The Incredible INDIA

Nearly five thousand years back flourished India's first major civilisation along the Indus River valley. The twin cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa now in Pakistan were ruled by priests and held the rudiments of Hinduism. These civilisations are known to possess a sophisticated lifestyle, a highly developed sense of aesthetics, an astonishing knowledge of town planning and an undecipherable script language. The Indus civilization at one point of time extended nearly a million square kilometres across the Indus river valley. It existed at the same time as the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Sumer but far outlasted them. Surviving for nearly a thousand years the Indus valley civilisation fell to tectonic upheavals in about 1700 BC, which caused a series of floods.
The coming of the Aryans around 1500 BC, gave the final blow to the collapsing Indus Valley civilisation. At the dawn of Vedic ages the Aryans came in from the North and spread through large parts of India bringing with them their culture and religious beliefs. The Four Vedas or the important books

In 567 B.C. the founder of the Buddhist Religion Gautama Buddha was born. During this time lived Mahavira, who founded the Jain Religion. The Indian subcontinent is full of caves and monuments devoted to these religions and are worth a visit.

Two hundred years later, in the 4th century B.C., Emperor Ashoka, one of the greatest King of Indian history, led the Mauryan Empire to take over almost all of what is now modern India. This great leader embraced Buddhism and built the group of monuments at Sanchi (a UNESCO world heritage site). The Ashoka pillar at Sarnath has been adopted by India as its national emblem and the Dharma Chakra on the Ashoka Pillar adorns the National Flag.

They were followed by the Guptas in the north, while in the south part of India several different Hindu empires, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Cheras spread and grew, trading with Europe and other parts of Asia till the end of the 1100s.

Christianinty entered India at about the same time from Europe. Legend has it that St. Thomas the Apostle arrived in India in 52 A.D. Even earlier than that people of the Jewish religion arrived on India's shores.

In approximately the 7th century A.D. a group of Zoroastrians, or Parsees, landed in Gujarat and became a part of the large mix of religions in India today, each of which adds its important and distinctive flavour.

In the 15th century Guru Nanak laid the foundation of the Sikh religion in Punjab.

India is set apart from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas, the highest, youngest and still evolving mountain chain on the planet. The subcontinent as it is rightly called, touches three large water bodies and is immediately recognizable on any world map. This thick, roughly triangular peninsula defines the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian sea to the west, and the India Ocean to the south.

India holds virtually every kind of landscape imaginable. An abundance of mountain ranges and national parks provide ample opportunity for eco-tourism and trekking, and its sheer size promises something for everyone. From north to south India extends a good 2000 miles (3200 km), where the island nation of Sri Lanka seems to be squeezed out of India like a great tear, the synapse forming the Gulf of Mannar.
Himalayas, the world's highest mountain chain and Nepal as its Neighbouring country dominate India's northern border. Following the sweeping mountains to the northeast, its borders narrow to a small channel that passes between Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, then spreads out again to meet Burma in the "eastern triangle." Apart from the Arabian Sea, its western border is defined exclusively by Pakistan.

North India is the country's largest region begins with Jammu and Kashmir, with terrain varying from arid mountains in the far north to the lake country and forests near Srinagar and Jammu. Moving south along the Indus river, the North becomes flatter and more hospitable, widening into the fertile plains of Punjab to the west and the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and the Ganges river valley to the East. Cramped between these two states is the capital city, Delhi.

The states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and part of the massive, central state of Madhya Pradesh constitute West India. Extending from the Gujarat peninsula down to Goa, the west coast is lined with some of India's best beaches. The land along the coast is typically lush with rainforests. The Western Ghats separate the verdant coast from the Vindya Mountains and the dry Deccan plateau further inland.

India is the home of the sacred River Ganges and the majority of Himalayan foothills, East India begins with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, which comprise the westernmost part of the region. East India also contains an area known as the eastern triangle, which is entirely distinct. This is the last gulp of land that extends beyond Bangladesh, culminating in the Naga Hills along the Burmese border.

Art & Culture Classical Dance and Music

Classical Dance and Music

Indian Classical Dance "..abstraction of Upanishadic thought which is assiduously translated in to well designed concrete language of artistic media."

It all started with Natya Shastra

Said to be written 2000 years ago by Bharata Muni, it is the seminal source book for dancers and performers. The mammoth book covers all technical and aesthetic aspects of the art of the Indian Theatre and Dance.

From the purpose of natya, to the architectural format, stage rituals, Rasa, Bhava, Abhinaya, gestic communication, music, types of instruments. 37 chapters that together form the nucleus of this fascinating performing art. Later century works like Abhinaya Darpana, Abhinaya Chandrike, also have great relevance to the dancer today.

Sculpture Comes To Life

Temples were raised to the house the Gods and became the focal point for the community. They also became centres of learning and contributed to the advancement of such arts as sculpture, painting, music and dance. Mostly built by Kings, who were also the patrons of arts, encouraging a continuity and enriching rituals of worship, the earliest basis of the classical performing arts.

It was from the temple that the Devdasi cult (Temple Dancers who performed for the Lord) began. Once a practice countrywide - the Kulvantalu in Andhra Pradesh, the Maibi in Manipur, the Devdasi in Tamil Nadu and the Mahari in Orissa, all trace their roots to the temple. The countless sculptures of dance poses in the temples, hint at the potency of dance as a path to spiritual exaltation and lays out a complete lexicon of dance techniques.

For instance, it is said that the greater part of vocabulary of Odissi dance is preserved in stone.

A rich heritage to be brought alive by the artist.

In a country as diverse and complex as India, it is not surprising to find that people here reflect the rich glories of the past, the culture, traditions and values relative to geographic locations and the numerous distinctive manners, habits and food that will always remain truly Indian. According to five thousand years of recorded history.

From the eternal snows of the Himalayas to the cultivated peninsula of far South, from the deserts of the West to the humid deltas of the East, from the dry heat and cold of the Central Plateau to the cool forest foothills, Indian lifestyles clearly glorify the geography. The food, clothing and habits of an Indian differ in accordance to the place of origin.
Indians believe in sharing happiness and sorrow. A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or a home. The whole community or neighbourhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an occasion. A lot of festivals like Diwali, Holi, Id, Christmas, Mahaveer Jayanthi are all celebrated by sharing sweets and pleasantries with family, neighbours and friends. An Indian wedding is an occasion that calls for participation of the family and friends. Similarly, neighbours and friends always help out a family in times of need.
Ethnically Indians speak different languages, follow different religions, eat the most diverse varieties of food all of which add to the rich Indian culture.The beauty of the Indian people lies in the spirit of tolerance, give-and-take and a composition of cultures that can be compared to a garden of flowers of various colours and shades of which, while maintaining their own entity, lend harmony and beauty to the garden - India!


The Colourful mosaic of Indian festivals and fairs - as diverse as the land, is an eternal expression of the spirit of celebration. Observed with enthusiasm and gaiety, festivals are like gems ornamenting the crown of Indian Culture. They are round the year vibrant interludes in the mundane routine of life.

Every season brings along new festivals, each a true celebration of the bounties of the rich traditions followed for time immemorial. That's not all! The birthdays of Gods and Goddesses, saints and prophets, great historical happenings and the advent of the New Year, all find expression in colourful festivities. The same festival, though celebrated differently in the various parts of the country, exhibits an eternal harmony of the spirit of celebration.

Packed with fun and excitement, festivals serve as an occasion to clean and decorate houses, to get together with friends and relatives and to exchange gifts. New attire, dance, music and rituals- all add to their joyful rhythm. It is a time for prayer, for pageantry and procession…a time to rejoice, in celebration of life.




The Indian cuisine boasts of an immense variety not restricted to only curry. An authentic Indian curry is an intricate combination of a stir-fried Masala - a mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes; various spices and seasonings with which meat; poultry, vegetables or fish is prepared to produce a stew-type dish. Note: the word Masala also means spice.

Food in India is wide ranging in variety, taste and flavour. Being so diverse geographically, each region has its own cuisine and style of preparation. Indian cuisine, renowned for its exotic gravies seems complicated for any newcomer. The Mughlai cuisine of North differs sharply from the preparations of the south. The Wazwan style of Kashmir is luxurious but the same can be said about Bengal's Macher Jhol, Rajasthan's Dal Bati, Uttar Pradesh's Kebabs and Punjab's Sarson Ka Saag and Makki di Roti. In India, recipes are handed down from generation to generation.
The unique and strong flavours in Indian cuisine are derived from spices, seasonings and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Most of the spices used in Indian cooking were originally chosen thousands of years ago for their medicinal qualities and not for flavour. Many of them such as turmeric, cloves and cardamoms are very antiseptic, others like ginger, are carminative and good for the digestion. All curries are made using a wide variety of spices.

India is a land of a variety of linguistic communities, each of which share a common language and culture. Though there could be fifteen principal languages there are hundreds of thousands dialects that add to the vividness of the country.

18 languages are officially recognized in India of which Sanskrit and Tamil share a long history of more than 5,000 and 3,000 years respectively. The population of people speaking each language varies drastically. For example Hindi has 250 million speakers, while Andamanese is spoken by relatively fewer people.

Tribal or Aboriginal language speaking population in India may be more than some of the European languages. For instance Bhili and Santali both tribal languages have more than 4 million speakers. The vividness can be ascertained by the fact that schools in India teach more than 50 different languages; there are Films in 15 languages, Newspapers in 90 or more languages and radio programmes in 71 languages!

Indian languages come from four distinct families, which are: Indo-European, Dravidian, Mon-Khmer, and Sino-Tibetan. Majority of Indian population uses Indo-European and Dravidian languages. The language families divide India geographically too.

The Indian telecommunications Network is the fifth largest in the world and is the second largest among the emerging economies of Asia.

Today it is the fastest growing market in the world. Private operators have made mobile telephony the fastest growing (over 164% p.a.) in India.

With more than 33 million users (both CDMA and GSM), wireless is the principal growth engine of the Indian telecom industry. Intense competition between the four main private groups - Bharti, Hutch, Tata and Reliance and with the State sector incumbents-BSNL and MTNL has brought about a significant drop in tariffs.

The Government has played a key enabling role by deregulating and liberalising the industry, ushering in competition and paving the way for growth.

PrEiTy ZiNtA'S Profile

Name : Preity Zinta Petname : - Address : C/10A, Ranwar, Waroda Rd, Off. Hill Rd, Bandra (W), Mumbai - 400050 Date of Birth : 31st January, 1974 Height : 5' 5" Family : - Hobbies : - Debut Film : Dil Se (1998)

Awards	Filmfare Best Debut Award for Dil Se (1998), Star Screen Most Promising Newcomer - Female Award for Soldier (1998), Zee Cine Best female Debut for Soldier (1998), IIFA Best Actress Award for Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Filmfare Best Actress Award for Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003).
Preity, a graduate in criminal psychology, was born in Simla. Her father died when she was thirteen, in a car accident in which her mother was bed ridden for sometime. She has two brothers, one year younger and one year older than herself. Pretty, cheerful, outspoken and a bit extra-ambitious of her career, Priety takes a lot of care in choosing her roles. Preity started her career as the wet and cool model in the Liril ad. Shekhar Kapoor, well known director, liked her in the ad and cast her in his film 'Tara Rum Pum'. But unfortunately the film never took off. However, her name was already doing the industry rounds. Preity's first release was Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se' (1998) opposite Shahrukh Khan. In the film her role though small, was noticed and won her rave reviews. Her next film 'Soldier' (1998), was also a hit. She played an impish, spoilt rich girl with great conviction in the film. Next she performed the role of a gritty young CBI trainee in search of a dreaded killer in Sangharsh (1999). Critics began to take notice of her after her performance in Kya Kehna (2000). She followed her success with a string of movies including 'Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega' (2000), 'Mission Kashmir' (2000) and 'Farz' (2001). Her roles in 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' (2001), 'Dil Chahta Hai''Dil Hai Tumhara' (2002), was appreciated and liked by all. But she really hit the highway in 2003 with great performances in 'The Hero', 'Armaan' and two smash hits 'Koi Mil Gaya' and 'Kal Ho Na Ho'. With these hits she became an actress to reckon with, in Bollywood. (2001) and She followed her success in 2004, with memorable performances in 'Lakshya' and 'Veer Zara'. Veer Zara was an emotional love saga typical of Yash Raj productions. Priety looked elegant and portrayed her role of a Pakistani woman with grace. The year 2005, began with a flop 'Khullam Khulla Pyar Karen', for Priety but she made it up with a big hit, 'Salaam Namasthe', which was inspired by the English flick 'Nine Months'. Media shy about her personal life, Priety has been linked with a few of her co-stars but has always dismissed them as rumours. She dated Marc Robinson, one of the hottest models in India for sometime but later broke up with him. She is currently dating the heir to the Bombay Dyeing company, Ness Wadia. Her screen presence, charm and down to earth nature has made her the favorite actress of almost all the directors and producers. Preity Zinta with her famous dimpled smile has come a long, long way from her modelling days to being one of Bollywood's most sought-after actresses today. Luckily for Preity, 'Dil Se..' was her first release. The film bombed at the box-office, but Preity's dazzling smile and pleasant disposition in a small but significant role left behind a decidedly happy impression. With 'Dil Se..' Preity had already proved she could act. 'Soldier' (1998) and 'Sangharsh' (1999) have merely reiterated this fact. In the former she played an impish, spoilt rich girl with great conviction. In the latter she was equally at ease executing the part of a gritty young CBI trainee in search of a dreaded killer. She made a mark in the industry with her film "Kya Kehna". She's hit the highway 2003 year with two good performances The Hero and Armaan and one big hit Koi... Mil Gaya. The road ahead looks even better, plum projects with Yash Chopra, Karan Johar and Farhan Akhtar have taken care of that. Recently seen in movies 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' & 'Lakshya'. However, Preity, a relentless self-improver, doesn't take her success lightly. Or too seriously either, for that matter. Maybe that's why she enjoys it so much. Preity, a graduate in Psychology, is so pretty, outspoken and a beautiful actress-dancer who keeps smiling all the time with a dimple on her right cheek. She acted in one movie in Tollywood too. She dated Marc Robinson, one of the hottest models in India, Model and TV anchor (2001) now, broke up with Marc Robinson.

My favourite Hero Profile--HRITHIK ROSHAN

http://www.hrithikrules.com/profile.php

Hrithik Roshan

Born on January 10, 1974 to then film star Rakesh Roshan (now producer/director) and wife Pinky, Hrithik (aka Duggu) grew up in the world of cinema, not truly understanding the hardships that one must endure to achieve success in the industry.

As a child, Hrithik's idol was none other than Papa Roshan, and he knew even then that one-day, he'd follow in dad's footsteps and pursue a career in acting as well. Being the grandchild of Producer J. Om Prakash, Duggu debuted in films as a child when he played a role in his Nana-ji's movie Bhagwan Dada. Later, he also danced for a song sequence in his grandfather's Aasha (starring Jeetendra).
Hrithik attended Sydneham College (with longtime friend Uday Chopra) and earned his Bachelor's Degree in B'Comm. While Mama and Papa Roshan wanted Hrithik to continue his post-graduate education abroad, Duggu had other plans in mind
Determined to prove himself as an actor, Duggu enrolled himself in Kishor Namit Kapoor's acting classes without informing his parents until months later. He wanted to reach his potential before showcasing his talent to his family, and then the world. Wanting to learn everything about cinematography and acting, he worked with his father during the production of Koyla and Karan-Arjun. Later, he even helped his father during the scripting stages of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, not knowing that his papa had chosen him for the lead role.

When Rakesh Roshan told his son that he'd be doing the film, after the initial shock of the news subsided, Duggu asked his father for six months to prepare for the role. Hrithik got his wish, Rakesh-ji got a superstar actor, and in January of 2000, the world got a brand new idol.
After the release of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, Hrithik's name instantly got penciled in on the top directors' list of "actors to sign for upcoming film". The big shots of the film industry began to approach him with scripts left and right. Hrithik became and instant success and while the world around him put him on a plateau, this boy-next-door was trying to figure out what all the hype was about. Even at the prime of his success, Duggu kept his feet firmly glued to the ground.

Hrithik's family and friends, including then longtime girlfriend Sussanne Khan, were extremely proud of this shy boy that they watched turn into an amazing actor. Never had they dreamed that his first performance would earn Hrithik a Filmfare not only for best newcomer, but best actor as well.

It wasn't until after the success of KNPH, once he was financially stable, that Duggu decided to marry his one true love. On December 20th, 2000, Hrithik managed to get a few days off from the camera in order to wed Sussanne at her father's Golden Palm's Resort and Spa in Bangalore. Many hearts around the world were broken that day, but marriage only seemed to help increase appeal.

As a newcomer, he signed films with all the big banners, and although not all of his films were successful, Hrithik has grown as an actor in each one. After KNPH, critics raved about his performance in both Fiza and Mission Kashmir. With each of his first films, the audience's demand for excellence increased, and with that, Hrithik's need to meet the expectations of his fans. Unfortunately, a few of Hrithik's next films flopped due to poor story line and bad scripting. Even so, Duggu gave 200% to every role he did, and all of his performances, regardless of the movie's overall success at the box office, were liked among critics and fans alike. These flops only gave Hrithik a reason to work harder, to prove himself again.
He did so with Koi Mil Gaya - his second project with Papa Roshan. In a time when the media wrote him off, the father-son duo went beyond all borders of Hindi cinema with Bollywood's first Sci-Fi film. Hrithik's performance as the mentally challenged Rohit got him accolades not only from critics and fans, but also from the film fraternity. As Papa Roshan said at the 2004 Filmfare awards, the same critics that wrote him off were now giving him an award.

With his most recent film Lakshya, Duggu has only continued to excel at his talent. Though Farhan Akhtar's second film didn't bring in the box office collections that his directorial debut did, Hrithik's performance had the critics talking once again.

In 2006, the world watched and waited as Hrithik prepared to deliver the sequel to 2003 success Koi Mil Gaya, Krrish and also a sequel to 2004's blockbuster Dhoom, Dhoom 2. And prove himself he did, as the hardworking actor continues to do time and again. Rising higher and higher like a phoenix with every character he gives life to. Surpassing expectations every time. With Krrish the father and son team again crossed boundaries to go where no Hindi film has gone before, giving India its first celluloid superhero. Children and adults alike immediately fell in love with the caped, masked hero performed with panache by Hrithik, arguably the only actor in the entire industry who could carry off such a role on his mighty shoulders so very convincingly. Hrithik also reiterated his talent for double roles by playing the characters of both the young Krrish and his aging father Rohit with remarkable ease. The movie went on to become one of the year's biggest blockbusters.

And if he rescued the world from miscreants in Krrish, in Dhoom 2 he proved his versatility by playing the silver screen's most dashing and enthralling thief. As Mr A, Hrithik oozed confidence and style, thrilling women and men, young and old alike with his stylishly planned heists, mesmerising charisma and a body sculpted to sexy perfection! The entire movie-watching world buzzed with the unanimous opinion - that Dhoom 2 was fantastic because Hrithik Roshan was fantastic. Hrithik's effect on movie goers was like a intoxicating drug, making us go back again and again to enjoy the rush one more time! In spite of a late release in the year, Dhoom 2 too became the year's biggest hit. With Krrish and Dhoom 2 smashing box office records all over, Hrithik once again earned himself critical and popular acclaim and awards from all corners of the globe. Today he has re-affirmed his place as one of the highest earning actors in the industry. He is without doubt one of the most deserving.

From one drastically different role to another, Hrithik's latest project will see him in the role of an emperor when a piece of history is brought to life in Ashutosh Gowariker's period drama Jodha Akbar. We await the film in complete confidence that Hrithik will give as much authenticity to his first historical character as he has to so many roles in his short career.

NUCLEAR DEAL.........

Ten years ago, India conducted nuclear tests in defiance of international opposition from a world that fears the proliferation of nuclear weapons. It was India's assertion that it had become a de facto nuclear power. Now the United States has decided that India's use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes makes it another story altogether. It has agreed to move forward with a Congressional vote on a deal to allow India to obtain nuclear power generating technology and nuclear fuel from the United States.

India, with its rapidly expanding economy, faces a serious shortage of electric power, which it hopes to alleviate through nuclear power plants. It reached a basic nuclear power generation agreement with the United States in 2006.

For the United States, the deal provides more nuclear business opportunities. At the same time, it apparently wants to attract India, a major regional power, as an ally for political and economic reasons.

However, little progress had been made in the two years since the basic agreement was reached because of strong opposition from factions in India's ruling coalition, including small anti-American political parties.

To break the deadlock, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took the drastic step of reshuffling the coalition, surviving a noconfidence vote this week. He apparently hopes to expedite the accord process and seal the deal before U.S. President George W. Bush's term expires in six months.

While President George W. Bush has signed into law new legislation passed by Congress to enable the controversial U.S.-India nuclear cooperation deal, the agreement has come under flak in India's parliament, and a massive confrontation has broken out between its supporters and opponents.

The supporters say the deal offers India the best chance to get its nuclear weapons status accepted and legitimized by the great powers even if it compromises India's sovereignty. According to them, the deal also holds the key to India's long-term energy security.

For 25 years India endured its exclusion for not signing the NPT and was barred from any civilian use nuclear technology and materials. Later US politicians, to placate Pakistan, even blamed India for starting a nuclear arms race. In short, India was ignored. Although China was no better economically then, yet it was welcomed as one of the World powers.

Political Benefits to US

With a few strokes of pen, President Bush eliminated a major Cold War irritant from the scene. India is not politically and diplomatically aligned with US as Europe is, but India as a strategic partner in ensuring safety of sea-lanes of the Indian Ocean is very valuable. At the moment as long as US stays in Iraq and Afghanistan, the world will perceive US as a big bully. A major regional power, with a different outlook than the European and the US is needed to cool the tempers off. India has to step in to prevent further sliding of the Middle East into anarchy.

What does India get out of the Deal?

Benefits to India are immense with this deal. First and foremost, is the de-facto recognition of India as a nuclear power? It is not clearly stated in the deal, but it�s an implicit understanding. India missed this opportunity in 1970-78. It is unlikely that this opportunity is to be missed again. Second, is future recognition of India as a permanent UN Security Council member? India has tried this in last three years. It has not succeeded. It is unlikely to succeed in next 10 years. But with a Trillion and a half dollar economy (8% growth over ten years), India will make this grade. When UN reforming movement gains strength in the future, India will be right there and waiting for this opportunity.

Economic benefits to India

There is an urgent need in India for capital to build its infrastructure and manufacturing base. And there is only one source to get it i.e. US & Europe. US and Europe at this moment are content with sending capital to China to supply them with consumer goods. The former very cleverly had avoided exporting manufacturing technology to supply high priced, high technology capital goods to China. This component together with auto-parts, pharmaceuticals and computer hardware could herald India into big leagues in ten years and beyond. Commercial Aircraft manufacture, ship building, factories to make giant power plants, steel making plants, mining & drilling hardware, petroleum & petrochemical plant building facilities could be ultimately shared with India. The latter within ten years will have a workforce sufficiently skilled to undertake all the foregoing. It will be beneficial to US. Labor costs in India, will always stay a third of US, and European costs. That will make India an ideal candidate for this technology transfer.

Opportunity of the KPO (Knowledge Process Off-shoring) is knocking at India�s door. Indian graduates of Science and Engineering will play a major role in this expansion. In about 5 years KPO Off-shoring will grow immensely. India stands to benefit most from it. Thanks to the edge, Indian science & technology graduates have established.

US Congress and its Support

The support of US Congress is crucial to the deal. This is a major headache, Bush Administration have to deal with. Currently, US Nuclear Lobby Group has the ear of the US Congress. The latter has become hostage to its past fallacies. They enacted bad laws in the past and are having difficulty modifying them. Now it is for the US Congress to redeem itself by changing the bad laws.

Conclusion

Thanks to diplomatic and political skills of President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, we have a deal which could lift India into the Trillion-dollar club, faster. They both have worked hard. Ten years from now when electricity supply situation in India�s households, industry and farms is significantly better, we have to thank them both.