Quick Summary
India is known for its distinct traditions and culture. The country has 29 states and covers an area of 32,87,263 sq. km. That is why it is also called the 7th largest country in the world. Every state in India differs from the others because of the diverse traditional attire and the occasions they observe annually. A festival celebrated in Kerala may not be famous in Punjab, and vice versa.
The country is known for believing in the motto of cultural unity in diversity. While learning about the different states, you must learn more about rich traditions, languages, and customs.
This guide will explore the list of 29 states of India and their capitals to understand these distinctions. We will also learn about each state’s specialities, traditional outfits, and major festivals, helping you learn more about India’s rich geographical terrain and cultural heritage.
The country’s richness and diversity are easily showcased in the list of 29 states of India. People usually categorise these states into North, South, East, West, and Northeast India. Every state has a different climate, landscapes, and traditions. Most importantly, they vary in size. Currently, Rajasthan is the largest state in India, and Goa is the smallest in land area.
Learning more about the states of India and their geographical barriers is the best way to understand the country better. Dividing the country’s landscape into northern and southern India makes these distinctions easier to understand.
Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand are the northern states of India. Tourists usually visit these places because of their rich history and cultural significance. They are known for breathtaking landscapes, snow-capped mountains, and lush green valleys.
This region has helped shape Indian history and includes evidence of several ancient civilisations. North India has numerous key landmarks like the Golden Temple and Dal Lake. These states showcase rich traditions and the culinary delights of north Indian cuisine.
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana are the central southern states of India. They are celebrated for their deep-rooted traditions and contributions to India’s identity. South India is known for its Dravidian architecture, classical music, and festivals like Pongal and Onam. These states have numerous architectural evidence on India’s ancient past.
Southern India is known for world-famous dishes like dosa, idli, and spicy curries. The people in the states speak Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, showcasing the linguistic diversity South India is usually known for worldwide.
If you want to visit all the cultural epicentres in India, consider visiting all the Indian states. These 29 regions always reflect the unique heritage of their respective areas. Look at the table of India’s 29 states and their capitals below:
State | Capital |
Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati |
Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
Assam | Dispur |
Bihar | Patna |
Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
Goa | Panaji |
Gujarat | Gandhinagar |
Haryana | Chandigarh |
Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
Jharkhand | Ranchi |
Karnataka | Bengaluru |
Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
Maharashtra | Mumbai |
Manipur | Imphal |
Meghalaya | Shillong |
Mizoram | Aizawl |
Nagaland | Kohima |
Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
Punjab | Chandigarh |
Rajasthan | Jaipur |
Sikkim | Gangtok |
Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
Telangana | Hyderabad |
Tripura | Agartala |
Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
West Bengal | Kolkata |
Delhi is the national capital of India and a hub of all meaningful political discussions. The city has various historical monuments, such as the Red Fort and Qutub Minar.
Mumbai is Maharashtra’s capital; people often call it the country’s financial capital. It houses both the stock exchange and the world of entertainment with the Bollywood industry.
Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal and represents India’s intellectual heritage. The city is known for its literature, art, and colonial architecture. It won’t be wrong to call Kolkata the key centre of learning and cultural exchange in India.
Every Indian state has a unique traditional dress and festival that stands out from other regions. Here is an overview of the 29 states of india and their dress names list:
State | Women’s Attire | Men’s Attire | Accessories | Major Festivals |
Andhra Pradesh | Pochampally saree, Langa voni | Pancha (dhoti), Kurta | Temple jewellery | Sankranti, Ugadi, Bathukamma |
Arunachal Pradesh | Galuk, Dumsum | Traditional tribal attire | Beaded necklaces, headgear | Losar, Mopin, Solung |
Assam | Mekhela chador, Riha | Dhoti-kurta, Gamosa | Traditional Assamese jewellery | Bihu, Ambubachi Mela, Majuli Festival |
Bihar | Bhagalpuri silk saree | Dhoti-kurta, Pajama | Traditional gold ornaments | Chhath Puja, Sama-Chakeva, Madhushravani |
Chhattisgarh | Tribal costumes, Saree | Dhoti-kurta, Traditional tribal wear | Bell metal jewellery | Bastar Dussehra, Madai Festival, Goncha Festival |
Goa | Pano bhaju, Kunbi saree | Kaftan, Shorts | Shell jewellery | Carnival, Sao Joao, Bonderam |
Gujarat | Chaniya choli, Abhla work | Kediya, Chorno | Heavy silver jewellery | Navratri, Uttarayan, Rann Utsav |
Haryana | Ghagra-choli, Damankurta | Dhoti-kurta, Turban | Gold jewellery | Teej, Gangaur, Baisakhi |
Himachal Pradesh | Kullu shawl, Chamba suit | Dhatu (woollen coat) | Silver jewellery | Kullu Dussehra, Losar, Mandi Shivratri |
Jammu & Kashmir | Pheran, Tilla | Khan dress, Turban | Dejhoor (ear ornaments) | Eid-ul-Fitr, Losar, Baisakhi |
Jharkhand | Panchi saree, Tribal attire | Dhoti-kurta, Traditional tribal wear | Tribal jewellery | Sarhul, Karma, Tusu |
Karnataka | Ilkal saree, Kasuti embroidery | Panche, Kurta | Traditional gold jewellery | Dasara, Ugadi, Karaga |
Kerala | Kasavu saree, Set-mundu | Mundu, Shirt | Temple jewellery | Onam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram |
Madhya Pradesh | Chanderi sarees, Tribal wear | Dhoti-kurta, Bandi | Silver jewellery | Lokrang, Khajuraho Dance Festival, Tansen Festival |
Maharashtra | Nauvari saree, Paithani | Dhoti-kurta, Pheta (turban) | Nath (nose ring) | Ganesh Chaturthi, Gudi Padwa, Diwali |
Manipur | Phanek, Innaphi | Khudei | Tribal jewellery | Ningol Chakouba, Yaoshang, Lai Haraoba |
Meghalaya | Jainsem, Dhara | Jainpein, Traditional wear | Coral beads | Wangala, Nongkrem Dance, Behdienkhlam |
Mizoram | Puanchei, Kawrchei | Tawlhloh Puan | Tribal ornaments | Chapchar Kut, Pawl Kut, Mim Kut |
Nagaland | Mekhela, Traditional tribal wear | Tribal attire varies by tribe | Beaded jewellery | Hornbill Festival, Moatsu, Sekrenyi |
Odisha | Sambalpuri saree, Kotki | Dhoti-kurta | Filigree jewellery | Rath Yatra, Raja Parba, Kumar Purnima |
Punjab | Phulkari suits, Patiala salwar | Kurta-pajama, Turban | Parandi (hair accessory) | Lohri, Baisakhi, Maghi |
Rajasthan | Ghagra-choli, Bandhej | Dhoti-kurta, Angarkha | Lac bangles | Gangaur, Teej, Pushkar Fair |
Sikkim | Bakhu, Honju | Kho | Turquoise jewellery | Losar, Saga Dawa, Lhabab Duechen |
Tamil Nadu | Kanjeevaram saree, Pattu Pavadai | Veshti-sattai | Temple jewellery | Pongal, Thai Pongal, Aadi Perukku |
Telangana | Gadwal saree, Langa voni | Pancha kattu, Kurta | Traditional gold jewellery | Bathukamma, Bonalu, Sankranti |
Tripura | Rignai, Risa | Pachra | Tribal ornaments | Garia Puja, Kharchi Puja, Orange Festival |
Uttar Pradesh | Chikankari kurtas, Saree | Dhoti-kurta, Topi | Traditional jewellery | Diwali, Holi, Kumbh Mela |
Uttarakhand | Ghagra-choli, Pichora | Dhoti-kurta | Silver jewellery | Kumbh Mela, Nanda Devi Fair, Phool Dei |
West Bengal | Tant saree, Jamdani | Dhoti-kurta, Punjabi | Shakha pola (bangles) | Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja |
The governance structure of Indian states follows a parliamentary system within a federal setup. Each state has a governor (appointed by the president) as the constitutional head and a chief minister (elected) who leads the government. Most states have a unicameral legislature (Vidhan Sabha), while some have a bicameral legislature (Vidhan Sabha + Vidhan Parishad). The high court serves as the top judicial authority in each state, overseeing lower courts.
Several languages, religions, and traditions coexist across the Indian states, so the country is also called a land of culture. This promotes explicitly tolerance and understanding among all citizens. It enables individuals to learn from one another and appreciate diverse customs and practices.
India’s festivals and traditional attire serve as symbols of national unity. The diverse clothing styles across the 29 states reflect shared artistic elements and cultural symbolism. For instance:
Explore the list of 29 states of India and their capitals to understand the country’s cultural diversity and geographical terrain. Each state teaches how differences can create strength rather than division. Its distinct language, food, dress, and customs add to India’s diverse cultural tapestry. These differences among the northern and southern states make the country truly special.
Exploring India’s states has provided insights into their unique characteristics, including understanding their geographical landscapes and cultural expressions. You must always try to delve deeper into understanding these diverse cultural states of India. Such exploration increases your knowledge and promotes appreciation for India’s model of unity in diversity. Preserving and celebrating all regional identities are the key to maintaining India’s cultural heritage for future generations.
India has several states that have the tradition of wearing unique pieces of clothing. These attires represent their respective cultures. You may have already encountered states like Kerala, where it is common for women to wear white sarees with golden borders. Then, women in Maharashtra like to wear the nine-yard-long Nauvari saree. The best part is that these women drape the saree in a different style.
Southern India is known for celebrating several festivals every year. For instance, they celebrate Pongal and Onam to mark the occasion of new harvests. Then comes Ugadi, which is celebrated to mark the beginning of the new year. These festivals across the southern part of India always represent cultural heritage, traditional clothing, and food delicacies famous worldwide.
It is common for northern and southern India to have different cultures and traditions. This is because of the geographical terrain and weather in both regions. The states of the north have colder weather, snowy mountains, and wheat fields. The southern states, on the other hand, have rice farms and tropical weather.
You must understand your country’s cultural, geographical, and political landscape. Each state in India has its unique identity, history, governance, and linguistic structure, which play a key role in shaping the country. Thus, knowledge of the states is vital for understanding national policies and regional politics.
India’s exceptional diversity results from several geographical elements. These include Mountain ranges, irrigated agricultural lands, rivers, streams, monsoons, forests, and deserts. The Indian Constitution also guarantees unity among citizens of all castes, creeds, religions, races, and languages. Each state and region in the country has its distinct colour, culture, and climate, which makes it distinct yet unified.
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir.
Jammu & Kashmir was removed from the list of 29 states after the abrogation of Article 370. It was reorganized into two union territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, reducing the total number of states in India to 28.
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