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Tamil Nadu is located in the southernmost part of India. It is bounded by Andhra Pradesh to the north, Karnataka to the northwest, Kerala to the west and the Indian Ocean to the south and east directions.
Tamil is the state language of Tamil Nadu. Tamil is considered the world’s oldest living language still in use today.
Ever since its formation on 26 January 1950, Tamil Nadu has been ruled by the local parties of the state. The state has never been ruled by any national party.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a monument located in Kanyakumari. It is believed that Swami Vivekananda got enlightenment in Kanyakumari. Kanyakumari is the southernmost point of India.
Mahabalipuram has a group of carved rock structures, that date back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Those structures include stone rathas, mandapas, and huge open-air reliefs such as the famous ‘Descent of the Ganges’ and the temple of Rivage.
The city Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu is famous for Kanchipuram silk sarees. These are woven from pure mulberry silk with gold and silver zari work on it. The saree has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2005–2006.
Tamil Nadu is the only state that faced attacks by the Germany Alliance during World War I. The city of Chennai or erstwhile Madras faced fierce attacks by the German Allies during the war.
The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus in Tamilnadu is the largest bus station in Asia.
The 3850 feet long colourful corridor in the Ramanathaswamy temple located in Rameswaram is the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India. The Jyotirlinga at Ramanathaswamy temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India.
Tamil Nadu has India’s oldest bookshop in existence. Established in the year 1844, Higginbotham’s store in Anna Salai, Chennai is the oldest book store in India.
Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai is a hub for major automobile manufacturing units and allied industries. So the city is known as the Detroit of Asia.0
The famous traditional medicine system, Siddha medicine originated in Tamil Nadu. At present Tamil Nadu state runs a 5.5-year course in Siddha medicine.
The favourite tourist destination Marina Beach is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Chicken 65 was introduced in 1965 by Buhari’s hotel and hence the dish is named so.
Sikkim merged with India and became the 22nd state of India on May 16, 1975.
Sikkim shares border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and northeast, Bhutan to the southeast, West Bengal to the south and Nepal to the west.
Sikkim has 11 official languages.
Sikkim was the first state to be declared completely organic. The govt. of Sikkim stopped imports of chemical fertilizers in the State in 2003.
Sikkim is India’s first ‘Open Defecation Free State’. The state was declared Open Defection Free on 27th May 2016.
Sikkim is the least populated state in India.
The Siddheshwar Dham located on the Solophuk hill has gigantic statues of Lord Shiva and Replicas of Jyotirlingas and Char Dham Temples.
Khangchendzonga National Park of Sikkim is India’s first “Mixed World Heritage Site” by UNESCO under both natural and cultural heritage lists.
The world’s third-largest mountain Kangchenjunga is located in the border region between the Sikkim and Nepal.
Buddhism is the second most followed religion in the state. The state has more than 200 monasteries.
Sikkim’s Gurudrongmar lake and Cho lhamu lake are also the highest lakes in India. The lakes ate situated at altitudes of 5,425 m and 6,200 m respectively.
Sikkim has the largest number of glaciers in India. The state has 84 glaciers.
Sikkim got GI tag for Dalle Khorsani chilli. It is one of the hottest and most pungent chillies in the world. The chilli has many medical properties.
Rajasthan is the largest state in India. The state covers an area of 342,239 sq km.
Before independence, the name of Rajasthan was Rajputana. Rajasthan comprises a combination of 22 princely states. The state is home to forts and palaces.
Rajasthan is surrounded by Pakistan to the west and northwest, Punjab to the north, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, and Gujarat to the southwest. The state shares 1,048 km international border with Pakistan.
Jaisalmer is the largest district in Rajasthan and the third largest district in India.
A large portion (nearly 60%) of the Thar desert, which is also called The Great Indian Desert is located in Rajasthan. The desert area in Thar is known for the formation of shifting sand dunes due to high-velocity winds. Thar desert is the 20th-largest desert and the 9th-largest hot subtropical desert in the world.
Though the west portion of Rajasthan is desert and arid, there is a lush green fertile terrain present in the east of the state. This lush green area of Rajasthan is prominent for the livestock of the native people.
Rajasthan is the largest wool producer in India. The state alone produces nearly 33% of the total wool produced in the country.
Rajasthan is the second largest milk producer in India. Uttar Pradesh is the largest milk producer in India.
Aravalli Range is believed to be the oldest range of fold mountains in India.
The wall of Kumbhalgarh Fort is one of the longest continuous walls in the world. The fort is located in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan state.
Some major cities of Rajasthan are colour coded.
While talking about the Pink City Jaipur city, to welcome the British Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria, Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh passed a law in 1876 to paint houses in the city with pink colour.
Likewise, the buildings in the Jodhpur are pained blue colour so, the city is popularly called Blue City.
In this row, Bikaner is known as Purple City, Udaipur is known as White City and Jaisalmer is known as Golden City.
Hawa Mahal is a famous attraction in Rajasthan. It was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in the 18th century. The Mahal was made up of red and pink sandstone and has 953 windows.
The archaeological site Kalibangan has traces of the Indus Valley Civilization. In the excavation, remains of unique fire altars and the world’s earliest attested ploughed field are found which are contemporary to 2900 BC.
The ancient Mandore town has its epical importance. The town is believed to be the native place of Ravan’s wife Mandodari. A Ravan temple is located in the city.
The Luni river flows through the Thar Desert is known for its excessive salinity. The river originates in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range.
The only Brahma Temple is located at Pushkar in Rajasthan.
There is another temple named Karni Mata Temple is located at Deshnoke, in Rajasthan. The temple is famous for the approximately 25,000 rats. The rats are considered holy rats and are called “Kabbas”.
The white marble stones at Makrana in Rajasthan are popular for use in sculpture and building decor. Several iconic monuments such as the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata are built by this white marble.
India’s nuclear test site Pokhran is located in the Rajasthan state.
The name Punjab is derived from two Persian words- Panj and Aab. Punj means five and Aab means water. So the literal meaning of Punjab is a land of five waters or land of five rivers. The five rivers flowing through Punjab are Sindhu, Sutlej, Ravi, Beas, and Ghaggar.
Punjab was divided by the British in 1947 during the partition of India. After that Punjab was again divided into Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana in 1966 on the basis of language.
Punjab is surrounded by Pakistan’s Punjab province on the west, Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Himachal Pradesh on the northeast and Haryana and Rajasthan on the south.
In Punjab, Amritsar is the largest district in terms of both area and population.0
Punjab was the first state where President Rule (Article 356) was imposed on 20 June 1951. The state was under President Rule for a long time of 3510 days, which is nearly about 10 years.
Punjab has the highest contribution to the Indian Army.
Indus Valley Civilization was among the ancient civilizations in the world. The civilization flourished around the Indus river in the state of Punjab and its surrounding parts.
Punjab is frequently attacked and looted by foreign invaders like Huns, Turks, Mongols, Persians, and Afghans. So there is no trace of an ancient temple in the state.
Punjab shares its capital with Haryana. Chandigarh Both the states also share the Highcourt
Both Punjab and Haryana are considered the breadbaskets of India. The soils in this region are very fertile to grow rice, wheat and other crops.
Punjab is the largest state of Sikh population in the world. In the late 15th century, Guru Nanak Dev laid the foundation of Sikhism in Punjab. He became the first Sikh Gurus.
Golden Temple is considered one of the most sacred pilgrim place for Sikhs. This Sikh shrine is located in the city of Amritsar in Punjab. Pure 24 karat gold plating is used for decorating the temple. The temple was designed by the Fifth Guru of Sikh Guru Arjan.
Batala city in Punjab is an industrial hub for Iron casting and manufacture of machine tools. The city is known as the Iron Bird of Asia.
In Punjab, 100% of villages are connected to the roads.
Punjab is the highest producer of wheat in India. The state has around 45% contribution to the total wheat production in India.
The state of Odisha formerly known as Orissa is located in Eastern India. Areawise it is the 8th largest state in India.
Odisha is the first state in India to be formed on a linguistic basis. On 1 April 1936, Orissa was split from Bengal into a separate state.
Odisha is bordered by West Bengal and Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west, Andhra Pradesh to the south and Bay of Bengal to the east.
Odisha has the third-largest population of Scheduled Tribes in India after Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. A total of 62 distinct tribal clans live in different parts of Odisha.
The capital city Bhubaneswar is known as the ‘Temple City’ of India as it is home of more than 600 ancient temples.
The Lord Jagannath temple in Puri is one of the four Dhams of Hindu Religious people. The temple has the largest temple kitchen in the world and makes food for over one lakh devotees every day.
Odisha has a Leaning Temple at Huma village in Sambalpur district. The temple is one of the two leaning temples in the world.
The world-famous Odishi dance is a major ancient surviving classical dance. In the first of its kind, the dance has been included in IIT Bhubaneswar’s B.Tech syllabus.
Hirakud Dam is the longest earthen dam in the world. The dam is situated in the Sambalpur district of Odisha. With a total length of 25.79 km, it is the longest dam in India.
Dhanu Yatra of Baragarh District is the world’s largest open-air theatre festival and is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The rocks found from Champua of Kendujhar district and some parts of Mayurbhanj district dates back to approximately 4.2 billion and 3 billion years old respectively.
Asia’s largest brackish water lake is situated in Odisha. It is the largest coastal lagoon in the country, the largest internal saltwater lake in Asia and the second largest saltwater lagoon in the world.
The lake is home to critically endangered Irrawady Dolphins.
It is one of the largest wintering grounds for migratory birds. Birds from the far north places like the Caspian Sea, Russia, Mongolia, Central and Southeast Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas migrate here and make it paradise on earth for the bird watchers.
The Bay of Bengal coast of Orissa state at Gahirmatha beach, Kendrapara is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley sea turtles.
The Bhitarkanika National Park in the Kendrapara district of Orissa is home to the unique saltwater crocodiles. Some are measuring about 23-foot long. The national park is also safe haven for other animal species like the Indian python, Cobra Snakes, Monitor Lizards, Wild boars and Chital.
Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island of Odisha serves as the test facility otherwise called Integrated Test Range for most missiles developed by India.
Bhuban village located in Dhenkanal is the largest village in Asia.
Rasagola, one of the famous sweets originated in Odisha.
Bhitarkanika Mangroves and Chilika Lake are two Ramsar sites in Odisha.
Nagaland is bordered by the state of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south and Myanmar to the east. 3840 meters high Mt. Saramati Acts as a natural barrier between Nagaland and Myanmar. Saramati is also the highest peak in the state.
91% of the state is hilly.
Nagaland has experienced insurgency and inter-ethnic conflict since 1950.
Nagaland remained a province of Assam even after the independence of India. It formally got statehood on 1 December 1963 with Kohima being its capital.
English is the official language of Nagaland. Nagamese is the creole language. The language is widely spoken in Nagaland.
As per 2011 census, only Nagaland has a negative population growth rate as compared to the census 2001. The Population decline was 0.47% during the decade.
Almost 90% of the population of Nagaland follows Christianity.
Nagaland is known as the land of festivals. Each tribe celebrate their own festival, making celebrations of different traditional and cultural fests throughout the year.
The capital city Kohima has a war cemetery dedicated to the soldiers of 2nd British Division who died in the Second World War at Kohima in April 1944 while defending Japanese forces.
Different tribes of Nagas have different designs of shawls. The shawls also signify the social standing of a person within a tribe.
Nagaland is the home to one of the World’s Hottest Chilli Pepper called Bhut jolokia.
There present an organisation named “Naga Hoho” formed by the Naga people to safeguard the Naga System of tradition and Naga social culture.
Indian tourists need an Inner Line Permit to visit Nagaland, whereas Foreigners need to register FRO at State Border entry to explore Nagaland.
Longwa Village in Mon district is located on the international border of India and Myanmar. The house of the traditional chiefs otherwise called the Angh lies half in India and half in Myanmar. The entire village is ruled neither by India nor by Myanmar but by the Angh only.
The name Mizoram is derived from two Mizo words- Mizo and ram. ‘Mizo’ is the name used for the native inhabitants and ‘Ram’ means ‘land’.
Mizoram is bordered by Bangladesh to the West, Myanmar to the South and East, Assam to the North, Manipur to the North-East and Tripura to the North-West.
The name of Mizoram was previously Mizo Hills. The Mizo Hills became a part of British India in 1895. During British rule, Mizoram was a part of Assam province. It was known as Lushai Hills district and had its district headquarters at Aizawl. The state had been declared “excluded area”or “backward tract” till India got its independence.
In 1971, the central government convertd the Mizo Hills into a Union Territory. The name of the UT became Mizoram in 1972. Mizoram was declared a full-fledged state in 1987.
Prior to British occupation, head-hunting was very prevalent in the erst wghile Mizo Hills region. They cutt off the heads of the enemy and displayed the head at the entrances to the village. Terrible fight between two adjescent villages that took the lives of many warriors were very common. Lamsial Puk Cave near Farkawn village in Aizawl district of Mizoram still has some remains of the skeletons of some warriors.
The tribal clans of Mizo Hills were lived in autonomous villages ruled tribal chiefs. The the rule and territorial rights of local chiefs were abolished under the Acquisition of Chief’s Rights Act, 1954.
The tribal peoples living in the Mizo Hills are called Kukis. They are the earliest known residents of Mizoram.
Mizoram suffered major famine called Mautam in 1959 because of large population of rats. An estimated two million rats were killed and collected against a bounty of 40 paisa on each rat.
The state has a literacy rate of 91.58%. Which leads far more than the national average of 77.70%. Mizoram stands at 2nd and just behind Kerala in the literacy rates of the states.
Fireworks are banned in mizoram since 2009.
The family of Ziona Chana believed to be the largest family in the world. He has 39 wives, 89 children and 36 grandchildren.
Mizoram is the second least populous state of India after Sikkim.
Tropic of cancer runs through Mizoram nearly at middle. Aizawl-Lunglei road is the exact location where the Tropic of Cancer passes.
Meghalaya literary means “Abode of Clouds”. is a state in northeastern India. Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972.
Initially, it was a part of Assam. It was formed by the merger of the districts of Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills in 1972.
Meghalaya is bordered by Assam in the north and Bangladesh in the south.
The official language of Meghalaya is English.
Shillong is a hill station well-known for its landscapes. The city is called the “Scotland of the East”.
The state is full of mountains. Shillong peak is the highest peak in the state. The Peak has an altitude of 1,965m.
Nohkalikai Falls located near Cherrapunji is the highest plunge type waterfall in India.
The village “Mawsynram” near Cherrapunji holds the record for receiving the highest rainfall in the world.
Mawlynnong village located in the East Khasi Hills district is the cleanest village in India.
Christianity is the chief religion of Meghalaya. About 70 % of the population of the state is Christians.
Meghalaya is the only Indian state that traditionally follows a matrilineal system in which the lineage and inheritance are traced through the maternal instead of the paternal side.
Manipur literally means the land of gems. “Kangleipak” and “Meeteileipak” are two ancient names of Manipur state. The kingdom of Manipur was created by Nongda Lairen Pakhangba at around 33AD.
The people of Manipur follow Sanamahi religion long before Hinduism. In those days they worshiped Pakhangba, the first king of Kangla. His followers believed that he could change his body to any form. A temple of Pakhangba is present at the Kangla fort.
As per Mahabharata, Manipura was ruled by a king named Chitravahana. Whose daughter Chitrangada was one of Arjuna’s 4 wives. The state has also a reputation of being Gandharva-Desa as described in many ancient texts. Traditionally, the people of Manipur believe themselves originally to be Gandharvas or divine dancers and musicians as mentioned in the ancient texts.
The Keibul Lamjao National Park in the Bishnupur district of the state of Manipur is the only floating national park in the world. The park has an area of 40 Km2. The national park is an integral part of Loktak Lake. It is home to the endangered Eld’s deer.
The Mapal Kangjeibung Polo Ground at Imphal is the oldest polo ground in the world. It is believed that Polo was invented by king Kangba of Manipur. Later King Nongda Pakhangba hosted the first polo match and Manipur International Polo Festival. The sport was spread in the western countries by the Britishers during colonial rule.
“Maibam Lokpa Ching” else called “Red Hills” in Nambol town of Manipur is a historical site, where the war between the British troops and the Japanese troops fought in WWII. The Japanese army invaded British India via Manipur in WWII.
The Imphal War Cemetery has 1,600 Commonwealth burials of the WWII and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Azad Hind Fauj otherwise known as Indian National Army (INA) war museum in Moirang is a museum dedicated to WWII. The flag of Azad Hind Fauj was first unfurled here during advancing with the Japanese forces to liberate India.
Manipur has the largest All-women Run Market in Asia. The market is located in Imphal. It is called Ima Keithel (mother’s market) or Nupi Keithelno (women’s market). The market is run exclusively by approximately 400 women traders and men are not allowed to sell anything in the market. A wide variety of products such as fruits, vegetables, spices, textiles, toys, fish and utensils are available in the market. The market is a popular tourist attraction in the state of Manipur.
An inner Line Permit is required for outsiders as well as domestic tourists to visit Manipur state.
Maharashtra is the second most populous and the third largest state in India.
Maharashtra has two capitals. Mumbai is the summer capital and Nagpur is the winter capital. Mumbai is also considered as the Financial and Commercial Capital of India.
Maharashtra shares border with Gujarat to the North-West, Madhya Pradesh to the North, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the South-East, Karnataka to the South and the Arabian Sea to the West.
Maharashtra has India’s largest highway network, with 18 national highways and the largest well-planned roadway network of 247,652 km.
Lasalgaon onion market in Nashik district of Maharashtra is the largest onion market in the world.
Nashik is called the wine capital of India.
Mumbai is called “the Hollywood” of India.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station in Mumbai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic values. This is the only railway station in the country which has been included in UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Terminus was initially named Victoria Terminus and was built in the year 1897 by Architect Frederick William Stevens.
India’s first Bullet Tain is to be run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
India’s longest Sea Link Bridge “Mumbai Trans Harbour Link”, also known as the “Sewri-Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link” will connect a total of 21.8-kilometre distance from South Mumbai to the satellite city of Navi Mumbai and Raigad.
The Maratha Navy was the first naval force of India. The Concept of Navy was formed by Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in order to fight against western powers. Shivaji Maharaj is considered as the ‘Father of the Indian Navy.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation of Mumbai is the Richest Municipal Corporation in Asia.
Navapur railway station is located on the Gujarat–Maharashtra state border in Navapur town of Nandurbar district, Maharashtra. In this unique railway station, the state border cuts right through this station.
In Setpal village of Solapur district, Maharastra, Cobra snakes live with the humans. Till now, no case of a cobra bite in that village.
The first train in Asia was run in Maharashtra between Mumbai and Thane on 16th April 1853.
Jalgaon district in north Maharashtra contributes more than 16% of banana production in India. It is known as the “Banana City of India”.
Nagpur is known as ‘The Orange City’.
The houses in Shani Shingnapur at Nevasa taluka have no doors. People believe that whoever tries to steal anything will face the wrath of Lord Shani.
India’s entire forex reserve gold assets are kept in the Reserve Bank of India at Nagpur.
Navi Mumbai is the largest planned city in the world. Its development was started in 1972 to decongest Mumbai.
The slum at Dharavi is the second-largest slum in Asia. It is one of the most densely populated areas on earth.
The state has 4 out of 12 famous Jyotirling of Lord Shiva. These are Trambakeshwar at Nashik, Nageshwar at Aundh, Grishneshwar at Verul, Daulatabad and Bhimashankar near Pune.
Lonarlake is an impact crater lake situated in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra. The crater was created by a meteorite collision. The lake water has a strong alkali side of neutrality having ph 9.5 – 10.5.