Background: The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.
May 10th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra Well I originally held off publishing this next blog until I had enough new material, but it now turns out I have more than enough!! In the past month I've been travelling a lot for work, including go ... 30 photos[full story]
April 29th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra We are now starting our tourist part of the trip and we had a tour guide, who took us to see the Red Fort, which is just up river Yamuna from the Taj Mahal, where the early mogul emperors lived in the ... 1 photos[full story]
April 30th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra Today we were away at 5.45am to see the sunrise over the Taj Mahal. This was well worth the effort and we saw all the different colours and all the views before it got too busy and too hot. It was alr ... 3 photos[full story]
April 19th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra Jamas arrived on Thursday night. I went to the International Airport and waited for a little over an hour. Jamas' flight was a little late and I waited in a little seated area while mosquitoes swirl ... 57 photos[full story]
May 1st 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra The next day we headed to Agra - home of the Taj Mahal. Seeing the Taj is what initially motivated me to visit India so I was really excited to get there. I had been refusing to look at any images o ... 11 photos[full story]
May 1st 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra Well it's been a long time since I've updated this blog and a ridiculous amount of water is under the bridge. I had meant to at least send a final update on India before I left for Bhutan - but the s ... [full story]
April 30th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra Today has been an extraordinary day. Jason and I have had our highest highs and lowest lows to date, all within the last 15 hours. But before all that, I would like to send out a huge trans-continenta ... 12 photos[full story]
April 29th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra So, half way through writing this blog, there was a power cut (an hourly occurence in our hotel in Agra, during which time the fans stop, the air-conditioning ceases, and we slowly start to suffocate ... [full story]
April 17th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra Jess and I thought for the length of our trip on how to describe India to all of you, but as usual you have to see it to believe it. Those of you who have visited other developing countries will be a ... 11 photos[full story]
January 11th 2008Asia » India » Uttar Pradesh » Agra The Taj Mahel is well camouflaged by the dirty, noisy, tourist area surrounding it. Even standing one block from it, you wouldn’t know it was there unless you were at one of the many rooftop re ... 6 photos[full story]
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