The People of India
In a vast region embroidered with a variety of landscapes and climatic conditions, few countries around the world possess a level of cultural diversity as unique and expansive as India. Although numerous ethnic groups have carved out their own distinctive niches throughout different parts of the country, ranging from the frigid Himalayan Mountains in the north to the scorching Thar Desert in the west to warm river deltas in the east, the ancient caste system endures as the unifying force that binds India's national identity together ("The People of India"). Understanding one's conceptual stature in relation to peers, family members, and kinship groupings does not only reinforce deference towards others but instills humanistic qualities like tolerance, empathy, and responsibility into one's mentality. "Almost everywhere a person goes, he can find a relative from whom he can expect moral and practical support" (Indian Society and Ways of Living"). This notion especially holds true as a person journeys from the cradle to the grave, in which the presence of social ties can provide aid to some while the absence of social ties can endow failure for others. By bringing about social harmony by means of interdependence, the people of India present a model strongly coveted by neighboring nations ailing from civil unrest.
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Challenges India Must Confront
Greater accessibility to adequate health care coupled with advancements in agricultural productivity have initiated an ongoing crisis besieging India: overpopulation. Home to an estimated 1.3 billion residents, India currently encompasses the world's second largest population, although the perpetually widening gap between death and fertility rates constitutes a major disaster for the nation's carrying capacity. (Lohar). With more children surviving into adolescence and less elders succumbing to their mortality, the population continues to experience astronomical growth that undermines government directives geared towards managing these demographic implications. Vinay Lohar, a news correspondent from the International Policy Digest, reports that with only fifty-seven affluent individuals dominating the majority of India's financial assets, "Excessive population ... makes all plans to improve a country’s infrastructure and social welfare initiatives ineffective." Increasing rates of poverty among families yield another issue that is interwoven into the fabric of overpopulation. Families pushed to the brink of destitution rationalize the need to have more children to earn more revenue but with more mouths to feed, this ill-advised decision forces them further into impoverishment (Phukan). Overcrowding likewise coincides with illiteracy that runs rampant throughout the current generation as more kids enter the workforce. In one notable instance, India lags behind in its use of contraceptives and other birth control methods due to the lack of quality education (Phukan). This myriad of interrelated social issues presents a clear indication of overpopulation that the Indian government must confront.
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What makes India Beautiful
From the Indus River Valley civilizations to British colonization to Mahatma Gandhi's struggle for independence, the Indian subcontinent served as a crucial amphitheater for countless political and social affairs over the course of human history. In the modern age, however, the nation's captivating customs in conjunction with its astounding geography have captured the imagination of the public eye. One iconic image that stands out as the hallmark of India's monumental architecture is the Taj Mahal. Conceived in a melting pot of Indian, Persian, and Muslim influences, this magnificent mausoleum was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1938, and currently rests as a national symbol for the world to gaze upon ("10 Reasons"). Traditional festivals additionally enhance the local color by showcasing a grand spectrum of religious, linguistic, and cultural diversity. During the spring, tourists from all over flock to large, bustling urban centers like New Delhi to participate in Holi, or the Festival of Colors, which commemorates the upcoming harvest season (Cook). India's wide assortment of geographic locations also lend travelers the opportunity to depart from the cities and step into nature. Flowing from the northern Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, the Ganges River embodies one of the most venerated bodies of water in the Hindu religion by supplying sustenance and vitality to Varanasi, India's oldest city ("10 Reasons"). The resulting amalgamation of culture and geography, infused with the history of the nation's forerunners, grants India with true beauties to behold.
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Works Cited
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www.tripsavvy.com/holi-festival-in-india-guide-1539289.
Accessed 26 Dec. 2018
"Indian Society and Ways of Living." AsiaSociety.org, 6 June 2018,
asiasociety.org/education/indian-society-and-ways-living.
Accessed 24 Dec. 2018
Lohar, Vinay. "Impact of Overpopulation on India’s Growth." International Policy Digest, 19 June 2017,
intpolicydigest.org/2017/06/19/impact-of-overpopulation-on-india-s-growth/.
Accessed 23 Dec. 2018
"The People of India." FantasticIndia.org, 22 July 2018,
www.fantasticindia.org/people-of-india.html.
Accessed 23 Dec. 2018
Phukan, Rumani Saikia. "Overpopulation in India – Causes, Effects and How to Control it?" My India, 29 Apr. 2015,
www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/india/overpopulation-in-india-causes-effects-and-how-to-control-it.
Accessed 27 Dec. 2018
"10 Reasons Why You Need to Travel to India This Year." World of Wonderlust, 15 May 2015,
www.worldofwanderlust.com/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-travel-to-india-this-year/.
Accessed 26 Dec. 2018