India is a federal union comprising twenty-eight states and nine union territories. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and further into smaller administrative divisions.
Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1st November 1956 on linguistic basis with Telangana as part of the original state. Currently, Andhra Pradesh consists of two regions – Rayalseema and Costal Andhra. The highest peak of Eastern Ghats is Arma Konda Peak (1680 m) which comes in Andhra Pradesh.
Women usually wear saree and men wear dhoti or lungi with kurta or shirt. Rice is the staple food of Andhra Pradesh. Most of the Andhra cuisine is spicy, as a lot of red chillies are used in their food. Even the pickles are hot and spicy.
Amaravati is the de facto seat of governance of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the southern banks of the Krishna river in Guntur district, within the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region.
Telugu is the official language of the state.
“Andhra” is the name of a tribe mentioned in ancient Sanskrit literature, later used as a synonym for Telugu people; “Pradesh” means province. The earliest extant text to mention the word Andhra is Aitareya Brahmana.
State Animal | Black Buck (Antilope cervicapra) | |
State Flower | Water Lilly (Nymphaeaceae) |
State Bird | Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis benghalensis) | |
State Tree | Neem (Azadirachta indica) |
Arunachal Pradesh forms the north-eastern frontier of India and is the largest among the seven sister states. It was formed on 20th Februray 1987. and is situated on the foothills of the Himalayas.
Itanagar is the capital of the state.
English is the official language of the state.
“Arunachal Pradesh is derived from Sanskrit word meaning ‘the land of rising sun’ or ‘Land of Dawn-Lit Mountains’. In Sanskrit, aruna means ‘dawn-lit’ and achal means ‘mountains’.
State Animal | Mithun (Bos frontalis) | |
State Flower | Foxtail orchid (Rhynchostylis retusa) |
State Bird | Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) | |
State Tree | Hollong (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus) |
Assam is situated on the north-eastern region of the country.
Assamese women wear traditional clothing called ’Mekhala Chador’ that consists of two main pieces of clothing draped around the body. The dhoti-gamosa is traditional dress for the men. ‘Bihu‘ is an important festival celebrated according to the farming calendar. It is a secular and non-religious festival.
Dispur, a suburb of Guwahati, is the capital of Assam.
The official languages of Assam are Assamese, Bengali, and Bodo.
Most scholars believe that Assam is derived from the Ahoms, who ruled Assam for six centuries. The word Ahom itself may be derived from Shan (syam in Assamese) or from the Sanskrit word “asama” (uneven, in the sense of “unequal” or “peerless”).
State Animal | Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) | |
State Flower | Foxtail orchid (Rhynchostylis retusa) |
State Bird | White-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata) | |
State Tree | Hollong (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus) |
Bihar is an eastern state in India. It is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism and Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.
Patna, formerly known as ‘Pataliputra’, is the state capital and is one of the oldest cities in the world. It was founded by Ajatashatru, ruler of Magadha Empire. The food in Bihar is predominantly vegetarian, due to the influence of Jainism and Buddhism.
Patna is the state capital.
Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of the state. The other major languages spoken are Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Maithili.
The word ’Bihar’ comes from the Sanskrit and Pali words ‘Vihara’, which means a ‘land of monasteries’.
State Animal | Gaur (Bos gaurus) | |
State Flower | Kachnar (Phanera variegata) |
State Bird | House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) | |
State Tree | Orchid tree (Phanera variegata) |
Chhattisgarh is the 26th state, formed on 1st November 2000. It was formed from parts of Madhya Pradesh. It is the 10th largest state of India in terms of area.
The Chhattisgarhi of draping a saree is called ‘Kachhora’. The saree is called ‘Lugda’ and blouse is called ‘Polka’.
Raipur is the capital of Chhattisgarh.
Hindi is the official language of the state. Chhattisgarhi, a dialect of Hindi is mostly spoken in this region. Other languages like Bhojpuri, Kosali, Oriya, and Telugu are also spoken.
Chhattisgarh comes from two Hindi words – ’Chattis’ means 36 and ‘garh’ means ’fort, city or home’. It is believed that name Chhattisgarh is derived from the 36 pillars of the Chhattisgarhi Devi’ temple. Other historians believe that Chhattisgarh is the corrupt form of ‘Chedisgarh’, meaning ‘Empire of the Chedis’.
State Animal | Wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) | |
State Flower | Rhynchostylis gigantea |
State Bird | Hill myna (Gracula religiosa) | |
State Tree | Sal (Shorea robusta) |
Goa is situated in the Konkan region present in between Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is the smallest state in India. It was liberated from the rule of Portuguese, in the year 1961. In 1987, Goa was formed as a separate state. India’s smallest state but top ranked for best quality of life in India by a National Commission. We see many Portuguese settlements and their influence on Goa’s culture. The largest city is Vasco-da-Gama, named after the Portuguese explorer.
The capital of the state is Panaji.
Konkani is the official language of the state. Portuguese and Marathi are other languages spoken.
In ancient literature, Goa was known by many names, such as Gomanchala, Gopakapattam, Gopakapuri, Govapuri, Govem, and Gomantak. According to Mahabharata, this region was known as ‘Goparashtra’ or ‘Govarashtra,’ which means ‘a nation of cowherds’.
State Animal | Gaur (Bos gaurus) | |
State Flower | Not designated |
State Bird | Ruby Throated Yellow Bulbul (Pycnonotus gularis) | |
State Tree | Matti (Terminalia elliptica) |
Gujarat is a state located in the western part of India. It is also known as the’ Jewel of the West’. The history of the land of Gujarat dates back to around 2500 B.C. with the settlements of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Gujarati men wear Chorno and Kediyu, while the women wear Chaniyo and Choli.
Gandhinagar is the state capital.
The official languages of Gujarat are Gujarati. The other spoken languages are Kutchi, Marwari, Marathi, Urdu and English.
Gujarat gets its name from ‘Gujjar Rashtra’, the land of Gujjars, a migrant tribe who came to this region in the 5th century.
State Animal | Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) | |
State Flower | Marigold (Tagetes) |
State Bird | Greater Flemingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) | |
State Tree | Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) |
Haryana was a part of the Punjab Province until the British rule. It became a separate state on 1st November 1966.
Men wear Dhoti, Kurta and Pagri while women are dressed in Daaman, Chunder and Kurti.
Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
The official languages are Punjabi, Hindi, and English. ‘Haryanvi’ is the most spoken language in this region.
The word ‘Haryana’ is derived from two Sanskrit words –‘Hari’, the name of Lord Vishnu, a Hindu god and ‘ayana’ means ‘home’ . Haryana thus means the ‘Abode of God’.
State Animal | Black buck antelope (Antilope cervicapra) | |
State Flower | Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) |
State Bird | Black francolin (Francolinus francolinus) | |
State Tree | Pipal (Ficus religiosa) |
Himachal Pradesh is located to the south of Jammu and Kashmir. It is surrounded by the snow-capped Himalayan Mountains that provide water to this region. Himachal Pradesh was a Union Territory, formed in 1950. However, on 25th January 1971, Himachal Pradesh was declared as a new state.
The general attire of the local people is long salwar-kameez for women and Kurta-pyjama for men. Sometimes men wear indigenous caps known as ‘Pahari topis’. ‘Dham’ is traditional food festival held during the occasion of a marriage or on any religious day. It is specially cooked by community called Botis.
Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh.
Hindi is the official state language of Himachal Pradesh. Apart from that, people in the hilly region speak ‘Pahari’ (or Pahadi), which has different dialects.
Himachal comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Hima’ meaning ‘snow’ and ‘achal’ meaning ‘lap’. Himachal Pradesh means state located on the lap of snowy mountains.
State Animal | Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) | |
State Flower | Pink rhododendron |
State Bird | Western tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) | |
State Tree | Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) |
Jharkhand became the 28th state of India on 15th November 2000. It was formed from the southern parts of Bihar. Most of the region of Jharkhand is located in the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
Ranchi is the capital city of Jharkhand and Dumka is the sub-capital.
Hindi is the official language of Jharkhand. People also speak various other languages m different regions. Some of them are English, Oriya, Bengali, Santali, Mundari, Korwa, Paharia, and many others.
In Sanskrit ‘jhari’ means ‘dense forest’ and ‘khand’ means ‘land’. Hence ‘Jharkhand’ is means ‘Land of forests’.
State Animal | Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) | |
State Flower | Palash (Butea monosperma) |
State Bird | Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) | |
State Tree | Sal (Shorea robusta) |
Karnataka is situated in the southwest region of India, along the Western Ghats and western coastal plains. The state was formed on 1st November 1956 and hence every year, this day is celebrated as Rajyotsava day. Karnataka was previously known as the State of Mysore. The name was changed to ‘Karnataka’ in the year 1973.
The capital of the state is Bengaluru, also known by many other names such as ‘Garden City of India’, ‘Silicon Valley of India’, ‘Electronic city of India’, and ‘Space city’.
Kannada is the official language of the state and is one of the classical languages. People of Karnataka also speak Tulu, Kodava, Konkani, and Marathi.
The name ‘Karnataka’ is derived from the Kannada words ‘Karu’ and ‘Nadu’, meaning ‘elevated land’ or the ‘black land’, because of the presence of black soil in this region.
State Animal | Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) | |
State Flower | Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) |
State Bird | Indian roller (Coracias indica) | |
State Tree | Sandalwood (Santalum album) |
Kerala is situated along the Malabar Coast, in the southwestern region of India. The highest peak of Western Ghats is Anamudi (2695 m) which comes in Kerala State. According to Hindu mythology, Sage Parashurama threw his axe into the sea and the water drew back to form the land of Kerala. Hence, Kerala is also known as ‘Parashurama Kshetram’ (The Sacred Land of Parashurama).
Thiruvananthapuram (also known as Trivandrum) is the capital of the state and the largest city in Kerala.
Malayalam and English are the official languages of the state.
The word ‘Kerala’ is derived from ‘Cheral’, the oldest ruling dynasty In the region. ‘Keralam’ is also known as the ’land of Kera’ which means ’land of coconuts’. This is because coconuts are grown abundantly throughout Kerala and it is also a state symbol.
State Animal | Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) | |
State Fish | Green chromide (Etroplus suratensis) | |
State Tree | Coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) |
State Bird | Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) | |
State Flower | Kanikonna (Cassia fistula) |
Located in the central part of the country, ‘Madhya Pradesh’ gets its name because of its location. This landlocked state was formed on 1st November 1956. It is the second largest state in the country. The state is nicknamed as the ‘heart of India’.
The capital of Madhya Pradesh is Bhopal. Indore is the largest city of Madhya Pradesh.
Hindi is the official language of the state.
During the British rule, the region was known as the ‘Central Province’. After independence, the term “Central Provinces” was translated to Hindi as Madhya Pradesh.
State Animal | Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) | |
State Tree | Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) |
State Bird | Indian paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) | |
State Fish | Mahasheer (Tor tor) |
The state of Maharashtra was formed on 1st May 1960 and hence, 1st May is celebrated as ‘Maharashtra Day’. Maharashtra has two capital cities; Mumbai is the state capital and Nagpur is the winter capital.
The state capital Mumbai was formerly known as ’Bombay‘. This city was gifted to the British King, Charles ll as a dowry during his marriage to the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza. Mumbai was made up of 7 islands. It took 60 years to merge those islands and create a land mass.
The state capital is Mumbai.
Marathi is the official language of the state. Other languages spoken are Hindi and English.
The name ‘Maharashtra’ is derived from two Sanskrit words ‘Maha’ means great, while the word ‘Rashtra’ could refer to the word ‘Nation’ or to the Ratta tribe that once ruled the region.
State Animal | Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) | |
State Flower | Pride of India (Lagerstroemia speciosa) | |
State Butterfly | Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) |
State Bird | Yellow-footed green pigeon (Treron phoenicoptera) | |
State Tree | Mango (Mangifera indica) |
Manipur is referred to as the ’Switzerland of India’ because of its exotic landscape of hills, valleys, lakes and dense forests.
Imphal is the capital City of Manipur.
The official languages of Manipur are English and Meeteilon (also known as Manipuri).
Manipur means ‘a jewelled land’. Manipur gets its name from ‘Manipureshwar’ (Lord of the Mannipur). In the past, Manipur has been known by different names such as ‘Kangleipak’, ‘Meeteilepak’, and many others.
State Animal | Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii) | |
State Flower | Siroi lily (Lilium mackliniae) |
State Bird | Nongyeen (Syrmaticus humiae) | |
State Tree | Uningthou (Phoebe hainesiana) |
The northeastern region of India consists of seven states known as the ‘ seven sisters’, namely Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. These seven states are connected to India through a narrow strip of land known as ‘Chicken’s Neck’.
Meghalaya was formed from two districts of Assam, Khasi – Jainthia hills and Garo hills, on 21th January 1972.
The three major tribes in Meghalaya are-the Garos, the Khasis and the Jainthias. Among Jainthias, the traditional clothing of women is called ‘Jainsen’. Garo women put on a blouse and a long indigenous skirt known as ’Dakmanda’. The popular dishes of the Khasis and the Jainthlas are ’Ki Kpu’, ‘Tungrymbai’, and ‘Jadoh’.
The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong.
The official language of the state is English.
‘Meghalaya’ comes from two Sanskrit words ’Megha’ and ’Alaya’ meaning ‘abode of clouds‘.
State Animal | Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) | |
State Flower | Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum insigne) |
State Bird | Hill myna (Gracula religiosa) | |
State Tree | Gamhar (Gmelina arborea) |
Mizoram, one among the seven sister states, became the 23rd state of India on 20th February 1987 and was formed from parts of Assam. The inhabitants of Mizoram are called Mizos.
Aizawl is the capital of Mizoram.
English and Mizo are the official languages of the state. The other languages spoken are Lushai, Bengali and Lakher.
The name ‘Mizoram’ is derived from ’Mi’ (People), ’Zo’ (hill), and ’Ram’ (land). Thus, Mizoram means ’land of the hilly people’.
State Animal | Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar) | |
State Flower | Red Vanda (Renanthera imschootiana) |
State Bird | Mrs. Hume’s pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) | |
State Tree | Indian rose chestnut (Mesua ferrea) |
Nagaland became the 16th state of India, on 1st December 1963. It is situated on the edges of the country, sharing its border with Myanmar. Mount Saramati is state’s highest peak (Height: 3,840 m) which forms a natural barrier from Myanmar. Kohima , the capital of Nagaland, was built by the British in the 19th century for administrative purposes.
The capital of Nagaland is Kohima.
The official language of Nagaland is English.
The origin of the word ‘Naga’ is uncertain. But one theory states that the word ’Nagas’ comes from the Burmese word ‘Nakas‘ , which means ‘people with pierced nose’.
State Animal | Gayal or mithun (Bos frontalis) | |
State Flower | Tree rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum Sm.) |
State Bird | Blyth’s tragopan (Tragopan blythii) | |
State Tree | Alder (Alnus nepalensis) |
Odisha, formerly known as Orissa, is an Indian state situated along the Bay of Bengal. The state of Odisha was formed on linguistic bases on 1st April 1936 and hence, this day is celebrated as ’Utkala Divas’ every year.
Bhubaneshwar is the current state capital while the former capital of Odisha was Cuttack.
‘Odia’ is the official language of the state and is one of the oldest languages in the country to have originated from Sanskrit.
‘Odisha’, is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Odra Desa’, that referred to the Odra people who inhabited the central part of the region. Sanskrit and Pali literatures mention the Odra people as odrah and oddaka.
State Animal | Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) | |
State Flower | Asoka (Saraca asoca) | |
State reptile | Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) |
State Bird | Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis) | |
State Tree | Aswatha (Ficus religiosa) |
Punjab is located in the northern part of India. Punjab was the north-western province, before the partition of India. After partition, a few parts of the Punjab region became part of Pakistan. The Punjab region of India was divided into Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana in 1966
Women wear Salwar kameez with the Patiala salwar , men wear Punjabi Kurta and ‘Tamba’.
Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab as well as Haryana.
Punjabi is the official language.
The state of ‘Punjab’ gets its name from two Persian words -‘Punj’, meaning ‘Five’ and ‘aab’, meaning ‘rive’. Hence, Punjab is known as the ‘Land of five rivers’.
State Animal | Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) | |
State Flower | Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus) |
State Bird | Baj (Accipiter gentilis) | |
State Tree | Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) |
Rajasthan, located on the western side of India, is the country’s largest state in terms of its area. The state was formed on 1st November 1956, when the region of Rajputna became a part of India.
Men wear a frock-like Kurta called ‘Angarakha’ with dhotis or pyjamas. Women wear an ankle length skirt known as ‘Ghaghra’ along with a blouse known as ‘Choli’.
The capital of Rajasthan is Jaipur, which is also the largest city in the state. It is also known as the ‘Pink City. Even Punjabi is spoken in some parts of the state.
Though Hindi is the official language of the state, Rajasthani is widely spoken in the state.
Rajasthan, in Hindi, means ’the Abode of Kings’ or ‘Land of Kingdoms’. It was formerly known as ‘Rajputana’ meaning the ’Land of the Rajputs’.
State Animal | Camel and chinkara | |
State Flower | Rohida (Tecomella undulata) |
State Bird | Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) | |
State Tree | Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) |
Sikkim is the northeast state located in the Himalayan Mountains. The people of Sikkim belong to three major ethnic groups. Nepali, Bhutia, and Lepcha. Dishes such as thukpa, fakthu and wonton are common in Sikkim. Momos are famous snack in Sikkim. These are steamed dumplings filled with vegetables, buffalo meat or pork, and are served with soup. Bamboo shoot is commonly used in local food.
Gangtok is the capital of the state.
Sikkim has 11 official languages: Nepali (which is its lingua franca), Sikkimese, Hindi, Lepcha, Tamang, Limbu, Newari, Rai, Gurung, Magar, Sunwar and English.
The name ‘Sikkim’ is derived from the Limbu language -‘Su’ meaning ‘new’ and ‘Khyim’ meaning ‘a palace or a house’. The Tibetan name for Sikkim is ‘Denjong’, which means ‘Valley of rice’. The Lepchas are the first known inhabitants and they call Sikkim as ‘Nye-mae-el’ which means ‘Paradise’.
State Animal | Red panda (Ailurus fulgens) | |
State Flower | Noble dendrobium (Dendrobium nobile) |
State Bird | Blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus) | |
State Tree | Rhododendron (Rhododendron niveum) |
Tamil Nadu, meaning the ’Land of the Tamils’, is the southernmost state of indie. It was formed on 26th January 1950. People of this region are called ‘Tamilians’.
Rice, legumes and tamarind are the most important part of the Tamil cuisine. The ‘Chettinad’ cuisine primarily consists of non-vegetarian dishes made of chicken. Saree is the traditional clothing for Tamil women. Men usually wear dhoti or lungi, with a piece of cloth called ‘Angavastram’ draped to cover the upper part of the body.
Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state.
Tamil is the official language of the state.
In Tamil, ‘nadu’ means ‘homeland’ or ‘nation’. Hence Tamil Nadu means ‘homeland of Tamils’.
State Animal | Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) | |
State Flower | Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba) | |
State Tree | Palm tree (Borassus flabellifer) |
State Bird | Emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica) | |
State Fruit | Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) |
Telangana is the 29th state of India, formed on 2nd June 2014, from the North-western parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana.
The official languages of the state are Telugu and Urdu.
The word ‘Telangana’ is derived from the word ’Telugu’ and it means ’the land of the Telugu’ speaking people’.
State Animal | (Spotted deer) Jinka (Axis axis) | |
State Flower | Tangidi Puvvu (Senna auriculata) | |
State Fruit | (Mango) Maamidi Pandu (Mangifera indica) |
State Bird | (Indian roller) (Coracias indica) | |
State Tree | Jammi Chettu (Prosopis cineraria) | |
State Fish | Korameenu (Channa striatus) |
Tripura became Union territory on 1 Nov 1957 and became full fledged state on 21 Jan 1972.
Agartala is the capital of the state.
The official languages of Tripura are Bengali and Kokborok. The other languages spoken in the region are English, Hindi, Manipuri, and Chakma.
‘Tripura’ is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘three cities’. It is derived from the ‘Tripura Sundari’, the deity of the ‘Tripura Sundari temple’.
State Animal | Phayre’s leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) | |
State Flower | Indian rose chestnut (Mesua ferrea) |
State Bird | Green imperial pigeon (Ducula aenea) | |
State Tree | Agarwood |
Uttar Pradesh is located in the Gangetic plains with Vindhya Mountains to the south and the Himalayan Mountains in the north. Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest state in India in terms of its area. It is also the most populous state in India.
Sarees, lehengas, and salwar-kameez are common clothes worn by women. Dhoti-Kurta or Kurta-Pyjama is worn by men. There are two types of cuisines in Uttar Pradesh Awadhi cuisine and Mughlai cuisine. ‘Litti Choka’ is one among the regional delicacies. It is also famous for kababs and food items made of paneer.
Uttar Pradesh has two capitals. Lucknow is the state capital known for its multiculturalism, while Kanpur is the commercial capital.
Hindi is the official language of the state. Urdu is also a widely spoken language, along with Bhojpuri.
‘United Provinces’ was formed by British on 1st April 1937. In 1950, the commonly used initials U.P. were preserved by adoption of the name Uttar Pradesh, meaning ‘Northern Province’.
State Animal | Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) | |
State Flower | Palash (Butea monosperma) |
State Bird | Sarus crane (Grus antigone) | |
State Tree | Ashoka (Saraca asoca) |
On 9th November 2000, parts of the north-western districts of Uttar Pradesh, formed the 27th state of the Republic India called Uttaranchal, which was renamed as Uttarakhand in 2007. It is located in the lower Himalayan region. Hence, we find long and wide valleys called ‘doons’. Dehradun, the state capital of Uttarakhand is one such example.
Men wear Dhoti Kurta or Lungi Kurta. Women wear Gaghra Choli with Orni.
Dehradun, the state capital of Uttarakhand.
Hindi and Sanskrit are the official languages of the state. The other languages spoken are Garhwali, Kumaoni, Punjabi, and Nepali.
‘Uttarakhand’ is derived from two Sanskrit words – ‘Uttar’ means north and ‘Khand’ means ‘a division or a part’. Thus, Uttarakhand translates to ‘a northern division or part of the country’.
State Animal | Alpine Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster) | |
State Flower | Brahma Kamal (Saussurea obvallata) |
State Bird | Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) | |
State Tree | Burans (Rhododendron arboreum) |
West Bengal is an eastern state, which shares its ethnicity with the neighbouring country, Bangladesh. During the partition of India in 1947, Western part (West Bengal) came to India. Eastern part (Called East Pakistan later became Bangladesh).
The Bengali women wear Shari (Saree draped differently), while the Bengali men wear Kurta with Dhoti.
The state capital of West Bengal is Kolkata. It was formerly known as Calcutta and was also the capital of the British Empire.
The official languages of the state are Bengali, Nepalese, and English. The other languages are Santali, Nepali, Bhutiya, Urdu, and Oriya.
The word ’Bengal’ is derived from the word ‘Bang’, a Dravidian tribe that settled in this region, around 1000 B.C. The word might also have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga).
State Animal | Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) | |
State Flower | Night-flowering jasmine (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) |
State Bird | White-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) | |
State Tree | Chatim tree (Alstonia scholaris) |
Andaman & Nicobar lslands are a group of 572 islands, located in the Bay of Bengal. Andaman has 550, Nicobar 22 islands. The islands became a part of India in 1950 and were declared a Union Territory in 1956.
The capital of Andaman islands is Port Blair and the capital of Nicobar islands is Car Nicobar.
English and Hindi are the official languages of these islands. The other major languages are Bengali, Nicobarese, Tamil and Telugu.
A theory that became prevalent in the late 19th century and has since gained momentum is that the name of the islands derives from Sanskrit via the Malay ‘Handuman’, named for the deity ‘Hanuman’.
State Animal | Dugong or sea cow | |
State Flower | Andaman Pyinma (Lagerstroemia hypoleuca) |
State Bird | Andaman wood pigeon (Columba palumboides) | |
State Tree | Andaman padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergioides) |
Chandigarh is one of the Union Territories of India and also the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. Chandigarh was declared as a Union Territory on 1st November 1966.
Chandigarh is a city and a union territory of India that serves as the capital of Punjab and Haryana.
English, Hindi, and Punjabi are the official languages of Chandigarh.
The name Chandigarh translates as ‘The Fort of Chandi’, derived from the ancient temple, ’Chandi Mandir’.
State Animal | Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) | |
State Flower | Dhak flower (Butea monosperma) |
State Bird | Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) | |
State Tree | Mango tree (Mangifera indica) |
Dadra and Nagar Haveli is a Union Territory of India, located in the Arabian Sea, along the Konkan coast. In 1799, the Marathas signed a treaty with the Portuguese, to prevent the British from conquering their kingdom. This is how Dadra and Nagar Haveli came under the Portuguese colony in India. On 2nd August 1954, Dadra and Nagar Haveli was liberated from the Portuguese rule. It was established as a Union Territory of India in 1961.
The capital of the Union Territory is Silvassa.
The official languages are English, Gujarati, Hindi, and Marathi.
Got its name from the towns of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
State Animal | Not designated | |
State Flower | Not designated |
State Bird | Not designated | |
State Tree | Not designated |
Daman & Diu, along with Goa, was a part of the Portuguese colony, until 1961. Daman & Diu became a single Union Territory in the year 1987. Daman is surrounded by Valsad district of Gujarat while Diu is surrounded by Junagadh district. Daman & Diu is the second smallest Union Territory after Lakshadweep.
Daman is the capital of the Union Territory.
The official languages are English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi.
Got its name from the towns of Daman and Diu.
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Jammu & Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory in India, located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was passed by both houses of the Parliament of India in August 2019. The act re-constituted the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from 31 October 2019
‘Pheran’ is a common traditional dress worn by both men and women of Kashmir. Men wear turbans while women wear a headdress known as ’Kasaba’ that is pinned together with ornaments.
According to Hindu Mythology, Kashmir was a lake, until Sage Kashyap drained all the water by making a valley between two hills. The ‘Shankaracharya’ hill was formed first. Thus, Kashmir became a valley between the Himalayan Mountains and ‘Pir Panjal’ Mountains, where great sages once resided.
The state has two capitals. Jammu is the winter capital and Srinagar is the summer capital.
Although Urdu is the official language of Jammu and Kashmir, people of Jammu and Kashmir speak Dogri and Kashmiri respectively.
The name ’Jammu’ is believed to be derived from Raja Jambulochan, the son of Kush and grandson of Lord Rama. He discovered the city in 14th century B.C. and named it ‘Jambupora’. Kashmir comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Kasmira‘, which is made of two other words ’Kasyapa’ and ‘Mira’. It means the ‘the mountain of sage Kasyapa’.
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State Flower | Not designated |
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Ladakh is a union territory without legislature located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. In August 2019, the Parliament of India passed an act by which Ladakh became a union territory on 31 October 2019.
Men traditionally wear a thick woollen robe called a ‘Goucha’. Women wear a similar robe to the ‘Goucha’ that is called a ‘Kuntop’. Hats called ‘Peraks’ that are worn by men and women.
Leh is the capital of Ladakh.
Ladakhi, Tibetan, Urdu and Balti are the official languages of Ladakh. However, Tibetan and Ladakhi are most common languages spoken by the locals.
The Tibetan name La-dvags means “land of high passes”; it connected India with the Silk Road. Ladakh is its pronunciation in several Tibetan districts, and a transliteration of the Persian spelling.
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Lakshadweep is the smallest Union Territory in India that lies in the Arabian Sea. It was declared as a Union Territory on 1st November 1956.
The women of this island wear Kanchi, a long unstitched cloth while men wear colourful lungi.
The capital city of the Lakshadweep is Kavaratti.
Malayalam, English, and Mahl are the official languages of Lakshadweep.
Lakshadweep, in Malayalam and Sanskrit, means ‘a hundred thousand islands’ i.e. ’one lakh islands’.
State Animal | Butterfly fish (Chaetodon falcula) | |
State Flower | Not designated |
State Bird | Noddy tern (Anous stolidus) | |
State Tree | Bread fruit (Artocarpus incisa) |
The National Capital Territory of Delhi is one of the Union Territories of India. New Delhi, the capital of Delhi, is one of the eleven districts of the National Capital Territory. In the year 1911, George V, the British emperor, shifted the capital of the East India Company, from Kolkata to Delhi. From then on, even after independence, Delhi remained the national capital.
Delhi was known as ‘Indraprastha’ in the epic, Mahabharata. Old Delhi has been the capital of the Mughal Empire, while New Delhi is the capital of the British Empire and Independent India.
New Delhi is the capital of Delhi and it is also the capital city of India.
The official languages spoken here are Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu.
The name ‘Delhi’ is the anglicised form of the Hindi word ‘Dilli’ and is believed to have been named after a former ruler Raja Dhilu. Another story suggests that the word ‘Dilli’ is a short version of its ancient name ‘Dhilika’.
State Animal | Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) | |
State Flower | Not designated |
State Bird | House sparrow (Passer domesticus) | |
State Tree | Not designated |
Puducherry, formerly known as Pondicherry, was given the status of Union territory in the year 1963. Puducherry was a former French colony. The Union Territory of Puducherry consists of Puducherry (Tamil Nadu), Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), Mahe (Kerala), and Yanam (Andhra Pradesh). The city of Puducherry is the capital of the Union Territory.
Pondicherry is the capital city of Indian union territory of Puducherry. Pondicherry is situated in Puducherry district of the union territory.
The official languages are Tamil, French, Telugu, and Malayalam.
The name Puducherry is derived from two Tamil words – ‘Pudu’ meaning ‘new’ and ‘Cherri’ meaning ‘Town’. Thus, Puducherry means a ‘new town’.
State Animal | Indian palm squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) | |
State Flower | Cannonball (Couroupita guianensis) |
State Bird | Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) | |
State Tree | Bael fruit tree (Aegle marmelos) |
Symbols of Indian states and territories, Wikipedia. Retrived 31 Dec 2016 & Jul 2017