India is a land of intrigue to many, and always offers something unique to its visitors. From the ancient traders who came in search of exotic spices and gold, to the post-medieval voyagers who were enamoured by the land’s riches, to the present day global entrepreneurs and travel junkies, India offers a promising journey of colour, culture, cuisine and even climate.
The nation is vast and eclectic – offering many a delights, be it food, culture, people, places, arts - one is always bound to discover something new, right around the corner. Needless to mention, this land of bounteous surprises will draw you into a range of experiences – tradition and modernity, splendour and austerity, adventures on the road and voyages of the soul…
And what would ever happen to voyages without a map - a path to show you what to look for, where to seek your experiences, and guide your interests. Wouldn’t it be exciting, if the maps not only showed you the obvious, but also shared tales of yore? They would guide you to learn how the obvious came into existence and the events that may have shaped it. How a moment in time bore testimony to a series of evolving events – historically, politically…culturally?
Witness all these and more, when you look through this series of interesting maps on India, which offer rich validation on the country’s political, historic, geographic and socio-cultural landscape. Some offer the obvious – and equip you with facts and data, and some will take you through journeys. A few of these maps depict interesting perspectives on what we already know about India, while some illustrations take us closer to dimensions that are waiting to be explored.
Soil Types in India
http://library.wur.nl/isric/kaart/origineel/IN1003_SO.jpg
The map is an extremely detailed depiction of the varied soil types and their distribution around the country. The rich illustration and notes on the soil types offers an instant education on the terrain, vegetation and farming techniques adopted in the country.
Cultural Landscape
http://www.markville.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/projects/
classof2008/chong2/vlee/WebsiteTemplateEdit.htm
The map offers a simple yet complete illustration on the cultural landscape of the country. The rich use of colour and symbolic elements offer an at-a-glance tour of the key monuments, arts and places of cultural importance in India.
Historical India
http://www.mapsofindia.com/history/ancient-india.htm
This historical map of India intrigues as it captures the land as an evolving nation, circa 500 B.C. - it depicts the important rivers and places, and the kingdoms, civilisations and migratory groups that may have flourished around these regions.
Ancient India
http://ancientindians.net/map-of-epic-cities-of-india-by-jijth-n-r/
This ancient Indian map takes you on a journey into the past, spanning the entire Indian sub-continent, weaving together key places which find mention in the two great epics - Mahabharata and Ramayana. Drama, mystique, grandeur – all are unfurled in this map.
Passage to India
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~poyntz/India/images/Languages1893.jpg
This magnificent illustration depicts in detail pre-independent India. It may well have been created as an induction document for the British officers - educating them on India’s places, languages, religions, culture – all at one go!
Journey through India
http://www.prokerala.com/maps/india/india-tourist-places.html
This map is essentially an India travel guide, offering key information on places of historical interest, cultural and architectural significance, travel and adventure for the holiday maker. Effective use of symbols creates a neat illustration for travellers to pick locations according to their interest.
Navigate India
www.mapmyindia.com
Here one moves beyond the conventional map and discovers a word of resources to physically navigate through India. Beyond the map, there are additional features including GPS updates, extremely detailed illustrations on highway roads and innumerable street maps.
People and Religion
http://mapsof.net/india/static-maps/gif/religions-map-of-india-1987
The map profiles the religious and ethnographic influences across varied places in India with ease and effectiveness. As you look through you gain insights into the socio-cultural landscape – the issues, challenge and political perspectives evolving through India.
Backpacker’s India
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india#
The map is designed to work as an India travel guide for anyone planning to explore the country. It is interactive, informative and offers a quick illustration on places of interest, what to do and expect when at each of the locations.
Cha Journeys
http://blackmaps.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/india-antique-tea-map.jpg
This antique Indian map has the same effect on you as would tea – it invigorates and excites your imagination. It launches an interesting journey into the past, illustrates places of interest for the tea lover and the varied brews found across the country.
Picture of an Indian map, with an interesting depiction. Sourced from http://blackmaps.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/india-antique-tea-map.jpg
Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com).
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in September, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.
