I Love India: Miss India..!!!

My Introduction..!!

It is impossible not to be astonished by India. Nowhere on Earth does humanity present itself in such a dizzying, creative burst of cultures and religions, races and tongues. Every aspect of the country presents itself on a massive, exaggerated scale, worthy in comparison only to the superlative mountains that overshadow it. Perhaps the only thing more difficult than to be indifferent to India would be to describe or understand India completely.

Location, Geography, & Climate

Set apart from the rest of Asia by the supreme continental wall of the Himalayas, the Indian subcontinent touches three large bodies of water and is immediately recognizable on any world map. It is the huge, terrestrial beak between Africa and Indonesia. This thick, roughly triangular peninsula defines the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian sea to the west, and the India Ocean to the south.

India's puzzleboard of 26 states holds virtually every kind of landscape imaginable. An abundance of mountain ranges and national parks provide ample opportunity for eco-tourism and trekking, and its sheer size promises something for everyone. From its northernmost point on the Chinese border, India extends a good 2000 miles (3200 km) to its southern tip, where the island nation of Sri Lanka seems to be squeezed out of India like a great tear, the synapse forming the Gulf of Mannar. India's northern border is dominated mostly by Nepal and the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain chain. Following the sweeping mountains to the northeast, its borders narrow to a small channel that passes between Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, then spreads out again to meet Burma in area called the "eastern triangle." Apart from the Arabian sea, its western border is defined exclusively by Pakistan.

India can be organized along the compass points. North India, shaped like a throat and two lungs, is the country's largest region. It begins with the panhandle of Jammu and Kashmir, a dynamic area with terrain varying from arid mountains in the far north to the lake country and forests near Sringar and Jammu. Falling south along the Indus river valley, the North becomes flatter and more hospitable, widening into the fertile plains of Punjab to the west and the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and the Ganges river valley to the East. Cramped between these two states is the capital city, Delhi. The southwestern extremity of the North is the large state of Rajastan, whose principal features are the Thar Desert and the stunning "pink city" of Jaipur. To the southeast is southern Uttar Pradesh and Agra, home of the famous Taj Mahal.

West India contains the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and part of the massive, central state of Madhya Pradesh. The west coast extends from the Gujarat peninsula down to Goa, and it is lined with some of India's best beaches. The land along the coast is typically lush, with rainforests reaching southward from Bombay all the way to into Goa. A long mountain chain, the Western Ghats, separates the verdant coast from the Vindya mountains and the dry Deccan plateau further inland.

Home of the sacred Ganges river and the majority of Himalayan foothills, East India begins with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, which comprise the westernmost part of the region. East India also contains an area known as the eastern triangle, which is entirely distinct. This is the last gulp of land that extends beyond Bangladesh, culminating in the Naga Hills along the Burmese border.

India reaches its peninsular tip with South India, which begins with the Deccan in the north and ends with Cape Comorin, where Hindus believe that bathing in the waters of the three oceans will wash away their sins. The states in South India are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, a favorite leisure destination. The southeast coast, mirroring the west, also rests snugly beneath a mountain range---the Eastern Ghats.

Because of India's size, its climate depends not only on the time of year, but also the location. In general, temperatures tend to be cooler in the north, especially between September and March. The south is coolest between November to January. In June, winds and warm surface currents begin to move northwards and westwards, heading out of the Indian Ocean and into the Arabian Gulf. This creates a phenomenon known as the south-west monsoon, and it brings heavy rains to the west coast. Between October and December, a similar climatic pattern called the north-east monsoon appears in the Bay of Bengal, bringing rains to the east coast. In addition to the two monsoons, there are two other seasons, spring and autumn.

Though the word "monsoon" often brings to mind images of torrential floods and landslides, the monsoon seasons are not bad times to come to India. Though it rains nearly every day, the downpour tends to come and go quickly, leaving behind a clean, glistening landscape.

Culture & People

With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous nation in the world. It is impossible to speak of any one Indian culture, although there are deep cultural continuities that tie its people together. English is the major language of trade and politics, but there are fourteen official languages in all. There are twenty-four languages that are spoken by a million people or more, and countless other dialects. India has seven major religions and many minor ones, six main ethnic groups, and countless holidays.

Religion is central to Indian culture, and its practice can be seen in virtually every aspect of life in the country. Hinduism is the dominant faith of India, serving about 80 percent of the population. Ten percent worship Islam, and 5 perscent are Sikhs and Christians; the rest (a good 45 million) are Buddhists, Jains, Bahai, and more.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Miss India..!!!

Miss India


Winners of the Miss India 2005

From left to right: Niharika ( Miss India Earth 2005), Amrita ( Miss India Universe 2005) and Sindhura ( Miss India World 2005)

Amrita Miss India Universe 2005

Amrita is coming from an Indian Army background, Amrita hails from Pune city situated in Maharashtra state of India. She has two lovely siblings, one older sister and a younger sister. Qualifications: A Post Graduate in Indian Fashion Designing from School of Fashion Technology (affiliated with NIFT). Modeling experience: She has won the local Miss Pune Beauty title, has been May Queen and has done few music videos and print ads. Why Femina Miss India: It is a dream I have nurtured. Also I believe I have what it takes to be a Miss India as I can represent Hindustan (India) in the international pageant. Role Models: My inspiration are my beliefs and the moral values that I’ve have imbibed from my environment at home. Positive influences, affirmatives and reinforcements in a positive light inspire me.

Sindhura Miss India World 2005

THE BEST UPCOMING INDIAN MODEL Background: I come from a family of four, originally from Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh state in India. Vijaywada is about 300 km from Hyderabad city which is capital of Andhra Pradesh. My father is a mechanical engineer and my mother is a software technician both residing in New Zealand currently. Qualifications: A double degree in Pharmacology and Physiology; an advance modeling diploma; have anchored an Indian Channel in New Zealand called " Desi Hungama" on India Z TV; news reader/ reporter for 'flipside news' on TVNZ. Enjoy: I love to ice-skate and snow board on powdery snowy mountains. I love to cook, especially desserts with chocolate in them. It's an absolute passion of mine to one day explore the pyramids of Giza, Egypt as a tourist. Modeling experience: Australian fashion week; New Zealand fashion Week. Labels modeled on ramp - Adrienne Winkleman, Versace, Gucci; Dolce Gabbana, Kate Sylvester. Labels on print - FHM, About Time, Pearls. Why Femina Miss India : I was most attracted to Femina Miss India because the focus of the competition was always to groom, refine and prepare contestants to take on the world and represent our country with great elegance. The fact that I have tried and succeeded in the fashion, film and media industries in Australia, has motivated me to come back to my homeland and evolve in the Indian market. So what better way to do it than through Femina Miss India? Role Models: I try to grab positive points from everyone I see, talk to and interact and emulate those qualities to evolve as a better person. In this picture sindhura is wearing beautiful red sequined georgette Sari
NIHARIKA - Miss India Earth 2005

Background: I am from Uttaranchal Northern part of India but am currently residing in Mumbai popularly known as Bombay the financial capital of India. My dad's a government servant and my mom's running a fashion institute in Delhi. Enjoy: I love cooking, listening to music, adventure sports like river rafting & trekking. I enjoy reading non-fictional books especially autobiographies etc. Modeling experience: Music videos for Lata Mangeshkar, Jagjit Singh & Babul Supriyo; T.V commercials for Milk n Roses soap, Sony Wega, Samsung, Asian Paints, Vagh Bakri tea etc. Print ads for Unitech, Samsung, and Oasis Telecom etc. Why Femina Miss India: To be a part of the most sought after pageant in the country and to transform myself from being just Misss Niharika Singh to Miss India. Role Models: I am greatly inspired by the books written by Ayn Rand. I have read all her fictional books and I am currently reading ' For the New Intellectual'. Note: BOMBAY IS HUB / CAPITAL OF BOLYWOOD INDIAN FILM INDUSRTY. BOLLYWOOD IS SECOND LARGEST FILM INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD AFTER HOLLYWOOD.
Gwen Miss India Athlete 2005

Background: Gwen comes from a family of Indian musicians. Her father is a Indian business man and her mother is a homemaker.
Qualifications: She is currently doing her third year of graduation in India.
Enjoy: She loves to listen to Jazz music.
Modeling experience: Gwen has done a number of print campaigns like Roopkala, Airtel, Nothandas, and has also walked the ramp for leading choreographers and designers.
Why Femina Miss India: Participating in the pageant will give an added edge to my professional career.
Role Models: She gets her inspiration from the Bible, as it has been a pillar of support throughout her life.

The outfit she is wearing is a modern version of Salwar Kameez.