QUILON - KERALA - INDIA Entry provided by JAlbum member dileepviswa - whose web site can be seen [later] here Please click here to open the JAlbum for this location Or CLOSE the Window to return HOME

India is administratively divided into 28 states and 7 union territories. The states are broadly demarcated on linguistic lines. They vary in size; the larger ones are bigger and more diverse than some countries of Europe. The union territories are smaller than the states - sometimes they are just one city - and they have much less autonomy. These states and union territories are grouped by convention into the following regions. Himalayan North — Mountainous and beautiful, a tourist destination for the adventurous and the spiritual. This region contains some of India's most visited hill-stations and religious places. Also includes the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir The Plains — India's Hindi-speaking heartland. The country's capital New Delhi is here. The rivers Ganga and Yamuna flow through this plain. Many of the events that shaped India's history took place here. The West — deserts and beautiful cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Goa, vibrant and biggest Indian city Mumbai (formerly known as Bombai), wonderful beaches and Bollywood (Indian film industry in Bombay) The South — colorful Hindu temples, tropical forests, Backwaters of Kerala, beaches and ghats of Karnataka and islands off the mainland. The East — India's mostly rural region, its largest city Calcutta (now known as Kolkata), the temple cities of Puri of Lord Jagannath fame and Bhubaneswar, both in Orissa. The North-East — remote and sensitive, the country's tribal corner, with beautiful landscapes and famous for Tea Gardens.

Cities India -citiesIndia has many large and famous cities; below is a list of nine of the most well-known. Other cities are listed under their specific regional section.

Large cities India's largest cities, listed below, are known as metros. New Delhi, the Capital of Ancient Bharat and Modern India - The political capital of India Calcutta (Kolkata) — cultural capital of India, biggest port of East India known as City of Joy. Ahmedabad — known as Textile Capital of India - located in Gujarat. Bangalore — Garden City, Pub City, Silicon Valley of India, Land of Silk, Gold, Sandal Wood, Incense etc. Chennai (Madras) — main port in South India, cradle of Carnatic Music and Barathanatiyam, Home of famous Marina Beach, Automobile Capital of India. Cochin — queen of Arabian sea, spice trade and tourism - industrial hub of state of Kerala. Hyderabad — Pearl city of India, and part of the Silicon Plateau with Bangalore Mumbai (Formerly Bombay) — the financial capital of India, "Bollywood" (Indian Film Industry's hub) Pune — Maharashtra's cultural capital.