Why does India Fascinate?

I'm impressed by the profound spiritual sense immanent in Nepal & Indian temples. Thousands of years of history and many religions form an ever changing masala. Another example was in Aurangabad, where, after visiting the incredible Buddhist caves at Ellora & Ajanta, our guide was taken aback when we asked to visit a mosque nearby, saying no other tourists had ever asked him to do so.. It was Eid, the end of Ramadan, and our guide said he'd never been in a mosque before. We were invited into the mosque by the imam. The imam was a perfect host , accepting our visit and the prayers of our Hindu guide.

Famous Landmarks of India

India is sprawling in both its history and religious / cultural diversity,so choosing a subset of its most famous landmarks is difficult if not impossible. But the following are some of our favorite places - in several cases, they're not landmarks as such but rather intriguing places.

Of course the Taj Mahal usually tops the list, but several other buildings are as interesting and beautiful. Among these are the Jain temples of Mt Abu, Palitana and Ranakpur. In Rajasthan there are the famous palaces of Udaipur , Jaipur and Jodhpur

India is also famous for its food

Besides its famous landmarks, India boasts an incredible array of cuisines and cooking styles. One of the joys of wandering thru India are the vast changes in foods and cooking styles. As an avid cook, I bring new recipes back each time I visit, or find new variations on famous Indian recipes.

Corn Tikkis are an Indian version of veggie burgers. Filling: 1 cup frozen corn kernels 1 small can, green chilies, or 3-4 fresh green chilies 1/2 cup raisins 1

Corn Tikki Tacos -An Indian snack takes on a Mexican tradition Filling: 1 cup frozen corn kernels 1 small can, green chilies, or 3-4 fresh green chilies 1/2 cup raisins 1

Coriander Curry Chicken
8 - chicken leg pieces 2 - leeks (can substitute 1 medium onion), chopped 1 - tomato, chopped 1 stalk - celery, diced 1/2 cup - white wine 1 cup - chicken stock ...

Peanut Mustard Buffalo Wings

Murgh Dopiaza - Indian Chicken curry with twice cooked onions. My version of a classic Indian dish was a finalist in the annual Newman's Own recipe contest and earned $10,000 for Amnesty International and a trip to New York to meet Paul Newman and friends.

Tandoori BBQ Chicken
Not many of us have a standalone enclosed clay oven nearby, so some thought is needed to produce an Americanized version of the Indian classic tandoori chicken Start with 6-8 chicken thighs ...