Geographica Indica
Last Updated: February 17, 2024
Introduction
India remains a great mirror to mankind's progress and its failures. The mystery, magic and diversity of India has allured researchers from ancient times. Its holy rivers, challenging mountains, exotic wildlife and unending supply of spiritual leaders make it a favorite destination of tourists as diverse as the nation itself. Modern India, freed from the British in 1947 after an epic non-violent struggle, has struggled very hard to live up to the dreams of its founding fathers. Study of India requires a deep understanding of culture and diversity of mankind, religion and languages. Please join me on a mythical, magical, often contradicting, yet fascinating journey through India.
-- Vikas Kamat
The Indian Travel Brochures claim "Discover India and Discover Yourself". India is home to some 200 languages and dialects, an equally diverse food habits and cultures. So how does the president of India address her people ? In which language is the national anthem sung? or currency printed ?
List of Pictures
- Adi Shankaracharya
- "Ain't afraid of thieves"
- The Amazing Bicycle
- Amber Fortress near Jaipur
- Ancient Gold Coins of India
- Andal - A Lady Saint of South India
- Angels and Blessings
- Antyeshti Proceedings
- Ardhanarishwara -- Half Shiva and Half Parvati
- Armenian Church
- Artist Suman Kalyanpur
- Ash Covered Face of a Fortune Teller
- The Ashoka Tree
- Ashokan Edict, Sanchi
- Ashokan Pillar, Sarnath
- The Astronomical Observatory at Jantar Mantar
- At Murdeshwar Beach
- At the Cockfight
- At the Marketplace
- At the Weekly Marketplace
- Attack of the Goats!
- Back from the Village Fair
- Banana Plants Welcoming Guests
- The Barren Landscape of Ladakh
- Basuri Flute Player
- Bathing Ghats of Varanasi
- Begging as a Devotion to God
- The Bengal Tiger
- Bengal Tiger
- Best Friends
- Bharatesha Vaibhava
- Bhimsen Joshi Delineating a Raaga
- Bom Jesus Church, Old Goa
- The Bom Jesus Church, Old Goa
- Bom Jesus Church, Goa
- Boy Begging with a Country Musical Instrument
- Boy with a spear pierced though his cheek
- Boys Playing in Rural Bengal
- Boys taking turns to the joy ride the water buffalo
- Bride and Bridesmaid
- Bridge Over River Kali
- Bronze Statue of Shiva, Tamilnadu
- Camel with Ruins in the Backdrop
- Cancone Beach, Goa
- Caricature Showing the Diverisity of India
- Carved Bust of a Celestial, Khajuraho
- Casket Containing Body of Saint Xavier
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534)
- Chaitanya Mahabprabhu with Desciples
- The Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore
- Children Bathing at the Village Pond
- Christian Art, Uttara Kannada
- A Church in a Costal Kerala
- Church of St. Augustine, Goa
- The Circumambulation
- Clash of the Swords
- A close up of fine jewelry
- Cobblers are Looked Down Upon in India
- A Cock Fight in Progress
- Cocks ready to Fight
- A Coconut Climbing Professional Walking to Work
- Coconut Leaves Used for Wall and Roof of a Hut
- Co-existenace of Man and Cows
- Community Cooking for a Wedding
- A construction worker preparing dinner on the street
- Construction Workers
- A Courtier in Akbar's Durbar
- Dancing Peacock
- Dasara -- painting on the walls of Mysore palace
- Death of Francis Xavier
- Declaring Religious Allegiance
- Decorated Nutcracker
- Decorated Tribal Dancers Using Firelogs to Light Cigarettes, Madhya Pradesh
- Deer in Bandipur Forest
- Demon Mahishasura
- Destitute Musicans
- Detail of the Wind Palace
- Detailed Ornamentation
- A Devotee Begging in the Name of God with a Long Horn
- Devotee of Melkote
- Devotees at the Footsteps of Gomateswara
- Devotees Cooking for the Durga Pooja
- Devotees Offering Prayers in the Front Yard of their Home
- Devotees on top of Yoganarasimha Temple
- Diversity of North Kanara
- Divine Assistance in Decision Making
- The Dome of Gol Gumbaz
- Door-to-Door Jeweler Weighing Gold
- The Ear Piercing Ceremony for a Newborn
- Elephant Headed God Ganapati
- Elephant in a Wedding Procession
- Emperor Babur Hunting a Tiger
- Encircling the prey
- Encounter with the Sindhu River
- Entertainment for the King
- External façade of a Hoysala temple
- Extreme Water Shortage
- The Faith Makes The Man
- Farmer's Kids Playing
- Fashionable Daughter of the Jungle
- The Feeding of the River
- Feeding of the River
- A Female Devotee of Ayyappa
- The festivals in India are celebrated in an eco-friendly way.
- Fetching Water from Bhagirati River
- Fifteen Feet High Idol of Lord Vishnu Sitting on a Serpent
- A Fifty Rupees Currency Note
- Fisherman on the Hoogley River, Kolkata
- Five Faced Drum
- Five Headed Goddess Lakshmi
- Flag Post from a Hindu Temple, Goa
- Flower Offerings to Lord Krishna
- Flowers in Himalayan Region
- Folk Artist Decorated for a Performance
- The Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
- Fossil Free Transportation
- Four Handed Lord Vishnu
- Four Headed Brahma, Ballegavi
- Four Headed Ashokan Edict
- The Four Legs
- Friends in Long Skirts Walking Home
- Fruit Offerings for Lord Krishna
- The Fruit that Yields Oil!
- Funeral Rituals at a Waterfall
- The Gambling Brahmin
- Ganapati Goes Bananas!
- Ganesh: The Elephant Headed Hindu Deity
- Ganjifa Playing Cards
- Gifting of the Brahmins
- Girl bathing in a public pond
- Girl from Tripura, India
- Girl from Manipur
- Girl Practicing Rangoli Art
- Glacier Fed Lake, Ladakh
- Glory of an Ancient Past
- Goan Prawn Dry Curry
- Goddess Durga
- Goddess Laxmi
- Goddess Saraswati
- Going to Work with Buffaloes
- Golden Footewear of a Pontiff
- The Golden Temple
- Golden Vessels
- Golden Voices of Yesteryears
- Guru Ghasidas
- Guru Madhvacharya
- Guruka Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Hardwar
- Halakki Farmers Walking to Work
- Hamara Bajaj!
- Handicapped Boy Washing Clothes with his feet
- The Henna Art of the Feet of a Bride
- Henna Designs on a Brides' Hands
- The Henna Tattoo on the Palms of a Bride
- Hermitage at Melukote
- Hikers at Manali
- Himalayan Flower
- Hindu Death Rites
- Hindu Death Anniversary Rites
- The Hindu Monk from India
- Hindu Woman Harvests Crops
- Hindus Worship Everything!
- Hindustani Classical Vocalist Vilayat Hussain Khan
- Holy Mary and Jesus
- Homeward Bound
- Horizontal and Vertical Markings
- Horse Mounted Warrior
- Hoysaleswara Temple Complex
- Idol of Goddess Kali
- Idols Krishna and Subhadra
- Illiterate Sells Alphabets
- An Important thing the Nation Builders Forgot…
- India is home to breath taking waterfalls, mountains and forests
- India`s National Flag
- The Indian Farmer With Bullock Pulled Plough
- Indian Woman
- Initiation of a Brahmin Boy
- Intricatedly Carved Temple from South India
- Introduction to the Mudras
- Jaipur, Cow and Cart
- The Jewelry of Mysore Maharaja
- Journey of the Dead to Heaven
- Kama Shooting the Arrow of Lust
- Kapil Dev and the 1983 World Cup
- Kathakkali Dancer, Kerala
- Knitting Woman, Himachal Pradesh
- A Kshatriya Warrior
- Ladies Playing Drums
- Lady Churning Curds
- Lady with Mirror
- Lady with a String Instrument
- The Lake at Mandu
- Lakshmi -- Goddess of Wealth
- Lal Bahadur Shastri -- former prime minister of India
- Landlords Walking to Farm
- The Last Rites for a Dead Man
- Leader of Steetside Acrobat Play
- Light-weight Bullock Carts
- Logo of Hero Cycles
- Lone Tusker, Badipur National Park
- Lord Brahma from a Sculptural Textbook
- Lord Brihaspati
- Lord Buddha from a Sarnath temple painting
- Lord Indra riding the Iravat, the eight trunked elephant
- Lord Vishnu as Fish (Matsyavatar)
- Lord Vishnu as Kalki
- The Lotus Shaped Bahai Temple in New Delhi
- Lovers in Pahari style.
- M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916-2004)
- Madhvacharya (guru) teaching a Desciple
- Maestros Ravishankar (Sitar) and Ali Akbar Khan (Sarod)
- Maharaja Icon of Air India
- Mahatma Gandhi
- A Mahut Caring for an Elephant
- Mallikarjun Mansur
- Man Arriving for a Cow Fair
- Man Cleaning a Bird for a Special Meal
- Man Dressed as Woman in Devotion
- Man Feeds the Fields in Hoogoppalu
- Man Gets a Tattoo by Roadside
- Man in Trance while Carrying a "Divine Burden"
- Man Offers Ring to Girlfriend
- Man Playing Dhak Instrument, Eastern India
- Man Reads Election News
- Man Rushing to Puja ( Prayer) House
- Man Selling Flowers by Weight
- Man Serves Food On Organic Plates
- Man Slicing his Throat with a Dagger
- Man weaves coconut leaves into a carpet
- Man Weaving a Platform from Bamboo Strips
- Man with a Crocodile
- Map of Shimla, 1985
- Maravanthe Beach, Karnataka
- A Meeting of Minds...
- Melkote Temple Chariot
- Member of the Mysterious Yellamma Cult
- Men Involved in a Tussle Depciting Deshakshiraga
- Mephistopheles and Margaretta
- Metallic Floral Design
- The Milk Girl
- A Mother's Love
- Mushtaq Hussain Khan
- The Musical Instrument of Tanpura
- Musicans in Moghul Court
- Musician Lata Mangeshkar
- Musicians of Mogul Period
- A Muslim Mystic Washes himself in the River
- A Naga Tribal
- The Nagara and Choughada Drums
- The Naming Ceremony for a Child
- A New Bride Worships the Tulasi Plant
- Newly Married Couple Enjoying the Wedding Feast
- A Nutcracker Styled as Yaksha-Yakshi
- Offerings Made to the Snake Deity
- Offerings Made to a Peepal Tree
- Om Beach, Gokarn
- On way to Jagadalpur Dasara
- On Way to School with Mom
- The One Legged Typist
- One on Two Group Sex
- Only in India can the Deities Model for Erotica!
- Organic Farmers
- Ornately Decorated Rudrakshi Mala
- Painted Face of a Devotee
- Painted Idol of Goa
- The Peacock Riding Karthikeyan
- Peanut Vendor
- People Gathered for a Religious Ceremony
- Photographing India from a Moving Car
- Pictures of an Himalayan Peak
- Pilgrimage in a "Doli"
- The Pinda (Rice Ball) Offerings
- Pindari Glaciers
- Plant Worship
- Pooja Vessels
- Pounding of Rice
- Priest and his Traveling Temple
- Proceedings of Vivaha Ritual
- Protection from Rain, Protection from Creditors!
- Qutb Minar, Delhi
- Rag pickers on the Streets of Bangalore
- The Raga of Bengal
- Rainbow at an Himalayan Waterfall
- Ram Narayan, felicitating Ustad Abdul Latif khan
- Rama Fighting on the Sholders of Hanuman
- Rama Surrounded by Sita, Laxman and Hanuman
- Rati and Manmatha
- Relaxing by Roadside
- The ribs of coconut leaves are used in manufacturing broomsticks.
- A Ripe Mango
- Rituals of "Shraddha"
- River Karjan
- A Roadside Cobbler
- Roadside Launderer Basavaraju
- Roses Embeded in the Hair of a Bride
- Route Map of Amarnath Yatra
- Sacred Body Art
- Sage Basaveshwara who founded the Lingayat cult in 12th century
- Saint Eknath
- Saint Mirabai
- Saint Namadeo (Namadev)
- Saint Ramanujacharya
- Sant Ravidas
- Sant Tukaram
- Santhali tribal kids playing in a public pump
- Sarangi Musical Instrument
- Sawai Gandharva Gavayi
- Sculpted Chandela Temples Depicting Erotica
- Sculpture of Vishnu
- A Sculpture of Tilka Majhi
- Self Immolation depicted in a Stone Sculpture
- Shanty Town Children Playing Hopping Game on the Street
- Sharavati River Valley
- The Sheep Girl
- The Shelter and The Shelterless
- Shilabalika of Belur
- Shiva the Magnificent
- Shivasamudra Waterfalls
- Shoe Offerings to the Betal Spirit
- The Singar Flower of Betel Tree
- The Snake Charmer and his Pet
- Somanath Maradur
- St. Philomina's Cathedral
- A Statue of Meditating Mahavira
- Statue of Meditating Buddha
- Statue of Ugra-Narasimha
- Stray Kids, Stray Puppies
- Subramanian and his Vehicle Peacock
- "Sumangali" -- Portrait of a Traditional Indian Woman
- Surbahar Player Annapurna Devi
- Surya the Sun God
- Swami Ayyappa of Shabarimala
- Swami Haridas (1478-1573)
- Swami Ramanand
- Symbolic Re-burning of the Dead
- The Taj Mahal
- Tattoo of a Tribal Woman
- Tattoos of a Tribal Woman
- Tattoos of the Baiga Tribe
- Temple Art of Cheluvanarayana Temple
- Temple at Yamunotri
- Temple at Gangotri
- Temple of Badrinath
- Temple of Plant
- Temple Priest Announcing Prayer Time
- Tender Coconut Vendor
- "Thou Art Everywhere, But I Worship Thee Here"
- Three Children with a Bull
- A Three Headed Mythological Figure Rides a Lion
- Three Headed Animal Lover Dattatreya
- A tier of spiral foliage of exquisite design
- The Titti Musical Instrument
- Tomb of a Lodhi King, New Delhi
- Tonsuring of the Head
- Tower of Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple
- The Towers of Char Minar in Hyderabad
- The Traveling Barber Shop
- Tree Worship
- Tribal Youngster
- Trimming the Mustache
- True to Nature
- Tulasi Platform
- Tulasi Plant Worship
- The Ultimate Open Kitchen
- Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009)
- Ustad Allauddin Khan
- Ustad Faiyaz Khan
- Vagabond Beggar with String Instrument
- Varuna, the God of Rains
- Vehicle Worship in India
- Vidyaranya Temple Building at Sringeri
- View from Melkote Tower
- View of a Himalayan Peak
- View of Apsarakonda Beach
- A View of Highways in Uttarakhand
- View of Himalayas
- View of Manki Beach
- View of Nainital City
- View of Orchid Hotel Lobby
- The Village Cobbler
- Village near Jodhpur
- The Village of Ulavi
- A Village Scene
- Villagers Gathered for a Cart Race
- Villagers at the Bullock Cart Racing
- Villagers Resting by Roadside During Pilgrimage
- Villagers on the way to Nagadwara Snake Festival
- Vishnu as Vamana the Dwarf
- Vishwarupa of Lord Vishnu
- Vocalist Gangubai Hanagal
- Vocalist Siddheshwari Devi (1903-1977)
- A Wall Painting from Rural India
- Waving of Sacred Fire
- Wedding of Shiva and Parvati
- Wedding without the Bride
- Weight of Lord Krishna
- Wet Devotees Waiting to Offer Prayers
- When in Doubt Always Choose Kamat!
- When the Ear Speaks
- Wiring a Subcontinent
- Woman Carrying Heap of Leaves from Forest
- Woman Carrying Firewood from Forest
- Woman Grinding Herbs to Make Cosmetics
- Woman Puts on Makeup
- Woman Quenches the Thirst of Two Bullocks
- Woman Scrapes off Cinnamon Bark
- Woman who delivers everyday!
- Woman with Bow - Stone Sculpture
- Woman with String Instrument
- Women Negotiating the Price of Fish
- Women Vending Cheap Jewelry
- Worshipping of Ashwatha Tree
- Yama with a Noose
- Young Lovers at Ghotul
Fine print : Once I heard a Christian missionary exclaim " I don't know what you have heard of India, but it is true. The opposite is also true! " That summarizes the vast diversity of India. So please understand that this is one family's humble attempt and if you have a contracting information/view that is probably right also. -VK
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