal Make Up & Costume:
Bridal make up at Salon & Costume can be arranged.

Bridegroom:
Leading him in procession, often-on horseback or caparisoned elephants for the Bridegroom to the marriage venue accompanied by the brass band.

Bride:
A silver chariot for the Bride & Bride maids to ride to the Jaimala site.

Vidaai (Concluding ceremony):
Vidaai, the ceremony of seeing off the bride after the wedding, is a emotional moment for her family. We can make it all the more poignant with the lilt of the shehnai and transporting her in a tastefully decorated 'palki'.

Decoration:
* Decoration of lights on trees. Decorated lights on Haveli & Hotels & Swimming pool.
* Floral Decoration of Mandap.
* Rangoli & Flower decoration, special Floral decoration & Diyas along the pathways.
 * Decorative lights on the main entrance gates.

The Art of Mehndi
The wedding season is on! It's May already, which means the wedding season's in full swing! Indian weddings are noisy colorful family get-togethers, which wouldn't be complete without certain things - the religious ceremonies, the feast for the guests, and of course, the beautiful mehndi designs adorning the hands and feet of the bride and her friends. Read about mehndi, the ancient Indian body art that's reinvented itself as a modern fashion accessory.
It's safe and painless since it does not require the skin to be pierced. It's completely natural and non-toxic. It's fun, exotic, beautiful, and as simple or complicated as you want it to be. It can last for a couple of days or as long as a month. It's a 5000 year old tradition and a modern craze. It was used by our grandmothers and their grandmothers and their grandmothers ... but our daughters and granddaughters also think it's " cool ". It goes by the name of mehndi, and it's the ancient Indian art of adorning the hands and feet with intricate designs and patterns, using a paste made from the finely ground leaves of the henna plant.

The term refers to the powder and paste, the design on the skin, as well as the party or ceremony. It originated in Egypt and in Middle Eastern countries during ancient times and it slowly spread to India and other hot climates like Malaysia, Persia, Syria, Morocco, Sudan and North Africa. 

LANGUAGES
India's official language is Hindi in the Devanagri script. It is the primary tongue of 30% of the people.
The States are free to decide their own regional languages for internal administration and education, so there are 18 official languages spoken throughout the country. Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri and Sindhi, are among the official languages which are also widely spoken. Sanskrit though an official language is hardly ever used except in rituals and ceremonies.

While English enjoys associate status, it is widely spoken and is one of the most important languages for national, political, and commercial communication.

In all there are 24 different languages, each spoken by a million or more persons; as well as millions of other languages and