Continued…
- Manipur:
Manipur is known as the jewel State of India. Imphal is the capital of the State. Manipur became a full fledged State in 1972 under the North Eastern Region (Re-organisation) Act, 1971 with Manipuri as official language of the state. Barak is the major river The only floating park of the world, Keibul Lamjao, is in Manipur. Forest associated handicraft industry is prominent in the State. Bamboo, cane and tobacco products from Manipur are sold almost all over India. Manipuri dance, Manipuri language and the river named Manipur indicate the cultural integrity of the State with centuries old ethnical touch. Rice is the main staple food.
- Meghalaya:
The word Meghalaya means ‘The abode of clouds’. Meghalaya became a state on 21th January 1972. Shillong is its capital and this town is known as the Scotland of the east as it is a hill station about 1500 feet above the sea level. Distributaries of Brahmaputra are major rivers of the State. Mawsynram in Meghalaya is a place that receives the highest average rainfall in the world. Immense rainfall and fertile soil make this state green and rich in agriculture. Coal mining is the major industry. Shillong, Tura, and Jowai are the towns. In addition to English, Khasi and Garo are the languages of the people of Meghalaya. Christmas is the major festival as the majority of people are Christians.
- Mizoram:
Mizoram became the 23rd State of India on February 20, 1987. Tribes called Mizo are the major group of the State. Mizoram means ‘Land of the Mizos’. Agriculture is the main occupation of people and they continue old systems of agriculture like shifting cultivation even today. Paddy and maize are the main food crops. There are no major industry. Mizoram Economy is based on agriculture, horticulture, forest products, industry, mineral, and tourism sectors. Aizawl is the capital of Mizoram. Mizo and English are the languages of the people. Lunglei is a tourist destination of Mizoram famous for its scenic beauty.
- Nagaland:
Nagaland is one of the seven northeast frontier States of India. Kohima is the capital of Nagaland. Dimapur, Mokokchong are the major towns. Like other NEFA (North – East Frontier Agency) States, handicrafts is the major industry. Rice, maize and orange are the major agricultural products of Nagaland. Nagaland became a State in 1961. Nagas have a very rich and centuries old cultural heritage and there are 16 recognized tribal groups among the Nagas. They use many local languages like Ao, Konyak, Angami, Zeme and Lotha. Forest of Nagaland witnessed severe fights between the Japanese and British forces during the second world war.
- Odisha:
Odisha is one of the eastern peninsular States of India. Ancient name of Odisha was Kalinga, which marked a turning point in the life of Ashoka, the great. Capital of Odisha is Bhubaneshwar. It is known as the temple city or cathedral city of India as around 500 temples are here. Jagannath temple of Puri is world famous for its car festival. Sun temple of Konark constructed in 30th century is another attraction of tourists. One of the major hydro electric projects of India, Hirakud is in this State. The State is rich in metals and mineral resources. Rice, jute, oil seed and pulses are the major agricultural crops grown in the State. Mahanadi is the major river. Oriya is the language of the State, and Odissi is the classical dance form.
- Punjab:
Punjab means land of five rivers. The fertile fields gifted by these five rivers lead Punjab to become the chief beneficiary of Green Revolution launched in 1960’s. Sikh religion originated and flourished in this land. Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab. Golden Temple of Amritsar is the religious head quarters of Sikhism. Jhalianwala Bagh, where the cruel massacre of hundreds of freedom fighters took place is at Amritsar. Punjab contributes 68 per cent to the annual food production of India. Wheat, rice, maize and oil seeds are the major crops. Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej are the major rivers of the state. Punjabi and Hindi are the local languages. Sikh religious festival days like Guru Parva and Baisakhi are the major festivals of the State. Unique culture in all aspects of life distinguish the Sikh people of Punjab from others at all parts of the world.
- Rajasthan:
Rajasthan is the biggest State of India. The State is known as desert state. Thar desert is in this state. There were many kingdoms in Rajasthan, and the forts and palaces of Rajasthan form a major attraction to the world tourists. Jaipur, popularly known as the Pink City is the capital of Rajasthan. The Ranthambore National Park, located in the state of Rajasthan, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in India. It serves as a national reserve for the tigers. This mineral rich State is world famous for its granites and marbles. The Great Thar desert influenced the life style and culture of Rajasthan a lot. Desert festival of Rajasthan is famous for its uniqueness. River Luni flowing through the desert is a wonder. Indira Gandhi Canal constructed for irrigating dry areas of Rajasthan is a symbol of our determination. Hindi and Rajasthani are the main languages. Textile and handicraft are the prominent industries.
- Sikkim:
Sikkim is the 22nd State of India. It became a full fledged state by the 38th Constitution amendment of 1975. It is the least populous state of India. Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim. Kanchenjunga the world’s 3rd highest peak (8579 metre height) is here. Hilly and forest areas of great Himalayas reach almost all parts of the state. Forest produce including cardamom, cane and bamboo are major sources of revenue for the tribal people. Lepchas and Gorkhalis are the native tribal inhabitants of the state. Handicrafts is the major industry. Local languages are Lepcha, Nepali, Bhutia. This beautiful State with hills, valleys, waterfalls and streams attract thousands of internal and external tourists every year. Sikkim is a major Buddhist centre as one third of the people believe in Buddhism.
- Tamil Nadu:
The oldest Dravidian culture which existed before the Indus valley civilization prevailed in the present Tamil Nadu. On 14th January 1969, Madras state changed its name to Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the capital of the state. There are many historical milestones of Dravidian culture in Tamil Nadu. Bharatanatyam is the classical dance form of the State. Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu state. Stone carvings at Mahabalipuram and temple town of Kanchipuram proclaim the ancient glory of the State. There are many Hindu religious centres like Suchindram, Rameswaram, Tiruchandur, Madurai, Palani and Srirangam. Kaveri, Vaippar and Bhavani are the major rivers of Tamil Nadu. It is an industrially advanced state with printing, leather and textile industries. Pongal is the state festival of Tamil Nadu.
- Telangana:
Telangana is the youngest among the states in India. On 2nd June 2014, Telangana was formed out from ten north-western districts of Andhra Pradesh. It was originally part of the region comprising Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. The capital city Hyderabad is noted for its monuments which includes the masterpiece of Charminar and the fort of Golconda. The two main rivers of Telangana are Godavari and Krishna. Telugu is the official language of the state. Nirmal, a town in this state is renowned for toys, made of wood which have earned national and international recognition.
- Tripura:
Tripura became a State on 21st January 1972. The State is almost surrounded by Bangladesh. Agartala is the capital of the State. More than half of the State is forest area. Tea cultivation and handicrafts manufacturing (particularly hand-woven cotton fabric, wood carvings, and bamboo products) are the main industries. Jute is the major agricultural crop. Tripura has many tourist places i.e. Palaces, lakes, hill tourists spots, Wildlife Sanctuary & temples. Though the word meaning of Tripura is three cities, there is no city in the State except the capital town Agartala. Gomati, Manu and Deo are the major rivers of Tripura. Tripuri and Bengali are the languages spoken in the state.
- Uttarakhand:
27th State of India, Uttarakhand, formerly Uttaranchal, was formed on November 9. 2000. Dehradun, the capital of the State lies in the Himalayan foothills. Uttarakhand economy mainly relies on tourism industry. The magnificent river Ganga flows through the state with all its holiness with the name Bhagirati, and millions of people reach the State for holy dip at Haridwar. Hindi and Kumauni are the languages of the people. Biodiversity-rich Jim Corbet National Park is at Uttarakhand. Hindu religious centres like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Puri, Uttarkashi, Kedarnath and Badrinath are in the State. There are many national institutes at Mussourie and Dehradun.
- Uttar Pradesh:
Uttar Pradesh is the most populous State in India. Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world is in Agra. Birth place of Lord Sri Rama, Ayodhya, is on the banks of river Sarayu. Lucknow is the capital of the State. The State is referred to as the ‘Sugar bowl’ as Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of sugarcane in India. Buddha delivered his first speech after enlightenment at Sarnath of Uttar Pradesh. Prayagraj, the meeting place of Ganga and Yamuna is considered a holy land by the Hindus. Hindi and Urdu are the major languages. Textile and leather are prominent industries.
- West Bengal:
West Bengal is the cultural capital of India. Rabindranath Tagore, Rajaram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda and Subash Chandra Bose were the sons of this great land. Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal has centuries long heritage and it was the capital of British India till 1911. River Damodar is known as the ‘Sorrow of Bengal’. Other major rivers are Hugli and Ganga. Howra Bridge over Hugli is one of the beautiful bridges of Asia. Sundarben National Park of Bengal is famous for Bengal tiger, the national animal of India. Bengal is the prominent producer of jute. The international airport of Kolkata at Dum Dum is known as Subash Chandra Bose Airport and Assembly building of the State is known as Writers Building.