Marco Polo dubbed India "a land of wonders" in the 13th century, and his observation is no less true today. Everything about India is older, bigger,more colourful, more diverse, and more intriguing than anywhere else. It is the land of a multitude of many armed gods and goddesses, home to the architectural splendours of the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and Lutyens' Delhi. From the Buddha and Alexander the Great to Ghengis Khan, Akbar the Great and Mahatma Gandhi, India's history is a five-thousand-year epic.

In 'India' to accompany the BBC2 6-part series, Michael Wood goes on six eventful journeys to uncover the fabulous sights and sounds, the dazzling achievements and the dramatic history of the world's most influential civilization.

Michael Wood goes on six eventful journeys to uncover the fabulous sights and sounds