. . . Indian food the way Indians cook it

India's amazing diversity offers everything the traveler could ever want in a holiday. Bounded by the Himalayas in the north and edged by a spectacular coastline surrounded by three seas, India is a vivid kaleidoscope of landscapes, magnificent historical sites and royal cities, golden beaches, misty mountain retreats, colourful people and rich cultures.

At any part of the year India can offer you a dazzling array of destinations and experiences. In summer, when the subcontinent is sizzling, there are spectacular retreats amidst the heady beauty of the Himalayas or the lush heights of the Western Ghats Mountains with cool trekking trails, tall peaks to conqueror stretches of white water for the adventure seekers.

Modern India is home alike to the tribal with his anachronistic lifestyle and to the sophisticated urban jetsetter. It is a land where temple elephants exist amicably with the microchip. Its ancient monuments are the backdrop for the world's largest democracy where modern technology has brought the country within the world's top ten nations. Today, fishermen along the country's coastline fashion simple fishing boats in a centuries old tradition while, a few miles away, motor vehicles glide off conveyor belts in state-of-the-art factories.

Indian cuisine must be the most diverse in the world. India has thirty-one states and territories and fifteen different languages, each spoken in different dialects, and this diversity is reflected in its cuisine. Much of India's vast and incredibly diverse cuisine lies veiled from the Westerner's eye. This culinary week will open up the country's cuisine to you . . . Indian food the way Indians cook it.