Cows rule in India (Picture:Andrew Price)

With a population nearing a billion people, a life lived in India is a life lived publicly.

A single city street is a microcosm of Indian life with weddings and cremations unfolding next to everyday rituals like bathing and cooking.

Few countries can match the balance of colour, clamor and cacophony that India achieves. Anything that stands still long enough - even the famed holy cows - should expect to be garlanded, anointed or otherwise adorned.

In keeping with its paradoxical nature, however, Indian society is reserved as it is flamboyant. Kissing, hand-holding and canoodling are widely frowned upon and 'decent' Bollywood starlets refuse to be kissed on screen.

Geographically, India is just as varied. From the towering Himalayas through the parched deserts of Rajasthan and down to the lush Keralan backwaters, there is more than enough diversity on this subcontinent to astound even the most jaded traveler.

Modern India is the third largest economy in the world and is home to one of the world's richest men and a booming technology industry but it is not for the faint of heart. The poverty of the average Indian is staggering and much of the towns and cities are squalid.

Much like a bungee jump, India is disconcerting and somewhat alarming but ultimately exhilarating and life-affirming. It will move you, surprise you, engage you and repel you and it will quite likely do all four at the same time.

Even weddings are public events in India.

Survival Guide

There is no question that India can be tough on even the most seasoned traveller. India's bureaucracy is second-to-none. The poverty can be overwhelming, as can the constant barrage of beggars, touts and rickshaw wallas who often view tourists as rupees with legs.

Female travelers (even those traveling with men) can expect plenty of unwanted male attention and conditions can often be squalid. That said, India will reward you at every turn for your hard work and will get under your skin in a way that far "easier" countries never could.

India has three seasons - hot, cool and monsoon. The ideal time to travel most of the country is during the cooler period between November and March. The temperature in central and southern India can reach more than 45°C in the hot season, while the monsoon is marked by intense rainfall, flooding and frequent power outages.

Food is abundant and cheap too. To get a real taste for India, avoid tourist traps and eat regional specialties. There's a lot more to India cuisine than the chicken tikka masala churned out at Indian eateries in the West.

There are 16 official languages in India but English is widely spoken. There are English signs even in very remote villages and one should be able to get by with a little patience, a few key phrases in Hindi or Urdu and a big smile.

Accommodation is plentiful and inexpensive - though there is no limit to what you can spend in big cities.

Lake palace in Udaipur.

Picture: graeme israel

Train travel is one of the best and most romantic ways to see the country. Trains are reasonably well-maintained (especially air-conditioned classes), inexpensive by Western standards and run frequently. Travellers will likely feel most comfortable on the more private air-conditioned classes for longer journeys but trips of less than two or three hours on unreserved second-class trains can be a real adventure.

Air travel within India is becoming far less expensive now that several low-cost airlines have entered the market.