National capital territory
History
lurks in Delhi behind every pillar and wall. For centuries, the city has
watched the rise and fall of dynasties, and it is sometimes referred to as the
City of Tombs, for the cenotaphs that mark the passage of sultans and emperors
who considered themselves invincible. Legend has it that one of its important
attractions, the Old Fort, is built on the site of what was once Indraprastha,
the capital of the Pandavas, the heroes of the epic Mahabharata. While glazed
earthenware from hoary times has been unearthed here, known history has given
Delhi as many as seven cities and a continuous thread of history since the
eleventh century.
Its
earliest rulers were Hindu kings, the Tomars and the Chauhans, who were
displaced by Muslim invaders who stayed on to build themselves the earliest
mosques and pillars and capitals, and brought with them Islam to the country.
This intermingling also created one of the greatest civilizations in medieval
times, when the Mughal Empire was at its zenith. Eventually, the weakening
power of the Mughals and British colonisation led to the shifting of the
capital of India to the eastern port city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), before t
was shifted back to the glittering new capital built by Sir Edwin Lutyens, New
Delhi.
Its long history has given Delhi a plethora of monuments - forts such as the
Old Fort and the Red Fort, tombs such as Lodhi Tombs, Safdarjung’s Tomb, and
the handsome Humayun’s Tomb, remnants of medieval cities such as Tughlaqabad
and Ferozshah Kotla, and other attractions such as Qutab Minar, Rashtrapati
Bhawan, Hauz Khas, Chandni Chowk, the riverside memorials of independent India,
hosts of museums, art galleries, and chic shopping centres. Today, from theatre
to crafts, from opera and music festivals to international exhibitions,
everything happens in Delhi. It is the gastronomic capital of the country too,
and with shopping malls and flyovers and multiplexes rapidly changing the urban
skyline, Delhi is truly a world capital of the oriental world.
The
carving of India in 1947 into two countries was also the time its states and
centrally governed union territories were given official status. At that time,
new names and identities were created, capitals shifted, and a new nation was
born as a democratic, socialist republic. Over a half-century later, the
transitions continue, as new states are created for linguistic, cultural and
geographical reasons, union territories grow into provincial states, and the
names of places continue to be changed. Today, the mass of India, governed from
the National Capital Region of Delhi, is divided into twenty-Nine states and
seven union territories.
State - Capital: Chandigarh
Known
as India’s granary, this fertile region of the five rivers was always a battlefield,
as the entry point to India. First overr un by the army of Alexander the Great
in the 3rd century BC, it was invaded by the Mauryans, the Scythians, the
Parthians and the Kushans, before founding its own indigenous rulers to hold
the land. Muslim !invasions followed. It was the founding of the Sikh faith in
the 15th and 16th centuries that led to the creation of an identity particular
to the region.
Constant
invasions have left Punjab little by way of ancient forts, though remains of
the Indus Valley Civilization have been excavated at Ropar. Amritsar, the
centre of the Sikh faith, is famous for the Golden Temple. The princely
kingdoms of Kapurthala and Patiala have their share of more recent palaces,
while its capital Chandigarh is a showpiece of contemporary town planning.
State
- Capital: Srinagar (in the summers) and Jammu (in the winters)
Kashmir
has had a troubled history since independence, with Pakistan claiming it as its
territory, resulting in three wars between India and Pakistan. Described by the
Mughal emperors, who lavished its capital Srinagar with extraordinarily
beautiful gardens, as paradise, it truly is one of the most remarkable places
on earth. Ruled by both Hindu rajas and Muslim sultans, as well as by Sikh
kings, it was ultimately the British who held sway here, even though it
remained under a Hindu king who signed accession of the state to India at the
time of independence.
While
the Dal and Nagin lakes with their houseboats and gondola-like
shikaras are recognised by many as Srinagar’s major attraction, its highland
towns of Gulmarg and Pahalgam too are exquisite in their beauty,
as are Sonamarg and Verinag. Kashmir is the only place outside of Spain where
saffron is grown. But the vast state also consists of two more widely disparate
regions. Jammu, in the foothills, has beautiful temples, and is the base for
pilgrimages to Vaishnodevi’s shrine, considered one of the most important in
north India. And Ladakh, the highland desert, is beautiful for its austere
beauty. There is almost no vegetation here, and even though the river Indus (or
Sindhu) which gave the country its name (Sindh:Hind:lnde:lndia) passes through
the desert plateau, there are few oases to be found. Even so, Buddhism arrived
and has flourished here, and the palace and monasteries of this stark land
cling to high mountainsides in an amazing example of architecture replicating
nature.
Ladakhi
as well as Kashmiri crafts are distinctive, there is a tradition of silk
weaving and embroidering, as well as carpet making, silver jewellery and wood
carving. Kashmiri cuisine - and particularly the Wazwan feast - is a
celebration as much of the senses as the palate.
State
- Capital: Shimla
This
Himalayan state once consisted of a number of hill states of various sizes that
were amalgamated together upon independence in 1947. and then reorganized into
a separate state in 1971, when Shimla - the summer capital of the British
Raj in India - was chosen its state capital. Five rivers drain its soil
- the Ravi, Chenab, Beas, Sutlej and Yamuna - and because of the
isolation provided by the high mountain passes, the towns of its former
kingdoms have stayed largely intact. No wonder, Himachal is home to ancient
temple complexes, and the weight of history rests lightly here.
Shimla,
the British summer capital, is full of Victorian buildings, though fires have
caused many to be gutted over the last decades. The most important of these is
the Vice Regal Lodge, now an institute of advanced learning, while the Mall has
the old Gaiety Theatre, as well as the church at - Scandal Point. All
around Shimla are places of interest - Mashobra, Kufri and Chail (which
boasts the world’s highest cricket pitch). Destination resorts include the
valley town of Kullu and the high fastnesses of Manali close by with, in
between, the castle of Naggar where there is a museum dedicated to the works of
the Russian artist Nicholas Roerich. To another side are the towns of Dalhousie
and Chamba, the former known for its walks, the latter for its temples. In
between is Khajjiar, a large meadow with a lake.
Visitors
will also be charmed by Kangra Valley in the shadow of the
Dhauladhar range, and the town of Dharamshala above which is McLeodganj.
This is now also home to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of the
Tibetans, who escaped here from Tibet in 1959. Ever since, this enclave has
become a Little Tibet.
State
- Capital: Chandigarh
Here,
in the plains of Kurukshetra, the epic battle described in the Mahabharat,
between the Pandavas and their cousins, the Kauravas, was fought. Here too, did
the Bharata dynasty rule, giving its name to the country, Bharat (before it
became known as India). But for all that, Haryana has little by way of
topographical interest or natural beauty. Enough that its tourism department
created a large number of motel resorts in the seventies and eighties,
converting it into the first state to have roadside tourism facilities. To a
large extent, that is all that Haryana can boast of, as far as tourist
destinations go, but these are calming retreats, often backed by a lake, or in
a rocky outgrowth. While this may be restrictive when it comes to sightseeing,
it is enchanting for it offers truly relaxing options by way of a holiday. No
wonder, tourists travelling along its highways, or weekending from Delhi
usually pack Haryana’s resorts. The Yadavindra Gardens at Pinjore, and the
Surajkund pool built by the Anangpal dynasty that once ruled from here, are
historical attractions. And Kurukshetra has recently been vastly improved to
offer a glimpse of its ancient post to visitors. It shares its capital,
Chandigarh, with Punjab.
State
- Capital: Lucknow
The
perfect synthesis of Hindu and Islamic cultures, UP is associated with both the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and was part of different kingdoms till it was
submerged under Islamic invasions, resulting in the birth of the court of Awadh
(Lucknow), while Agra became one of the capitals of the Mughals. Emerging from
its mixed history was a court culture that remained unrivalled, and led to the
tehzeeb of the Lucknow Gharana (manners, for want of a more apt phrase) that
mixed gentility with a profusion of ornate mannerisms. This is best represented
in speech, in the excellent cuisine of the state, and the Kathak dance. The
greatest tribute to this culture is the Taj Mahal, considered one
of the seven wonders of the world. Designed as a memorial for his wife by
Emperor Shah Jehan, it was over two decades in the making. Built entirely of
marble, it borrows its basic design from Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi.
But
Agra, the Mughal capital, is replete with other architectural buildings: the ltmad-ud-Daulah
memorial is exquisite, with unparalleled inlay work, Sikandra is
Emperor Akbar’s memorial, while his great city, Fatehpur Sikri,
built entirely of red sandstone, is a monument to town planning on a 1 grand
scale. Agra Fort, from where one can glimpse the Taj Mahal, is huge, and many
of its apartments and gardens are still extant.
If
Agra is the pearl of the state, Lucknow with its Islamic Imambaras and the
British Residency display other facets of architecture. In Allahabad, the
rivers Ganga and Yamuna find their confluence, and a mela is held here during
the annual festival of Kumbha. One of the largest gatherings of humankind at
any one spot together in Kumbh Mela. Varanasi on the banks of the
Ganga is considered India’s holiest, and the world’s most ancient city.
State - Capital: Jaipur
This
desert state in western India was once known as Rajputana, the land of the
rulers, and twenty-two princely kingdoms once extended their sway over its
sandy wastes, their revenue determined by the protections offered to the
caravans that journeyed through their territories. Mostly Rajput, these
kingdoms possibly have India’s most enduring cultural and historical legacy,
for the people of the state are still governed by rituals and observances as
may have existed for hundreds of years.
One
of India’s richest tourist destinations, Rajasthan has a plethora of forts and
palaces and cenotaphs, of temples and mosques, and a rich ‘ tapestry of music,
dance. handicrafts, cuisine, fairs and festivals. What’s more, the maharajas,
as heads of their clans, still enjoy a good deal of reverence, and visitors are
charmed to meet them, or to stay in their properties that have been converted
into palace hotels. Rajasthan was also home to the aristocracy, who built
castles, and merchants, who built havelis or large mansions, many of which are
part of its movement of heritage hotels.
Jaipur,
the capital, was shifted from nearby Amber, and represents Rajasthan in a
microcosm, its streets teeming with people in their colourful clothes and
dressed to the hilt in silver and gold. An individual listing of attractions
would take too much space. Suffice it to say, wherever you travel in Rajasthan,
surprises are likely to await you. Other than Jaipur, its important tourist
centres are Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and the Shekhawati
area. If you can include them, Alwar, Kota and Bundi too are worth the while.
The bird sanctuary of Bharatpur and the wildlife sanctuaries of Sariska
and Ranthambhor (both tiger reserves) should also be included into your
trip.
Rajasthan
is the largest exporter of handicrafts in the country, and Jaipur is the
world’s largest centre for the cutting and polishing of precious and
semi-precious stones. And if you’re through with shopping, you might even want
to try to set out on a camel safari!
Union territory - Capital: Chandigarh
Independent
India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru was keen that the country should
sent out signals of its progress, and while he called modern industry the ‘new
temples of India’, his attempt to create new cities was part of that vision.
French architect and town-builder Le Corbusier was assigned the task of
building a new capital for the state of Punjab. Later, Haryana was carved out
of Punjab, and Chandigarh has remained the capital of both states.
India’s
most modern city, Chandigarh has remained one of its most beautiful and
well-planned provincial capitals with residential and commercial sections
divided into sectors. Its most impressive buildings, however, consist of the
Capitol complex, which consists of the assembly, legislative and administrative
centres. The university, museum and rose garden, as well as a lake, make it
quite charming, and its Rock Garden consisting of millions of
figures made from waste by Nek Chand are a tribute to this wholly
international settlement with an Indian heart.
Explore More: North India Tours and Tours to India
