Incredible India: Life & Landscapes

The world’s second most populations nation, home to a thousand million people and the place of origin of millions more in other lands. An ancient civilisation with a memory bank added to and drawn upon continuously for 4,000 years and more. For the greater part of history, hailed as the world’s richest country, accounting, for a third to the globe’s natural resources-its pepper and pearls, sugar and cotton, diamonds and sandalwood, teak and steel-much sought after. Admired for its wisdom and philosophical insights as well as its contributions to astronomy and mathematics-a notable example being the concept of zero. The only country to give its name to a whole big ocean. Its ports teemed with vessels of many countries. Finding a passage to India was an obsession with sailors and adventurers, resulting in the discovery of two new continents. Cradle of four of the world’s great religions-Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and a trusting host to four other faiths-Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and Islam. Famed for its tradition of tolerance and respect for all faiths.