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India is a country that cannot be comprehended with the mind, it must be felt with the heart. Through the scents of spices on the streets of Mumbai, through prayers pouring from the temples in Varanasi, through the smiles of strangers on the train to the sunny south.
This journey is about the deeply hidden: about temples forgotten by history in the depths of centuries, about love immortalized in white marble, about the mysterious, multi-layered India that excites the imagination and conquers the heart.

Ukraine and India maintain diplomatic and economic ties in the fields of trade, pharmaceuticals and IT technologies. India is also an important educational destination for Ukrainian students. Support for Ukrainian refugees here is limited, since India is not among the main receiving countries, but individual initiatives help those seeking temporary shelter.

Some interesting facts about India.

• India is not just a country with many languages ​​- there are 22 official ones, and more than 19 thousand dialects! But if you speak English or Hindi, you will not have any language problems here.
• India is the birthplace of yoga, which originated more than 5,000 years ago. This is not just a modern trend, but a deep philosophy that originated in ancient sacred caves, on the roofs of ashrams and under the shade of banyan trees. They still practice real complex yoga here – about body, mind and soul.
• India is the second largest producer of tea in the world. But the main thing is not the quantity, but the ritual. Tea here is a lifestyle. A small clay cup of masala tea with the aroma of cardamom and a friendly smile of the seller – and you already feel happy.
• Bollywood releases more films than Hollywood. Singing, tears, endless love stories, explosions and stunning stunts – all this is on the screen and in the soul of every inhabitant of this hot temperamental country.
• The caste system still affects society, although officially it has been abolished. This is a complex and delicate topic that requires respect and a deep understanding of the cultural context through the prism of centuries.
• Traditional clothing: sari for women, dhoti or kurta for men. Saris, decorated with gold and colors, are draped as they were done hundreds of years ago. An explosion of colors, textures, a variety of accessories and jewelry – there is no place for gray, dull and gloomy.
• India is actively developing its space program, having recently landed a mission to the moon. Yes, and this is next to the sacred cows that roam here at every step. India is a real country of contrasts.

10 Useful Phrases for Tourists:

1. Namaste – Hello
2. Shukriya/Dhanyavaad – Thank you!
3. Haan/Nahi – Yes/No
4. Kripaya – Please
5. Kya aap angrezi bolte hain? – Do you speak English?
6. Mujhe madad chahiye – I need help
7. Ye kitne ka hai? – How much does it cost?
8. Kaha ja sakta hai? – Where is it?
9. Maaf kijiye – Excuse me
10. Pani kahan mil sakta hai? – Where can I get water?

Incredible places in India that you definitely need to visit.

Lost temples – where mysticism and the spirit of past centuries are intertwined in every pebble:

• Kailasanatha, Ellura – A temple that was not built – but was carved directly into a solid rock. It is considered one of the most outstanding cave temples in the world due to its size, architecture and sculptural design. A real rock masterpiece with details that amaze even modern architects.
• Mehrauli, Delhi – Necropolises, gins, shrines – this historical area hides various secrets that no guide will tell. Be sure to visit on a foggy morning – the atmosphere is truly unrealistically mystical and mysterious.
• Sikkim and the monasteries in the clouds – Far in the northeast of the country is a world where time flows differently. The monasteries of Rumtek, Pemayangtse, Tashiding are places of power where you can finally stop, delve into your own essence and find your true self.
• Taj Mahal – an eternal song of love, forever engraved in stone – is not just architecture. It is love that has survived even death. It is white marble, which turns pink every morning and amber in the evening. This is the place where silence has more meaning than any eloquent words.

Places that are not in standard guidebooks, but they will forever change your worldview:

• Rann of Kutch, Gujarat – A salt flat that mysteriously glows in the moonlight. During the Rann Utsav festival, a whole tent city appears here, music is heard from everywhere and the magic of combining the extravaganza of the holiday with nature takes place.
• Havelock Island, Andaman Islands – White sand, turquoise sea, and absolute silence, which is not even in Goa. The perfect place to relax from thoughts, immerse yourself in depth of your thoughts, contemplate nature and find your own peace in this stormy world.
• Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand – Alpine endless green meadows covered with millions of flowers. A reserve home to many rare species of animals, accessible only on foot and only in summer – from June to October, due to its inaccessibility. It is a boundless green paradise at an altitude of 3658 meters above sea level.

Traditional Indian cuisine.

There are countries where food is just ordinary food. And then there is India. Here, each dish is a separate story. It is an extravaganza of taste, aroma and color that makes you close your eyes with pleasure.
Indian cuisine is an orchestra of spices. Turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cloves, mustard seeds, asafetida, fennel, ginger, fresh mint, chili pepper – the list is endless.

The most popular dishes and drinks:

Biryani is not just a dish, it is a love poem created by fragrant basmati rice, spices and meat that simply melts in your mouth. Chicken, lamb or vegetables are marinated in yogurt with spices, then all this is combined in layers with rice, saffron and fried small onions. Biryani is cooked slowly, in a closed pot – so that no aroma escapes. And so, in each region of India, biryani is different: Hyderabadi is spicier, Lucknowi is milder, and the Kolkata version is with a boiled egg!

Thali is a large metal dish with a bunch of small bowls, each of which is a new story of taste. Here, dal, curry, chutney, rice, and roti… sweet, salty, sour, spicy – everything is nearby, in one dance of flavors. Thali is like the Indian soul: irrepressible, generous, multifaceted. Ideal for those who can’t choose one thing because they want everything at once.

Dosa is a fermented pancake made of rice and lentils, fried until golden brown. Rolled up into a roll or triangle, it hides spicy potato masala inside. Serve it with coconut chutney and sambar, a spicy vegetable soup. Dosa is a traveler’s breakfast that wants lightness, flavor, and a bit of southern sunshine on a plate.

Pani Puri – tiny crispy balls of dough filled with potatoes, chickpeas, spicy sauce, tamarind and “pani” – water with spices, lemon and mint. One sip – and a real explosion in your mouth! They are served on the street – quickly, cheerfully, one at a time. And before you have time to eat one, the generous seller is already pulling the next one.

Samosa – a modest-looking triangle with a golden, crispy crust, which hides a real variety of taste inside. Potatoes, green peas, spices, a little hot chili, cumin seeds … and sometimes meat or paneer cheese. It is prepared right on the street – fried in a large cauldron right in front of your eyes, served hot, with tamarind chutney or mint sauce. And you don’t notice how you eat one… and then two more. And on and on…

Masala chai is a fragrant ritual. Black tea, milk, sugar, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon — all this boils together until the air is filled with aroma, warmth and comfort. It is drunk at stations, in tea stalls, in homes — always in small sips, savoring it without haste, with cookies or just with heartfelt, calm conversations.

Lassi – can be sweet with mango, salty with cumin, spicy or with fresh mint. Sometimes they also add rose water, saffron or even nuts — like in street cafes in Amritsar. A real refreshing salvation for a traveler in the scorching heat.

Toddy is a low-alcohol drink made from palm sap, which is extracted from the flowers of the coconut or date palm. It is often served in simple peasant taverns in southern India – somewhere in Kerala or Tamil Nadu, in clay pots, next to a plate of curry.

Advice to travelers:

Don’t go for the standard perfect Instagram pictures. Go for sincere communication with extraordinary people, for incredible mystical stories, for bright and contrasting sensations.
India does not like those who are in a hurry – it opens up to those who know how to stop and look deeper.

This is a journey that does not end with a return ticket. Because a piece of your heart will forever remain there, among the smell of turmeric, the sounds of temple bells and in the expressive gaze of a woman in a bright sari, in a noisy market under the scorching sun of this incredibly contradictory country!
India is a country that surprises with its diversity. It combines modernity and tradition, poverty and luxury, the noise and frenetic rhythm of megacities and the majestic tranquility of temples.

Visiting India means plunging into a world of unique culture, where everyone will find something for themselves: from ancient historical monuments to fragrant exotic cuisine and picturesque landscapes.