List of the states

Assam is a state in northeastern India and its capital has been Dispur since the reorganization of eastern states in 1972. Shillong was the joint capital of Assam and Meghalaya before that date. 

Assam is one of the poorest states in the Indian Confederation and more than 70% of its population lives from agriculture or agro-industry. The region is famous for the quality of its tea. Tourism is developing there quite quickly thanks to the attraction of its magnificent landscapes at the foot of the Himalayas. 

Many ethnic conflicts erupted in the years following independence and the original populations (the so-called "tribal" populations) were very often deprived of their rights and had their land taken away for the benefit of mining companies, which fueled these local conflicts. 

Nowadays, the situation is calm in the region.

The state of Bihar in northeastern India is the cradle of two of the greatest religions born in India: Buddhism and Jainism. 

Some of the most important cities of Buddhism are in Bihar, the first of which is Bodhgaya, where Buddha experienced enlightenment. A few tens of kilometers away, another city where Buddha lived and taught is Rajgir. 

Patna is a holy city of Sikhism, since the first guru, Guru Nanak lived there and the last, Gobind Singh was born there.

Delhi is not only a big city in northern India, teeming with life, but it is in addition to being the capital of the country, a state in itself. More precisely, the agglomeration of Delhi (which brings together the municipalities of New Delhi, East Delhi, North Delhi, South Delhi and the Cantonment of Delhi) is made up of a territory called National Capital of Delhi which has its own legislative assembly. An agglomeration of 25 million inhabitants is entitled to a special status.

Goa, a small corner of Portugal on the west coast of central India, became an Indian state after the military intervention of India in 1961. After the British colonizer left the peninsula, Portugal which possessed Goa and its port reputed to be the best in India, refused to return these territories occupied for more than 450 years but the military victory of India left him no other choice but to leave the territory. Goa is the smallest state of the Indian confederation.

Himachal Pradesh is a state in northwestern India, at the foot of the Himalayas. The name of this state means "province of snow-capped mountains". Its capital, Shimla, was for fifty years the summer capital of the British Indian Empire thanks to its more bearable climate for Europeans accustomed to fog and a coolness, non-existent in Calcutta. Shimla was even the capital of British Burma during World War II, when Mandalay was occupied by the Japanese.

Karnataka is a state in southern India whose economy has developed in the fields of new technologies such as information technology, biotechnology and renewable energies. 

Bangalore, capital of the state is the third largest city in India with its 8,000,000 inhabitants and is nicknamed the silicon valley of India. 

The long and rich history of the area is reflected in the many architectural masterpieces found here. Karnataka, formerly the kingdom of Mysore, was the seat of some of the most powerful dynasties in India from the earliest antiquity to the Middle Ages.

Kerala is a state located in the extreme southwest of India. The state is famous for the quality of its spices. Tea is also produced there. Kerala is also known for its dense network of backwaters rich in bio-diversity. 

Part of the inhabitants of Kerala are Christians, which explains the large number of churches that can be found there. These are not conversions following colonization by European powers, but the establishment of this religion in this part of India dates from the very beginnings of Christianity.

Ladakh is a state located in the Himalayas in the northwest of India. Until 2019, Ladakh was an integral part of the state of Jamnu and Kashmir but became a full division of India. 

The state's economy is partly based on tourism which currently accounts for around 50% of Ladakh's GDP. Some crops of wheat and barley occupy part of the population, but yields are low at an average altitude of 3000 meters. 

Before the border with Tibet was closed by China, a minority of Ladakh residents were employed in the trade of textiles, carpets and even narcotics, but this activity has since ceased entirely. 

The Indus River flowing through Ladakh offers significant hydroelectric potential and renewable solar and wind energy also have substantial potential.

Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India whose capital is Bhopal. The meaning of its name is "central province". Madhya Pradesh is the state of the Indian Confederation with the most forests, although what remains today is only a small part of what Madhya Pradesh had in the 19th century. 

It is also in this state that we find the only baobabs of India (if we except the zoological garden of Mumbai), offered by the sultans of Egypt to the sovereigns of Mandu. One of the four holy cities hosting in turn the great festival of Kumbh Mela is in Madhya Pradesh, Ujjain.

Maharashtra is a state in central India. It is one of the most prosperous economically and it is estimated that over 30% of the wealth produced for India's export comes from Maharashtra. This state is also home to the country's largest city, Mumbai (Bombay). But Maharashtra is also important for its archaeological heritage, especially the impressive Buddhist and Hindu caves of Ellora and Ajanta. Another, more unusual place is Bibi qa Makbara near Aurangabad, a monument strongly inspired by the Taj Mahal built by the son of the sponsor of the famous Agra mausoleum.

Odisha is a state on the east coast of India. Despite its immense mining potential, this state remains one of the poorest in the Indian confederation and a large majority of the population lives (or survives) from agriculture. 

The history of Odisha is very old and its cultural heritage is extremely rich. Odisha has architectural treasures such as the Sun Temple at Kornak or the Buddhist archaeological sites of Katnagiri.

Punjab is a state in North West India. It is the homeland of the Sikhs, with a painful history in particular during the independence of India which saw this state cut in two by the new Indo-Pakistani border. 

Punjab is a very fertile region, nicknamed the breadbasket of India. Strongly influenced by Sikkhism, it is in this state that the great annual festival of the Sikhs (the Hola Mohalla) takes place and it is also in this state that the Golden Temple is located in Amritsar, holy of holies for the sikhs.

Rajasthan is a vast semi-desert state in northwestern India. It is certainly the one that attracts the most tourists with mythical cities like Jaipur or Jodhpur. The name of the state means "the land of kings". Rich in history and remarkable architectural heritage, Rajasthan is partly covered by the Thar Desert. Before the massive arrival of motor vehicles, the best way to get around this arrid region was by dromedary. This animal still enjoys great respect, and in Pushkar, Rajasthan, the great camel market is held every year. On this occasion tens of thousands of camels converge on Pushkar.

Sikkim is a small state in northeastern India located at the foot of the Himalayas. Sikkim is a Buddhist state. Its geographical location makes it an ideal location for athletic treks, but not everyone is fit for a trek in the Himalayan foothills. Fortunately there are many other attractions in this mountainous state. Access remains relatively difficult because of the state of maintenance of the communication routes. But the authorities are working hard on it. 

Visiting Buddhist monasteries and admiring the mountains (on a clear day) are two activities that are enough to delight less athletic tourists.

Tamil Nadu is a state in the south east of India. This coastal state has many, some of which are very old. Tamil Nadu holds several records in terms of temples ... The oldest temples which are still in operation, the largest temples in the world are located in this region of southern India. Contrary to what can be seen in the north, the temples here are painted, which involves significant maintenance work. South India is much wetter than the north, and the regular rains gradually degrade the colors of the hundreds of statues on each temple. In principle, a complete overhaul takes place every 10 years.

The period following the independence of India was quite troubled in this state located south of the center of the Indian peninsula. At first, the state of Hyderabad had opted for independence from the Indian Union and was forced to join following a military intervention. 

The administration decided to merge two regions, that of Hyderabad and the state of Andhra to form Andhra Pradesh. 

This deal never went down well with the people of what is now Telangana and after years of turmoil, Andhra Pradesh was split in two, with the creation of Telangana in June 2014.

Uttar Pradesh is a state in northern India. It is the most populous state in India. Uttar Pradesh has a very rich history and many powerful empires have succeeded there during antiquity and the Middle Ages. This prestigious history has left many architectural and cultural traces. Among the most interesting places, we can mention the sacred city of Varanasi (Benares, one of the oldest cities in the world), Sarnath where Buddha lived, Agra, where is the most famous mausoleum in the world, the Taj Mahal or even the ephemeral capital at Fathepur Sikri.

West Bengal is a state in northeastern India. West Bengal had a fate comparable to that of Punjab during independence in 1947. Old Bengal was split into two parts, one belonging to India and the other to present-day Bengla Desh (formerly East Pakistan). 

The capital of West Bengal is Calcutta (Kolkata) and the state presents great contrasts in terms of landscapes. The north of West Bengal borders on the foot of the Himalayas and there are magnificent Buddhist temples, as is the case in Darjeeling or Kalimpomg.