This system has been criticized because in many cases, parents tend to seek relations on the basis of superior social and financial status. Also because some parents would demand wealth in exchange to their children. Nowadays, young people should consider the arranged marriage as a point to start right and use their parents’ recommendations as recommendations. The final decision should be made by the young couple. It is important to realize that marriage is a life long process of discovery and compromise.

• Sunday – RaviVara
• Monday – SomaVara
• Tuesday – MangalVara
• Wednesday – Budhavara
• Thursday – Guruvara
• Friday – Shukravara
• Saturday – Shanivara

• Aries – Mesham
• Taurus – Rishabam
• Gemini – Mithunam
• Cancer – Kathakam
• Leo – Simham
• Virgo – Kanya
• Libra – Thulam
• Scorpio – Vrishchigam
• Sagittarius – Dhanus
• Capricorn – Makaram
• Aquarius – Kumbham
• Pisces – Meenam

The birth rate is 24.79 births/1000 (USA-14.2) and death rate is 8.88 deaths/1000 (USA - 8.87). The life expectancy is 62.5 years(USA-77.12 years). The population growth ate for India is 1.58 percent (USA-0.91 percent). The fertility rate is 3.11 childrent born/woman (USA-2.05). On the average India has 1.07 males/female (USA - 0.97 males/female). The infant mortality rate is 64.9 deaths per 1000 births(USA-6.82). On the average women live 3 years longer than men (USA--2.5 years).

• Vow to keep a pure household
• Vow to develop mental, physical and spiritual powers to keep the marriage.
• Vow to increase wealth by righteousness
• Vow to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love and trust
• Vow to pray for virtuous, courageous, and intelligent children
• Vow to pray for health and longevity
• Vow that we will always remain true companions life long

According to Hindu religion death is not a contradiction of life. Birth and death, are two sides of the cosmic's eternal evolution cycle. What you will be born as during your next birth depends on actions and good and bad deeds performed in this life. One can elevate himself to a better next life by performing good deeds in this life. People must take responsibility for their actions either within this life time or the next.

The culmination of this eternal cycle is Moksha, end of the death and rebrith cycle and is considered the fourth and ultimate artha (goal). It is the transcendence of all arthas. It is achieved by overcoming ignorance and desires and performing good deeds during every birth.

India has the largest concentration of livestock in the world. One third of world's cattle live in India which has about three percent of the worlds's land mass. India is the world's second largest orroducer of milk. Seventy percent of milk comes from Buffaloes. India has so many cattle that it is estimated that there is enough food for sixty percent of the cattle population.

The cows are considered sacred and cannot be slaughtered. Only two states Kerala, and west Bengal allow legal slaughtering.

The literacy rate grew from 51 percent in 1991 to 61 percent in 2001. Seventy-six per cent of males and 54 per cent of females are now literate, compared with 64 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, in 1991. India's population increased by 281 million from 1991 to 2001. India's density was 324 people per square Kilometre. However the highest density of 994 people was recorded in Delhi. Of all the states West Bengal has the highest density of 904.

There are approximately 532 million males and 496 million females in India. The most populous state is Uttar Pradesh which has a population of 167 million (16.7 percent of the entire population). The island of Lakshadweep has a population of 60,000 (0.01 percent of the entire population).

more details:
Census numbers
Cenus facts
Demography maps

In India, women use it to beautify themselves especially during religious ceremonies and marriage. Usually the hands, feet and face of a bride are colored. It is safe, painless and does not involve piercing the skin. Further the dye washes off within a few days. Usually adoring a bride with Mehndi is done in a ceremony before the marriage with friends and relatives present.

Recently Mehndi is becoming popular amongst westerners. Actress Demi moore is believed to be the first western actress to wear Mehndi. Madonna caused quite a stir when she wore Mehndi all over her body during an MTV appearance. Now wearing Mehndi has become a unisex craze.

For details:
Weddings
Mehndi

The plates are still grinding against each other and scientists believe a major earthquake is still possible in that area. Within the last 100 years, four major earthquakes have happened. The Indian plate is moving northward towards Tibet at the rate of about half an inch a year forcing the Himalayas to rise by about quarter of an inch a year. Any earthquake in that region could endanger few millions of people. The latest earthquake happened on 29 March 1999 (Magnitude 5.2-6.0) in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas. The epicenter was about 50 miles from the 700 ft high rock fill dam being constructed by the Indian government in Tehri.

It was separated from the Asian continent (the Eurasian landmass) by a sea called the Tethys sea. When Pangaea (a super landmass of all land masses) broke about 100 million years ago, India started drifting northward towards Asia at a rate of about 30 feet per century. The 3,600 mile journey towards Asian continent took about 40 to 50 million years and the landmass eventually collided the Eurasian continent creating the Himalayan mountain range which stretches about 1750 miles bordering Tibet, India, and Nepal. The Himalayan range is said to be the land where earth meets the sky and has the tallest peak in the world called Mt. Everest.