Hisar, Haryana

Hissar Complex - Palace
Originally uploaded by Saad..

Hisar, formarly spelt as Hissar, was founded by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1354 A.D. It was originally called Hissar-e-Firoza. There is evidence of pre-Harappan settlements in this area. Excavations of Agroha, Banawali and Kunal found the coins of Kushan Kings. The presence of the pilar in the Hisar fort belonging to the time of Emperor Ashoka (234 BC) was originally from Agroha.

The city of Hisar is one of the important and fast growing urban centers of Haryana. Hisar also played an important role during the freedom struggle. The city also produced important political leadres.

Gurgaon, Haryana

Delhi and Gurgaon 9.3.2006 5-18-07
Originally uploaded by andabak.

This town was probably called Guru Gram or Guru Gaon as per some stories in Mahabharata. However it certainly is one of the fastest growing cities in Haryana. It is home to Maruti Suzuki, the largest Indian automaker.

Ambala, Haryana

Army Supplier
Originally uploaded by Alaukika.

Ambala is part of the green state of Haryana. Majority of the population is Punjabi speaking but still a unique state. Ambala has been a very important army and air-force base but also one of the bread baskets of the Indian union.

Faridabad, Haryana

surajkund mela - faridabad
Originally uploaded by Shankar- Third Eye.

Founded by Shaikh Farid, treasurer of Jahangir in 1607. Faridabad is famous for Henna production and Suraj Kund Mela. It is also a major industrial city in the state of Haryana.

Chandigarh, Punjab & Haryana

Dawn
Originally uploaded by J I G I S H A.

The city was designed by the French architect Le Corbusier in 1950s. Chandigarh was created to replace Lahore as the capital of undivided East Punjab, India. Pending the construction of a new capital for Haryana, Chandigarh works as a joint capital for Punjab & Haryana

Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh

DSCF0243.JPG
Originally uploaded by caminante.

Located in Kangra valley, it became the capital of Kangra District in 1852. A popular hill station for the British, Dharamsala has been connected with Buddhism for a long time. In 1905, the area was devestated by a massive earthquake.

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

jogini fall (zoom in)
Originally uploaded by kunalchokshi.

The small town of Manali has a population of only 30,000 people. Manali is believed to have been named after Manu (Adam) and the word Manali literally means 'the abode of Manu'. The Manali village has a temple dedicated to Manu.

Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh

The view from Kasauli 2
Originally uploaded by Farhiz.

Kasauli is one of the small towns developed by the British at a towering height of 6,000 feet above the sea level. Surrounded by pine forests, Kasauli is a good detour between Shimla and Kalka. The 19th century colonial ambience is obvious by the look of cobbled paths, quaint shops, gabled houses with beautiful facades.

Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh

The view from Kasauli 2
Originally uploaded by Farhiz.

Kasauli is one of the small towns developed by the British at a towering height of 6,000 feet above the sea level. Surrounded by pine forests, Kasauli is a good detour between Shimla and Kalka. The 19th century colonial ambience is obvious by the look of cobbled paths, quaint shops, gabled houses with beautiful facades.

Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Chamba_Karian
Originally uploaded by Avtar Singh.

Chamba town is 1,000 years old. The capital of Chamba kings, this town was founded by Raja Sahil Varman. The valley is adorned with highly fragrant Champaka trees. Champavati is worshipped as a goddess in Chamba.

Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh

IMG_0120
Originally uploaded by amangoenka.

Dalhousie was established by Lord Dalhousie (British Viceroy) in 1854. It is a gateway to Chamba Valley and has typical colonial architecture.

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Night view
Originally uploaded by Indyblue.

The city of Shimla is located at an altitude of 6,500 feet in the mid-western ranges of the Himalayas. This region is full of evergreen pine forests and is a popular hill station of India. Shimla is the capital of the State of Himachal Pradesh. Under the British, it was the summer capital of India.

Charles Kennedy, a Scottish civil servant, built Shimla's first British summer home in 1822. By the middle of the 19th century, Shimla was established as the hallmark of the British rule in India. The Kalka-Shimla rail link, bears testimony to the engineering excellecne of the British.

Dharampur, Himachal Pradesh

Traintunnel-dA
Originally uploaded by Ravinss.

Dharampur, an erstwhile state, is located in scenic Himachal Pradesh, on the banks of the Swaragavahini River. The town is on the national highway between Chandigarh and Shimla.

Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar (Kashmir) - Dal Lake
Originally uploaded by babasteve.

The city of Srinagar was established by King Pravarasena II over 2,000 years ago. Srinagar was also a part of the Maurya Empire. Ashoka introduced Buddhism to the Kashmir valley. The Hindu and the Buddhist rule came to an end during 14th century, when the Kashmir valley, including the city of Srinagar, came under the control of Muslims and then the Mughal rulers.

Srinagar has a population of close to a million people and it lies on both banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus River.

Leh Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir

For most of its existence, Ladakh was an independent kingdom. Since 1531, it faced constant incursions from the muslim rulers of Kashmir. Finally, it was annexed to Kashmir in 1850s.

Leh, the capital of Ladakh is located at a height of 3,500 meters. It is also the center of Tibeto-Buddhist culture.

Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Jammu Skyline
Originally uploaded by niharg.

Jammu city is the winter capital of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in 14th century BC. During one of his hunting expeditions, he reached the Tawi River where he saw a goat and a lion drinking water together at the same place. The King was so impressed with the harmony that he decided to set up a town after his name, Jamboo. With time, the name became Jammu.

Jammu is the only region in the State of Jammu & Kashmir where there is a Hindu majority population. 65% of these Hindus are Dogras. The rest 24% are Muslims and 4% Sikhs.

Jamshedpur, Jharkhand

Dimna lake and dam
Originally uploaded by Pandiyan.

Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata founded the city of Jamshedpur in 1919. Located in the East Singhbhum district of the newly created state of Jharkhand, it is surrounded by the beautiful Dalma Hills. The rivers, Subarnarekha and Kharkhai border the north and west of the city.

Jamshedpur is a modern industiral city with a robust infrastructure and a strong industry. The largest factory in the area is Tata Iron & Steel Company and it is situated right in the center of the city.

Ranchi, Jharkhand

DurgaPujo'05 @ Ranchi
Originally uploaded by hsohgteejihba.

Once the summer capital of Bihar, Ranchi is the capital city of newly created State of Jharkhand. It has a cool climate and since the creation of the a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, the city has witnessed a 50% growth in population. With a current population of 1.5 million people, Ranchi has seen rising employment opportunities and opening of numerous regional and state-level banks and corporate companies. The city is becoming a cosmopolition capital of Jharkhand.