THE GREAT INDIAN LIFESTYLE

HARYANA H aryana , carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 November 1966 on linguistic basis, is one of the 29 states in India. Situated in North India with less than 1.4% (44,212 km2 (17,070 sq mi)) of India's land area, it is ranked 21st in terms of area. Chandigarh is the capital, Faridabad in National Capital Region is the most populous city of the state and the Gurugram is the financial hub of NCR with major Fortune 500 companies located in it.Haryana has 6 administrative divisions, 22 districts, 72 sub-divisions, 93 revenue tehsils, 50 sub-tehsils, 140 community development blocks, 154 cities and towns, 6,841 villages and 6212 villages panchayats. As the largest recipient of investment per capita since 2000 in India and among one of the wealthiest and most economically developed regions in South Asia,Haryana has the sixth highest per capita income among Indian states and union territories at ₹180,174 (US$2,500) against the national average of ₹112,432 (US$...

Places to visit in Haryana Whether you are a believer in God or non-believer, ‘The Abode of God’, as Haryana is famously referred to, might make you think if there is a god, he might probably be here. The land is so ancient, which can be gauged by the fact that this was the place where Veda Vyasa, the saint, wrote the famous epic Mahabharata. The place gains more importance for those following religious faith as being the land where Lord Krishna is said to have uttered the famous saying, “Do your duty and be detached from results” to Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers on the eve of Mahabharata war. Haryana has more to offer. Also known as the Green Land of India, Haryana not only has a rich past but a great present and a promising future too. This 16th largest state in India ranks amongst the leading industrialized states in the country. It is a major producer and supplier of agricultural products in India. Here are the leading attractions in the land you would never want to miss...

Fairs Along with the mesmerising architecture and numerous tourist attractions, Haryana has gained a lot of fame for the lively fairs organised there. The most acclaimed of these are- Surajkund International Fair This fair set up in the suburbs of Faridabad every year is a heaven for craft and handloom lovers. With the splash of colours and the rhythm of the drum beats, this fair beautifully portrays the rural part of their culture and is a super success every year. Adorned with multicuisine food courts and different adventure and amusement rides, this mela is attended by thousands of people from nearby places. Mango Mela Organized in the months of June and July at 'Yadavindra Gardens' of Pinjore, this mela is a great treat for the mango lovers. The Mango Mela does not only quenches the people's desires o the different variety of mangoes but also offers a forum to support the farmers to sell their mangoes and teach them about the latest technology to raise their ...

UTTAR PRADESH Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh is the holy land of the holy People',over the years the people of the state has proved the saying by their sober nature, royal mannerism and the high literal taste. The city of Nawabs has thousands of stories about their etiquettes which has influenced the whole state. The calmness of the people and their display of affection for the younger and respect for the elders is a trait to be followed by one and all. The moral sense of the inhabitants is worth laurels. Constituting the majority of the Hindu population, Uttar Pradesh is a state where the people of all communities live like the single soul in complete harmony. The literal taste of the state has given birth to thousands of scholars and philosophers, writers and poets, dancers and musicians, politicians and academicians. With the eight Prime ministers from the state the people have never boasted about their achievements. The simplicity and down -to-earth nature of the natives is ...

Culture from cities A view of the Ghat of Varanasi from the river Ganga Varanasi  is widely considered to be one of the oldest cities in the world. It is famous for its  ghats  (bathing steps along the river), full of pilgrims year round who come to bathe in the sacred Ganges River.  Mathura  is world-famous for its colourful celebrations of the  Holi  festival, which attracts many tourists also – thanks partly to the hype, which the Indian film industry has given to this highly entertaining socio-religious festival. Thousands gather at Allahabad(Prayagraj) to take part in the  Magh Mela  festival, which is held on the banks of the Ganges. This festival is organised on a larger scale every 12th year and is called the  Kumbha Mela , where over 10 million Hindu pilgrims congregate – proclaimed as one of the largest gathering of human beings in the world.  Budaun  is also a city which attracts thousands o...

PUNJAB Punjab is a state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast, Rajasthan to the southwest, and the Pakistani province of Punjab to the west. The state covers an area of 50,362 square kilometres, 1.53% of India's total geographical area. It is the 20th-largest Indian state by area. With 27,704,236 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Punjab is the 16th-largest state by population, comprising 22 districts. Punjabi is the most widely spoken and official language of the state. The main ethnic group are the Punjabis, with Sikhs (57.7%) forming the demographic majority, followed by Hindus (38.5%). The state capital is Chandigarh, a Union Territory and also the capital of the neighboring state of Haryana. The five rivers from which the region took its name were Sutlej, Ravi, Beas, Chenab and Jhelu...

Punjabi Music Bhangra is one of the many Punjabi musical art forms that is increasingly listened to in the west and is becoming a mainstream favourite. Punjabi music is used by western musicians in many ways, such as mixing it with other compositions to produce award-winning music. In addition, Punjabiincreasingly becoming popular in the west Devotional songs are played by dhaddi jatha groups, with instruments like sarangi and dhadd drums. Punjabi Dance Owing to the long history of the Punjabi culture and of the Punjabi people there are many dances, normally performed at times of celebration, including harvests, festivals, and weddings. The particular background of the dances can be non-religious and religious. The overall style can range from the high energy "bhangra" men's dance to the more reserved "jhumar," the "gidha" women's dance. PUNJABI CUISINE Punjabi cuisine is a culinary style originating in the Punjab, a re...