The geographical area of ​​Ancient India is the whole Hindustan, i.e. territory modern states- Republics of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Ancient India was framed by the Himalayas, the majestic beauty of which was conveyed on their canvases by the artists Nicholas and Svyatoslav Roerich. it was washed by the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Therefore, in geographically the country belonged to the most isolated in antiquity.

On such vast territory natural and climatic conditions, of course, could not be the same. Here there are three geographical areas: Northwest, Northeast and South.

North- Western India covered a wide river valley. Indus and its many tributaries with adjacent mountainous areas. In hoary antiquity, the Indus had seven main tributaries, but subsequently two of them dried up, so this territory was called the "Country of Five Years" - Punjab. The edge of the lower flow of the Indus was called Sind. Here west coast the rivers are mountainous, and the dead Thar Desert stretches to the east, which completely isolated the basins of both great years, the Indus and the Ganges, which largely led to the dissimilarity of the historical destinies of North-West and North-East India. The floods of the Indus, which flowed from the Himalayas, depended on the melting of snow in the mountains and therefore were unstable. Wet monsoons did not reach the Indus Valley, there was very little rain, and hot desert winds raged in summer, so the land was covered with greenery only in winter, when the Indus flooded.

Northeast India was located in the tropical zone, its climate was determined by the monsoons of the Indian Ocean. There, the vegetation lasted for a whole year, and there were three seasons, as in Ancient Egypt. In October-November, immediately after the harvest, winter set in, which was reminiscent of our "velvet season" in the Crimea. The coldest time was in January-February, when the air temperature dropped to +5oC, fog hung, and morning dew fell. Then the tropical summer came when hellish heat. Unlike Egypt, where nights are always cool, in the Ganges valley in March - May, the night air temperature, with almost one hundred percent humidity, did not fall below +30 ... +35 C, and sometimes rose to +50c during the day. In such heat, the grass burned, the trees shed their leaves, the reservoirs dried up, the earth seemed devastated and neglected. It is characteristic that it was at that time that the Indian peasants prepared the fields for sowing. In June-August, a two-month rainy season began. Tropical showers brought the desired coolness, returned beauty to the land, so the population met them as big holiday. However, the rainy season often dragged on, then the rivers overflowed their banks and flooded the fields and villages, but when he was late, a terrible drought came.

“When in unbearable heat and stuffiness,” a Czech journalist shares his impressions, “black clouds pile up in the sky, which promise a heavy downpour, and you wait for hours in vain for it to finally pour, and in the meantime the clouds in the sky begin to dissipate and, together with hope for the salvation of souls disappears with them - you yourself are ready to fall on your knees and beg one of the powerful Hindu gods to take pity and finally open with his vajra the "gateways of heavenly ponds."

Fertile almaplast, whose thickness in some places reaches hundreds of meters, hothouse climate have turned the Ganges valley into a real kingdom of Flora. The slopes of the Himalayas were covered with virgin forests; He was fabulously rich animal world this corner of the planet. Royal tigers, rhinos, lions, elephants and many other animals roamed the jungle, so this region was a real paradise for ancient archer hunters.

The Ganges River, which also flowed from the Himalayas and 500 km from its confluence with the Bay of Bengal created the world's largest delta (silty and unsuitable for navigation), had many tributaries, the largest of which was the Jumna. Both sacred rivers merged into one channel near the modern Ilahabad - a kind of Mecca of the Hindus, and before that they flowed in parallel for 1000 km.

The Nadras of the Indus and Ganges basins were rich raw materials, especially on copper and iron ore. The richest deposits of metal ores, which also lay almost on the surface of the earth, were famous for southeastern Bihar (in the east of the Ganges basin).

Thus, the natural and climatic conditions in North India, where the most ancient Indian civilizations appeared, were generally favorable for human economic activity. However, they cannot be called ideal. Both terrible droughts and no less catastrophic floods affected, irrigation was necessary, although the artificial irrigation of fields played a much more modest role in the agricultural development of the country than in Egypt or Mesopotamia. Birds and rodents caused damage to the grain grower, people did not know salvation from the poisonous viper, that the jungle was infested with them. By the way, even now Indian cobras sting hundreds of thousands of people every year, and every tenth of those stung by them dies. However, the Indians were most exhausted by the relentless struggle with the wild jungle and weeds, which were able to turn mastered in a matter of days. hard work land to impenetrable thickets. The irrigated nature of agriculture and the need to conquer land in the jungle were the factors that contributed to the rallying of the peasants in labor collective, did peasant communities surprisingly durable.

It is characteristic that the ancient Indians treated wildlife very carefully, tried not to harm it, and even presented this wise principle to the rank of religious law, so they economic activity proved to be less detrimental to environmental situation than other ancient peoples, especially the Chinese.

The natural and climatic conditions in South India developed differently, cut from the North by a continuous chain of mountain ranges. In the central part of the mainland (this is the largest plateau on the planet called the Deccan), only terraced agriculture was possible. The rivers of the Dekan are full-flowing, the sands of the largest of them, Godavari and Kistani (Krishne), are rich in gold and diamonds. By extreme south mainland, then deep rivers with steep banks and turbulent currents did not play a significant economic role, so civilization in this region appeared later.

In ancient times, India was called Ar "yavarta -" the country of the Aryans ". Subsequently, the toponym Bharat also appeared, which came from the name legendary hero Bharata (osh was, according to one version, the son of the king of Souls "Yanti and the heavenly beauty - Apsaras, according to another - the progenitor of the human race). In the Middle Ages, there was another name for India - Hindustan (Hindustan), the European version of which became the toponym India. The toponym Hindustan means "country of Hind" and comes from the Persian name of the river Hind (the Indians called this river Sindhu).At present, in the Republic of India, both names - Bharat and Hindustan - are equal, although the first is used more often.

ancient india belongs to the number of the first world civilizations, along with the Sumerian and ancient Egyptian. Arising in the valley great river Indus, Indian civilization was able to achieve its the heyday, giving the world one of the most popular and ancient religions, amazing culture, original art.

Natural and climatic conditions of Ancient India

India occupies the entire area of ​​the Hindustan Peninsula, located in southern Asia. From the north, it is reliably protected by the highest mountain range in the world - the Himalayas, which protect the country from strong cold winds. The coast of India is washed warm waters Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

The largest arms of India are the Ganges and the Indus, thanks to which the soil in their valleys has always been very fertile. During the rainy season, these rivers often burst their banks, flooding everything around.

Due to the consistently hot and humid climate with large quantity rainfall, the country has long grown rice and cane.

Rice. 1. Agriculture in Ancient India.

In ancient times, farmers had a hard time, because they constantly had to fight with lush tropical vegetation, reclaiming land for crops. Nature and people were very closely connected with each other, and this connection was reflected in the unusual culture of Ancient India.

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From the time of ancient times Indians have great respect for water element. After all, thanks to water it was possible to get good harvest, and, therefore, the ability to survive in difficult conditions. Until now, the Indians sacredly revere the most full-flowing river of the country - the Ganges, and consider it sacred.

Features of the state

In the III millennium BC. e. there were two centers of Indian civilization on the Hindustan peninsula - Largest cities Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Most of The population was represented by the Dravidians, who were known as excellent farmers.

In the first half of the 2nd millennium, Aryan tribes arrived on the territory of Ancient India. For several centuries, they settled on the peninsula, and gradually mixed with local residents, forming a single Indian people.

Each Aryan tribe had its own leader - the Raja. At first they were elected, but over time, the board began to be inherited. The Rajas were interested in expanding their lands and strengthening their kingdoms, and therefore were in a state of continuous war with each other.

Rice. 2. Raja.

In ancient India, there were two forms of courts: higher (royal) and lower (communal). The party, dissatisfied with the decision of the lower court, could apply to the king and close brahmins for a second consideration of the case.

During this period, a religion called Brahmanism was formed, at the center of which was the god Brahma - the highest deity, the creator of the universe, the very first and most powerful among the gods in Hindu myths.

Under the influence of Brahmanism, the whole society in ancient India was divided into social groups- varnas:

• Brahmins - priests who lived in temples on income from sacrifices.
• Kshatriyas - a caste of warriors who perfectly wielded weapons, drove chariots, were excellent riders.
• Vaishya - Farmers and artisans. Shepherds and merchants also belonged to this varna.
• Shudra - the lowest and most disrespectful varna, consisting of servants.

Belonging to the varna was inherited, and it could not be changed in any way. So in the society of ancient India, social inequality crystallized even more strongly.

Of great importance in the Hindu religions was dharma - a set of rules necessary to maintain cosmic balance. This is righteous path, moral principles, the observance of which will help a person achieve enlightenment.

Culture of Ancient India

The most important achievement of the culture of Ancient India was the creation of an alphabetic script consisting of 50 characters. The diploma was available only to the Brahmins, who very zealously guarded their knowledge.

Rich literary language Sanskrit, which means "perfect" in translation, was as if specially created for writing lyrical works. The most famous were the two great poems of the ancient world - "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata", which had a huge impact to the development of Indian culture.

There has also been great development scientific knowledge in medicine, mathematics, chemistry. Astronomy was especially well developed in Ancient India - already in ancient times, the Indians knew that the Earth has the shape of a ball and rotates around its axis.

The art of ancient India is primarily represented unique architecture. Majestic palaces and temples were distinguished by incredibly meticulous decoration. Columns, gates and walls were decorated with carvings, gilded images of fruits, flowers and birds, many details were cast in silver.

Rice. 3. Temples in Ancient India.

Monasteries and temples were built even in caves. Ancient architects cut through the mountains vast corridors and halls, monumental columns, which were then decorated with filigree carvings.

Great development in ancient India received and theatrical art, which was a mixture acting skills, poetry and dance.

The works of ancient sculptors and painters were mostly of a religious nature, but there were also images and sculptures made on secular subjects.

What have we learned?

When studying the topic "Ancient India" under the program of the 5th grade of history Ancient World we learned where the ancient Indian state was located, what were its natural and climatic features. We found out how the stratification of society took place, what was the main type of activity of the population. We also got acquainted with the culture and religion of Ancient India.

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He who loves God can no longer love man, he has lost the understanding of the human; but also vice versa: if someone loves a person, truly loves with all his heart, he can no longer love God.

India is an ancient country about 8 thousand years old. The amazing Indian people lived on its territory. Which were divided into several social classes. Where priests played an important role. Although historians do not know who ruled such an amazing state. The Indians had their own language and script. Their letters cannot be deciphered by scientists to this day. The ancient Indians gave humanity such agricultural crops as cotton and sugar cane. They made a thin fabric of chintz. They have tamed the world's largest animal, the elephant. They worshiped and believed in different gods. Climate of ancient India. Animals were deified. Along with the gods, the Vedas, the Sanskrit language and the Brahmins were revered as the guardians of culture and sacred knowledge. Brahmins were considered living gods. This is very interesting state and people.

ancient state of india

Location and nature. In the south of Asia, behind the Himalayan range, there is an amazing country - India. Its history goes back almost 8 thousand years. However, modern India differs in size from ancient country under the same name. In terms of area, Ancient India was approximately equal to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Iran, Syria, Phenicia and Palestine combined. In this vast area there were various natural conditions. In the west, the Indus River flowed, it rained relatively infrequently, but in summer there were large floods. Vast steppes spread out here. In the east they carried their waters to Indian Ocean the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. It always rained heavily here, and the whole land was covered with marshy swamps and impenetrable jungle. These are dense thickets of trees and shrubs, where twilight reigns even during the day. The jungle was inhabited by tigers, panthers, elephants, poisonous snakes and great amount a variety of insects. The central and southern parts of India in ancient times were mountainous spaces, where it was always hot and there was a lot of rain. But the abundance of moisture was not always a blessing. Dense vegetation and swamps were a big obstacle for ancient farmers armed with stone and copper axes. Therefore, the first settlements appear in India in the less wooded north-west of the country. The Indus Valley had another advantage. It was closer to the ancient states of Western Asia, which facilitated communication and trade with them.

State formation in ancient India

While scientists have little information about social order and culture of Indian cities. The fact is that the writing of the ancient Indians has not yet been deciphered. But today it is known that in the III and the first half of the II millennium BC. e. in the Indus Valley was single state with two capitals. These are Harappa in the north and Mohenjo-Daro in the south. The inhabitants were divided into several social classes. It is not known exactly who ruled the state. But priests played a big role. With the decline of the Indian state, the public organization also collapsed. Writing has been forgotten. Appearing in the middle of the II millennium BC. e., the Aryans brought with them their public organization. It was based on the division of society into "ours" (Aryans) and "strangers" (dases). Using the right of the conquerors, the Aryans gave the Dasas a dependent position in society. There was also a division among the Aryans themselves. They were divided into three estates-varnas. The first and highest varna was the brahmins - priests, teachers, guardians of culture. The second varna is the kshatriyas. It was made up of the military nobility. The third varna - vaishyas - included farmers, artisans and merchants. At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. the fourth varna, the sudras, also appeared. It means "servant". This varna included all non-Aryans. They were obliged to serve the first three varnas. The lowest position was occupied by the "untouchables". They did not belong to any of the varnas and were obliged to do the dirtiest work. With the development of crafts, the growth of population and the complication of social life, in addition to varnas, an additional division into professions appeared. This fragmentation is called division into castes. And in a certain varna, like a caste, a person fell by birthright. If you are born in a brahmin family, you are a brahmin; if in a sudra family, you are a sudra. Belonging to one or another varna and caste determined the rules of behavior for every Indian. Further development Indian society led in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. to the emergence of kingdoms headed by rajas. (In ancient Indian "raja" means "king".) At the end of the 4th century. BC e. formed in India mighty empire. Its founder was Chandragupta, who stopped the advance of the army of Alexander the Great. This power reached its highest power under the grandson of Chandragupta Ashok (263-233 BC). Thus, already in III-beginning II millennium BC. e. India had a state. It not only was not inferior in its development, but at times surpassed Egypt and Mesopotamia. After the decline of Indian culture and the arrival of the Aryans, the social order ancient Indian society. Its culture was created by the Aryans with the participation local population. At this time, a caste system is formed. A mighty empire arose. Modifying, the ancient Indian culture has existed to this day.

economic life

Already in the III millennium BC. e. The main occupation of the inhabitants of the Indus Valley was agriculture. They grew wheat, barley, peas, millet, jute and, for the first time in the world, cotton and sugar cane. Animal husbandry was well developed. The Indians raised cows, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, elephants. The horse came later. The Indians were well acquainted with metallurgy. The main tools of labor were made of copper. Climate of ancient India. Knives, spear and arrowheads, hoes, axes and much more were smelted from it. It wasn't a secret to them. art casting, master stone processing, alloys, among which special place took bronze. The Indians knew gold and lead. But iron at that time they did not know. The craft was also developed. Important role spinning and weaving played. The craftsmanship of the jewelers is impressive. They worked precious metals and stones, ivory and shells. High level achieved maritime and land trade. In 1950, archaeologists found the first port in history for anchoring ships at low tide. The most active trade was with the Southern Mesopotamia. Cotton and jewelry were brought here from India. Barley, vegetables, fruits were brought to India. Were trade relations with Egypt and the island of Crete. Probably the Indians exchanged with neighboring nomadic peoples and even built a city on the Amu Darya River. With the decline of Indian culture froze economic life. Appeared in the middle of the II millennium BC. e. The Aryans were nomads and lagged far behind the Indians in economic development. The only thing in which the Aryans were ahead of the Indians was in the use of the horse. Only at the turn of II - I millennia BC. e. the new population of India - the Indians - again switched to agriculture. Crops of wheat, barley, millet, cotton and jute appeared. The farmers of the Ganges River valley gathered especially large crops. Along with horse and cattle important place an elephant took over the household. With its help, people successfully fought the impenetrable jungle. Metallurgy is developing. Having quickly mastered bronze, already at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. Indians learned how to mine iron. This greatly facilitated the development of new lands previously occupied by swamps and jungles. The craft is also being revived. Again, a prominent place in the economy is occupied by pottery and weaving. Indian cotton fabrics were especially famous, products from which could be threaded through a small ring. These fabrics were very expensive. In honor of the goddess of arable land, Sita, they were called chintz. There were also simpler cheap fabrics. Only trade remained at a low level. It was limited to the exchange of goods between neighboring communities. Thus, the ancient Indians gave humanity such agricultural crops as cotton and sugar cane. They have tamed the world's largest animal, the elephant.

CULTURE OF ANCIENT INDIA

Languages ​​and writing of ancient India. AT end III millennium BC. e. India was a major power with a highly developed culture. But it is not yet known what language the inhabitants of the Indus Valley spoke. Their writing is still a mystery to scientists. The first inscriptions of the Indians belong to the XXV - XIV centuries. BC e. The Indian script, which has no similarity, has 396 hieroglyphic characters. They wrote on copper tablets or clay shards, scratching written signs. The number of characters in one inscription rarely exceeds 10, and the largest number is 17. Unlike the language of the Indians, the language of the ancient Indians is well known to scientists. It's called Sanskrit. This word means "perfect". Many originated from Sanskrit modern languages India. It contains words similar to Russian and Belarusian. For example: Vedas; shveta - holy (holiday), brahman-rahmany (meek). The gods and brahmins were considered to be the creators of Sanskrit and its keepers. Every person who considered himself an Aryan was obliged to know this language. "Aliens", both Shudras and untouchables, had no right to learn this language under pain of severe punishment.

Literature

Nothing is known about the literature of the Indians. But the literature of the ancient Indians is a huge heritage for all mankind. The oldest works of Indian literature are the Vedas, written between 1500 and 1000 BC. BC e. The Vedas (literally - wisdom) are sacred books in which all the most important knowledge for the ancient Indians was recorded. Their veracity and usefulness have never been disputed. The whole spiritual life of the ancient Indians was created on the basis of the Vedas. Therefore, the Indian culture of the 1st millennium BC. e. called the Vedic culture. In addition to the Vedas, Indian culture has created a wide variety of works. All of them were written in Sanskrit. Many of them are included in the treasury of world literature. Climate of ancient India. The first place in this series belongs to the great poems "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana". The Mahabharata tells of the struggle of the sons of King Pandu for the right to rule the kingdom. The Ramayana tells about the life and deeds of Prince Rama. The poems describe the life of the ancient Indians, their wars, beliefs, customs and adventures. In addition to the great poems, the Indians created wonderful fairy tales, fables, myths and legends. Many of these works, translated into modern languages, are not forgotten to this day.

Religion of ancient India

We know little about the religions of the ancient Indians. However, it is known that they believed in the mother goddess, the three-faced cattle breeder god, and some species of flora and fauna. Among the holy animals, the bull stood out. There was probably also a cult of water, as evidenced by the numerous pools in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. The Indians also believed in the other world. We know much more about the religions of the ancient Indians. Vedic culture created two great religions of the East at once - Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism originates from the Vedas. It is the Vedas - the first and main sacred books of Hinduism. Ancient Hinduism is different from modern. But this different stages one religion. Hindus did not believe in one god, but revered many. Chief among them were the god of fire Agni, the formidable god of water Varuna, the god-helper and guardian of all Mitra, as well as the god of gods, the great destroyer - the six-armed Shiva. His image is similar to the ancient Indian god - the patron of cattle. The idea of ​​Shiva is proof of the influence of the culture of the local population on the beliefs of the newcomers of the Aryans. Along with the gods, the Vedas, the Sanskrit language and the Brahmins were revered as the guardians of culture and sacred knowledge. Brahmins were considered living gods. Approximately in the VI century. BC e. appears in India new religion, which was destined to become global. It is named after its first supporter Buddha, which means "enlightened". Buddhism has no belief in gods, does not recognize anything that exists. The only saint is the Buddha himself. Long time there were no temples, priests and monks in Buddhism. The equality of people was proclaimed. The future of every person depends on correct behavior in society. Buddhism spread very quickly in India. In the II century. BC e. Buddhism was adopted by Emperor Ashoka. But at the beginning of our era, Buddhism was forced out of India by Hinduism and began to spread in more eastern countries. It was at this time that the main sacred book of modern Hinduism appeared - the Bhagavad Gita - the Divine Song. A hunter and two doves (an excerpt from the "Mahabharata" in the retelling of Y. Kupala) There lived a hunter in India. Without pity he wove birds in the forest to sell them in the market. He separated bird families, forgetting the law of the gods.

INTERESTING ABOUT INDIA
Excavations at Mahenjo-Daro

In 1921-1922. great work has been done archaeological discovery. Three kilometers from the Indus River, archaeologists have excavated a city. Its length and width were 5 km. It was protected from the floods of the river by artificial embankments. The city itself was divided into 12 roughly equal quarters. They had flat, straight streets. The central quarter was raised to a height of 6-12 m. The elevation, made of clay and mud brick, was defended by square brick towers. It was main part cities.

The social structure of the Indian according to ancient laws

For the sake of the prosperity of the worlds, Brahma created from his mouth, hands, thighs and feet, respectively, a brahmana, a kshatriya, a vaishya and a sudra. For each of them, certain classes were established. Learning, studying sacred books, sacrifice for oneself and sacrifice for others, the distribution and receipt of alms Brahma established for the brahmins. Brahman is always first. The protection of subjects, the distribution of alms, sacrifice, the study of sacred books and non-adherence to human pleasures Brahma pointed out to the kshatriyas. But under no circumstances is a kshatriya entitled to take more than a fourth of the harvest of his subjects. Cattle breeding, almsgiving, sacrifice, study of sacred books, trade, money matters and agriculture Brahma gave to the Vaishyas. But only one occupation Brahma gave the Shudras - serving the first three with humility.

Conclusion

Summing up, we can say that we know a lot about India. Although in the history of this ancient state there are still a lot of white spots that will nevertheless someday be revealed to us. And everyone will learn about the greatness of Ancient India. World literature will receive priceless works of Indian authors. Archaeologists will excavate new cities. Historians will write interesting books. And we learn a lot. We will pass on our knowledge to the next generation without loss.

India is one of ancient civilizations planets. The culture of this country influenced both neighboring countries and regions thousands of kilometers away from Hindustan. Indian civilization originated at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. e. In archeology, it is commonly called Proto-Indian or Harappan. Already at that time there was a written language, cities (Mohenjedaro, Harappa) with a well-thought-out layout, developed production, centralized water supply and sewerage. Indian civilization gave the world chess and decimal system reckoning. Achievements of the ancient and medieval India in the field of science, literature and art, various religious and philosophical systems that originated in India influenced the development of many civilizations of the East and became an integral part of modern world culture. India is a huge country in southern Asia, stretching from the icy peaks of the Karakorum and the Himalayas to the equatorial waters of Cape Kumari, from the hot deserts of Rajasthan to the swampy jungles of Bengal. India is also magnificent beaches on the ocean coast in Goa and ski resorts in the Himalayas. The cultural diversity of India strikes the imagination of anyone who first arrived here. Traveling around the country, you understand that diversity is the soul of India. It is worth driving a few hundred kilometers, and you notice how the terrain, climate, food, clothing and even music have changed, art, crafts. India can dazzle with beauty, captivate with hospitality, puzzle with contradictions. Therefore, everyone has to discover their own India. After all, India is not just another world, but many different worlds merged into one. The country's constitution alone lists 15 main languages, and total number languages ​​and dialects, according to scientists, reaches 1652. India is the birthplace of many religions - Hinduism, comparable to the layer of Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Islam, Christianity), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. At the same time, India is the largest Muslim country- third place in the world in terms of the number of followers (after Indonesia and Bangladesh). India - federal state(according to the constitution - a union of states). India has 25 states and 7 union territories. States: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. The seven union territories include the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagarhaveli, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puttucci (Pondicherry). The head of state is the president. Practically executive power carried out by the prime minister. The capital of India is Delhi. The area of ​​the republic is 3.28 million sq. km. The country borders in the west with Pakistan, in the north with China, Nepal and Bhutan, in the east with Bangladesh and Myanmar. From the southwest it is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, from the southeast by the Bay of Bengal.

India is a country with unique traditions (Ancient India). The history of India is the history of a whole civilization. And the culture of India is a unique achievement of mankind The geography of India is vast. The country is striking in diversity natural areas. India can be conditionally divided into four parts. North India is first and foremost unique city Delhi (state capital). The most incredible architectural monuments are collected here, the leading place among which is occupied by numerous religious buildings. Moreover, in Delhi you can find temples of literally all world religions. By the number of museums, the city will easily bypass any capital of the world. Be sure to visit National Museum, Archaeological Museum of the Red Fort, National Gallery contemporary art, National Museum natural history and others. At your service there will be thousands of outlets, unique oriental bazaars with their indescribable color, familiar to us from children's fairy tales, which you should definitely plunge into. If you prefer a holiday by the sea, then Western India and Goa are for you. It is in this state that there are numerous beaches, magnificent hotels, a lot of entertainment complexes, casinos and restaurants. South India- is the most densely populated part of the country, the location of hundreds of ancient Tamil temples, colonial forts. There are also sandy beaches. Eastern India is associated primarily with the city of Calcutta, administrative center state of West Bengal and most big city countries in the top ten largest cities peace. To travel to this country, you need a visa, for which you will have to visit the Indian Embassy. And one more piece of advice. India is a country next to which is the mysterious Nepal, do not forget about the tour. You are already dreaming of India.

Where there are morals without enlightenment, or enlightenment without morals, it is impossible to enjoy happiness and freedom for a long time.

India is a huge peninsula, almost a mainland, separated from the outside world by two oceans and the greatest mountain range on earth - the Himalayas. Few mountain passes, gorges and river valleys, such as the valley of Kabul, connect India with neighboring countries.

The central part of India, the so-called Deccan, is considered the most ancient part of the peninsula. Geologists believe that there was southern mainland that stretched from Australia to South Africa and covered a number of countries, the remnants of which are now Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula. The plateau of the Deccan includes mountainous and steppe regions, jungles and savannahs, in places poorly adapted for human life, especially in areas with a dry climate.

The most favorable and convenient for the resettlement of people and for early development culture turned out to be vast areas of northern India, the large alluvial plains of the Indus and the Ganges and their tributaries. However, the distribution of precipitation here is very uneven and sometimes insufficient for the development of agriculture. In Northern India, rainfall increases towards the east, and towards the west in the Deccan. In those areas where there was little rain, the population already in antiquity resorted to artificial irrigation, especially in Northern India, where the large and full-flowing rivers Indus, Ganges and their tributaries flow.

Fertile soil and mild climate contributed to the emergence of agriculture in some areas of North India, as well as in a number of other areas. coastline India is comparatively little indented. The Indus Delta is silty and inconvenient for navigation. The sea coasts of India are in many places too high and steep, or, conversely, too flat and low.

The southwestern Malabar coast, well protected by mountains, with its rich tropical vegetation and wonderful climate, was, as it were, created by nature itself for human life. On the west coast there are lagoons suitable for navigation. Here in ancient times the first trading settlements arose, the first sea ​​routes leading to the distant western world.