India Geography

For more than four decades after gaining independence, India, with its massive size and population, staggering poverty and slow rate of growth, was associated with the plodding, somnolent elephant, comfortably resting on its achievements of centuries gone by. Then, in the early 1990s, the elephant seemed to wake up from its slumber and slowly begin to change - until today, in the first decade of the 21st century, some have begun to see it morphing into a tiger. As India turns 60, Shashi Tharoor, novelist and essayist, reminds us of the paradox that is India.

Let's take a trip to India! What makes this Asian country unique? Find out as you immerse yourself in the country's food, culture, animals, and sports. Lively, carefully leveled text introduces critical thinking skills. Grab your bags!

Join Amma and her boys as they travel to Shirdi, home to one of India's most celebrated saints - Sai Baba. Hear the story of one of the most loved and revered mystics. Walk around the neem tree that gave him shelter. Relish a few moments in Dwarka Mai, the dilapidated mosque that became his home. Visit Dhuni Mai, the ever-burning fire Sai Baba had lit, and receive his blessings. Hear stories of the countless miracles he performed as you pay respects at the Shri Samadhi Temple, where he rests.