भारतगणराज्य*Thesubcontinent'sbiggestcountryIndia is the world's second largest populous country, has rich cultural heritage and tourism resources.India is the largest country in South Asia, covers an area of 298 square kilometers, ranks seventh in the world.India's population of 1.215 billion people (2012), is second only to the People's Republic of China in the world's second most populous country,*NATIONAIFLAG*Indiansmeetwithfriendsisverypoliteandusuallycrossingtheirhands,said.Whencrossingtheireldersshouldbehigh,andequalsshouldbeflat,fortheyounggenerationislow,with,respectively,withrespect,reciprocityandconcern.Greetedguestslaidwreaths.*Indiaisoneofthemostreligiouslydiversenationsintheworld,withsomeofthemostdeeplyreligioussocietiesandcultures.Religionstillplaysacentralanddefinitiveroleinthelifeofmostofitspeople.*JainismisanancientreligionfromIndiathatprescribesapathofnon-violenceforallformsoflivingbeingsinthisworld.Itsphilosophyandpracticereliesmainlyonself-effortinprogressingthesoulonthespiritualladdertodivineconsciousness.*Buddhismisareligionandaphilosophyencompassingavarietyoftraditions,beliefsandpractices,largelybasedonteachingsattributedtoBuddha.TheBuddhaisrecognizedbyadherentsasanawakenedteacherwhosharedhisinsightstohelpsentientbeingsendsuffering,andescapewhatisseenasacycleofsufferingandrebirth.**DanceinIndiacoversawiderangeofdanceanddancetheatreforms,fromtheancientclassicalortempledancetofolkandmodernstyles.TherearehundredsofIndianfolkdancesandspecialdancesobservedinregionalfestivals.IndiaoffersanumberofclassicalIndiandanceforms,eachofwhichcanbetracedtodifferentpartsofthecountry.ThepresentationofIndiandancestylesinfilm,Bollywood,hasexposedtherangeofdanceinIndiatoaglobalaudience.*IndianclassicaldanceisarelativelynewumbrellatermforvariouscodifiedartformsrootedinNatya,thesacred(神圣的)Hindumusicaltheatrestyles,whosetheorycanbetracedbacktothe400BC.*Indianfolkandtribaldancesaresimpledances,andareperformedtoexpressjoy.Folkandtribaldancesareperformedforeverypossibleoccasion,tocelebratethearrivalofseasons,birthofachild,aweddingandfestivals.Onmostoccasions,thedancerssingthemselves,whilebeingaccompaniedbyartistsontheinstruments.Eachformofdancehasaspecificcostume(服装).*CuisineofIndiaFoodisanimportantpartofIndianculture,playingaroleineverydaylifeaswellasinfestivals.Indiancuisinevariesfromregiontoregion,reflectingthevarieddemographicsoftheethnicallydiversesubcontinent.Generally,Indiancuisinecanbesplitintofivecategories:North,South,East,WestIndiaandNorth-easternIndia.*WhentheIndianseatamongthemselves,theyeatgenerallywiththeirhandsbutiftheyareeatingwithpeoplethatarenotfromIndiaorinarestaurant,theyeatwithsilverwarebecausetheydonotwanttomakepeopleuncomfortable.*SomefamiliesstillpracticearrangedmarriagesbutnowadaysaccordingtoIndians,marriagebetweentwopeopleisasacredrelationship.*BefamousasHindutemper.Consistof22tempers.BelistedinWorldHeritagein1986.Therearelotsofdifferentkindsofsculpture(雕塑)whichbasedonwomaninit.*ThesiteofBuddhistholylands.ThereisthebiggestBuddhismcollegeintheworldin5A.D.ThefamousmonkXuanzanginTangdynastystudiedinhere.ChinabuiltaChinesestylebuilding-XuangzangMemorialinherewithIndia.*TajMahalItwasbuiltforthewifeoftheking-ShahjahaninMughaldynasty.Itwasunderthenameofthetitleoftheconcubine.ItmeansthefirstwomaninPalace.20,000peoplebuiltitfrom1632to1652.ItwasanoutstandingtypicalcaseinMuslimbuildingart.BelistedinWorldHeritagein1983.*TajMahal*ThetombofIndia‘snationfather-Gandhi.It’stheplacewhereGandhi’sbodywascremated.*Wordofadvice:Avoidstreetfood.Trytoscoreaninvitetoalocaldinnertableratherthansettleforstreetvendors.Manylocalsarevegetarian,butIndiancuisineincludesavarietyofdeliciousmeatandseafood.Grilledmincedlamb,seekhkebabs,arethestapleofTandooricooking,whilethenation’scoastalregionsarerenownedformasala(spiced)fishorprawns.NativesadvisecautionwheneatingseafoodduringthemonsoonmonthsofJunetoAugustduetotheincreaseinwater-bornediseases.**WhileIndiaconjuresupimagesofcurries,localspecialtiesareworthdiggingaroundfor.InNorthIndia,neversaynotochaatorpaani-puri.Thesedeliciouscrispycrackersaredressedupwithcondimentsofthesweetandspicyvariety.Ifyou'reinthesouth,don'tleavewithouttryingfreshcoconut.Travelingtappersclimbcoconuttrees,tapthefruit'sblossomanddecantthesapintoabottle.Asthedayprogresses,theliquidbecomesincreasinglyintoxicating,transformingfromalight,fizzydrinkmid-morningandfermentingintoaseriouslystrongalcoholicdrinkbyevening.*Indiarotiprata"isfamousinIndia'sfamoussnacks*RedFortItwasthepalaceofMughaldynasty.ItwasatypicalMughalstylebuilding.Peoplespend10yearsonbuildingitfrom1639.**