Namaste!

My name is Hathi, which means elephant in Hindi. I am an elephant who lives in a beautiful country in South Asia called India. It is the seventh largest country in the world with an area of 3.3 million square kilometres with 28 States and 7 Union Territories. Its population is approximately 1.3 billion! The second largest in the world!

There are so many things I would like you to know about my country.

The Arabian Sea is on the west coast of India, the Indian Ocean is to the south, and the Bay of Bengal is on the east coast. Our neighbouring countries are Pakistan to the north-west, China, Nepal and 'Bhutan' to the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh to the east. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. India has deserts, jungles, lakes, rivers and mountains.

I am very proud of my country's history. There have been many kings and rulers, but now India is a democracy with New Delhi as its capital. August 15, 1947 is our Independence Day when modern India came in to being.

Our currency is rupees and paisa (1 rupee = 100 paisa).

A lot of people think we only speak one language in India. That is not true. There are 17 major languages, for example Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati. A further 844 dialects are also spoken. English and Hindi are the most commonly used languages.

Hinduism is the most popular relegion in India. Other religion that can be found in our country include Islam, Christianitiy, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism and Jainism.

India has three seasons: Winter (November to February), Summer (March to May) and Monsoon (June to October).

Our national flag is quite colourful. It consists of 3 horizontal stripes, the top band is saffron orange, the middle is white and the bottom is green. In the centre of the white band is a wheel in navy blue.

As elephants, my relatives and I after take part in major celebrations. Despite this Indians have chosen the tiger as their national animal, but I am not offended!

Like me, many people in India are vegetarians. The vegetarian food that Indians eat consists mainly of wheat or chickpea flatbreads, vegetable curries, rice and yoghurt.

I can't wear a sari because I am too big! But many Indian women wear saris. A sari is a garment that wraps around the body; the length varies between 5 and 9 meters. India is famous for its woven fabrics and embroidery and is also a world leader in jewellery.

My favourite transport is the auto rickshaw. It is a small kind of car with 2 wheels in the back and one in front. There are many ways to get around India for example by motor bike, bicycle, bus and car. Even carts being pulled by buffaloes, horses or camels can be seen here!

We like to celebrate which is why we have so many festivals. I like Holi when we throw coloured powder and water at each other. However my favourite is the Ganesh festival, when the elephant god Ganesh is worshipped.

There is so much more to tell you, but why don't you come and visit my relatives and I, and you can find out more for yourself.

I am looking forward to welcoming you soon.

Yours,
Hathi