Bhramrishi Desh - Uttar Pradesh

During the Vedic era, the state of Uttar Pradesh was called the Brahmrishi Desh or Madhya Desh.

Uttar Pradesh is a state in northern India. With approximately 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous country subdivision. It was established as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh under British rule on 1 April 1937, and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950. The State is split into 18 divisions and 75 districts, Lucknow being the capital. A new province, Uttarakhand, was carved out of the Himalayan hill area of the State on 9 November 2000. The state's two main rivers, the Ganga and Yamuna, converge at Allahabad (Prayagraj) and then flow further east as the Ganga. Hindi is the most commonly spoken language, and along with Urdu, is also the state's official language.

               

Uttar Pradesh is a land of culture, tradition, history, festival, black spell, agriculture, cuisines, and tourist spots.The state is rich in every way, ranging from ancient monuments to national parks, nature sanctuaries, historic sites, stunning architectural marvels, huge forts and scenic beauty. Uttar Pradesh is a place of worship and holy ghats where every year millions of pilgrims come to take a dip. It is the location of the holy river Ganga that fertilizes the planes in the province. Not just Ganga but Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath (Lord Shiva) also blesses millions of devotees on a regular basis. The state takes a sheer pride in its tourist attractions such as Taj Mahal, one of the world's seven wonders, which is not only the top attraction in the state but also in the region.

Some of the interesting prominent things of Uttar Pradesh are:-

A Beautiful Wonder - TAJ MAHAL

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the southern side of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658) commissioned it in 1632 to house his beloved wife's tomb, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses Shah Jahan's tomb itself.In 1983, the Taj Mahal was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it was "the gem of Islamic architecture in India and one of the world's most widely appreciated masterpieces". The Taj Mahal draws 7–8 million tourists a year, and in 2007, the new 7 Wonders of the World campaign (2000–2007) was proclaimed a winner. 

               

Gharanas - Kathak

Kathak is present in three distinct styles, called "gharanas," named after the towns where the practice of Kathak dance originated-Jaipur, Banaras and Lucknow.The dances in Uttar Pradesh can be loosely categorized as Classical and Folk in two groups. The first community contains Kathak where Charkula, Karma, and Dadra are in their list as the latter. Kathak is one of India's most known classical dances.

                       

World's Largest Gathering - Kumbh Mela

In 2013 the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad was attended by 120 million pilgrims. Nasik has a record of 75 million visitors registered. Maha Kumbh at Allahabad is the largest in the country, whose attendance and planning scale with every successive celebration keeps increasing. Visitors to Kumbh 2019 included 10.30 lakh visitors from foreign countries. The 2013 Maha Kumbh Mela had seen 7,86 Crore pilgrims coming here, including 3,50 lakh international visitors. A huge 24.01 crore people visited the Sangam city during the 49-day Kumbh Mela 2019 which culminated in March.

                  

Food and Cuisines 

Banarasi Food:- Steeped in antiquity the city of Banaras was home to a cultured citizenry used to sophisticated tastes in every field of life. Purity, simplicity and great refinement were the hallmark of Banarasi cuisine. Sweets are the real forte of Banaras. 

Awadhi Food:- Awadh, the center of Nawabi music, paid homage to every taste. Awadhi's sumptuous and very sensual gourmet cuisine is an astonishingly rich tradition, targeted primarily at feasting royalty. Careful observation, quality assurance and calculated craftsmanship went a long way to hold India's most beautiful nawabs tables.

Sweets:- Agra is famed for its petha, Lucknow for its shahi tukde and Varanasi for its creamy winter delight malaiyo, known in Lucknow as malai makkhan or nimish, for those with a sweet tooth, Mathura delights them in its khurchan and melting pedas.

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Andhra Pradesh is a fertile land in South India, bordered on South by Tamilnadu, west by Karnataka, north   by Maharashtra, and north east Madhya Pradesh and Orissa states and flanked on the east by Bay of Bengal. This lush state sprawls across an area of 275,045 sq. km (106,195 sq mi).

Andhra pradesh is blessed with all natural bounties. The eastern ghats that run the length of the state and adds more beauty to the land. Andhra is intercepted by many rivers,and most prominent of them are River Godavari and krishna. The alluvial soils laid down by these rivers are highly fertile and have convert andhra pradesh as one of the major agriculture land in india.

CULTURE

The culture of Andhra Pradesh is an integral part of the rich cultural heritage of the country.

It is a region which has been governed by different dynasties and empires. This diverse exposure to the cultures and traditions of the empires has had an indelible influence in forming the Culture of Andhra Pradesh.The conglomeration of many cultures has formed the present day culture of the region. Some of the primary rulers of the region were the Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagars and Mughals.

The art and crafts of the region like Kalamkari, Bidri, the fabulous weaving of Gadwal and Venkatagiri, the exclue, brass, stone and wood carving highlight the immense talent of the Andhra craftsmen.

                

             

CUISINE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra cuisine needs a special mention. The food here is considered to be the spiciest in India and rice is the staple food. Traditional Andhra thali is tasty and also hot. Andhra Pradesh, also known as the rice bowl of india is like a melting pot of varied cultures. Seafood is popular among the coastal area. Since Rayalaseema lies in proximity to South Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the cuisine of the region also reflects the culture of other states.

                    

DANCE FORM 

                     

                       

Kuchipudi- Most prominent of the folk dances of Andhra Pradesh. kuchipudi is recognized as a classical dance in India and it is extremely popular in the southern states. The name 'kuchipudi' is derived from a village named divi and the Brahmins residing in that village. 

PLACES TO VISIT

Andhra Pradesh is an amazong tourist land with lot of exciting things.

                        

For the nature lovers there are places like Araku valley and Horsley.

                          

For sea shore lovers places like Vizag, and Kakinad will be more interesting.

                          

The state is most visited for its world famous Tirupati temple. It is the richest temple in India and alsohighly visited by all VIPs.

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Bundelkhand - City of King and Queen

Bundelkhand - City of King and Queen

Bundelkhand is a geographical and cultural region and also a mountain range in central and North India. The hilly region is now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh with the larger portion lying in the latter state. The Khangar ruled areas of present day Bundelkhand after the fall of the Chandelas. Maharaja Khet Singh Khangar, founder of Khangar Kingdom.

Jhansi is the largest city in Bundelkhand and is the major Cultural, Educational, Transport and Economical hub.

Dance Form - Ravala

Ravala is basically a dance drama which is performed during festivals specially in marriages. It is performed with very funny expressions and humorous dialogues.

                        

Food 

There are many dishes which are popular throughout the year and some of them are:

Indoori Namkeen

Different types of Namkeen are famous in Bundelkhand but the Indoori Namkeen is the mixture of all types of Namkeen which is been prepared in the local markets of Bundelkhand.

Dal Bafle

It is full flashed thali which is served in Bundelkhand. Dal is normal tadka dal and the bafle is like ball which is been prepared with some masalastuffed in it.

  

Kurma

It is the sabji which is like mix vegetables. All the seasonable vegetables are added in one dish to make it colourful.

Mirchi Ka Salan

It is the type of curry in which the full Mirchi is used to cook. The dish is served with roti as well as jeera rice. 

Bhutte Ka Khees

It is famous Madhya Pradesh dish which is popular in Bundelkhand is Bhutte Ka Khees. It is prepared by Bhutte which is corn. The main course sabji is prepared with the corn by adding many desi flavours and served in breakfast.

Tourist Places

Orcha - Betwa river

Jhansi - Parichha

Khajuraho - Archaeological Museum

Panna - Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Chitrakoot - Sarbhang Ashram

Temple
Shringirishi Maharaj (Rishhyssringa) assumes higher position in Hindu religion. His first instance is khown when king Dashratha invited him to perform Putreshthi Yajna for the procreation as the name suggests and later by this gracious deed, we have four figuers who are highly revered in Hindu Mythology, namely Lord Rama, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughna.

The descendants of Shringirshi Maharaj arrived in this region in 800 AD from Rajasthan. In total, there are 64 temples or ashram all over India.

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"The Land of God " Uttarakhand

Land of untouched natural beauty and spirituality ,Uttarakhand is a Himalayan state of North India, famously known as Devbhumi (or the land of the Gods).Uttarakhand 's name is derived from the sanskrit word uttara meaning 'north' ,and khand meaning 'land', altogether  simply meaning 'Northern Land ' Uttarakhand formerly know as Uttaranchal is a state in the Northern  part of India .It is often referred o as the "devabhumi"(literally"land of the Gods")due to numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers found throughout the state. Uttarakhand is known for the natural environment of the himalayas, the bhabar and the terai regions. Uttarakhand covers a total area of 53,483 km (20,650 sq mi) The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. The winter capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city of the state which is railhead. on 4 March 2020, Gairsain, a town in Chamoli District, was declared the summer capital of the state.

Culture

Uttarakhand is a beautiful place which can be sub divided into two regions majorly known as Garhwal and Kumaon. The culture identify its people uniquely and gives them a meaning. The various traditions, religions,fairs,folk dances, music are what distinctly separate them from the rest of crowd. The residents of Uttarakhand are proud of the culture that they follow.

                               

Garhwali Culture

Garhwal is a beautiful place marked by the tall mountains, cold weather and green valleys. People from all over the country visit the place to mediate and attain peace in a life full of so much chaos. The very ancient wood carving can be seen even today on some of the doors as well temples of Garhwal All the places such as Ransi temple, Srinagar temple,Chandpur fort architectural remain even today. Garhwali is the main language spoken here. 

  

Kumaoni culture

Kumaon has been an interesting region since the last two decades due to the rock paintings which have been discovered in the are. Lakhu Udiyar and lwethaap are the most famous one amongst them. Kumaon is said to be the point of origin of pahari kalam hich is yet another style of painting well-known across the world. The most popular art form of Kumaon, however, is known as Apian or Alpana. In this art from, pieces of cloth, walls and papers are all decorated with geometric figures, which belong to god, goddesses and the other natural objects of nature.

Folk Dance and Music of uttarakhand

The lives of the people of Uttarakhand are filled with a lot of music and dance. Dancing is considered to form a major part of their traditions. The people here believe that dance is not only a form of entertainment but an art through which one can please Gods it is believed that this is ritual of dancing can be dedicated to the young maidens called 'Ancheris' dancing on the sow-dwelling mountains. Any form of dance is incomplete without costumes. Thereby,people dress up in some special designs and get collected to dance and worship. Some of the folk dances include Barada Nati which is the popular dance of Jaunsar Bhawar area in Dehradun district, Langvir Nritya which is an acrobatic dance from performed by the men, Pandav Nritya which is the narrationof Mahabharatha in the form of music and dance and Dhurang and Dhuring which are popular folk dances of the bhotiya tribals.

Food of Uttarakhand 

Yummy recipes being followed from generations.Some of the most delicious mouth-watering specialities of uttarakhand include- Urad Ki Dal Ke Pakode which are usually spicy pakoras prepared from different pulses.Phanu which too is made from dals, Jhangore ki kheer which is a sweet dish prepared with Jhangora. Chalinsoo which is made from black gram dal.Bhang ki chutney which is sour tasting prepared from roasted bhang and cuming seeds mixed with lemon juice.

Traditional Dresses Of Uttarakhand 

The dresses worn by people residing in an area depicts the culture and traditions followed by them and a fair idea about the kind of communities residing there. Uttarakhand is home to a variety of communities including Punjabis, Bengalis,Tibetan and Nepalis.Residents of Garhwali hills have their own pattern of wearing clothes due to the cold weather of the place as a result of which wool obtained from sheep or goat is used to prepare woollen clothes.

Temples

Chardam the serene heights of the great himalays are four pilgrim-destinations namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, collectively known as Char Dham.Traditonally,the pilgrimage ;begins from the westand the west and ends in the East. Thus,the Char Dham Yatra commences from Yamunatri, then proceeding to Gangotri and finally to Kedarnath and Badrinath.    

Yamunatri is dedicated to the goddess Yamuna who goes along the pilgrims to the high altitudes of the picture sques Rawai Valley. It is believed that a bath in the waters of the yamuna protects the devotee from untimely death .Gangotri is deicated to the goddess Ganga. The shrine overlooks the river Badrinathi, another name of ganga -the name having been derived from the myth of the ancient king Badrinath's penance that succeededing bringing her upon the earth from the heaven. 

Nature

One of the most important  things that Uttarakhand is known for  its diverse and conserved natural environment . Away from the busy cities and commotion ,it offers a pollution free environment where one can actually experience the serene beauty of what we call Nature . Having a diverse flora and fauna,it comes out to be healthy ,balanced bio -diverse land and thus  maintains a nutritious ecology consisting of heritage sites, rivers and lakes ,mountains along with glaciers and conservation  Parks, Uttarakhand  is a land full of pro environment people and culture . The rivers of Uttarakhand are no exception in the wholesome bounty they  bestow as they flow down mountainous slopes ,into narrow gorges and widening into the plains .Born in the deep glacial chambers of  the magnificent Himalayas ,the mighty rivers of Uttarakhand have brought people together  and nurtured their  way of life .

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Dev Bhoomi - Himachal Pradesh

The origin of the people of Himachal Pradesh dates back to the period between 2250 &1750 BC during which people of Indus valley civilization occupied the state.The entry of  these people slowly moved the Kolorian people who were the primary inhabitants of Ganga plains to the north who moved to the hilly region of Himachal Pradesh leading a peaceful life and following their inherited culture. 

Himachal Pradesh  covers a total area of 55,673 km square. The state comprises of 12 districts namely Kangra,Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi, Chamba, Una, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu, Kinnaur, Shimla and Solan.

                                    

       

                       

The people of Himachal Pradesh are known for their rich culture heritage and values. Pahadi is the most commonly spoken language by the people, though Hindi is the official language of the state. Apart from Pahadi there are other tribal languages spoken like Chambyali, Lahauli, Kinnauri and many others. Some of the famous things of Himachal Pradesh are:

NATTI:

Natti is a very famous dance form of Himachal. Each district has it's own themes and songs along with their unique traditional attire. In 2016, Natti dance was listed in Guinness Book of World Record for total 9892 participants in the folk dance.

FOOD:

Dhaam is a complete food that along with taste provides a healthy dose of nutrients. The delicious delicacies are a must serve on the occasions and various festivals. One must surely taste it while a visit to Himachal.  

TEMPLES:

Himachal Pradesh is brim of temples and myths about gods and goddesses. Every district and town has its own famous temples and have a fascinating history and stories behind it and that is the reason Himachal Pradesh is known as "Dev Bhoomi" or " Land of Gods". 

                                                                              

SERENITY:

Life is full of daily hustle - bustle, we all look for appeasement away from the daily anxiety and tensity of our lives and nature is the best way to attain that remedy and serenity. Himachal comprises of mesmerizing places which are blessed by nature.  

One shall at-least visit Himachal once in their lifetime because " Safar khoobsurat hai manzil se bhi".