A Feast for the Senses

India offers visitors a wealth of multifaceted experiences.

By Heidi Sarna

In a country about one-third the size of the United States with more than a billion people who speak some 2,000 dialects (Hindi and English are the official languages) and who are socially subdivided into still more layers of castes and ethnic groups, it's no wonder that India boasts a fascinating history and intriguing customs.

As traditional as Indian culture is, it's also a land of entrepreneurs and dreamers. The ultimate land of contrasts, India is a place of both beauty and tragedy, hope and despair. Simply put, it's one of the most captivating places on earth. After more than 25 trips over the past two decades, here are the India experiences that have had the biggest impact on me.

The Food

Eating is one of the best ways to get a real flavor of a place. Every time I visit India, I taste something I’ve never had before and am blown away by the sheer variety and endless ways of preparing vegetables. While generally heavier cream-based dals, roti, and meat dishes are popular in the north and spicier vegetarian food served with rice is most popular in the south, the staples throughout India always include lentils, chickpeas, flat breads, and spices, from turmeric to tamarind, coriander, garam masala, and chili powder.

Must-try favorites include dosas (thin crepes often stuffed with potatoes and served with chutneys and sambar, a vegetable stew — the Sagar Ratna restaurant chain in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh serves excellent dosas), lamb and chicken kebabs, deep-fried puffed bread (bhatura) served with spicy chickpeas, Indian-style cheese (paneer) combined with spinach or peas, tandoori chicken, and the many delicious flat breads, from roti to nann, paratha and the deep-fried puris.

The Train Rides

Trains are undoubtedly the best way to travel in India given the rough state of most roadways and the reckless style of driving. If the British did one thing that actually benefited India in the long term it was building an extensive rail system that covers thousands of miles across the nation. From tiny "toy trains" that crawl along at a snail’s pace to hill towns such as Shimla and Darjeeling, to the old-world splendor of hotel trains such as Palace on Wheels that take guests on weeklong tours through Rajasthan, trains are the way to travel in India.

Typical first-class coaches on standard trains are very comfortable, with large seats, lots of leg room, and stewards who come through the compartment with hot tea, samosas, toast, and other snacks. Aside from the utility of riding the rails, there’s something beautifully melancholic about the haunting whistle of a train rattling across the plains of India.