Orissa

Orissa is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It was established on 1 April 1936 as a province in British India, and consists, predominantly of Oriya speakers. 1 April is therefore celebrated as Utkal Divas (Orissa Day).
Orissa is the ninth largest state by area and the eleventh largest by population. Oriya is the official and most widely spoken language. Orissa has a relatively unindented coastline(about 480 km long) and lacks good ports, except for the deepwater facility at Paradip. The narrow, level coastal strip, including the Mahanadi River delta supports the bulk of the population. The interior of the state is mountainous and sparsely populated. Deomali at 1672 m is the highest point of the state.
Orissa is subject to intense cyclones. The most intense one, in October 1999, Tropical Cyclon 05B caused severe damage and some 10,000 deaths. fig:Konark Sun Temple

Orissa is home to the Hirakud Dam, one of the longest dams in the world. Orissa has several popular tourist destinations. Puri, with the Jagannatha's temple near the sea, and Konark, with the Sun Temple, are visited by thousands of tourists every year. The Lingaraja Temple of Bhubaneswar, the Jagannatha Temple of Puri, the Sun Temple of Konark and the Barabati Fort of Cuttack are important in the archaeological history of India.
Puri is not just about spiritual quest and Lord Jagannath. It has a rich history, culture and tradition. While an average tourist knows Puri as the abode of Lord Jagannath, he does not know much about its other, equally glorious traditions; its mouth-watering cuisines, its intricate handloom and handicraft and its vibrant akhada culture etc. Sea fondly called the Mahodadhi is also quite popular but other glorious traditions of the city like the handlooms and handicraft, mouth watering, cruising, the vibrant martial traditions, folk culture and classical dance & music etc are little known to the tourists.To show case the rich history, culture and traditions of the holy city, Shreekshetra Utsav, the Puri festival was conceived for the 1st time in the year 2005.
The long extravaganza of art and culture: "Shreekshetra Utsav: The Puri Festival", is a pure celebration of everything that's Orissa. It is all pageantry and colour.Puri has a rich history, culture and tradition. While an average tourist knows Puri as the abode of Lord Jagannath, he doesn't know much about its other, equally glorious traditions: its mouth-watering cuisine, its intricate handloom, handicraft and its vibrant akhada culture.The long-felt need to familiarize the tourist with this little known facets of this captivating city led to the birth of "Shreekshetra Utsav: The Puri Festival". The second edition of the festival will be a pot-pouri of the finest offerings of Orissan handloom, handicraft, cuisine, dance, music and its famed sand-art.
To familiarize the tourist with little known facets of this captivating city the "Shreekshetra Utsav : The Puri Festival" is organised

Punjab

The geographical entity in the north-western region of India called Punjab, the land of five rivers, has been and still is an integral part of the common pool of Indian culture. Its arts and crafts also form an important part of the deep-rooted artistic tradition of India and are equally rich and significant.

Culture:

The culture of Punjab prior to the partition of 1947 was a mixture of three strains one flowing frorn Kangra hills, the second from south-western area from Multan to Lahore, and the third from Peshawar w Lahore. Patiala and contiguous areas were not active culturally. The three aforesaid areas contributed to the culture of the five river land. Lyallpur, Jhang, Montegomary, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Lahore were Muslim dominated areas. Religion naturally left its impress an culture. Its influence can be seen on almost all arts and crafts, specially glazed pottery and woodcarving. The artisans of Chiniot near Lyallpu were famous for their skill in these crafts.
Hindus and Muslims of this area dressed themselves in the same manner. The art, culture and costumes of this zone present a sharp contrast to those of the north-eastern areas of the Punjab. People in the north-western frontier zone wore Salwar (bottomwearl aod turban with a Kullah, Loose turbans, a long Kurta (Shirt) and a loose lungi (tahrnet or tamba) were in vogue in Multan, Jhang, Lahore and Amritsar.
Turban wrapped in a sophisticated manner known as Dogra-Pahari style was common in Lahore, Amritsar and the contiguous area up to Ambala. The combination of Patiala and Dogra styles of turbans was also common in these areas.
Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, etc. had a distinctive culture of their own owing to the deep influence of the Pahari culture of Kangra hills. The metalwork, jewellery, embroidery, mudwall paintings, wall paintings in the temples and mansions of the rich (Havelis), figurative woodcarving, folk songs, musical instruments and even the dishes have a typically Pahari character, here. The men and women of these areas speak a different dialect from those of the north-western frontier zone.
Lahore, on account of its being the capital as well as the government headquarters, could not develop a distinct culture of its own, for people from different places came to reside here. Its culture remained hybrid, a conglomeration of odd elements. Despite so much cultural diversity, there are points of common contact which unite the culture of the Punjab. This is evident from the architecture of ordinary dwelling houses, Punjabi poetry, folk songs, idiomatic expressions, jokes, etc. This aspect shall be dealt with in the following paragraphs.
As elsewhere in India, the culture of Punjab thrived in both urban and rural areas. Historical examples in classical style such as Buddhist relics, pottery, sculptures, etc., which flourished in urban areas exist in fragments in the museums of Taxile and Lahore. One may chance upon more architectural and sculptural ruins in Pakistan in archaeological and historical sites. A number of magnificent sculptures and stupas have been unearthed from Gandhara and Taxila. The temples of Malot and Bilot in Kafirkot and Dera Ismail Khan dating back to the 8th century A.D. are superb examples of classical art of Punjab having stylistic affinities with Gandhara and Kashmir, which is evident from the trefoil and triangular arches.
While Specimens of classical art forms in this part have been destroyed by centuries-long waves of barbarian invasions?their counterparts have remained more or less intact in the more secluded and sheltered parts of western Himalaya such as Chamba, Kulu, Simla hills, Kangra, etc. The earliest temples in these areas date back to the 7th century and are of wood and stone, namely Lakshna Devi temple in Brahmaur. Shakti Devi temple in Chhatrarhi, Markula Devi temple in Lahaul and the monolithic temple of Masrur in Kangra Valley, to name a few.

Rajasthan

In Rajasthan, the spectacular is commonplace. Many civilizations forged by waves of settlers ranging from ancient Indus Valley urbanites to pastoral Aryan herdsmen, Bhil forest dwellers, Jain merchant princes, Jat and Gujjar cultivators, Muslim craftsmen, and the Rajput warrior aristocracy have all shaped this region called the land of kings. Colorful costumes, festivals, and customs relieve the tedium of coping with a harsh, demanding land. People come here to savor its splendors, and imbibe its enviable heritage. Discover it all in the fairs and festivals like Pushkar and Desert Festival, dances like Kalbelia, Rajasthani cuisine, and crafts of Rajasthan.

The music and dances of Rajasthan are heady, exciting, hypnotic and compelling… and very much a part of the eternal appeal of this strange and wondrous land. They constitute the very warp and weft of life in Rajasthan-indeed the state has a very vibrant, highly evolved tradition of performing arts carefully nurtured and sustained over the centuries.
Rajasthani dances are a spectacular celebration of life and color-and what a stupendous variety of forms! The Kachhi-ghodi is a particularly vigorous dance in which a bridegroom's party boisterously sings folk ballads and stages a mock fight with much nimble sidestepping, sharp pirouetting and brandishing of swords. A statelier dance is the ghair performed mainly in the Mewar region; regal men in fulsome, gathered white ankle-length skirts and brilliant turbans swirl slowly in alternately clockwise and anticlockwise motions, clicking long, painted sticks with each other, the periodic clash of sticks creating its own fevered cadence. There is drama in the charee dance: performers deftly execute intricate choreographic patterns, balancing brass pitchers containing smoldering cottonseeds on their heads. The sapera dance of the kalbeliyas, a snake charmer community, is sensuous and riveting in the extreme. Lissome women, dramatically dressed in black and gold, with glittering tassels woven into their raven hair, sway sensuously to a sonorous chant, which increases in tempo and vigor, ending with a flourish that leaves both performer and spectator exhilarated and exhausted.

Sikkim

Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas. It is the least populous state in India, and the second-smallest in area after Goa. The thumb-shaped state borders Nepal in the west, Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and east, and Bhutan in the southeast. The Indian state of West Bengal borders Sikkim to its south. The official language of the state is English, but there is a sizable population that converses in Nepali(the lingua franca of the state), Lepcha, Bhutia, and Limbu. It is the only state in India with an ethnic Nepalese majority. It is an ancient land also known as Indrakil, the garden of Indra, the king-god of heaven in Hindu religious texts. The predominant religions are Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism. Gangtok is the capital and largest town.
Despite its tiny size, with an area of 2,745 sq mi(7,110 km²), Sikkim is geographically diverse, owing to its location on the Himalaya. The climate ranges from subtropical to high alpine. Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, is located in the northwestern part of the state on the boundary with Nepal, and can be seen from most parts of the state. Sikkim is a popular tourist destination for its culture, scenic beauty and biodiversity.


culture:

Communities, Culture, Religions and Customs of different hues intermingle freely here in Sikkim to constitute a homogeneous blend.The "ruling" family is of Tibetan origin. Sikkim was a dependency of Tibet until the British Government in India established its protectorate in 1890. In 1974 Sikkim was merged with India, and became India's 22d state.Sikkim is statistically the safest state in India. Lowest property crime rate, bodily harm rate. Due to China
Border proximity, there is a huge army presence which gives mixed benefits of many non-native persons not respecting local traditions, but also economic advantage to small shops and public projects especially roads.The people of Sikkim are simple and friendly with natural gaiety. The customs and rituals of Sikkim are as diverse as the ethnic that inhabit the land. The predominant communities are the LEPCHAS, BHUTIAS, NEPALESE and smaller proportions of LIMBUS.All communities live in perfect harmony sharing each other's culture, ethos, and traditions with the result there is now a Sikkimese culture, which is composite of all the three prominent communities. Most of the people speak Nepali, which is also the state language. It is the harmony of the place that provides justification to the name of the state derived form "Sukhim", meaning "happy home, a place of peace".
The Sikkimese culture finds expression in it's beautiful art and craft. Knotted woollen carpets with the dominating dragon emblem, and eight auspicious signs; wood carvings, Lepcha handlooms in traditional designs and rich colours for clothes, bags, linen and accessories; leather jackets and handbags, articles of homemade paper, Thanka (religious scroll paintings) and Sikkimese Dragon Jewellery make a fascinating collection of handicrafts, inspired by an age old culture.
Those who have lived in Sikkim long enough will testify that life here is, in a sense, an ongoing festival. Life in Sikkim, like in the rest of India, is rooted firmly in religion. Everything a person does is related to his faith. His daily life is governed by the patterns and customs of his religion. The majestic Mount Khangchendzonga- earth's third highest mountain range, plays a dominant role in the Sikkimese life. For those visiting Sikkim, the festivals of this place, offer a unique opportunity to participate and sample the rich traditions of an ancient culture; as well as the warmth and hospitality of a friendly people.
The people of Sikkim love to celebrate. Be it the chasing away of the evil spirit or the celebrations on the occasion of the New Year, the Sikkimese do it all with a gay abandon. And if you're fortunate you could persuade the Sikkimese to offer you 'Chaang' a preparation from fermented millet. The drink is served to you in hollow bamboo pipe.There is an incessant row of festivities in Sikkim. Buddhism and Hinduism, are the main religions, as is exhibited in many of the celebrations. The traditions of the Lapchas display rich cultural heritage. Enchey, Phoodong, Lachung, Pemayangtse, Tsuklakhang, and Rumtek are some of the beautiful monasteries where festivals are held. Pang Lhabsol, Drukpa Tseshi, Losoong, Saga Dawa and Dusain are the main festivals. Buddhism has been practiced in true sense on Sikkim. People visit the monastery to interact with the Buddhist monks to know more about Buddhist cult.

Tamil Nadu

fig:wind turbines at muppandi

Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai(fairly Madras). Tamil Nadu lies in the southern most part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by Puducherry (Pondicherry), Kerala,Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is bound by the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Nilgiri, the Anamalai Hills, and Palakkad on the west, Bay of Bengal in the east, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait in the south east and Indian Ocean in the south. fig:meenakshi amma temple
For over 2000 years, the region has been the home of the last surviving classical civilization of the world, the Tamil civilization.It is the homeland of Indian Tamils and their 2000 year old classical language Tamil. The Tamil culture is as old and comparable to those of other classical civilizations of the world like the Mesopotamian civilization.

fig:Brihedeswar temple tanjaur

Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state in India by area (about the size of Greece) and the seventh most populous state.It is the fifth largest contributor to India's GDPand the most urbanised state in India. The state has the highest number (10.56%) of business enterprises in India,compared to the population share of about 6%. It is one of the foremost states in the country in terms of overall development. It is home to many natural resources, grand Hindu temples of Dravidian architecture, hill stations, beach resorts, multi-religious pilgrimage sites and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

fig:shore temple mahabalipuram

Dravidian Culture and Architectural Splendor:

The state has a history that goes back thousands of years and is famous for its richness in its language Tamil, which is the first among all the Dravidian languages. This region has been ruled by kings of various dynasties and clans and all of them have left an indelible impression on the language, culture, religion, architecture and history of the state. The sheer numbers of architectural wonders in this state is bound to amaze the interested tourist.

fig:tirumalai naikar mahal madhurai

The capital city of Chennai is a very vibrant city with a lot of nightlife activities. This city is a modern city equipped with all the trappings of a modern life and is filled with seven star hotels, discos, clubs and bars. Other places of interest in the city include the Snake Park, Vandalur Zoo and the Birla Planetarium. Children find this city a fun place to visit as this city is home to a number of amusement parks like Kishkinda, MGM and VGP. Sea lovers will simply love the world famous Marina Beach, which is one of the largest natural beaches in the world. The city also reflects its cultural history through many of its temples; among them the Kapaleshwara Temple and the Ashtalaksmi temple are two very popular temples. The outskirts of Chennai, namely the ECR road is dotted with many pleasure resorts and hotels. Very close to Chennai at a distance of 40miles is the town of Mahabalipuram. This ancient ruin city is one of the heritage centers of UNESCO and has numerous temples with beautiful carvings made from during the Pallava Dynasty more than 2000 years back.

Tamil Nadu has been the center of the Dravidian culture and tradition. It has also been an immortal pioneer of peace and knowledge. Tamil Nadu tourism has lot in its stores for its visitors, majestic wildlife, alive in its densely populated jungles, rich culture, sculpted temples and golden beaches, that makeTamil Nadu one of the most sought after destinations. The people of Tamil have great respect for culture and interest in music, dance and literature. Classical dancing in the form of Bharatnatyam is still alive in the temples of the South East, and is followed with a lot of fervor and dedication in Tamil Nadu. Carnatic music is another art form which is deeply rooted in the culture of Tamil Nadu, producing artists of great repute.

Tripura

Tripura is a state in North-East India. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west.

The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are Bengali and Kokborok (also known as Tripuri). It was formerly an independent Tripuri kingdom and was merged with independent India on 15 October 1949 by the Tripura Merger Agreement. It was also known as Hill Tippera (anglicized version of Tipra) during the British Raj period and has a history of over 2500 years and 186 Kings. With an area of 4,036 sq. mi. or 10,453 km²

Culture of TripuraTripura has rich cultural heritage of 19 different tribal communities, Bengali and Manipuri communities. Each community has its own dance forms which are famous in the country. The main folk dances are Hozagiri dance of Reang community, Garia , Jhum, Maimita, Masak Sumani and Lebang boomani dances of Tripuri community, Bizu dance of Chakma community, Cheraw and Welcome dances of Lusai community, Hai-Hak dance of Malsum community, Wangala dance of Garo Community, Sangraiaka, Chimithang, Padisha and abhangma dances of Mog community, Garia dances of Kalai and Jamatia communities, Gajan, Dhamail, Sari and Rabindra dances of Bengali community and Basanta Rash and Pung chalam dances of Manipuri community.Each community has its own traditional musical instruments. The important musical instruments are' Khamb( Drum)', Bamboo flute, 'Lebang,', 'Sarinda', 'Do- Tara', and 'Khengrong', etc. Long and intimate association of Poet Rabindranath Tagore with Tripura has added luster to the rich cultural heritage of the state. The state has produced the famous musicians Sachin Dev Barman and Rahul Dev Barman.

Handlooms and handicrafts of Tripura reflect the inborn quality of workmanship, and uniqueness of the people.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradeshis a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 190 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity, and only 5 nations including India itself have more people than U.P.

With an area of 93,933 sq mi(243,286 km²), Uttar Pradesh covers a large part of the highly fertile and densely populated upper Gangetic plain. It shares an international border with Nepal and is bounded by the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar. The administrative and legislative capital of Uttar Pradesh is Lucknow and the financial and industrial capital is Kanpur. The state's high court is based at Allahabad. It is home to many historical cities like Agra and Varanasi.
Throughout its history, it was sometimes divided between petty kingdoms and at other times formed an important part of larger empires that arose on its east or west, including the Mauryan, Gupta, Kushan and Mughal empires. Uttar Pradesh has an important place in the culture of India; as it is considered to be the birthplace of Hinduism and has many important sites of Hindu pilgrimage. It also holds much of the heritage of the Mughal Empire, including both the famous Taj Mahal and the tomb of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in Agra and Akbar's capital-palace in Fatehpur Sikri. The Indo-Gangetic plain, that spans most of the state, has been the ancient seat of Hindu religion, learning and culture, the birth place of the Indo-Islamic syncretic culture of the medieval period, a center of nationalism during the colonial period and has continued to play a prominent role in Indian political and cultural movements. The state has a rich heritage of traditional crafts and cottage industries of various types that employ highly skilled craftsmen and artisans.
Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in the Indian Union. Kanpur is the biggest city in the state. Other big cities are Lucknow, Agra and Varanasi. The Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, the three upper castes people of the state who have dominated the political and economic scene over the centuries are in a minority. A major group comprises of the backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes. The tribal population is largely concentrated in the hill, terai-bhabhar and Vindhya regions. The central government has recognised five of the tribal communities, viz. Tharus, Bhoksas, Bhotias, Jaunswaris and Rajis as scheduled tribes. Besides the upper class, there are also other Hindu and Muslim communities. The scheduled castes and scheduled tribes live in rural areas and are mostly dependent on agriculture, forming the landless labour class.

The culture of Uttar Pradesh embodies a rich tradition of folk arts, crafts, literature, painting and music. The state has a plethora of holy shrines of various religions, architectural masterpieces- most famous of them being of course the Taj Mahal- and is home to a number of fascinating performing arts and colourful festivities. All these factors have enriched the composite culture of the state. To sum up, the culture of Uttar Pradesh is rich in arts, music, dance, theatrics, folk art, crafts and cuisines.
Uttar Pradesh is the place where one of the six foremost classical dances of India, the Kathaka, flourished. The word Katha, from which the name is derived, means story. It originated in northern India, during the 7th century A.D. Kathak has very intricate and complex movements of hands and feet along with facial expressions. The footwork is accompanied by the music of various percussion instruments such as tabla and pakhwaj, which are native to north India.