Although predominantly hot, India has different climatic regions, ranging from the glacial north to desert in the west and the tropical coast and islands in the south. The largely tropical weather patterns of India make it subject to natural meteorological events such as drought, cyclones and flooding.

The best time to visit India is in the winter, from December until early March. The whole country tends to get very hot from April onwards and most regions experience the summer monsoon from June to September. If visiting the Himalayas, please be prepared for very cold weather in January and February.

India is a huge country with diverse weather conditions so please check the weather in advance for the areas you will be visiting.

Theatre in India is one of the most ancient forms of theatre and features detailed textual, sculptural and dramatic effects. Like in the areas of music and dance, Indian theatre is also defined by dramatic performance based on the concept of Nritya, which is a Sanskrit word for drama but encompasses dramatic narrative, virtuosic dance, and music. In contemporary India, the country is famous for its film industry based in Mumbai – known as Bollywood.

Do

• Do eat using your hands or bread.
• Do make sure your head is covered if entering a mosque or Sikh Gurdwara.
• Do leave a small amount of food on your plate when you are full. Eating everything off your plate means you are still hungry.
• Do fold your hands, bow your head, and say “Namaste” when greeting

Don’t

• Don’t wear clothes that are tight or expose too much skin
• Don’t use your left hand to touch, eat, or hand something to someone
• Don’t take pictures in temples or airports
• Don’t show affection in public
• Don’t shake someone’s hand unless they extend their hand first
• Don’t point your feet towards an alter

According to the 2011 Indian national census, the population of India stood at over 1.2 billion people, making it the world’s second-most populous country. It is a diverse multi-ethnic country that is home to thousands of small ethnic and tribal groups. Among the documented invasions that added significantly to the Indian ethnic mix are those of Persians, Scythians, Arabs, Mongols, Turks and Afghans. The last and politically most successful – that from Europe – vastly altered Indian culture but had relatively little impact on India’s ethnic composition.

Although approximately 80% of the citizens of India are Hindus, the country has a substantial population of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and adherents of tribal faiths.