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Mysteriously....Exicting
India being divided to zones. The North hosts the states of e Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh & Rajasthan and the capital of India - Delhi. The region has seen the arise of religions like Jainish, Buddhism and ofcourse Hinduism. Major riversproviding water to the northern belt of India include Ganga, Brahmaputra and Yamuna along with its various tributries. The Ganga forms one of the fertile belts known as the Indo Gangetic plain which helps in growing all kinds of crops.
The Himalaya mountains in the North forms the roof wall protecting India. Diverse groups and ethinic culture enrich the whole of North India. Be it historically or climatically nature has cast a spell which is well enjoyed by tourists from all over the world.
Its the northern most state of the country. This place is often referred to as The Paradise on Earth. Ladakh is placed at the highest altitude and here the temperature dips to nearly minus 40 degrees.
Kashmir is a very natural and beautiful place, with various species of flora not seen anywhere around. The Shikaras or house boats in summers on tha Dal lake make make you trip even more exicting as you get to see the scenic beauty of snow clad mountains and garden of flowers around.
New Delhi is the capital of India. Loacted on the banks of River Yamuna, Delhi is a major cultural, political, and commercial center of India. Delhi has had a rich past and various monuments speak about its past splendour. Be it Qutab Minar 72.5m (238ft) tall making it the world's tallest free standing minaret or the Humayun's tomb which is the first example of Mughal tomb complexes. Being a cosmopolitan city, Delhi has seen much development in form of metro or the national highways.
Away from the city Old Delhi still contains legacies of its rich Mughal past that can be found among the old city's tangle of snaking lanes and teeming bazaars. One can pick up anything from silver jewelry, bridal attire, uncut material and linen, spices, to sweets. Chandni Chowk, a three century old shopping area, is one of the most popular shopping areas in Delhi for jewellery and Zari saris.
This densely populated state located in the upper Gangetic plain the Uttar Pradesh borders Nepal and is home to the world famous Taj Mahal. It is said to be the birthplace of Hinduism hence various hindu pilgrimage centers are found here. Also a favourite spot of the Mugal empire the Tomb of Akbar and his capital palace in Fatehpur Sikri makes this stae historically very rich.
In Uttar Pradesh these places specialise in the following. Kanpur is internationally known for its leather craft; shoes and other leather items. Firozabad the city of bangles. Khurja is famous for its ceramics pottery. Mirzapur and Bhadohi are known for carpets. Varanasi is famous for its banarasi saris and silk. Bareilly boast for its Jari work( a type of fabric decoration), Surma, Jhumka.
Rajasthan is rich in magnificient palaces and forts, colourful festivals and baazars, bisected by the Aravalli range of mountains the stategets water from Satluj and Chambal rivers. The Thar Desert which covers the western Rajasthan was once ruled by three great kingdoms - Jaiselmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner.
The Shekhawati region with its painted havelis (traditional palatial houses) is in the semi arid north. The eastern plains have the bustling state capital Jaipur and the Ranthambore National Park famous for its tigers. In the hilly wooded south are the fairy tale palaces, lakes and fort of Udaipur, the spectacular Jain temples at Ranakpur and the Dilwara temples of Mount Abu which is a sacred pilgrimage for the Jains. Mount Abu is the only hill station Rajkasthan has. As a shoppers paradise block prints, tie and dye prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, Zari embroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, blue pottery are some of the things commonly found here.
Punjab also known as the Land of Five rivers, they are Beas, the Ravi, the Sutlej, the Chenab and the Jhelum which are the tributaries of the River Indus.Punjab has a long history and rich cultural heritage.
Agriculture is the largest industry in Punjab, it is the largest single provider of wheat to India. Music of Punjab is well-known. Bhangra is one of the many Punjabi musical art forms which is quite popular. Punjab was the first place where the Green Revolution took place. Much of Punjab now lies in Pakisthan after the partition that took place in 1947.
Uttarakhand or the land of Gods borders Tibet to the north, Nepal to the east, and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in the west and south respectively. In January 2007, the name of the state was officially changed from Uttaranchal. The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun. Tehri dam on the Bhagirathi-Bhilangana rivers is a huge dam which is about to be completed. Uttarakhand is also well known as the birthplace of the Chipko environmental movement (against cutting trees).
Most of the northern parts of the state are part of Greater Himalaya ranges, covered by the high Himalayan peaks and glaciers. Two of India's mightiest rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna take birth in the glaciers of Uttarakhand.
Indian National Parks in Uttarakhand include the Jim Corbett National Park (the oldest national park of India) at Ramnagar in Nainital District, Valley of Flowers National Park and Nanda Devi National Park in Chamoli District, Rajaji National Park in Haridwar District, and Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi District.
Himachal Pradesh is known as the Region of snowy mountains and is also said to be the land of he Gods. Sitauted in the western Himalayas, the state is nourished with rivers and glaciers. The Indus and the Ganges cater to the major needs of the state. They support a natural rich vegetation here. There is unique climate conditions here depending on the variation in elevation of places.
The state has areas like Dharamsala that receive very heavy rainfall, as well as those like Lahaul and Spiti that are cold and almost rainless. Himachal is also said to be the fruit bowl of the country with fruit orchards. There are around 12 national parks and sancturies making Himachal rich in wildlife. One can spot leopards, ghoral, snow leopard, musk deer etc here.
Places to See in Himachal Pradesh - Shimla, Mandi, Dalhousie, Chamba, Manali, Kinnaur, Kullu, Solan, Pabbar valley, Mandi, Rewalsar, Joginder nagar, Swarghat, Dharamshala
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A few attractions in Delhi include Humayun's Tomb, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Lodhi Gardens etc
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Other places in Rajasthan are - Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner Ajmer, Pushkar, Bundi, Bharatpur, Chittaurgarh, Mount Abu, Ranthambore, Sariska, Shekhawati, Kumbalgarh, Alwar, Barmer, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Dungarpur.
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