Few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as India"s. Stretching back in an unbroken sweep over 5000Buddha years, India"s culture has been enriched by successive waves of migration, which were absorbed into the Indian way of life.

It is this variety which is a special hallmark of India. Its physical, religious and racial variety is as immense as its linguistic diversity. Underneath this diversity lies the continuity of Indian civilization and social structure from the Banaras Ghats on River Ganga very earliest times until the present day.

Modern India presents a picture of unity in diversity to which history provides no parallel.

Four major racial groups have met and merged in this fertile land to give its populace a great diversity. There are 18 official languagesChurch in Goa and 844 dialects that are spoken throughout the country. Indians belonging to different religions - Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jews and others - live and work together without discrimination.

India is home to 120 million Muslims (the second largest Muslim population in the world).