Music in India : Music knows no boundaries" so says a popular proverb and perhaps no country symbolizes this fact better than India does. India is not only the land where people of different faiths and religions live in harmony but it is also the land where diverse musical notes and strings produce riveting symphony.

Musical heritage tour of India is a unique kind of experience that takes one beyond the obvious. Musical heritage of India touches the inner core of a tourists' heart and takes them to a higher plane. There are so many aspects of the musical heritage of India that one needs a lifetime to understand the nitty-gritty of Indian music. But it takes just a few notes of the Sitar or Santoor to sway one. India has a musical heritage that believes in touching the soul. Come on the musical heritage tour of India and get swayed by the soothing power of the rich musical heritage that India is endowed with.

Indians seem to have an uncanny knack for music and one could find music for every occasion in India. Be it a child birth, wedding, or death, music is an important part of the Indian way of life. So much so, the musicians here have different ragas for different times of the day. One could even listen to raga Megh Malhar especially sung to please the Rain Gods and raga Deepak to light the lamps. There is an interesting tale associated with these ragas, it is said that during the reign of Akbar, his famous court musician Tansen was believed to have lit lamps by singing the raga Deepak and brought the rain showers by singing raga Megh Malhar.
 

The kind of music one gets to listen to in India varies from classical, semi-classical, folk and film music. There are two main forms of music prevalent in India, North Indian Hindustani music and South Indian Carnatic music. Hindustani Film music is perhaps what most people like in India but there are certain pockets of the country where folk or traditional music holds sway. Every year a number of music festivals take place in different corners of India. Most of the times, the venues for these festivals are some important heritage monument, such as the Taj Mahal, Konark Temple, Humayun Tomb etc. These festivals not only provide an opportunity to listen to some of the most respected names in Indian music but also offer a chance to see these performances in the backdrop of some beautiful monuments.

Some of the music festivals that take place every year include Sangeet Natak Akademi's festival, New Delhi, Tansen Festival, Gwalior (December), Sur-Sringar Festival, Bombay (November), Tyagaraja Festival, Tiruvayyaru, near Tanjavur (January) and Shanmukhananda Music, Dance and Drama Festival, Bombay (December). Coincide your tour to India with some of these festivals and enjoy the musical heritage of India with Heritage in India.

Dances of India/ Art, Crafts and Sculpture in India : India is endowed with a rich cultural legacy of art and architecture. The numerous beautiful temples and other monuments bear testimony to the rich Indian cultural heritage of art and architecture. The Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, the Khajuraho temples in Madhya Pradesh, Konark Temple in Puri, Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu and the Taj Mahal in Agra are some of the beautiful monuments that reflect the rich architectural heritage of India. Indian Handicraft is another of form of art that has made a mark among tourists in India. Heritage tour of India is one of the best ways to discover the Indian arts and crafts.

Indian art and craft has a number of different aspects to it. These aspects of Indian art and craft vary from region to region. And every region has a unique art form attached to it. The art and crafts of India includes painting, sculptures and handicrafts. Painting as an art form was quite popular during ancient times and the Ajanta Ellora caves and Khajuraho temples are classic examples of this form in ancient times. Indian paintings can be divided into two main categories as the murals and miniatures. Murals are referred to large works of art on the walls and solid structures while miniature paintings are the works of art executed on a small scale like on the paper or cloth. Rajasthani and Mughal paintings are the two examples of miniature paintings.

Some of the popular painting forms include the Tanjore Painting of Tamil Nadu, Madhubani Painting of Bihar, Kalamkari Painting of Andhra Pradesh and Pithoro Painting of Gujarat.

Another hallmark of Indian art and craft is the sculptures that adorn many temple walls. The sculptures in various places in India reflect the talent and creativity of Indian artisans. The rock cut art of sculpting was believed to be perfected by the Buddhists and followed by Hindu rulers. The sculptures that we see in many temples and other historic places are made of granite and terracotta.

Handicraft is another feature of the rich Indian art. There are a number of handicraft items that one can shop when on a tour to India. Some of the handicrafts items that are popular in India are carpets, marble table tops, hand made leather items and hand block printed items, blue pottery, semi-precious stones and Kundan jewellery.

Festivals of India : No matter which time of the year you tour India, there is always one or the other festival being celebrated in some corner of the country. In fact festive season is the best time to tour India. Heritage tour of India takes one to different parts of the country and provides an opportunity to get a glimpse of Indian culture and festivals. India is the land of different faiths and religions and that is exactly what adds variety to Indian festivals. But festivals in India are not confined to religions only, there are festivals to celebrate a good harvest, welcome a season, celebrate a historical or mythical event. Besides, India has a few national festivals like the Independence Day and Republic Day that are a treat to watch.
 
Gaiety, color, enthusiasm and feast are what define festivals in India. In fact festive occasions are best time to travel and make merry. India has a number of festivals that are celebrated through out the year. If Lohri celebrates the end of cold days and chilly nights in January, Holi in March-April is the time to color your loved ones with different kinds of colors. These two festivals are mostly celebrated in North India.

January is also the time to see virtually entire India converge at New Delhi, the capital of India for republic day celebrations. The Republic Day celebration on the 26th of January is a treat to watch. The Republic Day parade is in fact the best way to get a glimpse of the rich cultural diversity of India without even traveling to remote corners of India. The marching bands, soldiers on caparisoned camels and on foot, school children and folk artists present a colourful extravaganza. Beating the Retreat ceremony brings down curtains on the Republic Day celebrations two days after the Republic Day is yet another opportunity to enjoy melodious tunes played by the Armed forces band. The republic day celebrations are not confined to the capital only but are marked in all parts of the country. The other national festival-Independence Day on the 15th August is also celebrated in all parts of the country.

India has a number of festivals that are celebrated in different parts of the country. If Diwali, Dusshera and Holi are the main festivals celebrated in North India, South India celebrates Onam and Pongal. Bihu is the main festival of Assam in the north-east of India. Apart from these popular festivals there are other important festivals that draw tourists from across India and abroad. Some of the most wonderful festivals that you can enjoy include Kullu Dusshera in Himachal Pradesh, Hemis festival in Leh Ladakh and Bastar Dusshera in Chhattisgarh. Discover the land of myriad culture on heritage tour of India with Heritage in India.