Iconic wish list that makes India so special

Enthralling, colourful and life-affirming – as the country marks 70 years of independence, Gill Charlton gives 10 reasons to visit

As India celebrates its 70th year of independence from Britain, strong cultural ties remain. Indian novelists feature high on British bestseller lists, fashionistas covet Kashmiri shawls and handblock-printed fabrics, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has become a British film classic.

I’ve been travelling around India for 30 years yet feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of this enthralling, colour-saturated, life-affirming country. The cities are filled with great treasure houses, architectural marvels and enough shopping to last a lifetime but, as Gandhi once wrote, “India does not live in its towns but in its villages”. To get a real sense of what makes this country of 1.3 billion people so special, it’s essential to get out into village India. Today there are hundreds of comfortable country hotels to choose from, many in restored forts and palaces, ideal bases for exploring rural India. And many hoteliers and princely hosts have worked up special experiences to help visitors engage more fully with the rural life, from country walks during the magical “cow-dust hour” before sunset to Jeep rides into tribal areas to visit talented artisans.

Getting a tourist visa is no longer the time-consuming mission it used to

Clockwise from left: head to the Himalayas; the Taj Mahal; Devigarh; Palolem Beach, Goa; Hindu temple in Madurai; Varanasi on the Ganges; KalkaShimla railway; Bandhavgarh National Park is the place for tigers; find a gentler pace in Kerala; get to the...