People of India

People of India India has been defined as a 'Country of Caravans". The country has seen the arrival of diverse groups, races and religious communities from the very beginning. Aryan, Chinese, Turkish, Arabs, Mongols and Europeans came here and merged in great Indian nation. India is the only country of the world where you will experience such a diverse kind of amalgamation of the people. It is very difficult to fine out any single origin of Indian People. Generally, it is believed that the Ramapithecus species which were found in the Shiwalik foothills of north western Himalayas were the first in the line of hominids (Human Family) lived some 14 million years ago. According to anthropologists, species resembling the Austrapithecus lived in India some two million years ago. Since Ramapithecus, we find an evolutionary gap of 12 million years. There are sufficient reasons to call India a world in itself. During the last 1000 years, various tribal groups of the world and civilized nations came in India. They absorbed the way India live and also influenced It. Today, around 1,065,070,607 lives in the lap of Mother India. All these Indian people attribute several identities, all of them attractive and worth to be explored. They can be classified on the basis of races, regions, languages and religions. As per race is concerned, people of India belong to 6 main ethnic groups: Negrito, Proto - Australoids or Austrics, Mongoloids, Mediterranean or Dravidian, Western Brachycephals, Nordic Aryans. Negroids The Negritos also known as the Brachycephalic (broad headed) migrated from Africa in earlier period of India and settled in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Some of them include Jarawas, Sentinelese, Onges and the Great Andamanese. Pro-Australoids or Austrics Pro-Australoids or Austrics was the race of unique physical structure. It laid the foundation of Indian civilization. Now, these races are found in some parts of India, Myanmar and the islands of South East Asia. Their language is survived in the Central and Eastern India. Mongoloids Mongoloids are people with yellow complexion, oblique eyes, high cheekbones, sparse hair and medium height. They are found Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Ladakh etc and northern part of Bengal. Dravidians Founder of the city civilization of the Indus valley, Dravidian consist south Indian people. They came India before the Aryans. They are further classified into sub groups like the Paleo-Mediterranean, the true Mediterranean, and the Oriental Mediterranean. Western Bracycephals Bracycephals are broad headed people living mainly on the western side of the country such as the Ganga Valley and the delta, parts of Kashmir, Kathiawar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Parsis and Kodavas are also included in this race. Nordics or the Indo-Aryans The Indo-Aryans constitute around 72 per cent of the Indian people. It was the last racial group to immigrate to India. They came to India somewhere between 2000 and 1500 B.C and now they are mainly found in the northern and central part of India. Religious Stratification of India People Another classification of the Indian people can be according to their religions. The majority of the Indian people (81.3%) consists of Hindu religion. It is the largest population of Hindu any where in the world. Sikh (1.9%), Buddhist (0.7) and Jains (0.5%) are other religions which have their origin in the soil of India. Islam (12%) and Christian (2.3%) are two other religions which came from out of India and had a very deep impact on the culture and traditions of India. There are some other religions which constitute 0.4% population of India.

LUXURY TOURS OF INDIA

When I was on tours of India. I decided to visit Taj Mahal, a beautiful poem on white marble in Agra. Then I proceeded to my tour to ranges of great Himalya through pilgrimages centers of Uttaranchal.

Silently then, I climb to the Vice regal Palace. So called, because it was built to house the British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, when he came visiting the Maharajah of Garwhal. There, I will join the others’ beginners in yoga, if not in life’ and in various stages of disrepair. Soon, the lilting Indian English of our gentle-soled yoga guru floats over our mutated cobra positions "Drop your body, drop your body. Hold it, hold it. You can do it. Relax, relax." As we lay on the ballroom's Persian rugs in our corpse positions, our guru opens the French doors to let the Himalayan mists drift over us.

Winding back down through gardens of jasmine and roses, temples and waterways, it's off to breakfast among the trees. Far below in the valley, the towns of Rishikesh and Haridwar bustle on the banks of the Ganges. Rishikesh is where the Beatles came in the 60's to find their guru. It's called the yoga capital of the world and along one whole side of the river is all temples and ashrams. Haridwar, known as "gateway to the Gods" is one of India's most sacred cities, both destination and beginning of many pilgrimages. Its ashrams cater to the more orthodox yoga practitioners maintaining strict rules on silence and prayer.

This misty, mystical place is home to Ananda-in the Himalayas, a 'holistic healing sanctuary' that could easily be mistaken for a top-notch resort, romantic destination or historic property. It's about four and a half hours by train north of Delhi and an hour's ride from the train station, climbing and winding up the lower Himalayas to 4000 feet. It's on the Maharajah of Garhwal's estate. He's the area's current Member of Parliament and lives mostly in Delhi, but continues to maintain his palace. Ananda leases land and the Viceregal Palace from him.

This palace, restored to its former glory, is now given over to reception, afternoon tea accompanied by Indian musicians, billiards on the oldest table in India also more oldest than Taj Mahal, lingering among the Maharajah's paintings and books and, on chilly mornings, yoga. A Vice regal Suite’ a sure winner for an extraordinary honeymoon'is up a staircase of hand-carved Burma Teak. Its marble bathrooms, three fireplaces’ including one in a bathroom’ a large private terrace and Jacuzzi all have views.

Ananda's sanctuary spreads down the mountain from the Vice regal Palace through manicured lawns and small temples that are havens for outdoor yoga, meditation and teas. Mountains and streams, faraway towns and gathering clouds fill the views from Ananda's spa, restaurant and rooms. Even a swim in the pool feels like a glide through the wild but not a actual wild life.

The five-story building which houses the guest rooms steps down a ridge in such a way that only the top few stories are visible. The balconies of many rooms hang above the valley. Subtle and sensuous, the rooms are of polished wood and lush fabrics in sea-foam and putty, granting this vista its due. If it's cool on the balcony, the view from the warmth of the deep green marble bath is sublime

Ayurveda, a 5000 year old Indian system of healing and health, is at the heart of Ananda. While full western spa facilities and treatments are available, most of the guests this week are following an Ayurvedic program starting with a private health evaluation by an Ayurvedic doctor. We each learned which body type (dosha) we had and received suggestions about getting and staying healthy. The doctor then sent his recommendations to the spa and kitchen staffs who planned our treatments and meals based on them.

Thus, I wander through slowly-structured spa days. Massages start with elixirs prepared just for me and end with warm oil tickling my forehead. Yoga's at dawn and meditation's at sunset. In between are treks around the Maharajah's estate to discover its nature and history, elegant spa meals to nourish both body and spirit and many quiet moments to take it all in. Four days at Ananda has rested my soul, unkinked my body and expanded my mind'small wonders, perhaps, in the sacred Himalayas, but treasured no less.