India is the seventh-largest country in the world by total area and has a population of over 1.2 billion people. The main languages spoken are Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi and Tamil.

Cricket is the most popular sport and the country's national symbol is the endangered Bengal tiger.

Diwali, Divali, Deepavali or Dipavali is the festival of lights, which is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists every autumn.

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and it also houses his own tomb.

And now for the food. there is nothing to compare with a good authentic Indian curry. Not the rubbish served in restaurants for the English but proper, home made authentic curry.

I would love to go to India for their food and my first port of call would be their street food, Made on the street, wholesome, very tasty and cheap. Not for those that are obsessed with hygiene though but it is well worth a try.

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