India. Cities of India: a list of the largest What are the largest cities in India

All cities and resorts in India for travel. List of the most famous regions, regions, cities and resorts in India: population, codes, distances, best descriptions and reviews of tourists.

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If you are visiting India for the first time, then Delhi, Agra and Jaipur are the absolutely necessary minimum places to visit.

Delhi

Let's start with the capital. Delhi is a metropolis with 13 million inhabitants. Here in 1911 the Indian capital was moved from Calcutta. Like any capital, Delhi is a city of contrasts: real slums are combined with colonial chic, and ultra-modern buildings with majestic ancient temples. In the old part of the city, there is a top object from the tourist list - the Red Fort of Delhi, built during the heyday of the Mughal empire. In essence, the fort is a city within a city - there are only six royal palaces in it.

In addition, in Delhi you can (or rather, you must) see:

• the largest mosque in India, Jami Masjid, in the courtyard of which 25 thousand people are placed, and the minarets reach a height of 40 m;
• complex Kutab Minar, located 15 km from the capital. Built at the beginning of the 12th century by the Great Mughals, the five-story Qutab Minar is a cone-shaped tower 85 m high, dotted with quotes from the Koran. Nearby is the mysterious Iron Column (7 m and inscriptions in Sanskrit), which is two and a half thousand years old. The mystery lies in the fact that the column is iron, but not covered with rust.
• the most popular metropolitan temple is Lakshmi Narayan, dedicated to Krishna and his wife, patrons of love and family.

Agra

Agra, the former capital of the Great Mughals, has the largest number of attractions per unit area.

The most famous landmark of Agra, a kind of symbol of India, is the Taj Mahal. Built by Shah Ceyhan in memory of his deceased wife, the white marble mausoleum at the foot of red sandstone is surrounded by a lush garden. There are four canals in the garden, symbolizing the paths to paradise, the huge pool reflects the outline of the majestic structure, and visitors take off their shoes at the entrance to the mausoleum, as if they were entering a temple.

Two kilometers from the Taj Mahal is the Agra Fort, built in the mid-16th century to defend the city, and later became the seat of the Mughal. Palaces, terraces, mosques, colonnades and magnificent gardens are hidden behind the walls of twenty meters height.

Located in the vicinity of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is another former capital of the Mughals. The city was built in honor of the Sufi Chishti, who prophesied the birth of a son to the childless Emperor Akbar. When this joyous event finally happened, the emperor founded a new city and moved the capital here. The tomb of Saint Chishti attracts many thousands of pilgrims, mostly childless women.

Jaipur - the treasure of India

Jaipur

Jaipur, which is called the "Pink City", was built by the maharajs Savoy Jai Singh II. His ambitious plan was to build an ideal city, with a layout corresponding to the structure of the universe. The city is divided into nine sectors, all streets intersect at right angles, and there are large squares at each intersection. The city is surrounded by a fortress wall, and pink marble of amazing beauty was actively used in the construction, which actually gave the city its name.

The City Palace of Jaipur (the seventh part of the city in area) is a unique fusion of two architectural schools - Rajaput and Mughal.

The Palace of Winds is a symbol of Jaipur and its main attraction, a luxurious five-story building of pink marble, blown through, served in the past as a harem.

The Amber Fort, located 11 km from Jaipur, is a complex of exquisite palaces, temples, gardens and pavilions hidden behind austere fortress walls.

Another fort is located nearby - Dzhaigrakh, a kind of "Plan B" of those times: in case of immediate danger, the rajah and his accompanying persons could move from the Amber Fort to Dzhaigrakh along an intricate (for the uninitiated) system of underground passages.

Another palace - Jal Mahal is located in the middle of an artificial lake. It was intended for recreational activities, as well as for hunting waterfowl.

Delhi

Delhi is a city of contrasts that spreads deep in the depths of India. It combines a unique exoticism, a city atmosphere mysterious for our people with dusty streets and outright poverty of the local population.

The first settlements on the site of the capital of India, according to legends, date back to 3000 BC. NS. Archaeological excavations have shown that they were located on the site where the British colonists eventually built the New Delhi area. The dawn of the city begins in the 16th century.

Delhi, in fact, consists of two cities: Old Delhi and a new, modern one, built in the 30s of the XX century - New Delhi. The variegated colors of the old smoothly transform into the luxury of the new city. Delhi is certainly less hectic than other major cities in India.

Due to its cultural heritage, tours to Delhi are now very popular, and the city is one of the largest tourism centers in the world. The city has collected an unimaginable number of architectural monuments from different eras, palaces, forts and mosques in several of the most popular areas among tourists.

It will be interesting to see such sights of Delhi as "Presidential Palace" (Rashtrapati Bhavan) - a combination of Indian and British architectural styles, which was intended for the Viceroy of the country.

Rajpath Royal Road is an avenue in the center of the new city. It houses the "Gateway to India", built in honor of the soldiers of British India. The names of the soldiers who died during the First World War are written on the walls of the memorial.

Akshardham is the world's largest Hindu temple, all covered with carvings. On its territory there is a musical fountain, gardens, restaurants, a cinema and various kinds of exhibitions.

Lakshminarayan Temple is a Hindu temple and a garden with fountains located on its territory. A big festival is held around the temple every year.

Mumbai

Local residents prefer the old name of the city - Bombay. The city acquired its current name in 1995. The largest city in India is the first city in terms of population in India and all of South Asia. The largest port in western India - Mumbai - covers the islands of Salsett and Bombay, as well as the adjacent coast. The islands have been inhabited since the Stone Age.

Today Bombay - the largest commercial and industrial center - is a very vibrant and vibrant city. Mumbai is home to the well-known Bollywood, which produces as many films a year as not filmed in any other city on Earth.

Mumbai grew up around an old British fort and was actively developed during the reign of the British Crown.

The list of "main attractions of Mumbai", of course, is headed by the well-known pearl of all India - the Taj Mahal Palace. Nowadays, the most luxurious seven-storey hotel is located right on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

Basalt 26-meter triumphal arch "Gateway to India" or "Gateway from India" as they began to be called after the last British troops left the country through them.

Chharpati Shivaji Station (until 1996 "Victoria Station" - in honor of the Queen of England) is a mixture of Gothic and Victorian architectural styles with a touch of ethnic culture. The station still serves short and long-distance trains. Since 1994 it is a UNESCO cultural heritage.

Calcutta

Since 2001, inside India, the city has been called Kolkata. Kolkata is located at the mouth of the Ganges River. It is the second largest city in the country and the fourth most populous city in the country. Kolkata was the capital of British India during the reign of the British Crown country. Thanks to this, the city has become a major center for education, science, art and politics. However, the problem of the city is the poverty of the local population. The city hosts one of the most famous and largest book fairs in the world.

Among the lush gardens in the middle of Calcutta is the regal Victoria Memorial. This snow-white quadrangular building was built in honor of Queen Victoria of Britain in 1921. The memorial is 56 meters high. At the moment, the Victoria Memorial is a working museum.

St. Paul's Cathedral is one of Kolkata's most mesmerizing architectural landmarks. It is built in the neo-gothic style. The height of its tower is over 61 meters. The magnificent snow-white cathedral was built in 1847 and is still part of the Anglican Church.

Fort William was built at the very beginning of British rule in India in 1696. In front of the fort is the largest public park in Kolkata.

Far India is of great interest to tourists. This country has thousands of ancient sights that will be of interest to any traveler. India is home to religions like Buddhism and Jainism. However, millions of foreign tourists annually come to India not only, for example, to visit the places where Buddha preached. India now has a large number of attractions, spa resorts, and ski and beach resorts.

Geography of India

India is located in South Asia. India borders Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the northeast, and Myanmar and Bangladesh to the east. In the south, India is washed by the Indian Ocean, in the southwest - by the Arabian Sea. The Bay of Bengal is located in the southwest of the country. The total area of ​​this country is 3,287,590 sq. km, including islands, and the total length of the state border is 15 106 km.

India owns several islands. The largest of them are the Laccadive, Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean.

The Himalayan mountain system stretches across the territory of India from north to north-east. The highest peak in India is Mount Kanchenjunga, whose height reaches 8,856 meters.

In India there are several very large rivers - the Indus (its length is 3,180 km) and the Ganges (its length is 2,700 km). Other Indian rivers include the Brahmaputra, Yamuna and Koshi.

Capital

The capital of India is New Delhi, which is now home to about 350 thousand people. New Delhi became the capital of India at the beginning of the 20th century. The "old" city in New Delhi was built in the middle of the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire.

Official language

The official language in India is Hindi. In turn, English is the "auxiliary state language" in India. In addition, in this country, another 21 languages ​​have the status of an official one.

Religion

More than 80% of India's population is Hindu. More than 13% of the inhabitants of this country are Muslims, more than 2.3% are Christians, about 2% are Sikhs, and 0.7% are Buddhists.

Government of India

According to the current Constitution of 1950, India is a parliamentary republic. Its head is the President, elected by a special board for 5 years (this board consists of members of parliament and members of state fees).

The parliament in India is bicameral - the Council of States (245 deputies) and the House of the People (545 deputies). The executive power in this country belongs to the President, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.

The main political parties in India are the Indian National Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party of India, the National People's Party, and others.

Climate and weather

India's climate ranges from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate in the north. The Himalayas, the Indian Ocean and the Thar Desert have a great influence on the climate in India.

There are three seasons in India:
- from March to June - summer
- from July to October - monsoons
- from November to February - winter

The average annual air temperature in India is + 25.3C. The hottest month in India is May, when the average maximum air temperature is + 41C. The coldest month is January, when the average minimum temperature is + 7C. Average annual precipitation is 715 mm.

The average air temperature in New Delhi:

January - + 14C
- February - + 17C
- March - + 22C
- April - + 28C
- May - + 34C
- June - + 34C
- July - + 31C
- August - + 30C
- September - + 29C
- October - + 26C
- November - + 20C
- December - + 15C

Seas and oceans of India

In the south, India is washed by the Indian Ocean, in the southwest - by the Arabian Sea. The Bay of Bengal is located in the southwest of the country. The total coastline in India, including the islands, is more than 7.5 thousand km.

Average sea temperature near Goa, India:

January - + 28C
- February - + 28C
- March - + 28C
- April - + 29C
- May - + 30C
- June - + 29C
- July - + 28C
- August - + 28C
- September - + 28C
- October - + 29C
- November - + 29C
- December - + 29C

Rivers and lakes

India has two river systems with different regimes of "feeding". These are the Himalayan rivers (Ganges, Brahmaputra, etc.) and rivers flowing into the ocean - Godavari, Krishna and Mahanadi.

One of the longest rivers in the world, the Indus, also flows through India, with a length of 3,180 km.

As for the lakes, there are not very many of them in India, but, nevertheless, some of them are very beautiful. The largest Indian lakes are Chilika, Sambhar, Koleru, Loktak, and Vular.

History

Neolithic settlements of people on the territory of modern India appeared about 8 thousand years ago. In the years 2500-1900. BC. Western India had the first urban culture that developed around the cities of Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, and Dhalavira.

In 2000-500. BC. In India, Hinduism spreads, and in the same period a caste system began to take shape, consisting of priests, warriors, and free peasants. Subsequently, the castes of merchants and servants were formed.

By about the 5th century BC. in India there were already 16 independent states - Mahajanapada. At the same time, two religions were formed - Buddhism, which was founded by Siddharta Gautama Buddha, and Jainism, which was founded by Mahavira.

In the VI century BC. some territories of India were conquered by the Persians, and in the IV century the troops of Alexander the Great conquered some of the northwestern parts of this country.

In the II century BC. the kingdom of the Mauryas reaches its heyday, having conquered several neighboring Indian states.

In the 1st century BC. Indian kingdoms traded with Ancient Rome. In the 7th century, most of the Indian kingdoms were united by King Harsha into a single state.

In 1526, the empire of the Great Mughals was founded on the territory of modern India, the rulers of which were the descendants of Genghis Khan and Timur.

In the 17th-19th centuries, the British East India Company ruled on the territory of modern India, which even had its own huge army.

In 1857, the so-called. "The revolt of the sepoys," which the East India Company was just causing discontent. After the suppression of the Sepoy Revolt, the British liquidated the East India Company, and India became a colony of the British Empire.

In the 1920s, a massive national liberation movement began in India against British rule. In 1929, Great Britain endowed India with dominion rights, but this did not help the British. In 1947 the independence of India was declared. Part of the Indian territories after a while became the independent state of Pakistan.

India was admitted to the UN back in 1945 (although then this country was still British India).

Culture

India is a country with a huge cultural heritage. Indian culture has influenced (and continues to have) an impact not only on neighboring countries, but also on other states located far from it.

There is still a caste system of society in India, thanks to which Indian culture retains all its traditional values.

The expression of Indian traditions is music and dance. Nowhere else in the world is there anything like it.

For tourists in India, we recommend that you definitely see the local festivals and parades, of which there are a lot. During the festivals, there are often elephant processions, musical performances, tiger dances, fireworks, candy distribution, etc. The most famous Indian festivals are the Onam festival (dedicated to the memory of the mythical king of Bali), Tea Festival in Calcutta, Diwali, Ratha-yatra (Chariot Festival), Dussera in Delhi, Ganapati Festival in honor of god Ganesh.

Also worth noting is the interesting festival of sisters and brothers "Raksha Bandhan", celebrated every year in July. On this day, the sisters tie the wrist of the brothers with scarves, ribbons that protect from evil forces. In return, the brothers give their sisters various gifts and vow to protect them.

Indian cuisine

Indian cuisine is renowned worldwide for the use of spices. It is thanks to the Indians that various seasonings and spices have spread throughout the world, including black pepper and curry.

India is a very large country, and therefore it is not surprising that each of its regions has its own culinary traditions. However, rice is common in all regions of India. This product forms the basis of Indian cuisine.

It is generally accepted that the inhabitants of India are vegetarians, as required by their religious teachings. However, in fact, meat dishes are quite popular in India, because there are also Muslims in this country. The most famous Indian meat dish is "tandoori chicken", when chicken is marinated in spices and then baked in a special oven. Other famous Indian meat dishes are “biriani” (chicken with rice), “gushtaba” (meatballs stewed in yogurt with spices).

In general, meat dishes are most often included in the diet of the inhabitants of the north of India. Fish and seafood are popular in coastal areas, while vegetables are popular in southern India.

For tourists in India, we also recommend trying dal soup, naan wheat cake, sabji vegetable stew, chapati and samba rice cakes, kichari (stewed rice with mash and spices), jalebi "(Pancakes in syrup)," rasgulla "(balls of cottage cheese)," gulab-jamun "(yogurt with flour and almonds).

Traditional non-alcoholic Indian drinks - dhai (curdled milk or yoghurt), raita (yoghurt with mint and grated cucumber).

Sights of india

There are so many attractions in India that it is difficult for us to single out the most interesting ones. Perhaps, in our opinion, the following can be included in the top ten Indian attractions:

Construction of the Red Fort in Delhi began in 1638 and ended in 1648. This fortification was built by order of the Emperor of the Mughal Empire Shah Jahan. Now the Red Fort is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Taj Mahal was built in 1653 by order of Shah Jahan, Emperor of the Mughal Empire. This mausoleum was built by 20 thousand people for 20 years. Now Taj Mahal is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Minaret of Qutb Minar in Delhi

The height of this brick minaret is 72.6 meters. Its construction lasted from 1193 to 1368.

Elephant Cave near Mumbai

In the Cave of the Elephants there is an underground temple of Shiva with her sculptures. It was built several thousand years ago. Now the Elephant Cave is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The first small temple on the territory of the modern city of Hampi was built in the 7th century AD. Gradually, other religious buildings were built around it, and after a while there was already a huge beautiful temple complex in Hampi.

Harmandir Sahib is known as the "Golden Temple". This is the most important religious building for the Sikhs. The construction of the "Golden Temple" in Amritsar began in the 16th century. In the 19th century, the upper floors of this temple were covered with gold.

Buddhist monks began to build their Ajanta caves around the 2nd century BC. These caves were abandoned around 650 AD. Only in 1819 did the British accidentally stumble upon the Ajanta Caves. To this day, these caves have preserved unique frescoes that tell about the life of people in the distant past.

This fort was built near the city of Amber in 1726. According to legend, once upon a time the largest cannon in the world was placed in the Jaigarh fort (it can be seen even now, since the old fort is now a museum).

Raj Ghat Palace in Delhi

In this palace, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were cremated.

Pearl Mosque in Agra

This mosque in Agra was built in the middle of the 17th century under the Emperor Shah Jahan. No, there are no pearls in this mosque, just its domes shine very strongly in the sun.

Cities and resorts

The largest Indian cities are Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, and Kanpur.

India has a large number of beautiful seaside resorts with great beaches. The sand on Indian beaches is white and fine. The most popular beach resort in India is Goa. Other Indian beach resorts include the following: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, as well as beaches in the Andaman, Nicobar and Lakkadiv Islands.

India has several ski resorts that are considered the best in Asia. Of course, the winter resorts of India cannot compare with the ski slopes of Austria, Italy and Switzerland. However, for those travelers who love skiing, and who at the same time want to get to know the unique India, the vacation in the Indian ski resorts will be remembered forever.

The most popular ski resorts in India are Auli, Dayara Bugayal, Mundali, Munsiari, Solang, Narkanda, Kufri, and Gulmarg. By the way, the skiing season in India lasts from mid-December to mid-May.

Many foreign tourists come to India to relax in spa resorts. Indian spas offer clients a variety of Ayurvedic programs. These spa resorts should be called Beach & Lake, Ayurma, and Ananda.

Souvenirs / shopping

Before going to India, think about what you want to buy there. Otherwise, Indian traders in bazaars and shops will impose many different unnecessary goods on you, and you will lose thousands of rupees. For tourists from India, we recommend bringing Indian tea, various incense, bracelets (glass, metal, precious metals), amulets, talismans, marble souvenirs (for example, a small marble Taj Mahal), scarves, shawls, saris (traditional Indian dress ), leather shoes, sets of Indian dry spice mixtures, henna paint, carpets, musical instruments (for example, drums or an elegant wooden flute).

Opening hours of institutions

While the Taj Mahal shines with a majestic marble sheen, the Meenakshi Amman Temple is full of vibrant colors. It is located in the Southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the city of Madurai, considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited localities in the world, with more than two thousand years of operation.

Image Credit Flickr Pabloneco

Photo: Bryce Edwards on Flickr

It is based on something extraordinary - the temple of the Hindu goddess Parvati, the wife of the god Shiva. The entire temple complex is guarded by towers known as gopurs. The tallest of these is the south tower, which was erected in 1559 and is over 170 feet high. And the eastern tower is considered the oldest, founded in 1216, that is, it was built several centuries before Columbus went to discover distant lands.

Jantar Mantar

Photo: Guy Incognito on Flickr

The remarkable complex of structures resembles the scenery for a planet far from Earth from a sci-fi blockbuster. But in fact, these are instruments developed and used in Jaipur for observing celestial bodies. They were built by order of the Maharaja in the first decades of the 18th century and are still in use today.

Photo Credit: McKay Savage on Flickr

Photo: Philip Cope on Flickr

Jai Singh II was born in 1688 and became a maharaja at the age of eleven, but inherited a kingdom that was on the verge of impoverishment. The kingdom of Amber (later Jaipur) was in a desperate situation, the cavalry numbered less than a thousand people. But by his thirtieth birthday, the ruler built Jantar-Mantar.

Kumbalgarh - Great Wall of India

It is the second largest continuous wall on our planet. Some call it by the name of the fort that it surrounds - Kumbalgarh, and others - the Great Wall of China. Surprisingly, such an outstanding structure is little known outside its region.

Photo Credit: Lamentables on Flickr

Photo: Beth on Flickr

The wall stretches for 36 kilometers. In many pictures, you can mistake it for the Great Wall of China. However, there have been many centuries and cultural differences between them. Work on the creation of Kumbalgarh began only in 1443 - just fifty years before Columbus sailed across the Atlantic to make amazing discoveries on the other side.

Karni Mata Temple

Photo: alschim on Flickr

From the outside, the Hindu temple of Karni Mata, located in the small town of Deshnok in the Indian province of Rajasthan, looks just like any other. But the beautifully and exquisitely decorated shrine with a constant stream of believers contains a surprise for unsuspecting visitors. The temple is inhabited by thousands of rats.

Photo Credit: owenstache on Flickr

Photo Credit: micbaun on Flickr

Rodents are not random inhabitants of the temple. The parishioners take special care of food for the rats, as they are here in memory of the legendary woman - Karni Mata.

Jodhpur - India's blue city

Photo Credit: bodoluy on Flickr

Hikers traverse the arid landscapes of the Thar Desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan to reach this place. It seems that here the sky fell to the ground and everything became the same color - blue. Jodhpur stretches out before you like blue treasures in the middle of the desert.

Photo: Christopher Walker on Flickr

Photo: Il Fatto on Flickr

According to one version, the population of the Blue City paints their houses in different shades of blue due to the caste system prevailing in India. Brahmanas belong to the highest Indian caste, and the blue color distinguishes their homes from other people.

Leh Palace

Photo Credit: watchsmart on Flickr

In the early years of the seventeenth century, the king of the Ladakh kingdom, Senge Namgyal, ordered the construction of this huge palace. It is located at the top of the Himalayas in the city of Leh, now the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The building served as the home of a dynasty of rulers until their overthrow and exile in 1834. Since then, the high Leh Palace has been abandoned. However, it rises majestically in this region of India, often referred to as Little Tibet.

Photo Credit: teseum on Flickr

Photo: Matt Werner on Flickr

Presumably, it was modeled on the more famous Potala Palace in neighboring Tibet, which served as the residence of the Dalai Lama until 1959, when he left the country. The Leh Palace is smaller than the Potala Palace, but its nine-story structure is still impressive. The upper floors were occupied by King Namgyal, his family and crowds of courtiers. The lower floors housed servants, warehouses, and stables.

Living bridges of Meghalaya

Photo: Ashwin Mudigonda on Flickr

Our understanding of India, with a population of over a billion, is often limited to statistical data. However, there are places on this subcontinent that remain virtually inaccessible. The state of Meghalaya in the northeast of the country is replete with subtropical forests. To navigate this area, the locals have resorted to an ingenious form of natural engineering - living bridges from the roots.

Photo: Rajkumar1220 on Flickr

Photo: ARshiya Bose on Flickr

With every rain, fording across rivers becomes very dangerous, and this is one of the wettest places on the planet. Persistent rainfall combined with rugged terrain, steep slopes and dense deciduous forests make many areas of Meghalaya impenetrable jungle. But the resourceful and resourceful local people have created a unique system of natural suspension bridges.

Ajanta Caves

Photo: Ashok66 on Flickr

Two thousand two hundred years ago, work began on an extensive series of cave monuments in the Indian state of Maharashtra. For hundreds of years, thirty-one monuments have been carved out of the rocks here. Around AD 1000, the monks gradually left the cave complex and it fell into disrepair. The overgrown dense jungle hid the caves from human eyes.

Photo: Franekn on Flickr