Wildlife of India or In the footsteps of Mowgli (how I traveled through the national parks of India). Alone in the Indian jungle. Travel notes of a white woman
25-year-old Anastasia Dudkina spoke about how fate kept her during a six-day solo cycling marathon in an Indian province.
Never understood why fate favors fools. I don’t understand now why she was so kind to me, - says the extreme traveler from Dzerzhinsk, who finished in Goa on September 2, having reached there from Mumbai by bicycle in six days. One. Three cities, two villages and solid wild jungle. According to Anastasia Dudkina, she made the decision to travel after breaking up with a young man. I wanted to radically change the situation and get rid of painful thoughts. About what she encountered on the trip - in the first person.
Start, or the Day of the incredible mercy of the Universe
Start day. The first 15 kilometers passed without problems, and then the fun began. The road deteriorated sharply and in some places was just a collection of pits with puddles, and the most remarkable puddles came across in the villages: flood seas, crossing which, the bike plunged into the water in the middle of the front stars.
Besides, it was raining. By "went" is meant the transition from a fine drizzle to a downpour. There will be two more such transitions on this day. My money, passport and some things got wet.
In the end, I reached Murud-Janjira Fort (sea fort. - Note. life) where she was going to spend the night. And then I realized my first mistake: far from all the sights of India are tourist places where you can find a hotel or rent a room. This fort was abandoned. Buildings on the ocean, beautiful and ancient, are slowly overgrown with moss, ivy and oblivion. And the city and the villages nearby are fishing. I decided not to be too discouraged - it was only about five in the evening - and drove forward, in every village trying to find an overnight stay. But everywhere they told me that there were no rooms: "Further, after a couple of kilometers." Meanwhile the sun had set and night was falling. I took out a flashlight, fixed it on the steering wheel, gathered all my courage and drove forward.
The road led through the jungle. Not a single person, not a single moped. Only frogs croaking in every way, some small animals periodically crossing the road ... and fireflies. A huge number of fireflies circling around the trees and creating a deceptive appearance of lights in the dwellings.
In the village of Mandad, I took refuge in a house belonging to an Indian family. The woman who met me was incredibly friendly and spoke some English, unlike her husband. She laid me down on their large double bed in a separate room, putting her and her husband on the floor in the living room, despite all my protests. And finally gave me pajamas. I lay awake for a long time in these pajamas and thought about what I would put in the headline of this day. Probably: "Why are fools so lucky?".
Day of legs and painful beauty
I continued on my way at 9 am. The road ran through farms and fields, and then went up. Mountains. Sweat flowed literally in three streams while I was pushing my "horse". Then I finally understood why a person needs eyebrows, eyelashes and an elongated nose.
But there was such an incredible beauty around! Green jungle thickets with yellow flowers and butterflies of the same color, rivers descending from slopes, cliffs from which views of wooded valleys or cultivated fields open. The negligible number of kilometers traveled on the navigator screen was terrifying.
But finally the track went down. Near the village of Lohner, I began to meet people. Every 10 minutes someone on a scooter tried to stop me to take a picture. And once I was called from the side of the road not quite a common person wanting to get a photo: he proudly showed off his laminated PRESS ID card, took out a hefty Canon, ran forward and, clicking the shutter, asked me to drive towards him. After that, he again caught up with me on a scooter and took a mini-interview on the go: what is my name, where I come from, where I am going. So now maybe my photo will appear in some Indian newspaper.
For unknown reasons, ITemporarily lost connection in the evening year way. On the morning of the next day, all my relatives began to worry, and in the late afternoon they contacted the consul, who in turn notified the Indian police
Anastasia
Day of heavenly lamentation
In the morning, after having breakfast, I cheerfully went to the Kashedi road. After a couple of kilometers the road went up again. The desire to go further along it disappeared after about a kilometer of ascent. After another kilometer, I started swearing out loud. After another kilometer, she just quietly muttered under her breath, squeezing out her last strength and hoping to see the descent around every turn.
It started raining again - real, in full force. Fortunately, a village appeared on my way, where I decided to have a bite to eat. After eating, I noticeably increased my strength, and the third ascent, already not far from the city of Chiplun, where I was on my way, was much easier than the second.
In the city itself, I had to drive quite a bit, looking for a hotel with Wi-Fi. I found one for big money by local standards - 1000 rupees (about one thousand rubles). But on the other hand, the porter took my things to the third floor, they brought the menu from the restaurant, and then food straight to the room.
sky lantern day
During the day, I had to desperately pedal to finally escape from highlands. This day was perhaps the most difficult since the beginning of the trip. I broke my mountain record for mileage in a day: 95.7 km. But it was in fact a severe test for the body.
Five lifts. Four are not very large, 2-3 kilometers in length, but the fifth surpassed them all, forcing them to periodically just sit on the side of the road and stare for ten minutes into nowhere.
When it began to get dark, a moped with two boys came up to me, and for about five minutes they rode next to me. At this point, I ran through a lot of bad scenarios in my head until I asked directly why they were driving nearby. They replied that they just wanted to light the way for me, anyway, they were on their way to the neighboring village. And so they rode side by side, illuminating the path.
At the entrance to the city of Ratnagiri, the road led to the beach and forest, completely different from the jungle, which have already become familiar after a day spent in the mountains. More he looked like some of our suburban pine forest.
day of repentance
Sweet rain! Forgive me, for I did not know what I was saying. Oh, beneficent clouds, forgive me for the poor mind that reproved you. I beg you, little cloud, show yourself... I repeated this prayer to myself all day, melting like a candle on every rise. Not a drop fell to the ground.
The Russian consulate, which was put on the ears of my friends on the second day of the journey, notified the police, so throughout my route, almost everyone already knew about the white girl who was supposed to appear here.
With the help of an English-speaking Indian, I quickly found a driver in an open-back jeep, into which we loaded my bike and drove to Malvan. In the city, the driver helped me find a great cheap hotel, where I collapsed on the bed exhausted, without even eating. The sun worked hard to make life not seem like honey to a cyclist, rewarding me with a tan in the form of red spats on my legs and an equally red nose.
Finish Day
Whether many days of fatigue affected, or sunburn, but in the morning I forced myself to get out of bed for an hour.
And when I finally got ready and tried to leave the city, the GPS stopped working. A separate mini-adventure was an attempt to find the way in this non-tourist area, where almost no one understands you.
And the dearly loved slides went again, and the sun was roasting again, but the feeling of the proximity of the finish line gave strength. On the bridge over the Chapora River, located on the border of Maharashtra and Goa, I was supposed to be met by my friends from Russia.
When half the journey was already left behind, a message came that unsettled: "Stas and Sveta will not be in Goa tonight. Stas was imprisoned in the city of Doha, Qatar."
To say that I was taken aback is to say nothing. As it turns out a little later, Stas, and immediately after landing, he was taken to jail, leaving Sveta alone in the transit zone.
I had to gather all my will into a fist and continue on my way. And here I am on the bridge. Emotions... can't be described in words. I am infinitely grateful to fate for this trip, in which, perhaps for the first time in my life, I was alone with complete uncertainty and unbearable beauty. It was worth it. True, I would not repeat this.
India is a land of fairy tales. Once here, anyone remembers children's books with exciting stories about sultans and the most beautiful palaces. For everyone, this country is associated with something special, for some it is amazing architecture, for others - the indescribable smell of curry and all kinds of spices, for others - it's yoga, original culture and traditional clothing. Beautiful places can be found everywhere here, let's look at the most remarkable of them.
Taj Mahal
Every country has a place of interest that every tourist must visit, for India this is the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is a monument to true love, it was built by the Mughal emperor for his wife, who died during childbirth. This masterpiece of architecture, made entirely of white marble, was built over twenty-two years. It became the grave of the beloved wife of the emperor Mumtaz Mahal, and later the emperor himself rested here.
Originally conceived as a mausoleum, today the Taj Mahal is a whole complex with delightful gardens, ponds and parks inhabited by a wide variety of birds and animals, which gives the right to call it the most beautiful place in India.
goa
Nowadays, the most visited place in India is Goa. This small but lively town attracts tourists, first of all, with its inimitable nature. Golden beaches, blue skies, azure waters - small paradise located on the coast of the Arabian Sea.
by the most beautiful beach considered Palol, nature has formed a bay here, surrounded on both sides by high capes. But Goa is not only beaches and hotels, on its territory there is the second largest waterfall in India - Dudhasagar. Sung by many poets and given the name “milky waterfall” among them, it rightfully belongs to the most beautiful places in this fabulous country.
Mumbai
Mumbai is a city where everyone will find something interesting for themselves. All tourists are delighted with this city. Some people remember it thanks to a visit to the Prince of Wales Museum, which contains amazing paintings by artists from different times, while others get an unforgettable experience from sailing or horseback riding.
Mumbai is also famous for the Mahalakshmi Temple, built to honor the gods Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati, and the temple of the god Shiva.
The most beautiful place in Mumbai is the so-called Gateway of India - Triumphal Arch located above the entrance to the city harbor. The arch was built in the 1920s. for the arrival of the King and Queen of England.
Kerala
Kerala is another one of the areas of the country, characterized by amazing nature. Mountains, jungles, beaches, water channels - all the variety natural features India collected in one place. Kerala is famous for its parks and national reserves, as well as amazingly delicious Indian tea, which is harvested on local plantations. Despite the hard and painstaking work (collected exclusively by hand), tea is inexpensive here.
Jaisalmer
The most ancient and beautiful place in India is the city of Jaisalmer. Lost somewhere in the Indian desert, he managed to carry his greatness and inexpressible beauty through the centuries. Touching the walls of the Jaisalmer Fort, also called the Golden Fort, is like touching history itself.
Today, the population of this city is no more than 58 thousand people, most of whom live in the palace of the Maharaja. Unfortunately, tourists rarely visit this city because of its remoteness from civilization, but those who decide to see Jaisalmer with their own eyes will remember it for a lifetime.
The fortress walls hide not only the palace, preserved in its original appearance, but also ancient temples, as well as a repository of manuscripts.
Varanasi
In the list of the most beautiful places India should include Varanasi, which is also considered the most holy city India. Surprising is the fact that its peer cities, such as Luxor and Babylon, have long since fallen into ruins, while Varanasi flourishes to this day. In ancient times, it was called Kashi, which means "City of Light". It is believed that everything in this city is saturated with spiritual power and divine light, even the stones here are sacred.
Interesting and geographical position Varanasi. It is built on three hills, which are considered to be the tops of the trident of the Indian god Shiva. In addition, this city is entirely located on the left bank of the Ganges, while there is nothing on the right bank. This situation is not accidental, it is connected with the myth that the eastern bank of the Ganges serves as a haven for the souls of the dead, transported there by Shiva.
While the Taj Mahal shines with majestic marble brilliance, the Meenakshi Amman temple is full of bright colors. It is located in the South East Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the city of Madurai, which is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, having been functioning for more than two thousand years.
Photo: Pabloneco on Flickr
Photo: Bryce Edwards on Flickr
It is based on something extraordinary - the temple of the Hindu goddess Parvati, the wife of the god Shiva. Whole temple complex guarded by towers known as gopuras. The highest of them is south tower, which was erected in 1559, its height is more than 170 feet. And they consider it the oldest east tower, founded in 1216, that is, it was built several centuries before Columbus went to discover distant lands.
Jantar Mantar
Photo: Guy Incognito on Flickr
The remarkable complex of buildings is similar to the scenery for a planet far from Earth from a sci-fi blockbuster. But in fact, these are instruments developed and used in Jaipur to observe celestial bodies. They were built by order of the Maharaja in the first decades of the 18th century and are still in use today.
Photo: McKay Savage on Flickr
Photo: Philip Cope on Flickr
Jai Singh II was born in 1688 and became Maharaja at the age of eleven, but inherited a kingdom that was on the verge of impoverishment. The kingdom of Amber (later Jaipur) was in a desperate situation, the cavalry numbered less than a thousand people. But on his thirtieth birthday, the ruler built Jantar-Mantar.
Kumbhalgarh - Great Indian Wall
It is the second largest continuous wall on our planet. Some call it by the name of the fort it surrounds - Kumbalgarh, and others - the Great Wall of China of India. Surprisingly, such an outstanding building is little known outside of its region.
Photo: Lamentables on Flickr
Photo: Beth on Flickr
The wall stretches for 36 kilometers. In many images, you can mistake her for the Great Chinese wall. However, there were many centuries and cultural differences between them. Work on the creation of Kumbhalgarh did not begin until 1443 - just fifty years before Columbus sailed on Atlantic Ocean to make amazing discoveries on its other side.
Temple of Karni Mata
Photo: alschim on Flickr
Outside the Hindu temple of Karni Mata, located in small town Deshnok in the Indian province of Rajasthan looks just like any other. But the beautifully and exquisitely decorated shrine, with a constant stream of worshipers, holds a surprise for unsuspecting visitors. The temple is inhabited by thousands of rats.
Photo: owenstache on Flickr
Photo: micbaun on Flickr
Rodents are not random inhabitants of the temple. Parishioners take special care of food for rats, as they are here in memory of the legendary woman - Karni Mata.
Jodhpur - the blue city of India
Photo: bodoluy on Flickr
Travelers traverse the arid landscapes of the Thar Desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan to reach this place. It seems that here the sky fell to the ground and everything became one color - blue. Jodhpur stretches before you like blue treasures in the middle of the desert.
Photo: Christopher Walker on Flickr
Photo: Il Fatto on Flickr
According to one version, the population of the Blue City paints their houses in various shades of blue due to the caste system prevailing in India. Brahmins belong to the highest Indian caste, and the blue color distinguishes their dwellings from other people.
Leh Palace
Photo: watchsmart on Flickr
In the early years of the seventeenth century, the King of the Kingdom of Ladakh, Senge Namgyal, ordered the construction of this huge palace. It is located on the top of the Himalayas in the city of Leh, currently the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The building served as the home of a dynasty of rulers until they were overthrown and expelled in 1834. Since then, the lofty Lekh Palace has been abandoned. Nevertheless, it rises majestically in this region of India, which is often called Little Tibet.
Photo: teseum on Flickr
Photo: Matt Werner on Flickr
Supposedly it was modeled after the more famous Potala Palace in neighboring Tibet, which served as the residence of the Dalai Lama until 1959, when he left the country. The Leh Palace is smaller than the Potala Palace, but its nine-story structure is still impressive. The upper floors were occupied by King Namgyal, his family and crowds of courtiers. The lower floors housed servants, storage rooms and stables.
Living bridges of Meghalaya
Photo: Ashwin Mudigonda on Flickr
Our understanding of India, with its population of more than a billion people, is often limited by statistics. However, there are places in this subcontinent that still remain virtually inaccessible. The state of Meghalaya in the northeast of the country is replete with subtropical forests. To move around in this area, locals resorted to a brilliant form of natural engineering - living bridges from the roots.
Photo: Rajkumar1220 on Flickr
Photo: ARshiya Bose on Flickr
With every rain, fording through the rivers becomes very dangerous, and this is one of the wettest places on the planet. Steady rainfall combined with rugged terrain, steep slopes and dense deciduous forests turn many areas of Meghalaya into an impenetrable jungle. But inventive and resourceful local population created a unique system of natural suspension bridges.
Ajanta caves
Photo: Ashok66 on Flickr
Two thousand two hundred years ago, work began on an extensive series cave monuments in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Over the course of hundreds of years, thirty-one monuments were carved out of the rocks. Around 1000 AD, the monks gradually abandoned the cave complex and it fell into disrepair. The overgrown dense jungle hid the caves from human eyes.
Photo: Franekn on Flickr
When planning a trip or just thinking about India, the average inhabitant of the planet Earth imagines greenery, a sea of flowers, mountains of affordable fruits and endless snow-white paradise beaches on which slender maidens with wreaths in their hair happily run. The exception is those who carefully watched cartoons about Mowgli in childhood. They imagine a luscious jungle full of elephants, tigers, panthers and monkeys. To be honest, I myself was a little discouraged, watching on my first trip to India, dusty yellow plains slowly stretching outside the bus window, sparingly decorated with low dry bushes. And not a single elephant!
Central Indian summer.
The areas in India are very different. This is a huge, just a huge country! You can travel 3 days by train from north to south and never get to the ocean! You can, of course, get there faster, but here the question is not the size of the country, but the quality of roads and the punctuality of Indian transport J
In this size and diversity, India is just the plus - in what other country in the world there are the most beautiful and highest mountains peace, beautiful beaches, jungles and even desert with camels! The main thing is to equip yourself and adjust your life according to the weather, as the Indians do. A beach sundress in the dusty expanses of Central India will not only be inconvenient, but also inappropriate, in one windbreaker in the Ganges valley in winter you can sting, and in flip flops in the Himalayas you can even break your legs (although many Indians manage to ride on steep mountains in flip flops - that's why they are Indians!)
The northernmost and highest mountainous region of India - Ladakh - is just another world! Although also India. The real kingdom of mountains of many thousands, in which people are only modest guests! Short summers and snowy winters, a minimum of vegetation and animals. And stone, stone, stone... No wonder Buddhists live here. Places simply dispose to calmness, contemplation, reflection, meditation. Buddhist Indians don't even look like average Indians. They have Tibetan faces and Tibetan style of dress. They are calm and unobtrusive. They are engaged in household chores and visit Buddhist monasteries, and in cold winters they warm themselves at the hearths with large families.
In the state of Jammu and Kashmir, greenery is added to the mountains. Whole carpets of flowers delight the eye and soul. And the locals are overwhelmingly Muslim. And the culture here, respectively, is Muslim. What I like most about Kashmiri culture is their wool products: carpets, sweaters, scarves, shawls, bags. Vibrant colors from everywhere delight the eye and create an atmosphere of fun.
Himachal Pradesh reminds me very much of Russia with something elusive. Huge pines and firs. Wooden temples. apple orchards. Hot day and cool evening. March gardens are similar to Russian May gardens. And the indigenous people - although with Tibetan faces, but real peasants. They take care of large cows, drag bundles of brushwood from the forest, wash in a cold stream, and cultivate apple orchards.
And take, for example, Assam. Also the Himalayas. And also India. But it is located to the south, so it looks completely different. The name speaks for itself. Assam is a kingdom of tea plantations scattered over the mountains. And in addition to tea, elephants live here) Which, of course, are not found either in Ladakh or in Himachal.
In winter, in most of the Himalayas, everything is real, and this must be remembered. To survive, you need warm clothes. Indians still wear elegant warm woolen clothes - trousers and vests for men, skirts or long belted dresses for women. And, of course, the most beautiful shawls, scarves and even blankets, depending on the weather. How they wash here in winter, I have little idea at all. Roads are often covered with snow. In places, communication with the outside world is interrupted. Therefore, for those who are not Buddhist, it may be difficult in such parts.
The most, probably indian india located in the central part of the country. These are plains and agricultural fields interspersed with pieces of jungle. Here runs the most famous river of India - the Ganges. Here is the heart of India and Indian culture. And the vast majority of Indians are Hindus - that is, they profess Hinduism.
Hot hell gives way to the rainy season. At this time, sometimes showers do not stop for several days. And when they are not there, it becomes hot and stuffy. I wrote earlier, but I will repeat: With the beginning of autumn, not allowing you to relax in the cool of the evenings, hordes of insects suddenly appear. Some cockroaches, huge ground beetles, smooth black stink beetles, small midges. I don't know where the dumb creatures hide during the day. But at night, with the first lanterns, they crawl out of their shelters. Most of all, the bugs like the light and your plate of food. You need to eat very carefully and preferably in the dark. Stay away from lights when walking. As soon as you find yourself in a circle of light, the beetles joyfully begin to dive on your head and by the collar. If you decide to sit in the dark with your phone, be prepared to regularly spit out midges from your mouth. At first I was horrified. But you can get used to everything. Soon you just don't pay attention to the bugs. Only occasionally, with an experienced deft gesture, do you pull out another pair from under your T-shirt from your back, practically without interrupting the conversation. Feet themselves go around the circles of light under the lanterns, hands automatically choose clothes that are difficult to get into, people get used to eating in the twilight, and instead of watching movies in the evenings, they spend more time on fresh air. And, most importantly, do not forget to turn off the light in the room, and in the evenings use only a small colored light bulb and keep all windows and doors closed. One day I didn't turn off the light in the bathroom. Arriving home in the evening, instead of white tiles, I found black and crispy ...
But then happiness comes - from mid-October to the end of November. At this time, you can warm up during the day, and relax in the cool in the evening. Then another surprise. Indian winter. Yes, it is in Central India. And let there be no snow, but the Indians also have no heating. They believe that it is better to somehow overwinter the unfortunate couple of months, rather than spend money and time organizing heating. In houses with prosperity there are heaters that allow you not to die at minus five. But heated square meters near a bed or a table in a restaurant are not at all like entering a perfectly heated room in Russia, where you can even walk in shorts. The poorer Indians, in my opinion, do not take off their outer clothing at all in winter. So they sleep in it, and even better - several on the same bed, so that it is warmer. And from all the cracks, which are in large numbers in simple Indian houses, the wind is blowing! Poor tourists come to warm exotic country, but get a crypt room and lonely dark evenings. All shops and restaurants close early, and the Indians either wandered off to sleep or warm themselves in groups around the fires, creating an atmosphere from the films about the “after the apocalypse”.
There is one phenomenon that is almost always present in central India. Except, perhaps, for those days when there are prolonged downpours. It's dust. The dust is grey, yellow and reddish. It scratches the nose, gets into the lungs, stains clothes, settling with a slight coating on the skin, houses, trees and flowers.
To feel comfortable in such a climate, the Indians picked up the most suitable clothes. Tunics with bloomers (shalwar kameez) or multi-colored saris that do not get dirty, comfortable both in heat and cold (with a jacket or shawl worn on top) - for women and light trousers with shirts - for men.
The Indians of Central India are especially poor, numerous, noisy, sociable and curious. Every day in this environment is like a fight. You either win and move on to the next day. Either you give up and run from them to the north or south. But if you manage to relax and ignore some of the importunity of the Central Indians, you can find wonderful friends and excellent hosts here. It is here that the most open and hospitable people live.
It would seem that the sea, it is the sea in Africa. But everything is not so simple. After all, India is a unique and traditional country. On the beaches, they mostly shake nets from under fish or go to the toilet, and do not swim. And a foreigner in a bikini will be remembered for months
But there are places that are truly a paradise for the pale-skinned. These are Goa, Karnataka, Kerala. Here you can relax and unwind not only from the cold, dust or suffocating heat, but also from the constant noise, din and importunity. The Indians of these states are more indifferent to foreigners, perhaps because there are a lot of the latter here. Well, a high level of education in half with a serious influence of Catholicism in these places contribute.
Despite the rainy season, I especially liked the state of Kerala. With its unexpected, simply suspicious for India purity. Lack of crowds, noise, din. A smaller number pestered and bred. More neat appearance residents. No smog or dust. Clear, fresh sun! Here the highest level of education in India and the most confident position of women.
However, do not forget that in the south there is a rainy season, and a very long one, so the month of the month is different. In Kerala, for example, the rainy season lasts half a year! At this time, streams of water rush through the streets, the downpour can not stop for weeks, and the Indians do not stick their nose out.
In accordance with the weather, southern men like to wear white skirts - lungi. Full length or wrapped up to the knee. A shirt is tucked inside. Women in the same saris, but in a different style. Some old women, for example, Karnataka, do not wear a blouse under a sari and wear it as a pareo tied around the neck. Very bold for India.
All of the above is just a part of the variety of weather options, conditions and life features of the Indians. Almost every one of several dozen Indian states has something of its own. Parts of the country look completely different, they have radically different climatic conditions, animals, plants. Indians differ in appearance, in clothes, in a set of main dishes. They speak several hundred different languages! A whole planet on the planet. And its inhabitants managed to adapt to a variety of conditions - due to their endurance and not picky. They adapted culture and habits, made friends with the weather. And with all this, they remained an integral country of patriots.
miraculous and warm country India. Its favorable climate is loved not only by local residents, but also by many vacationers. This attracts wonderful country with its rich colors, a large number of various dishes, historical places, as well as outlandish and unique animals.
In a word, not a country, but a fantastic fairy tale in which you want to see everything, try and remember this feeling of a holiday forever. For us, wandering and running through the streets are not a rarity, one might say, a common thing.
The presence of some animals right on the streets of the settlements of this country, to put it mildly, leads foreign European tourists in a little shock.
It strikes big variety peace animals of india. Many of its representatives are so unique that it is simply impossible to confuse them with anyone, let alone forget them.
There are up to 1200 species of birds in this country alone, 800 and more species mammals, 1350 species of representatives body of water, including 1200 fish and 150 amphibians.
The reptiles themselves in this country are 450 species, and about 20,000. These impressive numbers make it clear that the nature of India is rich and versatile.
And in order to see everything with your own eyes, to feel all the charm that hovers in the air of this magical country, you must definitely set a goal and in any opportunity visit there in person. Indelible impressions that have not left any tourist indifferent are guaranteed to everyone.
True, representatives of some species of the animal world in Lately have somewhat decreased in their numbers, especially large individuals, but this does not hurt to meet them in the national park.
Moreover, such a meeting will be safer for a person. After all, it is much more pleasant to meet a predatory, or living in a cage, than to face them nose to nose in the jungle of the country.
To describe the whole animal world India one article will not be enough. You can try to reveal all the charm and beauty of this world by examining in more detail the main animals that live in this fantastic country.
Cow
Naturally, and probably the smallest children know this, the most common animal in this country is precisely. This sacred animal in india has long been revered in Hinduism and Jainism.
In fact, in our time, she is no longer particularly worshiped, but no one allows her to offend, this is strictly prohibited in India. In general, cows and people in India have been living closely with each other for quite a long time without any problems and encroachments on freedom. Between them reigns full world and harmony.
Why is the cow a sacred animal in India? It's simple - she is the personification of abundance, purity, holiness. The people of India perceive her as a benevolent animal. For them, she exemplifies the principle of selfless sacrifice.
In the eyes of Hindus, the cow is a maternal figure. With its help, people get milk and all products associated with it. All of them are the main nutritious food for vegetarians, and such people in India are in the majority.
Hindus use cow dung to fertilize crops, they are sure that the harvest doubles due to this. The bull is the symbol of the drachma.
Killing one of those sacred animals of ancient india was punishable by death. And in our time, the cow enjoys great respect among people, it is reliably protected by the state.
Indian elephant
Many animals living in india, used by people in different ways. For example, they have found application in many areas for the Indian elephant. In the recent past, these animals were used for heavy physical work.
They were part of the Indian army. Currently, they are most often used in entertainment. foreign tourists, at various folk celebrations and festivals. What is this giant? The elephant is really big.
In size, only African is larger than it. The mass of a male Indian elephant can reach up to 5.5 tons, and their height is 3 meters or more. Females are somewhat smaller. They grow up to 2.5 m with an average weight of 2.6 tons. These are very smart wild animals of india.
They live in herds divided into males and females. All babies after birth stay with their mothers until they are 8-10 years old. After that, the males leave the family, and the females remain with their mother until the end of their days.
In progress later life males create groups, but their strength is completely different from that of females, so the breakup of such groups is a fairly common occurrence.
The life expectancy of elephants in the wild is about 65 years; in captivity they can live up to 15 years longer. Much to our chagrin, now meet this animal in wild jungle almost impossible. This is due to human hunting. And even though Indian elephants are listed in the Red, they still do not increase because of poachers.
Pictured is an Indian elephant
Bengal tiger
Just like the Indian elephant, the Bengal tiger is the most striking, famous and impressive animals living in India and her thunder wildlife. This animal is considered the largest cat in the world and national animal of india.
Being mobile predators, they kill the king cobra and all other crawling creatures with amazing agility and resourcefulness. By nature, mongooses are endowed with an antidote for poisonous bites, so they do not die from snake bites.
Although, in principle, these bites happen very rarely. Mongooses hunt so much that snakes are simply not able to bite them. From the side, their maneuvers, when they move from side to side, trying to dodge the sting, looks like a kind of dance.
At one of the moments when the snake tries to strike another blow, the mongoose deftly dodges and, clinging tightly to her head, ends with her forever.
Pictured is a mongoose
Rats
Once in a dwelling, it horrifies all households in our area. In India, everything happens exactly the opposite. Rats here are not only not afraid, but also revered.
Moreover, they are sacred animals there. The Temple of Karni Mata, for example, is famous for having thousands of colonies of rats. They live there as owners.
Moreover, they are also fed in the temple. Milk and other treats are provided to rats by believing people. Among the mass of these gray inhabitants of the temple, you can see a few white ones. They are holier than all saints for the people of India. Those who are lucky and they saw albinos among the gray crowd should be lucky.
Indian flying squirrel
This animal leads a rather secretive life. Prefers nocturnal lifestyle. Lives mostly in trees. Its important feature is the membranes between the limbs. With their help, the animal soars without much difficulty in the crowns of the tree.
Its external data is a bit like a giant Indian squirrel. Due to changes in habitat and hunting for these animals, their numbers are decreasing.
Pictured is an Indian flying squirrel
Little panda
For a long time, scientists could not decide which mammals they belong to. live in the eastern Himalayas. In the modern world, scientific research has finally put an end to who these interesting animals belong to.
This is the raccoon family and the panda subfamily. They are not directly related to the big ones, but there is one common difference - they all have one thumb, it is actually a process from the wrist bone.
Pictured is a red panda
Dogs
In many European countries, even stray dogs are usually vaccinated against rabies. Nobody in India does this. The number of vagrants in this country is growing rapidly.
Accordingly, the number of people affected by the bites of infected dogs is also increasing. There are more stray dogs in India than in any other country.
They attack people by the millions and are dangerous animals of India. According to unofficial data, it is known that the death of about 20,000 people in this country comes precisely from the attack of stray dogs.
Among the peasants, one terrible version is widespread, which everyone believes at the moment. It says that in the body of a person bitten by a dog, its embryo begins to grow, moreover, both in the body of women and in the body of men.
Indian vulture
This creature was created by nature to clean up and clean up the area. With huge wings, they long time can circle above the ground in search of prey. With their huge beaks, they dig and devour flesh.
About 20 years ago, there were a huge number of vultures. But then their mass extinctions began due to kidney disease. As it turned out a little later, the reason for this was diclofenac, which was injected to local cows for anesthesia.
Vultures ate the corpses of cows with diclofenac, their body could not cope with it and they died. IN given time this medicine is banned in India because vultures have been replaced by rats and dogs, and many human diseases have been added from this.
Indian vulture bird
Gangetic gharial
One of the most interesting representatives crocodile is Ghanaian. On its long and narrow jaws you can see a huge number of sharp teeth.
The end of the muzzle of the males of these animals is crowned with a special outgrowth, with the help of which they make peculiar sounds like grunting. With the help of these sounds, the crocodile attracts females and scares away competitors.
Adults of these animals can grow up to 6 meters in length. More than a hundred years ago they large quantities could be found in northern regions India. Recently, their numbers have begun to decline sharply.
According to the assumption of scientists, there are no more than 200 individuals left in nature. Therefore, the Gangetic gharial is listed in the Red Book and taken under the reliable protection of man.
In the photo, the gharial crocodile
Hornet
The largest is the Asian giant. Its length sometimes reaches up to 5 cm. It can be found not only in India, but also in Southeast Asia. The bites of this insect are fatal to humans.
Thousands of people die from the hornet. In particular, it poses a great danger to people who are allergic to wasp venom. Hornet venom is highly toxic and destroys human tissue.
Pictured is a hornet
Indian scorpion
In India, there are two types - black and red. Blacks have impressive sizes, reaching up to 10 cm. After some scientific research, scientists came to the conclusion that the venom of these scorpions can be used to fight cancer cells.
Red scorpions are considered the most poisonous creature in the world, but he does not attack first, but stings solely for the purpose of self-defense.
Indian scorpion
Huge water bug
The water bug of India is considered the most gigantic of all the bugs on the planet. River floodplains in the north of the country are rich in this creature. The length of an adult giant bug is sometimes more than 8 cm.
They have very painful bites. With such a huge size, they can open the hunt for rather big fish, amphibians, and even serpentine creatures.
Huge water bug
river dolphin
Gangetic, or suckers live in the most densely populated region of the earth. They say that their number is also significantly reduced. In nature, there are no more than 2000 of these individuals. They have a long and sharp beak with huge teeth.
His eyes are very small, they do not fully fulfill their functions because the habitat of this dolphin is the muddy waters of river mouths. The river dolphin can detect the intensity of light rays and where they come from, but they cannot distinguish the shape of an object.
Pictured is a river dolphin
Whale shark
This impressive creature is considered the largest oceanic fish on the planet. All the warm and tropical seas of the planet are the favorite places of these sharks. There are none in the Mediterranean.
Most often they can be found off the coast of India, where they sail with pleasure and where they are under the protection of the government. A distinctive feature is the size of her liver. They have it much less than all other types of sharks.
Whale shark
giant catfish
For many people, they may not pose a risk. So think those who have not seen huge Indian catfish. There are suggestions that the devilish catfish living in the rivers of India are involved in the death of more than one swimmer. The weight of these creatures reaches up to 65 kg. It will not be difficult for them to grab a person by the leg and drag him under water forever.
Pictured is a giant catfish
Red Wolf
They live in packs of up to 40 individuals. They are 10 times smaller than a tiger, but they get what they want with the help of the whole pack. can attack prey weighing up to 200 kg. There were cases when hungry wolves attacked a tiger and killed it.
In order to mate, a pair has to take a risky step and get away from the pack. But this is their only chance to reproduce.
Pictured is a red wolf
Gaur
This bull looks similar to, only comes from India. They are herbivores that graze all day long. Despite the size, it is domesticated by man and is called gayal or mitan. Individuals are kept for work and as a source of meat.
Indian bull gaur
In addition to these listed animals, there is still a huge number of unique insects, birds, snakes, crocodiles, fish and other living creatures in India. All of them are interesting and unique in their own way.
Some are harmless, some are more dangerous. Therefore, before going on a trip to this country, it is better to look through information about them, look at photographs, and those that are really dangerous for a person should be avoided immediately upon meeting.
