India: the sights of the republic. India: interesting facts

Mysterious and amazing India ... On its expanses there was one of the oldest civilizations, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism were born. In this article we will talk about the structure of this country. Consider the national-territorial division of India, as well as tell about the main attractions and holidays.

Republic of India. Type of government

India has long struggled for its independence, being a colony of Britain. In this connection, the question often arises: "Is India a monarchy or a republic?". The country, gained in the eighteenth century, gained independence only in 1947. Since then, the state has taken a course toward democratic development and active development of the country as a whole.

India is a republic, a federal state, which is defined by the constitution as a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic. The head of state is the president. India is a parliamentary republic with two chambers, represented by the State Council (upper house) and the People's Chamber (lower house).

The states and territories represent the national-territorial division of the Republic of India. So, in the state there are 29 states that have their own bodies of executive and legislative power. The national-territorial division of India also implies the existence of territories. In total there are 7 territories in the country, which are actually represented by six territories and one capital district of Delhi. They are governed by the central government of India.

Population and language of India

The Republic of India, with a population of one sixth of the world population, is one of the most multinational countries. The country has about 1.30 billion people, and researchers predict that soon it will overtake China in number.

The language of Hindi is the state and the most common, it speaks more than 40% of the inhabitants. Other popular languages are English, Punjabi, Urdu, Gundzharti, Bengali, Telugu, Kannadi, etc. The Indian states have their own official languages.

The majority of the population profess Hinduism (almost 80%) in second place in the prevalence is Islam, then the Christian religion, Sikhism and Buddhism.

India has a high unemployment rate. With a billion more inhabitants, economically active people only 500 million About 70% represent the sphere of agriculture and forestry, and almost half of the people living in the cities are engaged in the service sector.

Ancient States and Society

Protostates were formed on the territory of India as far back as the I millennium BC, eventually transforming into more confident state formations with a monarchical system of government. However, along with the monarchy in various sources, the parallel existence of the Indian republics is often mentioned.

The republics of ancient India are sometimes called Kshatriya or oligarchic republics. They often fought with monarchies for the supremacy of power. The power in the republics was not hereditary, and the elected rulers could be displaced, in cases of dissatisfaction with their work.

Even then, the social division of society into castes took place in the republics, leaving a deep imprint on the history of the state of India (caste division still exists in the villages). The greatest privileges in the society were representatives of the oligarchy, who wore the title "raja". To obtain the title it was necessary to pass a special sacred rite.

It is interesting that the highest caste was initially considered to be brahmanas - clergymen. In monarchies, this custom was maintained. Kshatriyas are warriors, guards and in all cultures they usually occupied the second, if not the third, place after the high-ranking persons. In the ancient Indian republics, the ksatriyas fought with the brahmanas for their supremacy, and sometimes forced the brahmanas to obey them.

Indian castes

Modern Indian society still honors the old traditions. The social division that developed in ancient times is still valid today. The people of India are subject to conditional laws, which are prescribed separately for each caste, now they are called varna.

In India there are four main varnas. The highest level, as in the ancient monarchies, is occupied by the brahmanas. Earlier they were clergymen, and now, they teach in the temples, devote themselves to spiritual development and enlighten the population. They can not be engaged in work and eat the food that people have prepared, belonging to another caste.

The Kshatriyas stand a step below. Usually they occupy administrative posts or associate themselves with military affairs. Women from this caste are forbidden to marry a man who is lower in rank. This prohibition does not apply to men.

Vaishya has long been farmers and traders. In modern Indian society, they have changed their occupation too much . Now Vaisya can hold positions related to finances.

The most dirty work was always sudra. As a rule, these were peasants and slaves. Now they represent the poorest segment of the population living in slums.

Another caste is called "untouchables", which includes all rogue states. They, at the social level, stand even below the shudras. Untouchables, already inside the caste, are divided into separate groups. For example, there is a group that includes gays, bisexuals, and hermaphrodites. Such people often entertain representatives of other castes on various festivals.

The only people who do not belong to any caste and are truly considered outcasts - pariahs - are those who are born from people from different castes. They are not allowed to appear in stores, in public transport.

Republic of India: attractions

The most famous place is undoubtedly the Taj Mahal - a marble mausoleum, which, according to legend, the Indian ruler built in memory of his beloved wife. Snow-white domes, tangled patterns, walls decorated with precious stones and paintings, a park with an amazing column gallery.

However, this is not all that the Republic of India boasts. The sights of this country include both various architectural constructions and natural beauties. For example, the waterfall Dudhsagar, which is considered the largest in India. It is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats and is surrounded by inimitable landscapes.

Indian cities also open many interesting sites. In Delhi there is a Fortification fortification, the Red Fort, built in a special style and laid the foundation for the Mughal architecture.

In Mumbai, you can wander through Bollywood pavilions - the main site of the Indian film industry. The streets of the "pink city" you can take a walk in Jaipur. Here is the palace of Maharaja and Amber fort.

In the city of Calcutta, in addition to the famous Kali temple, there is the largest zoo in India and the Indian Museum.

Traces of antiquity

Many objects arose long before the emergence of the modern Republic of India. The first stupa in the world is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Stupa Sanchi built in the III century BC, in its image were built the remaining stupas. Stupa is a monument of early Buddhist architecture, every detail of it is symbolic. The foundation means the earth and people, and the hemisphere means the gods.

Among the ancient attractions are the cave temples in the state of Maharashtra. They were carved for several centuries by Buddhist monks, dating back to the 2nd century BC. There are about 30 stone caves in Ellora.

Temple Hampi in place of the ancient city of Vijayanagar, mentioned in the "Ramayana" - the ancient Indian epic. This place is often called the Abandoned City. The temple is valid and present. It is located among the high hills, consisting of huge boulders. According to the legends, the monkey Hanuman was cast here.

The old town of Gokarna consists of only one street, on which almost all the houses are wooden. Hindus believe that in this city the god Shiva rebelled from the bowels of the earth after the expulsion, so he is sacred.

The largest Buddhist community is in the so-called Small Tibet. There are three Buddhist temples and two monasteries here. Any traveler is accessible to the entrance, so you can see the service on your own eyes. In the Lesser Tibet, there is a Tibetan market and a handicraft center where you can join in the making of carpets.

Temples and tombs

One of the most interesting sights of the Republic of India are the tombs and temples. Humayun's tomb is not decorated with precious stones, unlike the above-named mausoleum, but it is its prototype. It is located in Delhi and is an example of Mughal architecture.

The shrine of Itemad-ud-Daula is also striking in its beauty. This is a quadrangular building, which is located on a small pedestal. Each corner is decorated with minarets up to 13 meters high. On the marble walls with the help of semi-precious stones lined with various images.

The Harmandir-Sahib Temple should also not be overlooked. It was built in the 16th century, and now it is a place of worship for the Sikhs. A narrow path leads directly to the center of an artificial lake, where the Golden Temple is located. The lake is surrounded by dozens of buildings, forming a fairly large architectural complex with the temple.

The temple of Virupaksha in the south of India dates back to the 7th century. It represents not one building, but a large temple complex. The tower of the main temple has 9 levels and rises 50 meters up. Nearby there is a sanctuary and a platform with columns. In this place pilgrims and curious travelers constantly come. It is especially interesting here during various festivals, for example, the wedding festival of Virupaksha and Pampa.

Urban slums

Having visited the Taj Mahal, it is absolutely impossible to say that I have visited India, because this is only one side of the life of this country. The other side is hidden in the slums of the big cities of the Republic of India. These areas are designed for the lives of the poor and live here for several million people.

The Dharavi Slum in Bombay was once considered the largest in the world. Here there are hospitals, schools and living quarters up to 10 square meters. M., Which sometimes live up to 20 people. The poorest inhabitants live in tents. Hindus are not very clean - they throw garbage directly on the street, next to the place of residence. Some, however, try to watch themselves, regularly washing and even cleaning in homes.

The general view of the slums still represents metal multi-storey plywood houses, tarpaulins ragged in an attempt to create a semblance of housing, and garbage. All activities, from cooking to laundry, in the slums are carried out on the street. The houses are designed to sleep. Waste is poured into specially equipped ditches with water.

Fans of extraordinary recreation find such areas quite picturesque and colorful. However, recently, in the slum areas, construction works are actively underway, and this zest soon may disappear from India.

Holidays and festivals

In connection with the multinational nature of the country, many religious holidays are celebrated here, except for them there are national holidays: Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi's Birthday. On the Day of the Republic of India (see photo below), they note the adoption on January 26, 1950, of the Constitution of the country, which indicates a final liberation from Britain.

Annually in India celebrate a holiday dedicated to the Ganges River - Gang Mahhotsava. In November, the city of Varanasi revives, on the banks of the sacred river people gather to swim in it. Local sing folk songs and dance. The main event is the launch of luminous lanterns along the river. Before this you need to make a wish, and if the flashlight burns for a long time, then the gods will necessarily perform the desired.

Diwali is another holiday of the Republic of India. Cities at this time are filled with light, which, according to legend, must overcome evil and setbacks. Everywhere lights are lit, garlands, candles, accompanied by noisy songs and parties.

This spring holiday - Holi - is celebrated in the beginning of March, and lasts five days. At this time, the effigy of Holikov is burned, and on the second day, colored powder and spices are poured onto each other, poured water, wishing happiness.

Interesting Facts

• Any manipulation of the import and export of local currency is prohibited by law.
• For all the large numbers of people, India stands first in the world in terms of the number of abortions.
• It is this country that is the ancestor of chess, algebra and geometry. The name "chess" used to sound like "Chaturanga" and was translated as four ranks of troops.
• The number of post offices here is greater than anywhere else in the world. This is surprising, because slum dwellers do not even have addresses.
• Appearing about 3 thousand years ago, Ayurveda is considered the first medical school in the history of mankind.
• Navigation appeared in India more than 6 thousand years ago.
• In India, "meet on clothes" and escort too. Since she talks about the social layer to which the person belongs. Important is the fabric, style and even color. The hairstyle of a woman also matters.
• There are about 1500 dialects of different languages in the country.
• Until the 1960s, it was permitted to use marijuana in India.
• Once Indian lightweight fabrics conquered the Roman emperors. They were even compared to the wind. These were the first cotton fabrics in the world.
• Freddie Mercury had Indian roots.
• Before submitting to Britain and becoming its colony, India was one of the richest countries in the world. That is why the seafarers dreamed of finding maritime routes to it.
• If the Indian shakes his head in different directions, as if reproaching you, do not worry, because this is a gesture of agreement.
• Most Indian cafes or restaurants do not have a menu, visitors often order long-familiar dishes.
• If there are no seats on the train, people climb the shelves intended for luggage.
• In many states it's customary to eat on the floor, not because of poverty, just a tradition.
• Kumbha-mela is a religious holiday, which is celebrated in India only once every 12 years.
• To pronounce the name of your husband in public is considered not quite decent, that's why you use various indirect forms "see", "look", etc.

Conclusion

India is a federal republic divided into states and territories. This is in many respects an interesting and incomprehensible country. Tourists visit the richest temples and mausoleums, and in the slums, in self-made houses of plywood live the poorest people. A rich history is displayed in fairly well-preserved temples dedicated to different religions. Thousands of pilgrims come here to see the ancient shrines, travelers hope to touch the past. Every year, happy and bright holidays and festivals are held here, full of lights, dances and folk music, naturally, supported by legends and myths.