India

Souvenirs from India

India is country that appeals to the senses: bright colors, exotic scents and a rich cultural experience. Richly pigmented saris, Nehru jackets for men, clattering bangles, and handmade shoes are excellent for adding a touch of vacation to your everyday life. Lacquered decorative items, inset with mirrors and jewels, are incredibly popular and distinctive, as well as 22k gold jewelry, ornately detailed with traditional symbols. Other souvenirs from India are brass and wood carvings in the shape of animals and buildings and statues of Ganesha, an elephant idol believed to remove obstacles from your path. Are you culinary inclined? Spices like Cardamom, cinnamon and saffron are excellent Indian souvenirs, and a way to share your memories with friends and family. The Republic of India is made up of a wild diversity of religions, histories and traditions, and each region has a slightly different twist on memorabilia.

Indian Celebration of Diwali

For many centuries, India was a collection of kingdoms, each with their own traditions, art forms, and culinary methods. You can see this reflected in the different foods served in each region, using local ingredients to their best advantage, and in the celebration of Diwali. Called the festival of lights, every religion and town has their own way of marking the occasion. In Goa, families clean their homes and light lamps to welcome the goddess Lakshmi. Andrha Pradesh celebrates by purchasing new homes and cars during the festival, and wearing new clothes. The town of Karnataka calls its festivities Deepavali, meaning "light and abundance." 3 days of feasting are marked with firecrackers in the early morning and evening, as well as decorating homes with highly scented flowers. Tourists to India during the Diwali festival will be delighted by the melas, or local fairs. Acrobats, carnival rides, food booths and local vendors provide a uniquely Indian atmosphere.