The still backwaters of Kerala or the playfulness of the Bay of Bengal; the purifying heavenliness of the Himalayas or the desolate beauty of Rajasthan's desert; the village craftswomen painstakingly embroidering on wool in Kashmir or the weaver creating bales of exquisite silk in Karnataka; the bullock-cart or the super-computer — the lack of a single unifying idea that defines this kaleidoscopic land, is in fact, the very essence of India. After half a century of modern independent existence this country is as much at ease with its 5000-year-old civilization as it is with the latest in information technology. And in this rich tapestry is an appreciation of the diversity of this land and its unifying spirit.

Towering over the land are the mighty snow-capped Himalayas. One of the youngest mountain belts in the world, these three parallel ranges are integral to India's existence. They were believed to have sheltered India from the barrenness of the Central Asian plateau by locking in the monsoon winds within the sub-continent. But more important, these mountains, by preserving India's distinct geographical entity, also preserve its unique culture.

The first resounding impact of this country is its sheer size. The triangular, pendant-like peninsula covers a total area of 3,287,263 square km. The Himalayas border the north through an unbroken stretch of 2,400 km from the south-east to the north-west.

In the north lie China, Nepal and Bhutan, further east is Bangladesh, reaching down to Myanmar towards the south-east. In the west, the country is flanked by Pakistan and Afghanistan. From the northernmost snow- capped peaks to the swaying palm fronds in the country's southern-most tip, the Indian land mass extends over 3,214 km and over 2,933 km between the eastern and western extremities. The 7,516.6-km long coastline looks across the Palk Straits in the south to Sri Lanka and south-west to the Maldives.

said one of India's ancient poets, Kalidasa, capturing the beauty of these mountains.

The vast Himalayas consist of three parallel ranges, with some of the highest peaks in the world like Nanga Parbat, Kanchenjunga and Nand Kot. These ranges are broken by large valleys and plateaus breathtaking in their beauty. The Kashmir, Kullu and Kangra valleys show nature at her most colorful. The towering peaks of the Kumaon Himalayas are punctuated by the bejewelled tributaries of the river Ganga's tributaries — Bhagirathi and Alakananda, which converge in the North-Indian town of Devprayag to become the majestic Ganga. On the other hand, the eastern Himalayas are the home of popular hill-stations like Darjeeling, which, apart from preserving some traces of the colonial lifestyle also gives a unique view of peaks like the Kanchenjunga. Further east between India and Myanmar and India and Bangladesh lie the lower mountains known as the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia mountains. In the verdant surroundings of tea bushes, rhododendrons and orchids are some of the most picturesque tea gardens of Assam and pine-studded towns and villages of Meghalaya. The Himalayan foothills also create a natural barrier with Myanmar.

In the Deccan plateau in the south, hemmed in on either side by the slopes of the Western and Eastern Ghats are hundreds of waterways pushing their way through masses of pre-Cambrian rock. Both ranges meet in the extreme south in the Nilgiri Hills, dotted with hill-stations that are some of the most spectacular tourist spots in the country. Both the Godavari and the Krishna rivers, vital waterways in South India, originate in the Western Ghats and flow eastwards into the Bay of Bengal. The Karnataka plateau is the home of the wild elephant and is covered with dense sandalwood, teak and sisoo forests, while the Telengana plateau running alongside can sustain only thorny scrub and wild date palms.

In stark contrast, is the Great Indian Desert or the Thar Desert of western Rajasthan which would appear to have been banished by mother nature, without vegetation, a vast area of rolling sand dunes and precious little else. But its very desolation is its beauty, breathtaking in its vast, unrelenting spaces. It is believed that the harshness of the land created the warrior spirit, that is evident even to this day, decades after the spirited Rajputs who battled intruders, chose to become a part of India's democratic polity.

The rugged plateau of Malwa, Bundelkhand and Rewa in modern-day Madhya Pradesh separate the Rajasthan desert from the Gangetic Plain and the Deccan's lava-surfaced tableland. Fields of mustard and wheat add colour and give sustenance to the hamlets strewn amidst the harsh environs of the deep ravines created by the Chambal and Betwa rivers.

But the Himalayas' greatest gift to the sub-continent is that they are the home of three of the greatest rivers — Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus. The latter originates in India but the seven rivers that make up the Indus river system flow largely through Pakistan.

The flatness of the Indo-Gangetic Plain is in sharp contrast to the height of the Himalayas. The placidity of the plains is made more so by the fertile alluvial tracts that stretch between the States of Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The Ganga has two main headwaters in the Himalayas, Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, rushing down from the snowy heights to the warmer plains. Bhagirathi originates from the Gangotri glacier while the main tributary, Yamuna, begins life in the Yamunotri glacier. The Ganga, revered in her many forms throughout the country meanders through most of north India before she meets the sea in Bengal, her tributaries like the Yamuna, Kosi, Gandak, Gomti and Ghagra rivers running through the great plains and preparing them for cultivation. The Gangetic Plain is known as the rice-bowl of India.

The Brahmaputra, which flows east-west unlike the Ganga which flows north-south is unique not only in its size and ferocity, but the fact that it is India's only male river. Feeding the fertile plains of Assam and Meghalaya as well as Bangladesh, this river is a potential powerhouse of hydro-electric power. The Brahmaputra valley is also home to some beautiful pineapple plantations and mulberry farms, which cover the slopes of the rises and levees of this huge river.

In the Deccan plateau, the Godavari has the largest basin, followed by the Krishna and the Mahanadi. Funnily enough, all the Indian rivers drain to the east, except two. The Narmada and the Tapti flow into the Arabian Sea and are responsible for the fertile plains of central and western Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Ganga and the Brahmaputra join forces in the delta of the Bay of Bengal, where the mangrove forests of Sunderbans shelter the Royal Bengal tiger and it is here that the Olive Ridley turtle travels for its annual breeding ritual. In the extreme west, the saline marshlands of the Rann of Kutch separate Pakistan's Sindh from Gujarat and are home to the famous Indian Wild Ass. The marshy lowlands of coastal Kathiawar are the feeding grounds of the peach-tinted flamingoes, while further inland, the country harvests cotton and sunflower.

The vibrant diversity of the eco-system in India is shaped by two constants, the Himalayas and the monsoons. But otherwise, the dry cold desert plateau of Ladakh is a dramatic contrast to the lush green rainforests of Arunachal Pradesh, and the alpine meadows of Kashmir have absolutely nothing in common with the desolate sand dunes of Rajasthan.

Cresting the limpid waters of the Bay of Bengal are the 572 forest-clad tropical islands of the archipelago of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, inhabited by ancient people who have retained their distinct identity. During the colonial years, the Andamans acquired notoriety of a different sort - the cellular jail saw the end of many brave freedom fighters at the hands of the British.

Off the south-west coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea, surrounded by a dazzling abundance of tropical marine life lie the coral atolls of the Lakshadweep islands.

But the defining feature of this country is the monsoon. These are the life-giving rains that wash this country twice a year. The hot and dry summers, with winds raising a dusty haze over the northern plains can see temperatures soaring over 40 degrees C. The land is parched, the heavens are dry as man, nature and beast reel under the fury of a remorseless sun. South India, which enjoys a pretty uniform temperature throughout the year is more humid as a defiant sea breeze blows through the Deccan plateau.

By early June, however, the alert eye can spot the darkening horizons in the south- west. As the rain clouds gather moisture over the Indian Ocean, and the first drops bounce off the calm green backwaters of Kerala, the country prepares for the deluge which is the life-blood of this land, of its vegetation, of the rivers, mountains, streams and man.

Taking off from Kerala, these clouds pregnant with water race across the entire landmass from the south-westerly direction until they reach the Bay of Bengal and the north-east, depositing their treasure on the thirsty land as they go. It isn't until the winds hit the Gangetic belt that they turn northwards, travelling along the Gangetic Plain all the way to the northern most states, which, understandably receive much less rainfall, and bypassing areas like Rajasthan altogether.

It isn't just the water or the crops that gives the monsoons such a special place in Indian life. This season, running between June and September is intimately tied to the psyche, religions, rituals and social and cultural mores of India.

However, if you imagined that the monsoon has created a unifocal ecosystem, you couldn't be more mistaken. Diverse geological and climatic factors have resulted in varied eco-systems. The climate in each region is as unique as the people themselves. While the northern states like Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir face extreme cold and snow, the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu rarely go below 26 degrees C. Deciduous forestlands, coniferous treelines, alpine meadows and tropical swampy marshlands result in a profusion of natural beauty and encompass an abundance of natural living and non-living resources.

Ancient vegetation types have continued to flourish for centuries in this land. At the same time, India, which allowed the free movement of people into the country through the Himalayan passes or the numerous ports also absorbed influences from other distant lands, both in people and vegetation. For instance, wheat came from Turkey, garlic and onions from the middle east, tomatoes from central America and bananas from Africa. India is currently 10th in the world in plant diversity, 47,000 species of plants already identified. Vegetation in India is greatly determined by the capricious reign of the monsoon. Rich in plant species, the vegetal zones may range from the tropical wet evergreen, semi evergreen and moist deciduous to dry temperate, tidal and alpine. These in turn, support distinctive communities of wildlife.

Replete with religious significance is the banyan tree, which is indigenous to the sub- Himalayan region as is the peepal tree. Both trees hold a special place for Hindus and Buddhists. Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment while meditating under the bodhi tree, which belongs to the peepal family. In the northern and eastern plains of India huge tracts of sal forests exist, especially in the Shivalik foothills and the Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The lower Gangetic Plain has patches of tropical deciduous forests with light undergrowth of shrubs and grasses.

Thorn forests dominate the Deccan Plateau and the Western Ghats. In the Thar desert, the prosopis juli flora, a single plant species is almost the only fuel and fodder available for man and animal alike. In the tidal creeks of the Sunderbans delta, a closed evergreen tidal forest of about 20 species of mangrove trees survive along with an undergrowth of pandamus screw palms, cane and other salt tolerant shrubs.

In order to protect the vegetal wealth of the country, the Indian government launched a far-reaching programme of research and development. Included in this is the establishment of gene-sanctuaries for endangered species and biosphere reserves for representative areas of vegetation. The programme also focusses sharply on the prevention of over exploitation of the medicinal plants on which 90 per cent of India's medicines depend.

Conservation of plants and animals forms one of the important tenets of Indian life, philosophy and religion. In West Bengal, for instance, a single village in Birbhum district let their village become the temporary home for thousands of open-billed storks every year as the birds go about their annual perambulation. In south India another village has for centuries protected nesting waterbirds during their breeding period.

And who can forget the animist Bishnoi community of Rajasthan, who inhabit the peripheral areas of the Thar Desert, who hold nature in deep veneration. The tenets of their faith include a ban on hunting and felling of trees. Wild animals and birds are fed by hand by the priests with donations of grain from the villagers.

The protection of grazing grounds, regular desilting of water bodies demonstrate a strong environmental focus in this country, which led communities in Rajasthan to releam traditional arts of harvesting water in an arid land and thereby tiding through crippling droughts. The deep-rooted commitment to protecting the life-giving resources of nature are exemplified in the refusal of the Khedali villagers in 1730 to allow the local ruler to cut down the village trees. Clinging to the trees in vigorous defiance the villagers made the supreme sacrifice to nature by being hacked down along with the trees. In the 1970s the Chipko Movement repeated the gesture in a successful conservation movement.

The tree, a living presence in India, has held a powerful place in religious tradition because it symbolises the myth of creation. Nature, in the Hindu mind is the embodiment of the godhead in all its different manifestations. Myth and symbolism merge in a heady admixture of belief and action that pervades everyday life in both ritual and prayer. In Karnataka, nagakals, or serpent stones are left immersed in water for six months by the sculptor, symbolising the entry of water as a life-giving source. Animal life dominates the world of Hindu deities too. From Lord Ganesha (the elephant god) the god of auspicious beginnings to Lord Hanuman (the monkey god) who is worshipped along with Lord Rama, Hindu gods either have animal vehicles or are part animal themselves. Therefore the shakti goddess Durga rides the tiger, while Nandi the humped bull is the favoured mode of transport of Lord Shiva. The swan is the choice of goddess Saraswati, goddess of learning, while Lakshmi uses the diminutive owl.

Wildlife protection is now part of the Indian legal system. In 1972 the Wildlife (Protection) Act and the Forests (Conservation) Act of 1980 are the pillars on which the Indian conservation system is based. Project Tiger, an initiative for the depleting population of the tigers has attempted to arrest their extinction and these big cats are protected in 25,000 square km of reserves. To tackle environmental degradation, over 440 sanctuaries, 80 national parks and 23 tiger reserves have been established in the country. Some of these have been identified for unique species—Corbett and Kanha for the tiger, Periyar for the elephant, Kaziranga for the rhinoceros and Gir for the Asiatic lion.

Over 500 species of mammals still exist in India in the protected reserves created for them. The cat and deer families have the largest number of species in India alone. Only two macaques are widely distributed in India, the rhesus in north India and the bonnet monkey south of the Godavari river. The lion-tailed monkey of the Western Chats is the last and best known Indian macaque. India still has the richest stock of larger and lesser cats, even though the cheetah is now extinct within the country. The tiger, leopard, snow leopard in the sub-Himalayan north- east stretch to the rusty-spotted cat of south India and the marbled cat of Assam.

The country also has the largest species of deer in the world. The beautifully antlered barasingba of Madhya Pradesh and the swamp deer of Uttar Pradesh hold pride of place in this category. The chital can be found in most parts of the country, while the sambhar, the largest Asian deer and the cinkara are also found in large numbers.

India has over 1220 species of birds. Hornbills, serpent eagles, fishing owls and peacocks, India's national bird, are found in many parts of the forestlands, while the waterways are home to herons, ibis, storks, cranes, pelicans and much else. Vital to the avian population are the large breeding colonies in sanctuaries like Bharatpur which is home to a large number of migratory birds which descend annually on India, notably the Siberian cranes.

Over 1600 species and varieties of reptiles and amphibians and 57,000 insect species add to the wealth of wildlife which includes the king cobra, python, monitor lizard, crocodile and a gorgeous array of large and colourful butterflies. The relentless erosion of natural habitat has led to much loss of wildlife. But the government hopes to arrest this with more stringent wildlife laws. A growing awareness of the importance of preserving the environmental heritage of this land will help conserve its ecological wealth.