Hindu Gods The Hindu pantheon has, in a famous example of hyperbole, over 330 million deities. In a sense India is God-intoxicated, there is god everywhere, in all things: within/without, above/below, in the six degrees of separation and in the three planes of existence.There are gods for vegetation, gods for weather, gods for nature, gods for geographical areas, gods for villages, gods for the house, gods in the temples, gods in running water, gods in deepest forest and in icy mountain heights. There is no situation, environment and place that the Indian does not have a god for. Gods inspire, gods infuse art and creativity and gods provoke destruction too. Gods in heaven are many, for the heavens also are many with contending claims as to which is the supreme heaven. Even hell has a God presiding , the god of justice and death, in a pretty astute psychological characterization about the typical fears of the afterlife. Temples in India Ancient era was the witness when religious practices flourished the most and temples became the world's storehouse of knowledge and culture.. The ancient temples are more than mere places of worship. These are sacred buildings of ultimate grace and eternal hapiness.The temples of the Medieval Era were varied architectural styles. The temples and the religious places built then were symbolic of the ruler and his richness and devotion. The seeds of experimentation in religious architecture were sown in medeival temples.The Pride of India, the Hindu Temples being built in this modern era are more innovative in architectural styles. Despite this innovation they behold the devotees just like ancient and medieval Hindu Temples. These temples speak how hindus adapt to the changes in technology while maintaining strands of confirmity with the past. Indian Music The music of India is one of the oldest unbroken musical traditions in the world. It is said that the origins of this system go back to the Vedas (ancient scripts of the Hindus). Many different legends have grown up concerning the origins and development of Indian classical music. Such legends go a long way in showing the importance that music has in defining Indian culture. However the advent of modern historical and cultural research has also given us a good perspective on the field. This has shown that Indian music has developed within a very complex interaction between different peoples of different races and cultures. It appears that the ethnic diversity of present day India has been there from the earliest of times. The basis for Indian music is "sangeet". Sangeet is a combination of three artforms: vocal music, instrumental music and dance. Although these three artforms were originally derived from the single field of stagecraft. Today these three forms have differentiated into complex and highly refined individual artforms.The present system of Indian music is based upon two important pillars: rag and tal. Rag is the melodic form while tal is the rhythmic. Rag may be roughly equated with the Western term mode or scale. There is a system of seven notes which are arranged in a means not unlike Western scales. However when we look closely we see that it is quite different what we are familiar with. The tal (rhythmic forms) are also very complex. Many common rhythmic patterns exist. They revolve around repeating patterns of beats.The interpretation of the rag and the tal is not the same all over India. Today there are two major traditions of classical music. There is the north Indian and the south Indian tradition. The North Indian tradition is known as Hindustani sangeet and the south Indian is called Carnatic sangeet. Both systems are fundamentally similar but differ in nomenclature and performance practice. Many musical instruments are peculiar to India. The most famous are the sitar and tabla. However there are many more that the average person may not be familiar with. All of this makes up the complex and exciting field of Indian classical music. Its understanding easily consumes an entire lifetime. Indian Dance India has a very rich tradition of classical dance. The Natya Shastra, which is the oldest surviving text on stagecraft in the world, spends a considerable time discussing it. In the old days of the theatre, the dancers would mime the story while the singers would sing the dialogue. The instrumentalists would accompany them all. The nature of the old theatre was such that the dancers occupied a central position.For many centuries the dancers were attached to the temples. This maintained a strong religious flavour to dance. Even today many of the traditional themes are mythological in nature. Over the centuries different areas have given their own colour to the ancient classical tradition. Today the acknowledged classical styles are: Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kathakali of Kerala, Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, Manipuri of Northeast India, Orissi from Orissa, and Kathak from north India and Pakistan. Each of these styles has a strong regional connection and none can claim to be representative of the entire Indian subcontinent. Indian Paintings Indian paintings traditions go back to antiquity, as is evident from the murals of Ajanta, Ellora and other frescoes, the Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts, the Jain texts and the Deccan, Mughal and Kangra schools of miniature Indian painting. Indian Painting is an old tradition, with ancient texts outlining theories of color and and anecdotal accounts suggesting that it was common for households to paint their doorways or indoor rooms where guests resided. Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh and Sittanvasal and temple paintings testify to a love of naturalism. Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilization to the present day. This form of art in India is vivid and lively, refined and sophisticated and bold and vigorous at the same time. From being essentially religious in purpose in the beginning, Indian paintings have evolved over the years to become a fusion of various traditions which influenced them. At first glance, an Indian miniature painting, to the uninitiated, appears nothing more than a clutter and tangle of pastoral settings, dominated by masculine and feminine figures. Yet these scenes are not detached visions of artistic expression but provide the basis of Indian music and art forms. Most of these masterly works are visual creations of emotional and perceptive concepts that depict the ragas or musical modes of Indian classical music. Miniature painters employed at various medieval courts, discovered the potential of limitless self-expression in their depiction and today there are 130 known sets of such miniatures. The Indian paintings have now acquired a stature of their own. They use materials and techniques from all over the world but express Indian realities and Indian experiences. The respect for tradition and the ability to transcend it at the same time is clearly evident in Indian art of today. This is the essence of what has been described as the eclecticism of the Indian contemporary expression. Indian Sculpture Contemporary Native Indian sculpture is deep rooted in the religion, legends and history of the Iroquois people. Unlike most primitive art forms depicting a community’s way of life that is usually non-existent and only remembered by its elders, Iroquois sculpture is a living art form. The religion of the Longhouse is still very much practiced by native carvers. Legends, historic events and artistic compositions incorporating symbols of Iroquois society are continuously depicted in these carvings. The history of contemporary carvings can be usually found in the making of utensils, pipes and ornaments in stones, clay and wood. Today, images of False Face Masks are liberally incorporated into modern sculptures, since most of the artists began sculpting wooden medicine masks at a young age. In earlier times, sculptures were fashioned in the most available and easily workable stones. Today, steatite has become the favourite material in which to carve, because of its softness and wide range of colouring. Basic hand tools are still generally used, although some employ an electric drill. Clear acrylic coating is usually applied to enhance the visibility of the colours in the stone. Indian Architecture One of the most enduring achievements of Indian civilization is undoubtedly its architecture, which extends to a great deal more than the Taj Mahal or the temple complexes of Khajuraho and Vijayanagara. Though the Indus Valley sites of Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Lothal provide substantial evidence of extensive town planning, the beginnings of Indian architecture are more properly to be dated to the advent of Buddhism in India, in the reign of Ashoka (c. 270-232), and the construction of Buddhist monasteries and stupas. Buddhist architecture was predominant for several centuries, and there are few remains of Hindu temples from even late antiquity. Among the many highlights of Buddhist art and architecture are the Great Stupa at Sanchi and the rock-cut caves at Ajanta. Indian Tourism India's amazing diversityoffers you everything you could ever want in a holiday. From the moment that you set foot in India to be greeted The Taj by a graceful namaste, a gesturethat denotes both welcome and respect, you are on the way to one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Bounded by the majestic Himalayan ranges in the north and edged by a spectacular coastline surrounded by three seas, India is a vivid kaleidoscope of landscapes,magnificent historical sites and royal cities, golden beaches, misty mountain retreats, colorful people, rich cultures and festivities. At any part of the year India can offer you a dazzling array of destinations and experiences. In summer, when the subcontinent is sizzling, there are spectacular retreats amidst the heady beauty of the Himalayas or the lush heights of the Western Ghats Mountains with cool trekking trails, tall peaks to conqueror stretches of white water for the adventure seekers. In the cool of an Indian winter, cities come alive with cultural feasts of music and dance. The balmy weather is an ideal time for you to go century hopping in romantic cities studded with medieval forts and palaces. The sun drenched beaches are inviting and wildlife sanctuaries with their abundance of flora and fauna are a buzz with the nurture of the young. You can taste the delights of the Indian monsoon anywhere in the country- on a camel safari in the Rajasthan desert when nature comes alive and the peacocks dance; along the west coast where the relentless slantingrain paints the countryside in brilliant greens or even trekking amidst the stark grandeur of mountain valleys lying in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. Experience exotic India live like a maharaja in the rich ambiance of royal forts and palaces that are now heritage hotels; luxuriate in the serene beauty of a coral Meenakshi Mandir island with its turquoise lagoon; participate in the exuberance of a village fair or a colorful festival; day dream on a house boat drifting down the palm - fringed backwaters; delight in the grace of a dancer or shop till you drop - buying exquisite silks, carved figurines, brass and silver ware, marble inlaid with semi-precious stones,finely crafted jewelry, miniature paintings, carpets ....at unbelievable prices. India, always warm and inviting, is a place of infinite variety - one that favors you with a different facet of its fascination every time you comeon a visit.