North India

Taj Mahal.

North India is home to the world-famous Himalaya Mountain Range and has a complex history involving the Gupta, English, and Maurya empires, amongst others. It is home to several official World Heritage Sites; including the Taj Mahal, Valley of Flowers, Khajuraho, Bhimbetka Caves and Qutb Minar, which is the tallest brick minaret in the world, measuring 72.5 metres and constructed between 1193 and 1386. North India is also the location of several Hindu pilgrimage centres (Haridwar, Char Dham and Varanasi), a Muslim pilgrimage destination and the Buddhist Temple of Mahabodhi. This indicates its cultural diversity, making it a region of such unique multiplicity that its identity is truly distinguished.

The Himalayan Mountain Range is situated in the north of this region and forms the border between North India and Tibet. The Vindhya Mountain Range forms the southerly border. The area of North India boasts various types of landscapes and vegetations, creating a natural abundance as diverse as the cultures inhabiting them. The Thar Desert in the west is juxtaposed by the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chattisgarh. The Indo-Gangetic plains stretch across several states while the tall Himalayas loom over the land in majestic authority. Many travellers have visited India with the sole goal of reaching the summit, learning much about themselves and this country in the process.

North India is also varied in terms of its weather conditions, experiencing sweltering heat and icy cold in some areas, while other areas remain more temperate all year around. Generally, summers are hot, winters are cool to cold and the monsoon seasons are mild. However, places like Dras have experienced as low as -45 degrees Celsius in winter and areas such as Alwar have had days reaching a high of 50 degrees Celsius in summer!

The people of North India predominantly subscribe to Hinduism, Islam or Sikhism. Various states tend to display distinct tendencies towards certain religions. For example, Himachal Pradesh is predominantly Hindu, while Jammu and Kashmir are the only states that display a demographic of mostly Muslim people. North India received many of the Scythians during the 100’s Before our Common Era (BCE).

North India displays distinctly deciduous and coniferous vegetation. In addition, the climate varies considerably across the northern area. This means that its countryside is littered with beautiful trees of many different species, like the Walnut, Teak and Indian Rosewood. Around the Himalayas grow Blue Pine, Junipers, Oaks, Maples, Dwarf Willows, Laurels and Himalayan Cedars. The climatic variations have also meant an array of different types of vegetation, though. So, these trees are complemented by dense forests, Alpine areas, temperate thorns and evergreens.

India’s beautiful and rich variety of vegetation is home to an abundance of birds and other animals. In fact, there are over 2000 avian species and approximately 500 types of mammal. North India is known for its Snow Leopard, Elephant, Tiger, Nilgai, Hog Deer, Indian Fox, Rhesus Monkey, Jaguar, Caracal and Himalayan Brown Bear, amongst many others. In addition, the variety of birds, including the Peacock, Pheasant, Pallas’ and Grey-headed fishing eagles, have attracted birding enthusiasts from all over the world.

North India, as with the rest of this mysterious land of fusion, has enticed travellers for centuries. As it continues to lure people from all over the world, visitors gain an increased understanding of and appreciation for the natural and cultural treasures harboured here.

For more information, please view https://en.wikipedia.org/