India, that is Bharat
begins Article 1 of the Constitution. Here it is in 36 states and Union Territories drawn in their own arts, and in twelve sourced numbers on its artificial intelligence. Every figure is dated and sourced.
Each one is drawn in a pattern from its own arts, from Madhubani fish to Warli dancers. Tap one to open its card.
Every card carries the state’s music and dance, a festival, a taste, its World Heritage sites and, where we could source them, its name in its own script, a greeting, its art and a craft with a GI tag.
Outline: MapSVG India map, CC BY 4.0; simplified. Patterns are drawn here, inspired by each state’s arts.
Where India’s artificial intelligence stands this quarter. Every card has its source, and every card can be shared on its own.
Research
7.55%
In 2024, a shade above the United States (7.29%) and behind China (17.76%). 39% of the papers in the dataset carry no country, so read the ranking with care.
Data for 2024 · Source: Stanford HAI, AI Index Report 2026, chapter 1 (figure 1.6.6)
The gap
0.40%
In 2024. China held 74.24% and the United States 12.06%, about 30 times India’s share, although the two countries publish similar shares of AI papers.
Data for 2024 · Source: Stanford HAI, AI Index Report 2026, chapter 1 (figure 1.7.2) · Our calculation: 12.06 ÷ 0.40 = 30.15
The biggest commitment
$110B
₹10 lakh crore (about $110 billion), announced at the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026. A commitment, not money already spent.
As of 19 Feb 2026 · Source: TechCrunch, 19 February 2026
Compute
45,000+
The graphics processors that train and run AI models, pooled for shared use, as of June 2026.
As of Jun 2026 · Source: Press Information Bureau factsheet, Semiconductor and AI Revolution, 13 August 2026
Private money
$4.09B
Sixth in the world, behind the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France and Canada. The United States drew $285.88 billion, about 70 times as much.
Data for 2025 · Source: Stanford HAI, AI Index Report 2026, chapter 4 (figure 4.2.8, data from Quid) · Our calculation: 285.88 ÷ 4.09 = 69.9
New companies
108
Fourth in the world, after the United States (1,953), the United Kingdom (172) and China (161).
Data for 2025 · Source: Stanford HAI, AI Index Report 2026, chapter 4 (figure 4.2.9, data from Quid)
Government
₹10,372 cr
₹10,371.92 crore over five years, approved on 7 March 2024.
As of 7 Mar 2024 · Source: Press Information Bureau, Cabinet approves IndiaAI Mission, 7 March 2024
Big tech
$15B
Approximately $15 billion over 2026 to 2030 for a gigawatt-scale AI hub: Google’s largest investment in India to date.
As of 14 Oct 2025 · Source: Google India blog, 14 October 2025
Data centres
1,789 MW
After 178 MW was added in the first half of 2026. Another 3,860 MW is planned or under construction for 2030.
As of Jun 2026 · Source: Cushman & Wakefield, India Data Centre H1 2026 Update, 23 September 2026
Chips
₹91,000 cr
About ₹91,000 crore, with Taiwan’s Powerchip (PSMC), for up to 50,000 wafer starts a month. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in July 2026 that commercial operations are expected in mid-2028.
As of 15 Jul 2026 · Source: Business Standard (Bloomberg), 17 July 2026
Languages
22 of 22
IndicTrans2, from AI4Bharat at IIT Madras, was the first model to support all 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule, and its models are openly licensed.
As of Dec 2023 · Source: Gala et al., IndicTrans2 (arXiv 2305.16307; TMLR, December 2023)
Jobs
+20%
In September 2026, while postings in IT and software services fell 4%. The index counts job postings and recruiter searches, not hires.
As of Sep 2026 · Source: Naukri JobSpeak, September 2026 (Info Edge)
Every number here, with its date and source, is also in one open data file, free to reuse with a link back.
India against China, the United States and Europe, from the Stanford AI Index 2026.
Source: Stanford HAI, AI Index Report 2026 (chapters 1 and 4). One source, one basis per row. The source never publishes an EU-27 figure: where it publishes "Europe" (which includes non-EU states such as the UK) that is shown and marked *, and where it publishes only individual countries the cell reads "Not published". A 2026 report carries 2024 data for patents and publications.
The full comparisonThe largest commitments announced for India, each in the currency its source used.
Company and government announcements, not money spent. Scopes differ: Amazon’s figure covers its whole India business; Adani’s is planned rather than committed.
Every commitment, with sourcesModels and datasets from Indian labs, each linked to its paper.
ARTPARK and Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IISc Bangalore (with Google DeepMind)
Read the paper ↗NLP · Mar 2026Sarvam AI, trained in India on IndiaAI Mission compute
Read the paper ↗Multimodal · Feb 2025Krutrim AI, Bangalore
Read the paper ↗NLP · Feb 2025Krutrim AI, Bangalore (Ola Krutrim)
Read the paper ↗Speech · Sep 2024AI4Bharat, Dept. of CSE, IIT Madras
Read the paper ↗NLP · Mar 2024AI4Bharat Nilekani Centre, IIT Madras (with Sarvam AI)
Read the paper ↗All 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule now have open machine translation and open speech data.
All 22 scheduled languages have IndicTrans2 translation coverage (462 direct Indic-to-Indic directions) and IndicVoices-R speech data. Speaker counts are first-language speakers in the 2011 Census (Table C-16). Sources: Census of India 2011, Table C-16 (speaker counts, as cited on the site since September 2026); Census of India 2011, Language Atlas; IndicTrans2, AI4Bharat (arXiv:2305.16307); IndicVoices-R, AI4Bharat (arXiv:2409.05356).
The 22 languages, in their own scriptsTen questions on India’s states, festivals, food and AI. Every answer has a source. Share your score.
Music, festivals, food, languages and stories, each with its sources.
Sixteen instruments and the ragas of each hour
OpenThe six seasons and what each one celebrates
OpenSweets, their towns and the six tastes of a meal
OpenEach in its own script
OpenPanchatantra, Jatakas and the courts, retold
OpenFrom street cricket to World Cups
Open18 AI ideas explained through everyday India.
ReadHow often a chasing side wins from any score, learned from 1,243 IPL matches.
Try itPopulation, World Heritage sites, classical dance and where AI is being built, state by state.
Openअण्डमान और निकोबार द्वीपसमूह
Union Territory · Capital Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair) · 380,581 people (2011)
Shell craft. Andaman and Nicobar artisans transform seashells from the islands' beaches into articles of art.
Nicobari Canoe (Hodi Craft), GI tag 2024
Coconut, fish and seafood dishes
The Cellular Jail, now a national memorial
Animal: Dugong · Bird: Andaman wood pigeon · Flower: Pyinma · Tree: Andaman padauk
Barren Island in the Andaman Sea is renowned as South Asia's only active volcano.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · hi.wikipedia.org: अण्डमान और निकोबार द्वीपसमूह · incredibleindia.gov.in: andaman and nicobar islands · GI Registry, application 998 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · incredibleindia.gov.in: barren island; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్
State · Capital Amaravati · 49.6 million people (2011)
నమస్కారంNamaskaram: hello in Telugu
Kalamkari is an ancient natural-dye textile art from Andhra Pradesh, hand-painted at Srikalahasti and block-printed at Machilipatnam. Machilipatnam Kalamkari holds a GI tag (2008).
Kuchipudi (classical dance)
Sankranti; Ugadi
Bandar laddu (Machilipatnam)
Animal: Blackbuck · Bird: Rose-ringed parakeet · Flower: Jasmine · Tree: Neem
Kuchipudi, one of India's classical dance forms, originated in the village of Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · te.wikipedia.org: ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ · omniglot.com: telugu · en.wikipedia.org: Kalamkari · GI Registry, application 90 · forests.ap.gov.in (archived): statesymbol · en.wikipedia.org: Kuchipudi; traditions from the India map’s sources.
अरुणाचल प्रदेश
State · Capital Itanagar · 1.4 million people (2011)
Tribal loin-loom weaving. Arunachal's tribal women weave bright textiles on simple loin looms in geometric patterns such as zig-zag, diamond and triangle.
Idu Mishmi textiles, GI tag 2019
Ajilamu, a Monpa masked dance
Losar (Monpa); Solung (Adi); Nyokum (Nyishi)
Thukpa; apong, a rice drink
Bird: Great hornbill · Flower: Foxtail orchid · Tree: Hollong
Arunachal Pradesh's Namdapha National Park rises from tropical lowland rainforest to alpine zones above 4,500 metres within a single protected landscape.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · hi.wikipedia.org: अरुणाचल प्रदेश · ignca.gov.in: the style and motifs in the art of arunanachal pradesh · GI Registry, application 625 · arunachalipr.gov.in: about state · incredibleindia.gov.in: namdapha national park tiger reserve; traditions from the India map’s sources.
অসম
State · Capital Dispur · 31.2 million people (2011)
নমস্কাৰNomoskar: hello in Assamese
Assamese manuscript painting produced many illustrated manuscripts from the 16th to 19th centuries, most on locally made sanchi pat leaves.
Muga silk of Assam, GI tag 2007
Bihu dance; Sattriya (classical dance)
Bihu (Rongali, Kongali, Bhogali)
Pitha; tenga, a sour fish curry
Kaziranga National Park · Manas Wildlife Sanctuary · Moidams: the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty
Animal: One-horned rhinoceros · Bird: White-winged wood duck · Flower: Foxtail orchid · Tree: Hollong
Guinness World Records lists Majuli, in the Brahmaputra River in north east India, as the world's largest river island.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · as.wikipedia.org: অসম · omniglot.com: assamese · en.wikipedia.org: Assamese manuscript painting · GI Registry, application 55 · assam.gov.in (archived): 389 · guinnessworldrecords.com: largest river island ; traditions from the India map’s sources.
बिहार
State · Capital Patna · 104 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Madhubani painting. Madhubani art, named for Bihar's Madhubani district, is traditionally painted by women in Mithila using natural dyes and geometric patterns. Madhubani paintings hold a GI tag (2007).
Bidesia folk theatre; Madhubani (Mithila) painting
Chhath Puja
Litti chokha; Silao khaja; thekua
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya · Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara
Animal: Gaur · Bird: House sparrow · Tree: Peepal
Patna, once the Mauryan capital Pataliputra, was among the world's largest cities in Emperor Ashoka's time.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: बिहार · omniglot.com: hindi · en.wikipedia.org: Madhubani art · GI Registry, application 37 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · en.wikipedia.org: Pataliputra; traditions from the India map’s sources.
चण्डीगढ़
Union Territory · Capital Chandigarh · 1.1 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Punjabi dishes, from chole bhature to lassi
Le Corbusier's Capitol Complex and Nek Chand's Rock Garden
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex)
Animal: Indian grey mongoose · Bird: Indian grey hornbill · Flower: Palash (Dhak) · Tree: Mango
Crafted in 1957 by former road inspector Nek Chand, Chandigarh's Rock Garden turns discarded remnants into over 5,000 statues across 40 acres.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: चण्डीगढ़ · omniglot.com: hindi · chandigarhenvis.gov.in: do you know · incredibleindia.gov.in: rock garden; traditions from the India map’s sources.
छत्तीसगढ़
State · Capital Raipur · 25.5 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Chhattisgarh's Dhokra is a handcrafted lost-wax art in which intricate beeswax designs are cast in metal through a 27-step process. Bastar Dhokra holds a GI tag (2008).
Pandavani, a Mahabharata recital; Panthi dance
Bastar Dussehra, about 75 days
Chila; faraa
Dhokra metal casting
Animal: Wild water buffalo · Bird: Hill myna · Tree: Sal
Chitrakote Falls in Bastar stretches nearly 300 metres across in the monsoon, making it India's widest waterfall.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · hi.wikipedia.org: छत्तीसगढ़ · omniglot.com: hindi · youngintach.org: maps craft chhattishgath · GI Registry, application 83 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · incredibleindia.gov.in: chitrakote waterfalls; traditions from the India map’s sources.
दादरा और नगर हवेली एवं दमन और दीव
Union Territory · Capital Daman · 586,956 people (2011)
Warli painting, Silvassa's signature art form, uses white pigment for circles, triangles and squares that show everyday life and nature. Warli painting holds a GI tag (2014).
Tarpa, a Warli tribal dance
Seafood with Portuguese-influenced flavours
Portuguese-era forts and churches in Daman and Diu
In 2020, Ghoghla Beach in Diu was among eight Indian beaches awarded international Blue Flag certification.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · hi.wikipedia.org: दादरा और नगर हवेली एवं दमन और दीव · incredibleindia.gov.in: immerse yourself in the vibrant arts and handicrafts of silv · GI Registry, application 239 · pib.gov.in: PressReleasePage; traditions from the India map’s sources.
दिल्ली
Union Territory · Capital New Delhi · 16.8 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Zardozi is among Delhi's special embroideries, ornate gold-thread work heavily encrusted on gold and silver brocades.
Qawwali at the Nizamuddin Dargah
Republic Day parade; Diwali
Chaat; the parathas of Old Delhi
Humayun's Tomb · Qutb Minar and its Monuments · Red Fort Complex
Bird: House sparrow
Delhi Metro became the first metro system in the world to earn carbon credits for cutting emissions.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: दिल्ली · omniglot.com: hindi · sahapedia.org: crafts and craftspeople of shahjahanabad · Wildlife Institute of India repository · en.wikipedia.org: Delhi Metro; traditions from the India map’s sources.
गोंय
State · Capital Panaji · 1.5 million people (2011)
Kaavi art is a Konkan-coast mural tradition, especially in Goa, with intricate motifs incised in red laterite pigment on white lime plaster.
Mando, the Goan song and dance
Shigmo; Carnival; Christmas
Bebinca; xacuti; fish curry rice
Churches and Convents of Goa
Animal: Gaur · Bird: Ruby-throated yellow bulbul · Tree: Matti
The International Film Festival of India, begun in 1952, has been based in Goa since 2004.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · gom.wikipedia.org: गोंय · en.wikipedia.org: Kaavi art · gsbb.goa.gov.in (archived): about goa ecosystems · static.pib.gov.in: doc20251115694201; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ગુજરાત
State · Capital Gandhinagar · 60.4 million people (2011)
નમસ્તેNamaste: hello in Gujarati
Rogan painting, a Geographical Indication craft of Gujarat's Kutch, lays boiled-oil and vegetable-dye paint onto cloth with a stylus.
Patan Patola, GI tag 2013
Garba (UNESCO, 2023); Dandiya Raas
Navratri; Uttarayan, the kite festival
Dhokla; mohanthal; basundi
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park · Rani-ki-Vav · Historic City of Ahmedabad · Dholavira: a Harappan City
Animal: Asiatic lion · Bird: Greater flamingo · Flower: Marigold · Tree: Banyan
Gujarat's Gir landscape is home to the Asiatic lion's only wild population.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · gu.wikipedia.org: ગુજરાત · omniglot.com: gujarati · en.wikipedia.org: Rogan painting · GI Registry, application 232 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · pib.gov.in: PressReleasePage; traditions from the India map’s sources.
हरियाणा
State · Capital Chandigarh · 25.4 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Punja durrie weaving. Haryana's punja durries are woven primarily by women in stripes, check boards, squares and pictures of birds, animals, human figures and plants.
Phulkari, GI tag 2010
Saang folk theatre; Phag dance
Surajkund Crafts Mela (February)
Lassi; bajra khichdi; churma
Animal: Blackbuck · Bird: Black francolin · Flower: Lotus · Tree: Sacred fig (Peepal)
Neeraj Chopra of Khandra village in Haryana's Panipat district won India's first Olympic athletics gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · hi.wikipedia.org: हरियाणा · omniglot.com: hindi · youngintach.org: maps craft haryana · GI Registry, application 27 · haryanaforest.gov.in: haryana states emblems · en.wikipedia.org: Neeraj Chopra; traditions from the India map’s sources.
हिमाचल प्रदेश
State · Capital Shimla · 6.9 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Kangra painting, named for a former Himachal Pradesh princely state, is a Pahari miniature style of cool, fresh colours and verdant landscapes.
Kullu shawl, GI tag 2005
Nati, a Kullu folk dance
Kullu Dussehra, seven days each autumn
Siddu; chha gosht; Kangra tea
Mountain Railways of India · Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area
Animal: Snow leopard · Bird: Western tragopan · Flower: Pink rhododendron · Tree: Deodar
Hikkim in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley has a post office at about 4,400 metres, one of the highest in the world.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: हिमाचल प्रदेश · omniglot.com: hindi · en.wikipedia.org: Kangra painting · GI Registry, application 19 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · en.wikipedia.org: Hikkim; traditions from the India map’s sources.
جموں و کشمیر
Union Territory · Capital Srinagar (summer) and Jammu (winter) · 12.3 million people (2011)
Basohli painting, originating in Basohli in Jammu and Kashmir, is a bold, intense school of Pahari miniature painting.
Kani shawl, GI tag 2008
Santoor and Sufiana music; Rouf dance
Herath (Mahashivratri)
Wazwan; kahwa, saffron tea
Animal: Hangul (Kashmir stag) · Flower: Lotus · Tree: Chinar
Srinagar was named a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2021, renowned for its crafts since the 14th century.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · ur.wikipedia.org: جموں و کشمیر (یونین علاقہ) · en.wikipedia.org: Pahari painting · GI Registry, application 51 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · unesco.org: srinagar; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ལ་དྭགས་
Union Territory · Capital Leh · 274,289 people (2011)
འཇུ་ལེགས་Julley: hello, thank you and goodbye in Ladakhi
Pashmina weaving. Ladakh's pashmina shawls, woven from Changthangi goat underfur and dyed with natural plant and mineral colours, show delicate geometric twill patterns. Pashmina wool of Ladakh holds a GI tag (2023).
Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (UNESCO, 2012)
Hemis Tsechu; Losar
Thukpa; skyu; butter tea
Animal: Snow leopard · Bird: Black-necked crane · Flower: Himalayan blue poppy · Tree: Juniper (Juniperus semiglobosa)
Hanle in Ladakh, among the world's highest sites for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes, became India's first dark-sky preserve in 2022.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · bo.wikipedia.org: ལ་དྭགས · omniglot.com: ladakhi · youngintach.org: maps craft ladakh · GI Registry, application 726 · ladakh.gov.in: forest ecology environment department · en.wikipedia.org: Indian Astronomical Observatory; traditions from the India map’s sources.
झारखण्ड
State · Capital Ranchi · 33.0 million people (2011)
ᱡᱚᱦᱟᱨJohar: hello in Santali
Sohrai and Khovar painting. Sohrai and Khovar are wall paintings of Jharkhand's Hazaribagh, related to a festival and marriage rituals, also made on paper and cloth. Sohrai-Khovar painting holds a GI tag (2021).
Chhau dance of Seraikela (UNESCO, 2010)
Sarhul; Karma
Dhuska; litti
Animal: Indian elephant · Bird: Asian koel · Flower: Palash · Tree: Sal
Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand was one of India's first nine tiger reserves, declared in 1973.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · hi.wikipedia.org: झारखण्ड · en.wiktionary.org: ᱡᱚᱦᱟᱨ · en.wikipedia.org: Sohrai and Khovar painting · GI Registry, application 658 · jharkhand.gov.in: AboutState · en.wikipedia.org: Palamau Tiger Reserve; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ
State · Capital Bengaluru · 61.1 million people (2011)
ನಮಸ್ಕಾರNamaskara: hello in Kannada
Mysore painting, a classical style from Mysore in Karnataka, is known for delicate lines, graceful figures, vegetable colours and lustrous gold leaf.
Mysore silk, GI tag 2005
Yakshagana; Carnatic and Hindustani music
Mysuru Dasara
Mysore pak; dosa; bisi bele bath
Group of Monuments at Hampi · Group of Monuments at Pattadakal · Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas · Western Ghats
Animal: Indian elephant · Bird: Indian roller · Flower: Lotus · Tree: Sandalwood
Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science, founded in 1909, grew from Jamsetji Tata's dream, backed by land and funds from Mysore State.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · kn.wikipedia.org: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ · en.wiktionary.org: ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ · en.wikipedia.org: Mysore painting · GI Registry, application 11 · knowindia.gov.in (archived): states ut symbol g l · iisc.ac.in: history; traditions from the India map’s sources.
കേരളം
State · Capital Thiruvananthapuram · 33.4 million people (2011)
നമസ്കാരംNamaskaram: hello in Malayalam
Kerala mural painting is a fresco tradition of ancient temples and palaces, mostly from the 9th to 12th centuries.
Aranmula Kannadi, GI tag 2005
Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Kutiyattam (UNESCO, 2008); the chenda drum
Onam; Thrissur Pooram
Sadya; payasam; appam
Western Ghats
Animal: Indian elephant · Bird: Great hornbill · Flower: Golden shower (Kanikonna) · Tree: Coconut
Kerala's Cochin International Airport became the world's first fully solar-powered airport in 2015 and won a UN Champions of the Earth award.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · ml.wikipedia.org: കേരളം · en.wiktionary.org: നമസ്കാരം · en.wikipedia.org: Kerala mural painting · GI Registry, application 3 · forest.kerala.gov.in: kerala at a glance · unep.org: 46; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്
Union Territory · Capital Kavaratti · 64,473 people (2011)
Coconut shell craft. Lakshadweep residents transform coconut shells into ladles, spoons, cups, earrings, pendants, lamps and chandeliers.
Kolkali, Parichakali and, on Minicoy, Lava
Coconut and tuna dishes
Coral atolls; the least populous state or territory in the 2011 Census
Animal: Butterfly fish · Tree: Breadfruit
Lakshadweep means 'a hundred thousand islands' in Malayalam and Sanskrit, and its archipelago of 36 islands includes 12 atolls.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · ml.wikipedia.org: ലക്ഷദ്വീപ് · youngintach.org: maps craft lakshadweep island · lakshadweep.gov.in (archived): state symbols · lakshadweep.gov.in: about lakshadweep; traditions from the India map’s sources.
मध्य प्रदेश
State · Capital Bhopal · 72.6 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Chanderi sarees, GI tag 2005
Tansen Music Festival, Gwalior
Khajuraho Dance Festival
Poha-jalebi (Indore); bhutte ka kees
Khajuraho Group of Monuments · Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi · Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
Animal: Swamp deer (Barasingha) · Bird: Asian paradise flycatcher · Tree: Banyan
UNESCO named Gwalior a Creative City of Music in 2023, calling it the birthplace of the Hindustani forms Dhrupad and Khayal.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: मध्य प्रदेश · omniglot.com: hindi · GI Registry, application 7 · mpforest.gov.in (archived): symbol · unesco.org: gwalior; traditions from the India map’s sources.
महाराष्ट्र
State · Capital Mumbai · 112 million people (2011)
नमस्कारNamaskar: hello in Marathi
Warli painting, from Maharashtra's North Sahyadri Range, draws everyday life and farming in simple geometric shapes using white rice paste.
Paithani saree and fabrics, GI tag 2010
Lavani; dhol-tasha
Ganesh Chaturthi; Gudi Padwa
Puran poli; modak; vada pav
Ajanta Caves · Ellora Caves · Elephanta Caves · Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus · Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai · Maratha Military Landscapes of India · Western Ghats
Animal: Indian giant squirrel · Bird: Yellow-footed green pigeon · Flower: Jarul (Pride of India) · Tree: Mango
Lonar Lake in Maharashtra fills a crater formed by a meteorite impact in the Deccan's volcanic basalt and is a National Geological Monument.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · mr.wikipedia.org: महाराष्ट्र · en.wiktionary.org: नमस्कार · en.wikipedia.org: Warli painting · GI Registry, application 150 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · en.wikipedia.org: Lonar Lake; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔ
State · Capital Imphal · 2.9 million people (2011)
ꯈꯨꯔꯨꯝꯖꯔꯤKhurumjari: hello in Meitei (Manipuri)
Longpi pottery from Ukhrul district, Manipur, is made without a potter's wheel from black serpentinite stone and brown clay.
Wangkhei Phee, GI tag 2014
Manipuri (classical dance); Sankirtana (UNESCO, 2013); the pung drum
Lai Haraoba; Yaoshang
Eromba; chak-hao kheer
Animal: Sangai (brow-antlered deer) · Bird: Mrs. Hume's pheasant · Flower: Siroi lily
Manipur's traditional pony game, sagol kangjei, was adapted and adopted by players worldwide as polo.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · mni.wikipedia.org: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔ · omniglot.com: manipuri · en.wikipedia.org: Longpi · GI Registry, application 372 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · manipurtourism.gov.in: indigenous game of manipur; traditions from the India map’s sources.
State · Capital Shillong · 3.0 million people (2011)
Kumnohello in Khasi
Meghalaya's artisans are renowned for bamboo and cane craftsmanship, such as intricately woven baskets, mats and furniture that blend function with artistry.
Meghalaya Ryndia textile, GI tag 2025
Wangala (Garo); Nongkrem and Shad Suk Mynsiem (Khasi)
Jadoh; tungrymbai
Living root bridges, grown from rubber-fig roots
Animal: Clouded leopard · Bird: Hill myna · Flower: Lady's slipper orchid · Tree: White teak (Gamari)
Meghalaya's Khasi communities grow living root bridges from Ficus trees, a skill handed down through generations that has served villages for centuries.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · meghalayatourism.in: local language guide & etiquette · meghalayatourism.in: art handicrafts · GI Registry, application 1112 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · whc.unesco.org: 6606; traditions from the India map’s sources.
State · Capital Aizawl · 1.1 million people (2011)
Puanchei weaving. Puanchei is a handwoven Mizo shawl whose designs, inspired by nature and folklore, include the Siniar motif of triangles and diamonds. Mizo Puanchei holds a GI tag (2019).
Cheraw, the bamboo-pole dance
Chapchar Kut
Bai, a vegetable stew; sawhchiar
Animal: Serow · Bird: Hume's pheasant · Tree: Iron wood
Mizo society is guided by Tlawmngaihna, a moral code of putting the group before the self, with no exact English translation.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · incredibleindia.gov.in: mizo puanchei · GI Registry, application 583 · mizoram.gov.in (archived): state symbol · en.wikipedia.org: Tlawmngaihna; traditions from the India map’s sources.
State · Capital Kohima · 2.0 million people (2011)
Naga shawl weaving. The Chakhesang shawl, the most popular kind in Nagaland, is woven by women on a strap loom in three joined pieces. Chakhesang shawls hold a GI tag (2017).
Naga folk songs and war dances
Hornbill Festival, Kisama, 1 to 10 December
Smoked pork with bamboo shoot; axone
Animal: Mithun · Bird: Blyth's tragopan · Flower: Rhododendron · Tree: Alder
Nagaland's Hornbill Festival, held every December since 2000, represents all the state's ethnic groups and is called the Festival of Festivals.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · youngintach.org: maps craft nagaland · GI Registry, application 542 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · en.wikipedia.org: Hornbill Festival; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ଓଡ଼ିଶା
State · Capital Bhubaneswar · 42.0 million people (2011)
ନମସ୍କାରNamaskar: hello in Odia
Pattachitra is Odisha's ancient cloth-based scroll painting, known for intricate detail and narratives from mythology and folktales.
Sambalpuri Bandha saree, GI tag 2012
Odissi (classical dance); the mardala drum
Rath Yatra, Puri
Rasagola (GI, 2019); chhena poda; dalma
Sun Temple, Konark
Animal: Sambar · Bird: Indian roller · Flower: Ashoka
Odisha's Chilika Lake, a Ramsar wetland since 1981, is a globally significant wintering ground for migratory waterbirds.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · or.wikipedia.org: ଓଡ଼ିଶା · en.wiktionary.org: ନମସ୍କାର · en.wikipedia.org: Pattachitra · GI Registry, application 208 · magazines.odisha.gov.in (archived): bluelay · en.wikipedia.org: Chilika Lake; traditions from the India map’s sources.
புதுச்சேரி
Union Territory · Capital Puducherry · 1.2 million people (2011)
வணக்கம்Vanakkam: hello in Tamil
Villianur terracotta, from near Puducherry, shapes clay into sculptures of everyday scenes and mythological figures, fired and painted with natural dyes. Villianur terracotta works hold a GI tag (2011).
Bastille Day (14 July) is marked each year
French-Tamil Creole cooking
Auroville and the French Quarter
Animal: Squirrel · Bird: Koel · Flower: Cannonball flower · Tree: Bael
Arikamedu in Puducherry was an ancient trading post where excavations found Roman lamps, amphorae and glassware, evidence of trade with Rome.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · ta.wikipedia.org: புதுச்சேரி · en.wiktionary.org: வணக்கம் · incredibleindia.gov.in: villianur terracotta works · GI Registry, application 201 · statistics.py.gov.in: puducherry glance 2022 · en.wikipedia.org: Arikamedu; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ਪੰਜਾਬ
State · Capital Chandigarh · 27.7 million people (2011)
Phulkari, meaning art of flowers, is Punjab's folk embroidery, traditionally stitched by women with coloured silk thread on coarse cotton. Phulkari holds a GI tag (2010).
Bhangra; Giddha; the dhol
Baisakhi; Lohri; Gurpurabs
Makki di roti with sarson da saag; pinni; lassi
Animal: Blackbuck · Bird: Northern goshawk (Baaz) · Tree: Indian rosewood (Shisham)
The Golden Temple in Amritsar runs a free community kitchen, the langar, serving vegetarian meals to all visitors without discrimination.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · pa.wikipedia.org: ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਭਾਰਤ · en.wikipedia.org: Phulkari · GI Registry, application 27 · forest.punjab.gov.in (archived): flora · en.wikipedia.org: Golden Temple; traditions from the India map’s sources.
राजस्थान
State · Capital Jaipur · 68.5 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Phad painting. Phad is a Rajasthani folk scroll painting on long cloth in vegetable colours, which bhopa priest-singers traditionally carry.
Kota Doria, GI tag 2005
Ghoomar; Kalbelia (UNESCO, 2010); Manganiyar music
Pushkar Fair; Teej
Dal-baati-churma; ghevar; malpua
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur · Hill Forts of Rajasthan · Keoladeo National Park · Jaipur City
Animal: Chinkara · Bird: Great Indian bustard · Flower: Rohida · Tree: Khejri
Rajasthan's Kalbelia community, once professional snake handlers, evokes that past in songs and dances inscribed by UNESCO in 2010.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: राजस्थान · omniglot.com: hindi · en.wikipedia.org: Phad painting · GI Registry, application 12 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · ich.unesco.org: kalbelia folk songs and dances of rajasthan 00340; traditions from the India map’s sources.
सिक्किम
State · Capital Gangtok · 610,577 people (2011)
བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགསTashi Delek: blessings and good luck in Tibetan, also used in Sikkim
Thangka painting. Sikkim's thangkas are painted or embroidered banners using motifs such as lotus, fish and the dharma wheel, each with its own meaning.
Sikkim Lepcha Tungbuk, GI tag 2025
Singhi Chham, the snow-lion dance
Losar; Losoong
Momos; gundruk; sel roti
Khangchendzonga National Park
Animal: Red panda · Bird: Blood pheasant · Flower: Noble orchid · Tree: Rhododendron
Sikkim was formally declared India's first fully organic state in 2016.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · ne.wikipedia.org: सिक्किम · en.wikipedia.org: Tashi delek · youngintach.org: maps craft sikkim · GI Registry, application 896 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · static.pib.gov.in: doc2023517199601; traditions from the India map’s sources.
தமிழ்நாடு
State · Capital Chennai · 72.1 million people (2011)
வணக்கம்Vanakkam: hello in Tamil
Thanjavur (Tanjore) painting. Thanjavur painting, from Tamil Nadu, is a classical style known for rich colours, glittering gold foil and inlaid glass beads.
Kancheepuram silk, GI tag 2005
Bharatanatyam; Carnatic music; nadaswaram and thavil
Pongal; the Madras Music Season (Margazhi)
Pongal (the dish); filter coffee; Srivilliputhur palkova
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram · Great Living Chola Temples · Mountain Railways of India · Western Ghats · Maratha Military Landscapes of India
Animal: Nilgiri tahr · Bird: Emerald dove · Flower: Gloriosa lily (glory lily) · Tree: Palmyra palm
In 2004, Tamil became the first language in India to be declared a Classical Language.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · ta.wikipedia.org: தமிழ்நாடு · en.wiktionary.org: வணக்கம் · en.wikipedia.org: Thanjavur painting · GI Registry, application 15 · tn.gov.in (archived): about tn · pib.gov.in: PressReleasePage; traditions from the India map’s sources.
తెలంగాణ
State · Capital Hyderabad · 35.0 million people (2011)
నమస్కారంNamaskaram: hello in Telugu
Cheriyal scroll painting is a Telangana cloth-scroll art that tells stories from Indian mythology in a narrative format like a film roll.
Pochampally Ikat, GI tag 2004
Perini Sivatandavam; dappu drums
Bathukamma; Bonalu
Hyderabadi biryani; haleem
Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple
Animal: Jinka (deer) · Bird: Indian roller · Flower: Tanner's cassia · Tree: Jammi chettu
Hyderabad was named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2019 for its rich Hyderabadi cuisine.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · te.wikipedia.org: తెలంగాణ · omniglot.com: telugu · en.wikipedia.org: Cheriyal scroll painting · GI Registry, application 4 · telangana.gov.in: state symbols · unesco.org: hyderabad; traditions from the India map’s sources.
ত্রিপুরা
State · Capital Agartala · 3.7 million people (2011)
KhulumkhaI bow to you in Kokborok
Risa weaving. Risa, a handwoven fabric of Tripura's tribal communities, completes women's traditional attire with rignai and rikutu in stripes and vibrant geometric motifs. Tripura Risa textile holds a GI tag (2024).
Hojagiri, a Reang dance
Kharchi Puja; Garia Puja
Berma (fermented fish); bamboo-shoot dishes
Animal: Phayre's langur · Bird: Green imperial pigeon · Flower: Nageswar (Indian rose chestnut) · Tree: Agar (agarwood)
Pineapple is Tripura's state fruit, and its GI-tagged Queen pineapple is known for an aromatic profile and low-fibre texture.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · bn.wikipedia.org: ত্রিপুরা · en.wiktionary.org: khulumkha · youngintach.org: maps craft tripura · GI Registry, application 893 · tripura.gov.in (archived): state symbols · pib.gov.in: PressReleasePage; traditions from the India map’s sources.
उत्तर प्रदेश
State · Capital Lucknow · 200 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Chikankari is an embroidery style from Uttar Pradesh renowned for delicate, intricate white-on-white threadwork, practised primarily in Lucknow.
Banaras brocades and sarees, GI tag 2009
Kathak; Ramlila (UNESCO, 2008); the shehnai of Varanasi
Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj); Dev Deepawali (Varanasi)
Petha (Agra); peda (Mathura); malaiyo (Varanasi)
Agra Fort · Taj Mahal · Fatehpur Sikri · Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath
Animal: Swamp deer (Barasingha) · Bird: Sarus crane · Flower: Palash · Tree: Ashoka
Varanasi, considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, joined UNESCO's Creative Cities Network for music in 2015.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: उत्तर प्रदेश · omniglot.com: hindi · youngintach.org: maps craft uttar pradesh · GI Registry, application 99 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · unesco.org: varanasi; traditions from the India map’s sources.
उत्तराखण्ड
State · Capital Dehradun · 10.1 million people (2011)
नमस्तेNamaste: hello in Hindi
Aipan is Uttarakhand's Kumaoni folk art of white rice-flour designs, drawn mostly by women on brick-red walls and floors. Uttarakhand Aipan holds a GI tag (2021).
Ramman (UNESCO, 2009); Jagar ritual singing; dhol-damau
Kumbh Mela (Haridwar); Nanda Devi Raj Jat, traditionally every twelve years
Bal mithai (Almora); singori
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
Animal: Musk deer · Bird: Himalayan monal · Flower: Brahma kamal · Tree: Burans
Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, established in 1936, was India's first national park.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · hi.wikipedia.org: उत्तराखण्ड · omniglot.com: hindi · en.wikipedia.org: Aipan art · GI Registry, application 648 · forest.uk.gov.in (archived): 63 state symbols · en.wikipedia.org: Jim Corbett National Park; traditions from the India map’s sources.
পশ্চিমবঙ্গ
State · Capital Kolkata · 91.3 million people (2011)
Kalighat painting originated in 19th-century Kolkata, West Bengal, where patua artists used bold outlines and vibrant colours for mythological and everyday scenes.
Baluchari saree, GI tag 2012
Baul songs; Rabindra Sangeet
Durga Puja (UNESCO, 2021); Poila Baisakh
Rosogolla (GI, 2017); mishti doi; sandesh
Mountain Railways of India · Sundarbans National Park · Santiniketan
Animal: Fishing cat · Bird: White-throated kingfisher · Flower: Night-flowering jasmine (Seuli) · Tree: Blackboard tree (Chhatim)
Kolkata-born Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, the first non-European to receive it.
Sources: Census of India 2011 · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · bn.wikipedia.org: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ · en.wikipedia.org: Kalighat painting · GI Registry, application 173 · Wildlife Institute of India repository · en.wikipedia.org: Rabindranath Tagore; traditions from the India map’s sources.
The map draws these two as one outline.