Hey, do you have any plans for your next vacation? How about seeing India? Hold on now! Just because it might feel like it’s a world
away (both figuratively and literally!), that doesn’t mean it isn’t a tourist-friendly
country. And more importantly, a trip to India won’t
cost you nearly as much as you’d think! _____
But first, you didn’t think I’d talk about India and not mention the majestic Taj Mahal,
did you? This famous Indian landmark has been one of
the Seven Wonders of the World for quite some time, and seeing this architectural marvel
in-person makes it pretty clear why. The construction was commissioned in 1632,
and it’s believed that it took up to 21 years to complete the entire project. I know you’ve heard of this monument, but
did you know that it’s a mausoleum? Yeah, the emperor at that time, Shah Jahan,
had this marble structure built to house the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Kinda sad she never got to see this ivory
masterpiece built just for her. _____
Since we’re on the topic, here’s a fun fact: there was an infamous Indian conman
who repeatedly “sold” different landmarks in the country, including the Taj Mahal and
the Parliament House of India! He was arrested as many as 9 times but somehow
managed to escape from prison multiple times. During his final escape, he was already 84
years old. Aside from the fact that he was breaking the
law, ya gotta admit, that’s kind of impressive! _____
Anyway, some tourists hope to avoid the crowds at major tourist attractions like the Taj
Mahal and prefer to take the road less traveled. However, alone time might be hard to come
by in India. With around 51 births every minute (that’s
over 73,000 a day!), this country has one of the fastest-growing populations in the
world. Roughly half of India’s population is under
the age of 25, also making it one of the world’s youngest populations. India alone holds more people than the entire
Western Hemisphere, and with so many people comes a colorful tapestry of cultures, religions,
and languages, which brings me to my next point…
_____ There are about 780 languages spoken in India,
but some sources put it in the thousands. Whatever the case, only 22 have been recognized
as official languages. Good thing English is in the mix too! India has one of the largest numbers of English-speaking
people in the world, 2nd only to the US. This means you can enjoy this super diverse
country without needing a translation app on your phone each time you wanna stop for
lunch or buy a souvenir. _____
Oh, that’s right! Your smartphone is obviously your closest
traveling companion because, let’s face it, taking pictures is probably the easiest
way to document your adventures abroad. You’ll be happy to know that cell service
and mobile Internet is very cheap in India. So, there’s one reason why your trip won’t
cost you nearly as much as you’d think. You can share every experience and discovery
with your friends and family back home without breaking your budget. That alone should put this fascinating country
at the top of your bucket list of places to visit!
_____ Ok, now for another reason India won’t leave
you with moths flying out of your wallet: the food there is so cheap! Check it out: if you go to a restaurant and
order a whole meal with chicken or even fish, your bill could be as little as $1! As for a cup of tea, it’ll cost you about
20 cents. I mean, can you imagine filling your belly
for under 5 bucks? Sign me up! Given that you’ll be saving so much on dining,
you can dedicate more of that limited budget to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, something
that India offers in abundance… _____
Actually, one of these is the food itself. In case you haven’t heard of the Land of
Spices, India produces around 70% of the world’s supply. That means each authentic local meal will
be an adventure itself! Hopefully your stomach will be strong enough
to tackle the rich variety of flavors! And for those of you with sensitive taste
buds, here’s a pro tip: take small bites to test the intensity of the spice before
biting off more than you can handle! _____
I also have some good news for traveling vegetarians that may be hesitant about the availability
of meals suited for your dietary needs. India is also well known for being a vegetarian-friendly
country. This is partially thanks to religious beliefs,
but it’s mostly just a personal choice there out of respect for living beings. A State of the Nation Survey in 2006 showed
that up to 31% of the Indian population is vegetarian, and another 9% do eat eggs but
no forms of meat. So enjoying local cuisine isn’t reserved
only for meat-eaters. Like I said before, this is a diverse country
with enough variety to suit anybody! _____
Did you think I forgot about you, sports lovers? Well, if you love sports as much as experiencing
new cultures, watching a live cricket match can be a way to enjoy both. Cricket is the most popular sport in the country,
much like soccer in Europe or football in the US. So why not get your hands on a ticket to a
local game, pack a picnic basket, and spend the day outdoors among locals to get a taste
of true Indian sport culture! _____
The Ganges River provides another outdoor activity for nature lovers while still keeping
the focus on experiencing the culture. The Ganges is the longest river in India and
serves as a hub of activity in this country. This activity includes dolphin-watching as
the Ganges Dolphin is unique to this river. Unfortunately, their numbers are drastically
decreasing due to increasing pollution. Let’s hope environmentalists can find a
way to protect these creatures for future generations to enjoy when visiting India!
_____ Again, you can’t talk about India without
mentioning one of the many massive ceremonies that take place there. One of the most popular is the Kumbh Mela
gathering, which is so big that it’s visible from space! Kumbh Mela is the two-month mass pilgrimage
of those of Hindu faith to bathe in the Ganges. The host city of Allahabad welcomed a staggering
120 million visitors in 2013 and a whopping 30 million on a single day! Even if you’re not into crowds, you should
still try to buck up and witness this incredible event. I mean, at least you’ll be able to say you
were present at the world’s largest gathering of people! Bragging rights!
_____ Kumbh Mela is one of many festivals celebrated
in the Indian culture, but the brightest has to be the color festival Holi. It celebrates love, the start of spring and
end of winter, and the triumph of good over evil in a very delightful way. People take to the streets to drench each
other with water and colored powder. Everyone celebrates together in a spectacular
display of good humor and, of course, lots of color! Now, I’m not usually one for a crowd, but
this just seems too good to miss! _____
As a matter of fact, color plays a very important role in Indian culture. It’s apparent from the traditional clothes,
festivals, local cuisine, and even their currency! Yes, with a handful of rupees, you’ll quickly
see their bright colors and variations in sizes. Even if the notes’ designers didn’t do
it on purpose, they seem to symbolically celebrate the diversity of this nation. Indian bills also have Braille markings so
that blind people can read their values. How considerate!
_____ Another fun fact on the topic of Indian money:
it’s illegal for foreigners to take rupees in or out of the country. Sorry for the bad news to any of you coin
collectors that like to keep different types of money as a souvenir from your travels. So, yeah, not just a fun fact but one you
should take note of to avoid any trouble with local authorities! There’s no limit on the amount of foreign
currency you can bring with you on your visit, as long as you declare any amount over 5,000
US dollars in cash. But, then again, who’s carrying that kinda
cash on them anyway? _____
Now, Queen fans might be aware of this tidbit, but let’s see if you are! Did you know that the iconic band’s frontman
Freddy Mercury was of Indian descent? His name at birth was Farrokh Bulsara, and
both of his parents were from Bombay! Mercury himself, of course, was born in Tanzania,
but still! _____
From beautiful music to beautiful people, India has the highest number of winners for
the Miss World competition with a total of six! Only Venezuela has produced the same amount
of title-holders since the beauty pageant’s start in 1951. The most recent Indian Miss World was Manushi
Chhillar in 2017. So in addition to the delicious food and fun
festivals, you’ll also be in the presence of people whose beauty is recognized worldwide!
_____ If you get tired of the hustle and bustle,
you could also take a day and kick back with some old-school board games. You familiar with Chutes and Ladders? Well, this popular classic dates back to ancient
Indian times and was known as ‘Moksha Patam’. It made its way to England, where it was sold
as Snakes and Ladders. The name changed to the one we know today
when it was first introduced to the US. The idea of the game was to teach kids the
difference between good virtues and bad vices, represented by the ladders and shoots respectively. Thanks for the good childhood memories, India! So, would you like to go to India? Let me know down in the comments, along with
any other fascinating facts you know about this country! And don’t forget to give this video a “like,”
share it with your friends, and click “subscribe” to stay on the Bright Side of life!
