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North India
Northern India
From top, left to right:Kinnaur Kailash,Victoria Memorial,India Gate,Golden Temple,Thar Desert,Indian elephantsat theJim Corbett National Park,Gateway of India,Taj Mahal.
Extent of North India in its broader sense
CountryIndia
Subregions
States[1]
Union territories

Most populous cities(2011)
Area
• Total2,389,300 km2(922,500 sq mi)
Population
(2011)
• Total912,030,836
• Density380/km2(990/sq mi)
DemonymsNorth Indian
See all demonyms
Time zoneIST(UTC+05:30)
Common languages
Official languages

North India,also calledNorthern India,is ageographicaland broadcultural regioncomprising the northern part ofIndia(or historically, theIndian subcontinent) whereinIndo-Aryansform the prominent majority population. It extends from theHimalayan mountain rangein the north to theIndo-Gangetic plains,theThar Desert,theCentral Highlandsand the northwestern part of theDeccan plateau.It occupies nearly three-quarters of the area and population of India and includes all of the threemega cities of India:Mumbai,DelhiandKolkata.In a more specific and administrative sense, North India can also be used to denote theIndo-Gangetic Plainwithin this broader expanse, stretching from theGanga-Yamuna Doabto theThar Desert.[2]

Several major rivers flow through the region including the Indus, theGanges,theYamunaand theNarmadarivers. North India includes the states ofHimachal Pradesh,Uttarakhand,PunjabandHaryana,Rajasthan,Uttar Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh,Chhattisgarh,Goa,Gujarat,Maharashtra,Bihar,Jharkhand,andWest Bengaland union territories ofChandigarh,Delhi,Jammu and KashmirandLadakh.[1] In its narrower administrative sense, the term has varying implications (see below) with different states included beingHaryana,Himachal Pradesh,Punjab,Uttarakhand,Uttar PradeshandRajasthanand union territories ofChandigarh,Delhi,Jammu and KashmirandLadakh.[16][17][18]

Indo-Aryans,who today form a majority in North India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, are descendents of theIndo-IranianswhomigratedfromCentral Asiavia theBactria-Margiana Cultureinto this region between 2000 BC and 1500 BC after the collapse of theIndus Valley Civilisation.[19][20]There was a slow migration ofIndo-Iranian peoplesthrough thenorthwestleading to the development of theIndo-Aryan languagesfromProto-Indo-Iranianand minor vocal synthesis with the Dravidian languages. North India was the historical centre of the ancientVedic culture,theMahajanapadas,andMagadha Empire,the medievalDelhi Sultanateand the modernMughal Indiaand theIndian Empire,among many others.

It has a diverse culture, and includes theHindupilgrimage centres ofChar Dham,Haridwar,Varanasi,Ayodhya,Mathura,Prayagraj,Vaishno DeviandPushkar,theBuddhistpilgrimage centres ofSarnathandKushinagar,theSikhGolden Templeas well as world heritage sites such as theNanda Devi Biosphere Reserve,Khajuraho temples,Hill Forts of Rajasthan,Jantar Mantar (Jaipur),Qutb Minar,Red Fort,Agra Fort,Fatehpur Sikriand theTaj Mahal.North India's culture developed as a result ofinteractionbetween these Hindu and Muslim religious traditions.[21]

Northern Region/Zone

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States under Northern Zonal Council inorange
Various states often included in Northern Zone/Region

The terms "North Zone", "North Region" or "Northern Cultural Zone" are used by various ministries of the Government of India to refer to the northernmost of the four or six administrative divisions of the country. These terms are distinct from "North India", which is a geo-cultural region denoting a much larger expanse.

Government of India definitions

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TheNorthern Zonal Councilis one of the advisory councils, created in 1956 by theStates Reorganisation Actto foster interstate co-operation under theMinistry of Home Affairs,which included the states ofChandigarh,Delhi,Haryana,Himachal Pradesh,Jammu and Kashmir,Ladakh,PunjabandRajasthan.[16][17]

TheMinistry of Cultureestablished theNorth Culture ZoneinPatiala,Punjabon 23 March 1985. It differs from the North Zonal Council in its inclusion ofUttarakhandand the omission ofDelhi.[22]

TheGeological Survey of India(part of theMinistry of Mines) in its Northern Region, includedUttar PradeshandDelhi,but excludedRajasthanandChandigarh,with a regional headquarters inLucknow.[18]

Colloquial definitions of Northern Region/Zone

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Indian press definition

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The Hindunewspaper puts Bihar, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh related articles on itsNorthpages.[3]Articles in the Indian press have included the states of Bihar,[4]Gujarat,[7][6]Jharkhand,[10]Madhya Pradesh,[5]and West Bengal[8][9]in North as well.

Latitude-based definition

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TheTropic of Cancer,which divides thetemperate zonefrom thetropical zonein theNorthern Hemisphere,runs through India, and could theoretically be regarded as a geographical dividing line in the country.[23]Indian states that are entirely above theTropic of CancerareHimachal Pradesh,Punjab,Haryana,Delhi,Uttarakhand,Uttar PradeshandBiharand most ofNorth East Indianstates. However that definition would also include major parts ofRajasthan,Madhya Pradesh,JharkhandandWest Bengaland minor regions ofChhattisgarhandGujarat.

Anecdotal usage

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InMaharashtra,the term "North Indian" is sometimes used to describe migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, often using the termbhaiya(which literally means 'elder brother') along with it in a derogatory sense.[24][25]However within Uttar Pradesh (literally meaning "North Province" in Hindi) itself, "the cultural divide between the east and the west is considerable, with thepurabiyas(easterners) often being clubbed with Biharis in the perception of the westerners. "[26][27]TheGovernment of Biharofficial site places the state in the eastern part of India.[28]Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are largely considered as being a part of north India, however.[29][25][30]

History

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Main article:India § History

Ancient Era

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Manuscript illustration,c. 1650,of the Sanskrit epicRamayana,composed in story-telling fashionc. 400 BC– c. 300 BC[31]

By 55,000 years ago, the first modern humans, orHomo sapiens,had arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa, where they had earlier evolved.[32][33][34]The earliest known modern human remains in South Asia date to about 30,000 years ago.[32]After 6500 BC, evidence for domestication of food crops and animals, construction of permanent structures, and storage of agricultural surplus appeared inMehrgarhand other sites inBalochistan, Pakistan.[35]These gradually developed into theIndus Valley Civilisation,[36][35]the first urban culture in South Asia,[37]which flourished during 2500–1900 BC north-western Indian subcontinent.[38]Centred around cities such asMohenjo-daro,Harappa,Dholavira,andKalibangan,and relying on varied forms of subsistence, the civilisation engaged robustly in crafts production and wide-ranging trade.[37]

Vedic Era

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Between 2000 BC and 1500 BC, several waves of Indo-Aryan migrations from Central Asia occurred and these migrants settled in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. TheVedas,the oldest scriptures associated withHinduism,[39]were composed during this period,[40]and historians have analysed these to posit aVedic culturein thePunjab regionand the upperGangetic Plain.[41]During the period 2000–500BCE,many regions of the subcontinent transitioned from theChalcolithiccultures to theIron Ageones.[41]Thecaste system,which created a hierarchy of priests (Brahmins), warriorsKshatriyas,and commoners and peasants (VaishyasandShudras), and but which excluded certain peoples whose occupations were considered impure, arose during this period.[42]On theDeccan Plateau,archaeological evidence from this period suggests the existence of a chiefdom stage of political organisation.[41]

In the late Vedic period, around the 6th century BCE, the small states and chiefdoms of the Ganges Plain and the north-western regions had consolidated into 16 major oligarchies and monarchies that were known as themahajanapadas.[43][44]The emerging urbanisation gave rise to non-Vedic religious movements, two of which became independent religions.Jainismcame into prominence during the life of its exemplar,Mahavira.[45]Buddhism,based on the teachings ofGautama Buddha,attracted followers from all social classes excepting the middle class; chronicling the life of the Buddha was central to the beginnings of recorded history in India.[46][47][48]In an age of increasing urban wealth, both religions held uprenunciationas an ideal,[49]and both established long-lasting monastic traditions. Politically, by the 3rd century BCE, theKingdom of Magadhahad annexed or reduced other states and evolved into theMagadha Empireunder theHouse of Maurya.[50]The Magadhan Mauryan emperors are known as much for their empire-building and determined management of public life as forAshoka's renunciation of militarism and far-flung advocacy of the Buddhistdhamma.[51][52]

In North India, by the 4th and 5th centuries, theHouse of Guptaof Magadha had created a complex system of administration and taxation in the greater Ganges Plain; this system became a model for later Indian kingdoms.[53][54]Under the Guptas, a renewed Hinduism based on devotion, rather than the management of ritual, began to assert itself.[55]This renewal was reflected in a flowering ofsculptureandarchitecture,which found patrons among an urban elite.[54]Classical Sanskrit literatureflowered as well, andIndian science,astronomy,medicine,andmathematicsmade significant advances.[54]

Medieval Era

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Brihadeshwara temple,Thanjavur,completed in 1010CE
TheQutub Minar,73 m (240 ft) tall, completed by theSultan of Delhi,Iltutmish

The Indian early medieval age, from 600 to 1200 AD, is defined by regional kingdoms and cultural diversity.[56]WhenHarshaofKannauj,who ruled much of the Indo-Gangetic Plain from 606 to 647CE,attempted to expand southwards, he was defeated by theChalukyaruler of the Deccan.[57]When his successor attempted to expand eastwards, he was defeated by thePalaking ofBengal.[57]No ruler of this period was able to create an empire and consistently control lands much beyond their core region.[56]During this time, pastoral peoples, whose land had been cleared to make way for the growing agricultural economy, were accommodated within caste society, as were new non-traditional ruling classes.[58]The caste system consequently began to show regional differences.[58]

In the 6th and 7th centuries, the firstdevotional hymnswere created in the Tamil language.[59]They were imitated all over India and led to both the resurgence of Hinduism and the development of allmodern languages of the subcontinent.[59]Indian royalty, big and small, and the temples they patronised drew citizens in great numbers to the capital cities, which became economic hubs as well.[60]Temple towns of various sizes began to appear everywhere as India underwent another urbanisation.[60]By the 8th and 9th centuries, the effects were felt in South-East Asia, as South Indian culture and political systems were exported to lands that became part of modern-dayMyanmar,Thailand,Laos,Brunei,Cambodia,Vietnam,Philippines,Malaysia,andIndonesia.[61]Indian merchants, scholars, and sometimes armies were involved in this transmission; South-East Asians took the initiative as well, with many sojourning in Indian seminaries and translating Buddhist and Hindu texts into their languages.[61]

After the 10th century, Muslim Central Asian nomadic clans, usingswift-horsecavalry and raising vast armies united by ethnicity and religion, repeatedly overran South Asia's north-western plains. A generalQutub-ud-din Aibakdeclared his independence and established theSultanate of Delhiin 1206.[62]The sultanate was to control much of North India and to make many forays into South India. Although at first disruptive for the Indian elites, the sultanate largely left its vast non-Muslim subject population to its own laws and customs.[63][64]By repeatedly repulsingMongol raidersin the 13th century, the sultanate saved India from the devastation visited on West and Central Asia, setting the scene for centuries ofmigrationof fleeing soldiers, learned men, mystics, traders, artists, and artisans from that region into the subcontinent, thereby creating a syncretic Indo-Islamic culture in the north.[65][66]The sultanate's raiding and weakening of the regional kingdoms of South India paved the way for the indigenousVijayanagara Empire.[67]

Early modern era

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In the early 16th century, northern India, then under mainly Muslim rulers,[68]fell again to the superior mobility and firepower of a new generation of Central Asian warriors.[69]A Turco-Mongol emir,Zahir-ud-din Mohammad"Babur", after defeating the Delhi Sultanate, upgraded himself fromEmirand proclaimed himself as thePadishah of Hindustan.His successors were calledMughalsor Moguls by European historians owing to the dynasty's Mongol origins. They did not stamp out the local societies it came to rule. Instead, it balanced and pacified them through new administrative practices[70][71]and diverse and inclusive ruling elites,[72]leading to more systematic, centralised, and uniform rule.[73]Eschewing tribal bonds and Islamic identity, especially underAkbar,the Mughals united their far-flung realms through loyalty, expressed through a Persianised culture, to an emperor who had near-divine status.[72]The State's economic policies, deriving most revenues from agriculture[74]and mandating that taxes be paid in the well-regulated silver currency,[75]caused peasants and artisans to enter larger markets.[73]The relative peace maintained by the empire during much of the 17th century was a factor in India's economic expansion,[73]resulting in greater patronage ofpainting,literary forms, textiles, andarchitecture.[76]Newly coherent social groups in northern and western India, such as theMarathas,theRajputs,and theSikhs,gained military and governing ambitions during Mughal rule, which, through collaboration or adversity, gave them both recognition and military experience.[77]Expanding commerce during Mughal rule gave rise to new Indian commercial and political elites along the coasts of southern and eastern India.[77]As the empire disintegrated, many among these elites were able to seek and control their own affairs.[78]

A distant view of theTaj Mahalfrom theAgra Fort
A twomohurCompany gold coin, issued in 1835, theobverseinscribed "William IV,King "

By the early 18th century, with the lines between commercial and political dominance being increasingly blurred, a number of European trading companies, including the EnglishEast India Company,had established coastal outposts.[79][80]The East India Company's control of the seas, greater resources, and more advanced military training and technology led it to increasingly assert its military strength and caused it to become attractive to a portion of the Indian elite; these factors were crucial in allowing the company to gain powerful influence over theBengal provincein 1757 and sideline the other European companies.[81][79][82][83]Its further access to the riches of Bengal and the subsequent increased strength and size of its army enabled it to annex or subdue most of India by the 1820s.[84]India was then no longer exporting manufactured goods as it long had, but was instead supplyingBritainwith raw materials. By this time, with its economic power severely curtailed by theBritish Parliamentand having effectively been made an arm of British administration, the East India Company began more consciously to enter non-economic arenas, including education, social reform, and culture.[85]

In 1833, the three presidencies ofBengal,BombayandMadraswere unified into a unitary state, headed by theGovernor-General of Indiaand the creation of theGovernment of India.

Modern India

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Main article:History of India (1947–present)

Historians consider India's modern age to have begun sometime between 1848 and 1885. The appointment in 1848 ofLord DalhousieasGovernor General of Indiaset the stage for changes essential to a modern state. These included the consolidation and demarcation of sovereignty, the surveillance of the population, and the education of citizens. Technological changes—among them, railways, canals, and the telegraph—were introduced not long after their introduction inEurope.[86][87][88][89]However, disaffection with the company also grew during this time and set off theIndian Rebellion of 1857.Fed by diverse resentments and perceptions, including invasive British-style social reforms, harsh land taxes, and summary treatment of some rich landowners and princes, the rebellion rocked many regions of northern and central India and shook the foundations of Company rule.[90][91]Although the rebellion was suppressed by 1858, it led to the dissolution of the East India Company and thedirect administration of British territories in Indiaby theBritish Crown.Proclaiming aunitary stateand a gradual but limited British-style parliamentary system, the new rulers also protected princes and landed gentry as a feudal safeguard against future unrest.[92][93]In 1861, a supreme legislature for India was established — theImperial Legislative Council of India.Further reforms also created a unified bank — theImperial Bank of India,a police force — theIndian Imperial Policeand a unified army — theImperial Indian Army.In 1876, the Crown-ruled India and the numerous Indian states under the Crown's suzerainty formed a loose political union called theIndian Empire,andQueen Victoriawas crowned theEmpress of Indiain 1877. In the decades following, public life gradually emerged all over India, leading eventually to the founding of theIndian National Congressin 1885.[94][95][96][97]

The rush of technology and the commercialisation of agriculture in the second half of the 19th century was marked by economic setbacks, and many small farmers became dependent on the whims of far-away markets.[98]There was an increase in the number of large-scalefamines,[99]and, despite the risks of infrastructure development borne by Indian taxpayers, little industrial employment was generated for Indians.[100]There were also salutary effects: commercial cropping, especially in the newly canalled Punjab, led to increased food production for internal consumption.[101]The railway network provided critical famine relief,[102]notably reduced the cost of moving goods,[102]and helped nascent Indian-owned industry.[101]

Political Divisions of the Indian Empire in 1909
Jawaharlal Nehrusharing a light moment withMahatma Gandhi,Mumbai, 6 July 1946

After World War I, in which approximatelyone million Indians servedin theIndian Army,[103]a new period began. It was marked by the enactment of theMontagu–Chelmsford Reformsas the Government of India Act 1919 but alsorepressive legislation,by more strident Indian calls for self-rule, and by the beginnings of anonviolentmovement of non-co-operation, of whichMahatma Gandhiwould become the leader and enduring symbol.[104]During the 1930s, slow legislative reform was enacted; the Indian National Congress won victories in the resulting elections.[105]The next decade was beset with crises:Indian participation in World War II,the Congress's final push for non-co-operation, and an upsurge ofMuslim nationalism.All were capped by the advent of independence in 1947, but tempered by thepartition of Indiainto two states: India and Pakistan.[106]

Vital to India's self-image as an independent nation was its constitution, completed in 1950, which put in place a secular and democratic republic.[107]Per theLondon Declaration,India retained its membership of theCommonwealth,becoming the first republic within it.[108]Economic liberalisation, whichbegan in the 1980sand the collaboration with Soviet Union for technical know-how,[109]has created a large urban middle class, transformed India intoone of the world's fastest-growing economies,[110]and increased its geopolitical clout. Yet, India is also shaped by seemingly unyielding poverty, both rural and urban;[111]byreligiousandcaste-related violence;[112]byMaoist-inspired Naxalite insurgencies;[113]and byseparatism in Jammu and Kashmirandin Northeast India.[114]It has unresolved territorial disputes withChina[115]and withPakistan.[115]India's sustained democratic freedoms are unique among the world's newer nations; however, in spite of its recent economic successes, freedom from want for its disadvantaged population remains a goal yet to be achieved.[116]

Geography

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See also:Northern Indian subcontinent
Sunset on the sand dunes atThar desertlocated in North Indian state ofRajasthan

North India lies mainly on continental India, north of peninsular India.[citation needed]Towards its north are the Himalayas which define the boundary between theIndian subcontinentand theTibetan plateau.To its west is theThar desert,shared between North India andPakistanand theAravalli Range,beyond which lies the state ofGujarat.TheVindhyamountains are, in some interpretations, taken to be the southern boundary of North India.

The predominant geographical features of North India are:

  • the Indo-Gangetic plain, which spans the states and union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
  • the Himalayas and sub-Himalayan belt, which lie in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal;
  • the Thar desert, which lies mainly in the state of Rajasthan.

The states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir also have a large forest coverage.[117]

General climate

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India'sKöppen climate classificationmap[118]is based on native vegetation, temperature, precipitation and their seasonality.(Major categories)
(Am) Tropical monsoon
(Aw) Tropical savanna, wet & dry
(BWh) Hot desert
(BWk) Cold desert
(BSh) Hot semi arid
(Cwa) Subtropical humid summer, dry winter
(Cwb) Subtropical highland, dry wint

North India lies mainly in the northtemperate zoneof theEarth.[119]Though cool or cold winters, hot summers and moderate monsoons are the general pattern. North India is one of the most climatically diverse regions on Earth. During summer, the temperature often rises above 35 °C across much of the Indo-Gangetic plain, reaching as high as 50 °C in the Thar desert, Rajasthan and up to 49 in Delhi. During winter, the lowest temperature on the plains dips to below 5 °C, and below the freezing point in some states. Heavy to moderate snowfall occurs in Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, J&K and Uttarakhand. Much of North India is notorious for heavy fog during winters.

Extreme temperatures among inhabited regions have ranged from −45 °C (−49 °F) inDras,Ladakh[120]to 50.6 °C (123 °F) inAlwar,Rajasthan.Drasis claimed to be the second-coldest inhabited place on the planet (afterSiberia), with a recorded low of −60 °C.[121][122][123]

Precipitation

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The region receives heavy rain in plains and light snow on Himalayas precipitation through two primary weather patterns: the IndianMonsoonand theWestern Disturbances.The Monsoon carries moisture northwards from theIndian Ocean,occurs in late summer and is important to theKharif or autumn harvest.[124][125]Western Disturbances, on the other hand, are an extratropical weather phenomenon that carry moisture eastwards from theMediterranean Sea,theCaspian Seaand theAtlantic Ocean.[126][127][128][129]They primarily occur during the winter season and are critically important for theRabi or spring harvest,which includes the main staple over much of North India,wheat.[127]The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand receive some snowfall in winter months.

Traditional seasons

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Northern Indian tradition recognises six distinct seasons in the region: summer (grishmaorgarmi(jyesth- ashadh), May–June), rainy (varsha(shravan-bhadra), July–August), cool (sharad(ashivan-kartik), September–October, sometimes thought of as 'early autumn'), autumn (hemant(margh-paush), November–December, also calledpatjhar,lit.leaf-fall), winter (shishirorsardi(magh-phagun),January–February) and spring (vasant(chaitra-baishakh), March–April). The literature, poetry and folklore of the region uses references to these six seasons quite extensively and has done so since ancient times whenSanskritwas prevalent.[130][131][132]In the mountainous areas, sometimes the winter is further divided into "big winter" (e.g.Kashmirichillai kalaan) and "little winter" (chillai khurd).[133]

Demographics

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The people of North India mostly belong to theIndo-Aryanethno linguistic branch,[citation needed]and include various social groups such asBrahmins,Rajputs,Kayasthas,Banias,Jats,Rors,Gurjars,Kolis,Yadavs,KhatrisandKambojs.[134][135][136]Other minority aboriginal ethnic communities such asDravidiansandAustroasiaticsexist throughout the region.

Religion

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Hinduismis the dominant religion in North India. Other religions practiced by various ethnic communities includeIslam,Sikhism,Jainism,Zoroastrianism,Judaism,Baháʼí,Christianity,andBuddhism.Hindus constitutes more than 80 percent of the North India's population. National capital of India (New Delhi) is overwhelming Hindu-majority with Hindus constituting nearly 90% of the capital city's population. The states ofRajasthan,Haryana,Himachal Pradesh,Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are overwhelmingly Hindu-majority. Maharashtra,Uttarakhand,Bihar,Uttar PradeshandWest Bengalare also Hindu majority states, but have a large Muslim minority (12% in Maharashtra, 14% In Uttarakhand, 18% in Bihar, 19% in Uttar Pradesh and 27% in West Bengal). Jharkhand is also a Hindu majority state but has a large aboriginal minority. The union territories ofJammu and Kashmiris a Muslim majority territories while Ladakh has a Muslim plurality with minority Hindus and Buddhists. The state ofPunjabhas aSikhmajority of 60% and is the homeland of Sikh religion.

Languages

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Further information:Languages of India
Distribution ofIndo-Aryan languages.

Linguistically, North India is dominated byIndo-Aryan languages.It is in this region, or its proximity, thatSanskritand the variousPrakritsare thought to have evolved.[citation needed]Hindi is spoken in Western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and by a large number of people in many urban centres across North India. Many other languages of the Central Indo-Aryan languages such as Awadhi, Braj, Haryanvi, Chhattisgarhi, Bundeli and Bagheli are spoken in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Marwari, Harauti, Malvi, Gujarati, Khandeshi, Marathi and Konkani are spoken in Rajasthan, extreme eastern Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. Towards the far north, languages of Dardic (such as Kashmiri) and Pahari (such as Dogri, Kumaoni and Garhwali) groups are spoken in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand.Punjabiis spoken inPunjab.Bengali is spoken in West Bengal. Languages of Bihari group, such as Maithili, Magahi and Bhojpuri are spoken in Bihar and Jharkhand.[citation needed]

A number of aboriginal languages of Austroasiatic and Dravidian origin are spoken in some regions.[137]SeveralSino-Tibetan languagesare spoken in the Himalayan region likeKinnauri,[137]Ladakhi,Balti,andLahuli–Spiti languages.

Culture

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North Indian Hindu bride inLehenga

The composite culture of North India is known asGanga-Jamuni tehzeeb,a result of the amicable interaction of Hindus and Muslims there.[21]

Dance

[edit]
See also:List of Indian folk dances

Dance of North India too has diversefolkandclassicalforms. Among the well-knownfolk dancesare thebhangraof thePunjab,Ghoomar of Rajasthan,NatiofHimachal Pradeshandroufandbhand patherof Kashmir. Main dance forms, many with narrative forms andmythologicalelements, have been accordedclassical dance statusby India'sNational Academy of Music, Dance, and Dramasuch asKathak.[138]

Clothing

[edit]
Further information:Punjabi clothing,Jammu dress,andPhiran

Each state of North India has its own regional forms of clothing:

  1. Uttar Pradesh:Chikan Suit, Pathani Salwar, Kurta Paijama, Lehenga,Gharara,Sari.
  2. Jammu:Kurta/Dogri suthanand kurta/churidar pajama and kurta.
  3. Kashmir:Phiran and poots.
  4. Himachal Pradesh:Shalwar kameez,Kurta,Churidar,Dhoti,Himachali capand angarkha.
  5. Punjab/Haryana:Salwar (Punjabi) Suit,Patiala salwar,Punjabi Tamba and Kurta,Sikh Dastar,Phulkari,Punjabi Ghagra
  6. Uttarakhand:Rangwali Phichora

Flora and fauna

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ChinkarainMadhya Pradesh,India
Goat at Great Himalayan national Park inHimachal Pradesh
Further information:Wildlife of India

North Indian vegetation is predominantly Tropical evergreen and Montane. Of the evergreen treessal,teak,Mahogany,sheesham(Indian rosewood) andpoplarare some which are important commercially.[139]The Western Himalayan region abounds inchir,pine,deodar(Himalayan cedar),blue pine,spruce,variousfirs,birchandjunipers.[140][141][142][143]The birch, especially, has historical significance in Indian culture due to the extensive use of birch paper (Sanskrit:bhurja patra) as parchment for many ancient Indian texts.[144][145]The Eastern Himalayan region consists ofoaks,laurels,maples,rhododendrons,alder,birch anddwarf willows.Reflecting the diverse climatic zones and terrain contained in the region, the floral variety is extensive and ranges from Alpine to Cloud forests, coniferous to evergreen, and thick tropical rainforests to cool temperate woods.[140][146]

There are around 500 varieties of mammals, 2000 species of birds, 30,000 types of insects and a wide variety of fish, amphibians and reptiles in the region. Animal species in North India includeelephant,bengal tiger,indian leopard,snow leopard,sambar (Asiatic stag),chital (spotted deer),hangul (red deer),hog deer,chinkara (Indian gazelle),blackbuck,nilgai (blue bull antelope),porcupine,wild boar,Indian fox,Tibetan sand fox,rhesus monkey,langur,jungle cat,striped hyena,golden jackal,black bear,Himalayan brown bear,sloth bear,and the endangeredcaracal.

Reptiles are represented by a large number ofsnakeandlizardspecies, as well as theghariyalandcrocodiles.[147]Venomous snakes found in the region includeking cobraandkrait.Variousscorpion,spiderandinsectspecies include the commercially usefulhoneybees,silkwormsandlacinsects. The strikingly colouredbir bahutiis also found in this region.[148]

The region has a wide variety of birds, includingpeafowl,parrots,and thousands of immigrant birds, such as theSiberian crane.Other birds includepheasants,geese,ducks,mynahs,parakeets,pigeons,cranes(including the celebratedsarus crane), andhornbills.great pied hornbill,Pallas's fishing eagle,grey-headed fishing eagle,red-thighedfalconetare found in the Himalayan areas. Other birds found here aretawny fish owl,scale-bellied woodpecker,red-breasted parakeet,Himalayan swiftlet,stork-billed kingfisherandHimalayan or white-tailed rubythroat.[149][150]

Wildlife parks and reserves

[edit]

Important national parks and tiger reserves of North India include:

Jim Corbett National Park
Sunrise in Kishtwar National Park, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Corbett National Park:It was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park[151] along the banks of the Ramganga River. It is India's first National Park, and was designated a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973. Situated inNainital districtof Uttarakhand, the park acts as a protected area for the critically endangered Bengal tiger of India. Cradled in the foothills of the Himalayas, it comprises a total area of 500 km2out of which 350 km2is core reserve. This park is known not only for its rich and varied wildlife but also for its scenic beauty.

Nanda Devi National ParkandValley of Flowers National Park:Located in West Himalaya, in the state of Uttarakhand, these two national parks constitute a biosphere reserve that is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004. The Valley of Flowers is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora, this richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals.

Dachigam National Park:Dachigam is a higher altitude national reserve in the state of Jammu and Kashmir that ranges from 5,500 to 14,000 feet above sea level. It is home to thehangul(ared deerspecies, also called the Kashmir stag).

Great Himalayan National Park:This park is located in Himachal Pradesh and ranges in altitude from 5,000 to 17,500 feet. Wildlife resident here includes thesnow leopard,theHimalayan brown bearand themusk deer.

Desert National Park:Located in Rajasthan, this national reserve features extensive sand dunes and dry salt lakes. Wildlife unique to the region includes the desert fox and thegreat Indian bustard.

Kanha National Park:The sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha were the setting forRudyard Kipling's collection of stories, "The Jungle Book".The Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh came into being in 1955 and forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger.

Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary:Located in the state of Bihar, it is the only protected zone for the endangeredGanges and Indus river dolphin.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary:It is one of the finest bird parks in the world, it is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by sambar, chital, nilgai and boar.

Dudhwa National Park:It covers an area of 500 km2along the Indo-Nepal border inLakhimpur Kheri Districtof Uttar Pradesh, is best known for thebarasinghaor swamp deer. The grasslands and woodlands of this park, consist mainly of sal forests. The barasingha is found in the southwest and southeast regions of the park. Among the big cats, tigers abound at Dudhwa. There are also a few leopards. The other animals found in large numbers, are theIndian rhinoceros,elephant, jungle cats, leopard cats, fishing cats, jackals,civets,sloth bears,sambar,otters,crocodiles andchital.

Ranthambhore National Park:It spans an area of 400 km2with an estimated head count of thirty two tigers is perhaps India's finest example ofProject Tiger,a conservation effort started by the government in an attempt to save the dwindling number of tigers in India. Situated near the small town ofSawai Madhopurit boasts of variety of plant and animal species of North India.

Kalesar National Park:Kalesar is asalforest in theShivalik Hillsof eastern Haryana state. Primarily known for birds, it also contains a small number of tigers and panthers.

Places of interest

[edit]
AkshardhamTemple, Delhi

Nature

[edit]

The IndianHimalayas,theThar desertand theIndo-Gangetic plaindominate the natural scenery of North India. The region encompasses several of the most highly regarded hill destinations of India such asSrinagar,Shimla,Manali,Nainital,Mussoorie,KausaniandMount Abu.Several spots in the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh provide panoramic views of the snow-clad Himalayan range. The Himalayan region also provides ample opportunity for adventure sports such as mountaineering, trekking, river rafting and skiing. Camel or jeep safaris of the Thar desert are also popular in the state of Rajasthan. North India includes several national parks such as theNanda Devi Biosphere Reserve,Jim Corbett National Park,Keoladeo National ParkRanthambore National Park,Sundarbans National Parkand theKutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary.

Pilgrimage

[edit]

North India encompasses several of the holiest pilgrimage centres of Hinduism (Varanasi,Haridwar,Allahabad,Char Dham,Vaishno Devi,Rishikesh,Ayodhya,Mathura/Vrindavan,Pushkar,Prayagand seven of the twelveJyotirlingasites), the most sacred destinations of Buddhism (Bodh Gaya,SarnathandKushinagar), the most regarded pilgrimage centres of Sikhism (AmritsarandHemkund) and some of the highly regarded destinations in Sufi Islam (AjmerandDelhi). The largest Hindu temple,Akshardham Temple,the largest Buddhist temple in India,Mahabodhi,the largest mosque in India,Jama Masjid,and the largest Sikh shrine,Golden Temple,are all in this region.[152][153]

Historical

[edit]
TheTaj MahalatAgra
Amer FortinRajasthan

North India includes some highly regarded historical, architectural and archaeological treasures of India. TheTaj Mahal,an immense mausoleum of white marble inAgra,is one of the universally admired buildings of world heritage.[154]Besides Agra,Fatehpur SikriandDelhialso carry some great exhibits from the Mughal architecture. In Punjab,Patialais known for being the city of royalty whileAmritsaris a city known for itsSikh architectureand theGolden Temple.Lucknowhas the famous Awadhi Nawab culture whileKanpurreflects excellent Anglo-Indian architecture with monuments likeAll Souls Cathedral,King Edward Memorial,Police Quarters,Cawnpore Woollen Mills,Cutchery Cemeteryetc.Khajuraho templesconstitute another famous world heritage site. The state of Rajasthan is known for exquisitepalacesandfortsof theRajputclans. Historical sites and architecture from the ancient and medievalHinduandBuddhistperiods of Indian history, such asJageshwar,DeogarhandSanchi,as well as sites from theBronze AgeIndus Valley civilisation,such asMandaandAlamgirpur,can be found scattered throughout northern India.Varanasi,on the banks of theRiver Ganga,is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the second oldest in India afterNalanda.Bhimbetkais an archaeological site of thePaleolithicera, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent.

Universities

[edit]

North India has several universities, including

TheIndian Institute of Technology,National Institute of TechnologyandIndian Institute of Managementhave campuses in several cities of North India such asDelhi,Bombay,Kharagpur,Allahabad,Amritsar,Jammu,Kanpur,Jalandhar,Roorkee,Ropar,Rohtak,Varanasi,Lucknow,Kashipur,Patna,Dhanbad,Bhubaneswar,BhillaiandGoa,Surat,Nagpur,Jamshedpur,DurgapurandRourkela.National Institute of Fashion Technologyhas campuses in several cities of North India such asDelhi,Kangra district,RaebareliandSrinagar.One of the first great universities in recorded history, theNalanda University,is in the state ofBihar.There has been plans for revival of this ancient university, including an effort by a multinational consortium led by Singapore, China, India and Japan.

Economy

[edit]
Further information:Economy of India

The economy of North India varies from agrarian in the northern plains to very industrialised in Maharashtra, theNational Capital Regionand West Bengal. Northwest Indian plains have prospered as a consequence of theGreen Revolutionin Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and have experienced both economic and social development.[155][156][157]The eastern areas of East Uttar Pradesh, however, have lagged[158][159]and the resulting disparity has contributed to a demand for separate statehood in West Uttar Pradesh (theHarit Pradeshmovement).[160][161]

The major industrial regions in North India are the Gurugram-Delhi-Merut Belt (NCT), Mumbai-Pune Belt (Maharashtra), Kolkata-Hoogly Belt (West Bengal), Ahmedabad-Vadodara Belt (Gujarat), and Chhota Nagpur plateau region (Jharkhand). North India has the state with highest GDP per capita in the Indian Union was Goa in 2021. Other North Indian states which follow are Haryana and Gujarat. North India also has the state with the highest GDP in India which is Maharashtra.[162]Chandigarh has the highest per-capita State Domestic Product (SDP) of any Indian union territory.[163]The National Capital Region of Delhi has emerged as an economic power house with rapid industrial growth.

According to a 2009–10 report, a large number of unskilled and skilled workers have moved tosouthern Indiaand other nations because of the unavailability of jobs locally.[164]The technology boom that occurred in the past three decades in southern India has helped many Indians from the northern region to find jobs and live prosperous lives in southern cities. An analysis by Multidimensional Poverty Index creators reveals that acute poverty prevails in eight Indian states including the northern states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.[165]

Cuisine

[edit]
[edit]

The best-known[166]North-Indian food items are:

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
  2. ^Frykenberg, Robert Eric (27 June 2008).Christianity in India: From Beginnings to the Present.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-154419-4.The central feature of Norh India is the gigantic Indo-Gangetic plain, together with all of the sacred rivers that flow into it.
  3. ^ab"The Hindu (NOIDA Edition)".Dropbox.Retrieved8 April2017.
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  9. ^abThe Hindu (26 January 2016)."-Intense cold in North eight die in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal".The Hindu.Retrieved7 April2021.
  10. ^abAli, Amin (25 December 2019)."'Jharkhand is a North Indian state and for BJP to get decimated there is a statement in itself'".The Times of IndiaBlog.Retrieved7 April2021.
  11. ^"Marketing Division activities".FACT.FACT is also expanding its market to North Indian states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha and Gujarat
  12. ^"Gowri Habba Celebrations, Rituals and Practices".servdharm.The festival is also celebrated in some North Indian states like Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh as Hartalika Teej
  13. ^"How South Indian cinema lured viewers across India".Broadcast &Cablesat.3 September 2021.Mansi Shrivastava, senior vice-president and head- content acquisitions and partnerships at MX Player, said the southern film category, including dubbed versions, was huge for the platform, drawing 75% of its overall viewing minutes from north Indian states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
  14. ^"Secret Sign Language: Silent Trade Thrives in Thenkasi's Dried Chilli Market".News18.5 June 2023.Dried chillies from South Tamil Nadu have a huge demand in many countries, and hence they are exported to countries like Malaysia, U.A.E., and also sent to North Indian states like Maharashtra and Gujarat.
  15. ^"Teaching of English"(PDF).Bharathidasan University.In non-Hindi north Indian states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odiya, their regional language is the first language, Hindi is the second language and English is the third language.
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  21. ^abDhulipala, Venkat (2000).The Politics of Secularism: Medieval Indian Historiography and the Sufis.University of Wisconsin–Madison.p. 27.The composite culture of northern India, known as theGanga Jamuni tehzeebwas a product of the interaction between Hindu society and Islam.
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  32. ^abPetraglia & Allchin 2007,p.10,"Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by modern humans originating in Africa.... Coalescence dates for most non-European populations average to between 73–55 ka."
  33. ^Dyson 2018,p.1,"Modern human beings—Homo sapiens—originated in Africa. Then, intermittently, sometime between 60,000 and 80,000 years ago, tiny groups of them began to enter the north-west of the Indian subcontinent. It seems likely that initially they came by way of the coast.... it is virtually certain that there wereHomo sapiensin the subcontinent 55,000 years ago, even though the earliest fossils that have been found of them date to only about 30,000 years before the present. "
  34. ^Fisher 2018,p.23,"Scholars estimate that the first successful expansion of theHomo sapiensrange beyond Africa and across the Arabian Peninsula occurred from as early as 80,000 years ago to as late as 40,000 years ago, although there may have been prior unsuccessful emigrations. Some of their descendants extended the human range ever further in each generation, spreading into each habitable land they encountered. One human channel was along the warm and productive coastal lands of the Persian Gulf and northern Indian Ocean. Eventually, various bands entered India between 75,000 years ago and 35,000 years ago. "
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  36. ^Kulke & Rothermund 2004,pp. 21–23.
  37. ^abSingh 2009,p. 181.
  38. ^Possehl 2003,p. 2.
  39. ^Singh 2009,pp. 186–187.
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  99. ^Stein 2010,p. 245: An expansion of state functions in British and in princely India occurred as a result of the terrible famines of the later nineteenth century,... A reluctant regime decided that state resources had to be deployed and that anti-famine measures were best managed through technical experts.
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  101. ^abMetcalf & Metcalf 2006,p. 126.
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  160. ^Gyanesh Kudaisya, "Region, Nation, Heartland: Uttar Pradesh in India's Body Politic", Sage Publications, 2006,ISBN0-7619-3519-3.
  161. ^"RLD, BSP gear up as Mulayam exit looms".The Tribune, Chandigarh. 19 February 2007.Retrieved18 October2008.
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  164. ^PTI (23 September 2009)."North India vs South India: Who is doing better? Report says South India".India Today.Retrieved7 April2021.
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Bibliography

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Wikivoyage has a travel guide forNorthern India.

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