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wildlife food celebrations religion New delhi The Gateway of India is a monument built during the British Raj in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India.[2] It is located on the waterfront in the Apollo Bunder area, South Mumbai and overlooks the Arabian Sea.[3][4] The structure is a basalt arch, 26 metres (85 feet) high. It lies at the end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg at the water's edge in the harbour of Bombay.[5] It was a crude jetty used by the fishing community which was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other prominent people. In earlier times, it would have been the first structure that visitors arriving by boat in Mumbai would have seen.[6][7] The Gateway has also been referred to as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai,[8] and is the city's top tourist attraction.[9] The structure was erected to commemorate the landing of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder, when they visited India in 1911. Built in IndoSaracenic style, the foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 March 1911. The final design of George Wittet was sanctioned in 1914 and the construction of the monument was completed in 1924. The Gateway was later the ceremonial entrance to India for Viceroys and the new Governors of Bombay.[10] It served to allow entry and access to India.[11] The monument has faced three terror attacks from the beginning of the 21st century; twice in 2003 and it was also the disembarkation point in 2008 when four gunmen attacked the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. Celebrations Diwali is a joyous celebration that takes place on the last day of the last month in the lunar calendar. This is usually at the end of October. During this five day holiday, people light oil lamps and set off fireworks. The holiday is also to worship the goddesses Kali and Lakshmi. People thank them for their good fortune and strength. Diwali is also the beginning of the new year. It is a time for people to reflect on the importance of their lives. They begin the new year with good habits. India's Animals India is home to lions, tigers, antelope and Indian elephants. Wildlife lives mostly in northern India, but the natural habitat is shrinking because of India's growing population. Elephants are sometimes used to help plow fields or to move and carry heavy items. There are also many reptiles including the king cobra, pythons, crocodiles, and monitor lizards India's Foods Many of India's people are vegetarians, meaning they don't eat meat. Hindus believe that the cow is a sacred animal and never eat beef. Much of the food in India is flavored with spices such as cinnamon, garlic, and cumin. Most meals include rice, vegetables, bread, and yogurt. The biggest religion in India in terms of population is Hinduism. Majority of the population accounting to 80%, is Hindu. Next biggest is Islam with 13% of the total population following. Other religions are Sikhism, Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Judaism. So many religions residing in harmony inside one country truly personifies the phrase 'Unity In Diversity'. Many of these religions have their origin place in India itself which makes India all the more important in context of entire religion. Delhi is the symbol of old India and new ? even the stones here whisper to our ears of the ages of long ago and the air we breathe is full of the dust and fragrances of the past, as also of the fresh and piercing winds of the present. Dance in India comprises the varied styles of dances in the country. As with other aspects of Indian culture, different forms of dances originated in different parts of India, developed according to the local traditions and also imbibed elements from other parts of the country.[1] Sangeet Natak Akademi, the national academy for performing arts, recognizes eight distinctive traditional dances as Indian classical dances, which might have origin in religious activities of distant past. Folk dances are numerous in number and style, and vary according to the local tradition of the respective state, ethnic or geographic regions. Contemporary dances include refined and experimental fusions of classical, folk and Western forms. Dancing traditions of India has influence not only over the dances in the whole South Asia, but on the dancing forms of South East Asia as well. Dances in Indian films are often noted for their idiosyncrasies, and hold a significant presence in popular culture of the Indian subcontinent.[2][not in citation given]