List of 29 States of India: Union Territories and Capitals
The list of 29 States of India and Their Capitals and Languages: India is a diverse country with 29 states and 7 union territories. Each state has its own distinct identity defined by its language, culture, and cuisine, and the sky’s the limit from there. The states also differ in their topography, climate, and economy. In this article, we provide a comprehensive list of 29 states of India along with details on their capitals and official languages.
The List of 29 States of India and Their Capitals and Languages
A nation with incredible varieties in light of various terms like topography, natural beauty, population, religion, culture, or language, it has 29 states presently (including J&K which was going to divert into UT from 31st Oct 2019) and seven Union Territory (which were increased by 2 from 31st Oct 2019).
Every one of the states has unique languages, societies, and traditions followed by individuals of the states. Allow us to glance at all of India’s states and capitals.
Andhra Pradesh
Capital – Amaravati
Official Language – Telugu
Andhra Pradesh is known for its rich social heritage and beautiful temples.
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Assam
Capital – Dispur
Official Language – Assamese
Key attractions include Kaziranga National Park (popular for one-horned rhinos), Manas National Park, Kamakhya Temple and Majuli Island.
Arunachal Pradesh
Capital – Itanagar
Official Language – English
Arunachal Pradesh, located in northeast India, is known for its picturesque scene comprising lofty peaks and valleys.
Some famous places to visit are Tawang, Ziro, Namdapha National Park and Sela Pass. The popular Tawang Monastery is also located here.
Bihar
Capital – Patna
Official Language – Hindi
Bihar, located in north India, has a rich social heritage spanning over 2500 years.
Famous places to see here include the Mahabodhi Temple complex at Bodh Gaya, Vaishali (the site of Buddha’s last sermon) and the ancient Nalanda University ruins.
Chhattisgarh
Capital – Raipur
Official Language – Hindi
Chhattisgarh, located in central India, is one of the more current states of India, formed in the year 2000. Thick forests cover a significant part of the state. Key attractions include the Bastar region known for tribal expressions and artworks, Chitrakote Falls and Kanger Valley National Park.
Gujarat
Capital – Gandhinagar
Official Language – Gujarati
Significant attractions include the Gir Forest National Park (the last residence of Asiatic lions), Somnath Temple, Rani ki Vav, Dwarkadhish Temple, and the Rann of Kutch.
Goa
Capital – Panaji
Official Languages – Konkani, Marathi
This has brought about a unique mix of Indian and Portuguese societies and architecture in Goa.
Goa is most famous for its breathtaking beaches, nightlife, seafood, festivals and colonial-period monuments. The Basilica of Bom Jesus and the chapels of Old Goa are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Himachal Pradesh
Capital – Shimla (summer), Dharamshala (winter)
Official Language – Hindi
Himachal Pradesh, located in the western Himalayas, is renowned for its snow-covered peaks, valleys, lakes and boiling water springs. Tourism is a significant contributor to the state’s economy with Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala being leading destinations.
The state has numerous important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites like Naina Devi Temple, Jwalaji Temple, Baijnath Temple and the Tabo and Key Gompas.
Haryana
Capital – Chandigarh
Official Language – Hindi
Haryana, encircling New Delhi on three sides, is one of India’s most economically developed states. Agriculture and manufacturing industries thrive here.
Jharkhand
Capital – Ranchi
Official Language – Hindi
Jharkhand, located in east India, has almost one-third of its area under forest cover. The state is rich in mineral resources like coal, iron metal, copper mineral, and uranium.
Key places to visit are Remix Falls, Hazaribagh National Park, Rajrappa, Parasnath Hills and Dassam Falls.
Jammu and Kashmir
Capitals – Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)
Official Languages – Urdu, Kashmiri
Jammu and Kashmir consists of three distinct regions – Hindu-majority Jammu, Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley and predominantly Buddhist Ladakh. Because of its unique location in the Himalayas, the state attracts experience tourism, pilgrimages and wildlife tourism.
Kerala
Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
Official Language – Malayalam
Kerala, located in southwestern India, is a tropical paradise known for its scenic backwaters, beaches, waterfalls and rich vegetation. This thin waterfront state also has one of the highest literacy rates in India.
Karnataka
Capital – Bengaluru
Official Languages – Kannada, English
Karnataka has diverse topography ranging from the beachfront region of Mangalore to the hills of Coorg to the northern plateau. The state has numerous architectural wonders showcasing Dravidian-style temples as well as Islamic monuments.
Significant attractions include Hampi, Mysore Palace, Badami cave temples, Gokarna, Bandipur National Park and Chikmagalur.
Mizoram
Capital – Aizawl
Official Languages – English, Mizo
Bamboo is integral to the lifestyle of the tribal communities inhabiting the state.
Maharashtra
Capital – Mumbai (financial), Nagpur (winter), Pune (social)
Official Language – Marathi
Maharashtra extends over 720 kilometres along the western coast. The state has a rich maritime history with a strong economic and social ethos. It has the largest number of heritage sites in India.
Top attractions include Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Ashtavinayak temples, Aurangabad caves, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar and the beaches of the Konkan coastline.
Meghalaya
Capital – Shillong
Official Languages – English, Khasi
Meghalaya, also known as the “Residence of Clouds”, brags of plentiful rainfall, lavish forests and various waterfalls. Caving, trekking, and exploring root bridges are famous activities here.
Manipur
Capital – Imphal
Official Language – Manipuri
Manipur, located on the far eastern border with Myanmar, has a rich social heritage showcased through its classical dance forms and handloom textiles. Over 60% of Manipur is forested, making it ideal for trekking and wildlife tourism.
Key places to visit are Loktak Lake, Keibul Lamjao National Park, Bishnupur Temples and Ukhrul district.
Nagaland
Capital – Kohima
Official Language – English
Nagaland, situated in the most distant northeast of India, is home to several Naga tribes each having their unique traditions. The Hornbill Festival held yearly offers a glimpse into the rich culture of the Nagas.
Odisha
Capital – Bhubaneswar
Official Language – Odia
Significant attractions include the temples of Bhubaneswar and Puri, Konark Sun Temple, Chilika Lake and Similipal National Park.
Punjab
Capital – Chandigarh
Official Language – Punjabi
The fertile Punjab region has seen the rise and fall of numerous kingdoms and dynasties over several millennia.
Rajasthan
Capital – Jaipur
Official Language – Hindi, Rajasthani
The top attractions are Jaisalmer Fort, Lake Palace, Mehrangarh Fort, Pushkar Lake, Ranthambore National Park, and the yearly Pushkar Camel Fair.
Sikkim
Capital – Gangtok
Official Languages – English, Sikkimese
Sikkim, settled in the eastern Himalayas, was an independent kingdom before merging with India in 1975.
Key attractions are Nathula Pass, Gurudongmar Lake, Yumthang Valley, Tsongo Lake, monasteries in Gangtok and trekking courses.
Tripura
Capital – Agartala
Official Languages – English, Kokborok
Tripura is a small hilly state in northeast India encompassed by Bangladesh on its north, south and west. It has a diverse mix of ethnic gatherings and societies.
Tamil Nadu
Capital – Chennai
Official Language – Tamil
The state extends from the Nilgiri hills in the west to the Coromandel Coast in the east with varied topography in between.
Top attractions include Meenakshi Temple, Brihadeeswarar Temple, the hill stations of Ooty and Kodaikanal and the shore temples of Mahabalipuram.
Telangana
Capital – Hyderabad
Official Languages – Telugu, Urdu
Telangana was cut out of Andhra Pradesh as a separate state in 2014. Hyderabad, known for its way of life and cuisine with Persian influences, fills in as the joint capital for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh
Capital – Lucknow
Official Language – Hindi, Urdu
Uttar Pradesh is India’s most crowded state located in the northern plains. The Ganga and Yamuna rivers move through the state making the land very fertile. Uttar Pradesh is considered the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Key places to visit are the Taj Mahal, Varanasi, Sarnath, Fatehpur Sikri, Ayodhya and Mathura. Wildlife attractions include Dudhwa National Park and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.
Uttarakhand
Capital – Dehradun (winter), Gairsain (summer)
Official Language – Hindi
Uttarakhand, located in the Himalayan foothills, is known for its natural beauty of glaciers, valleys, lakes, and mountain peaks. It is an important Hindu pilgrimage destination.
Significant attractions are the Valley of Blossoms National Park, Auli, Nainital, Mussoorie, Corbett National Park, and the Burn Dham sites.
West Bengal
Capital – Kolkata
Official Languages – Bengali, English
The state has great social diversity among various ethnic and religious gatherings.
The capital Kolkata is the social capital of India.
Conclusion
The list of 29 states of India and 7 union territories encompasses impressive diversity in languages, societies, geology, and historical heritage, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. This article provided a comprehensive reference on the 29 states, listing their capitals, and official languages and highlighting some of the top attractions in everyone.
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