India
Map:
Flag:
Language:
India has no national language. Hindi, with the largest number of speakers, is the official language of the government. English is used extensively in business and education and has the status of a “subsidiary official language.” There are 21 other local languages!
Religion:
The 2011 census reported that Hinduism (79.80% of the population) is the most popular religion, followed by Islam (14.23%). The remaining religions are Christianity (2.30%), Sikhism (1.72%), Buddhism (0.70%), Jainism (0.36%) and others (0.9%).
Population:
1.2 billion
Unique Animals:
Indian Rhinoceros
Asiatic Lion: I bet you didn’t know there were lions in Asia! That’s because they only exist in India. It’s estimated that there are fewer than 200 left in the world.
Lion-Tailed Macaque
Nicobar Pigeon
Special Foods:
Puranpoli is a yummy, sweet treat. This dish is made of all purpose flour stuffed with a lentil and cane sugar paste. The preparation varies across regions – each family will have their own special way of preparing this staple dish.
Bisi bele bath is a sour and tangy South Indian dish that’s made from rice, lentils, vegetables, and spices like nutmeg, curry leaves and tamarind pulp.
Mirchi Vada are big green chili peppers stuffed with potatoes that have been cooked in marsala. The whole thing gets deep fried!
Cool Geography:
India is considered to have one of the world’s most diverse land layouts. The north is bookended by the Himalayan Mountain Range, which is home to Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak.
Many rivers spring out of the Himalayas, including the Indus and the Ganges, which are vital to India’s history. India also has a subtropical desert in the northwest. The Thar Desert, sometimes called the Great Indian Desert, covers 80,000 miles!
Fun things to do: Of course you have to visit the Taj Mahal! But India, with its incredibly diverse blend of culture, has much more to offer.
Ride a rickshaw through Old Delhi
Cruise Kerala backwaters in a traditional barge.
Visit the Ruins of Hampi
Raft grade 3 and 4 Rapids on the Kundalika River after monsoon season
Prayer: I pray that the Spirit would guide us in reaching the Hindu people and would change their hearts to know there is one God and they only have one life in which to follow Him. I pray that our squad would remain safe in the chaos of the large cities and that we would adjust quickly to the new culture of Southeast Asia.
