North India

North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority population, while Tibeto-Burmans (speaking Tibeto-Burman languages) form the significant minority population. It extends from the Himalayan mountain range in the north to the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Thar Desert, till Central Highlands. It occupies nearly two-quarters of the area and population of India and includes one of the three mega cities of India: Delhi. In a more specific and administrative sense, North India can also be used to denote the northern Indo-Gangetic Plain within this broader expanse, to the Thar Desert.

Several major rivers flow through the region including the Indus, the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Narmada rivers. North India includes the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Occasionally, states of Western, Central and Eastern India are referred as "North Indian" in a broader term.Template:R

Majority in North India speak Indo-Aryan languages. The region was the historical centre of the ancient Vedic culture, the Mahajanapadas, the medieval Delhi Sultanate and the modern Mughal India and Indian Empire, among many others. It has a diverse culture, and includes the Hindu pilgrimage centres of Char Dham, Haridwar, Varanasi, Vindhyachal, Ayodhya, Mathura, Prayagraj, Vaishno Devi and Pushkar, the Buddhist pilgrimage centres of Sarnath and Kushinagar, the Sikh pilgrimage centre of Golden Temple, as well as world heritage sites such as the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Khajuraho Temples, Hill Forts of Rajasthan, Jantar Mantar (Jaipur), Qutb Minar, Red Fort, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and the Taj Mahal. North India's culture developed as a result of interaction between these Hindu and Muslim religious traditions.

Northern Region/Zone

File:Zonal Councils.svg

States under Northern Zonal Council in orange

The terms 'North Zone,' 'North Region,' or 'Northern Cultural Zone' are used by various ministries of the Government of India to refer to the northernmost administrative division of the country, whether one of four or six. These terms are distinct from 'North India,' which refers to a much larger geo-cultural region.

Government of India definitions

The Northern Zonal Council is one of the advisory councils, created in 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act to foster interstate co-operation under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which included the states of Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The Ministry of Culture established the North Culture Zone in Patiala, Punjab on 23 March 1985. It differs from the North Zonal Council in its inclusion of Uttarakhand and the omission of Delhi.

The Geological Survey of India (part of the Ministry of Mines) in its Northern Region, included Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, but excluded Rajasthan and Chandigarh, with a regional headquarters in Lucknow.

Colloquial definitions of Northern Region/Zone

Indian press definition

The Hindu newspaper puts Bihar, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh related articles on its North pages. Articles in the Indian press have included the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal in North as well.

Latitude-based definition

The Tropic of Cancer, which divides the temperate zone from the tropical zone in the Northern Hemisphere, runs through India, and could theoretically be regarded as a geographical dividing line in the country. Indian states that are entirely above the Tropic of Cancer are Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and most of North East Indian states. However that definition would also include major parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal and minor regions of Chhattisgarh and Gujarat.

Anecdotal usage

In Maharashtra, the term "North Indian" is sometimes used to describe migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, often using the term bhaiya (which literally means 'elder brother') along with it in a derogatory sense. However within Uttar Pradesh (literally meaning "North Province" in Hindi) itself, "the cultural divide between the east and the west is considerable, with the purabiyas (easterners) often being clubbed with Biharis in the perception of the westerners." The Government of Bihar official site places the state in the eastern part of India. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are often considered as being a part of north India, however, within most modern definitions of North India, Bihar is not included.

History

Ancient era

By 55,000 years ago, the first modern humans, or Homo sapiens, had arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa, where they had earlier evolved. The earliest known modern human remains in South Asia date to about 30,000 years ago. After 6500 BC, evidence for domestication of food crops and animals, construction of permanent structures, and storage of agricultural surplus appeared in Mehrgarh and other sites in Balochistan, Pakistan.Template:Sfn These gradually developed into the Indus Valley Civilisation,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn the first urban culture in South Asia,Template:Sfn which flourished during 2500–1900 BC north-western Indian subcontinent.Template:Sfn Among its urban centres, Kalibangan (in Rajasthan) and Rakhigarhi (in Haryana) were prominent.Template:Sfn These cities participated in a complex system of urban planning, long-distance trade, and craft production, sustained through a variety of subsistence strategies.

File:Kalibangan pre-Harappan structures.jpg

Urban planning and fire altars at Kalibangan reflect Harappan-era religious and civic life in northwestern India.

Between 2000 BC and 1500 BC, several waves of Indo-Aryan migrations from Central Asia occurred and these migrants settled in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The Vedas, the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism,Template:Sfn were composed during this period,Template:Sfn and historians have analysed these to posit a Vedic culture in the Punjab region and the upper Gangetic Plain.Template:Sfn During the period Template:BCE, many regions of the subcontinent transitioned from the Chalcolithic cultures to the Iron Age ones.Template:Sfn The caste system, which created a hierarchy of priests (Brahmins), warriors Kshatriyas, and commoners and peasants (Vaishyas and Shudras), and but which excluded certain peoples whose occupations were considered impure, arose during this period.Template:Sfn

In the late Vedic period, around the 6th century BCE, the small states and chiefdoms of the Ganges Plain and the north-western regions had consolidated into 16 major oligarchies and monarchies that were known as the mahajanapadas.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Among these, Kuru, Panchala, Kosala, and Kashi, all located in present-day Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, figured prominently. The emerging urbanisation gave rise to non-Vedic religious movements, two of which became independent religions. Jainism came into prominence during the life of its exemplar, Mahavira.Template:Sfn Buddhism, based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, attracted followers from all social classes excepting the middle class; chronicling the life of the Buddha was central to the beginnings of recorded history in India.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn In an age of increasing urban wealth, both religions held up renunciation as an ideal,Template:Sfn and both established long-lasting monastic traditions. Notably, cities like Sarnath, Shravasti, and Kushinagar, became closely associated with the life of the Buddha and the early Buddhist sangha.

File:Ashoka Pillar, Allahabad, 1870.jpg

The Ashoka Pillar at Prayagraj also contains inscriptions attributed to the Gupta emperor Samudragupta.

Politically, by the 3rd century BCE, the Kingdom of Magadha had annexed or reduced other states and evolved into the Magadha Empire under the House of Maurya.Template:Sfn Although the Mauryan capital was located in Pataliputra, cities such as Kaushambi and Prayag in Uttar Pradesh gained prominence as administrative and religious centres. The Magadhan Mauryan emperors are known as much for their empire-building and determined management of public life as for Ashoka's renunciation of militarism and far-flung advocacy of the Buddhist dhamma.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Under Ashoka, the spread of Buddhism was institutionalised, and pillar inscriptions appeared across northern India, including sites in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

By the 4th and 5th centuries, the House of Gupta of Magadha had created a complex system of administration and taxation in the greater Ganges Plain; this system became a model for later Indian kingdoms.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Under the Guptas, a renewed Hinduism based on devotion, rather than the management of ritual, began to assert itself.Template:Sfn This renewal was reflected in a flowering of sculpture and architecture, which found patrons among an urban elite.Template:Sfn Classical Sanskrit literature flowered as well, and Indian science, astronomy, medicine, and mathematics made significant advances.Template:Sfn

Following the decline of the Guptas, the Indian early medieval age, from 600 to 1200 AD, is defined by regional kingdoms and cultural diversity.Template:Sfn When Harsha of Kannauj, who ruled much of the Indo-Gangetic Plain from  CE, attempted to expand southwards, he was defeated by the Chalukya ruler of the Deccan.Template:Sfn When his successor attempted to expand eastwards, he was defeated by the Pala king of Bengal.Template:Sfn In Rajasthan, a constellation of Rajput clans rose to power, forging new dynasties and asserting martial values through courtly traditions and fortified architecture.

At the same time, the hill regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand remained under smaller principalities, shaped by geographic isolation and local cultural traditions. In the plains, cities such as Ajmer, Kannauj, and Varanasi emerged as religious and commercial centres, supported by an expanding temple economy and patronage networks. During this time, pastoral peoples, whose land had been cleared to make way for the growing agricultural economy, were accommodated within caste society, as were new non-traditional ruling classes.Template:Sfn The caste system consequently began to show regional differences.Template:Sfn

Indo-Muslim era

After the 10th century, Muslim Central Asian nomadic clans, using swift-horse cavalry and raising vast armies united by ethnicity and religion, repeatedly overran South Asia's north-western plains. A general Qutub-ud-din Aibak declared his independence and established the Sultanate of Delhi in 1206.Template:Sfn The sultanate was to control much of North India and to make many forays into South India. Although at first disruptive for the Indian elites, the sultanate largely left its vast non-Muslim subject population to its own laws and customs.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn By repeatedly repulsing Mongol raiders in the 13th century, the sultanate saved India from the devastation visited on West and Central Asia, setting the scene for centuries of migration of fleeing soldiers, learned men, mystics, traders, artists, and artisans from that region into the subcontinent, thereby creating a syncretic Indo-Islamic culture in the north.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

File:Babur introduced field guns at panipat, 1526.jpg

The three Battles of Panipat fought in 1526, 1556, and 1761 were pivotal in shaping the political landscape of North India.

In the early 16th century, northern India, then under mainly Muslim rulers,Template:Sfn fell again to the superior mobility and firepower of a new generation of Central Asian warriors.Template:Sfn A Turco-Mongol emir, Zahir-ud-din Mohammad "Babur", after defeating the Delhi Sultanate, upgraded himself from Emir and proclaimed himself as the Padishah of Hindustan. His successors were called Mughals or Moguls by European historians owing to the dynasty's Mongol origins. They did not stamp out the local societies it came to rule. Instead, it balanced and pacified them through new administrative practicesTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn and diverse and inclusive ruling elites,Template:Sfn leading to more systematic, centralised, and uniform rule.Template:Sfn Eschewing tribal bonds and Islamic identity, especially under Akbar, the Mughals united their far-flung realms through loyalty, expressed through a Persianised culture, to an emperor who had near-divine status.Template:Sfn

The State's economic policies, deriving most revenues from agricultureTemplate:Sfn and mandating that taxes be paid in the well-regulated silver currency,Template:Sfn caused peasants and artisans to enter larger markets.Template:Sfn The relative peace maintained by the empire during much of the 17th century was a factor in the economic expansion of the region,Template:Sfn resulting in greater patronage of painting, literary forms, textiles, and architecture.Template:Sfn During this time, religious movements such as Sikhism grew in strength in Punjab, particularly under later Gurus, who adopted a militarised posture in response to growing Mughal intolerance.

Modern era

By the early 18th century, Mughal authority had weakened. In its place, regional powers in northern and western India, such as the Marathas, the Rajputs, and the Sikhs asserted political control.Template:Sfn This fragmentation, coupled with growing European trading influence,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn created conditions that favoured British expansion. The East India Company, leveraging military superiority and access to local revenue systems, took control of much of North India by the early 19th century.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn The annexation of Delhi (1803) and Oudh (1856) consolidated British political authority across the region.Template:Sfn By this time, with its economic power severely curtailed by the British Parliament and having effectively been made an arm of British administration, the East India Company began more consciously to enter non-economic arenas, including education, social reform, and culture.Template:Sfn

File:Indian Rebellion of 1857.jpg

A 1912 map of Northern India, showing the major centres of the Indian Rebellion of 1857

The appointment in 1848 of Lord Dalhousie as Governor General of India set the stage for changes essential to a modern state. These included the consolidation and demarcation of sovereignty, the surveillance of the population, and the education of citizens. Technological changes—among them, railways, canals, and the telegraph—were introduced not long after their introduction in Europe.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn However, disaffection with the company also grew during this time and set off the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Fed by diverse resentments and perceptions, including invasive British-style social reforms, harsh land taxes, and summary treatment of some rich landowners and princes, the rebellion rocked many regions of northern and central India and shook the foundations of Company rule.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn This widespread revolt saw intense fighting and significant uprisings in key northern cities like Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, and Meerut, which became focal points of resistance against British control.

Although the rebellion was suppressed by 1858, it led to the dissolution of the East India Company and the direct administration of British territories in India by the British Crown. Proclaiming a unitary state and a gradual but limited British-style parliamentary system, the new rulers also protected princes and landed gentry as a feudal safeguard against future unrest.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn In 1861, a supreme legislature for India was established — the Imperial Legislative Council of India. Further reforms also created a unified bank — the Imperial Bank of India, a police force — the Indian Imperial Police and a unified army — the Imperial Indian Army. In 1876, the Crown-ruled India and the numerous Indian states under the Crown's suzerainty formed a loose political union called the Indian Empire, and Queen Victoria was crowned the Empress of India in 1877. In the decades following, public life gradually emerged all over India, leading eventually to the founding of the Indian National Congress in 1885.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

The rush of technology and the commercialisation of agriculture in the second half of the 19th century was marked by economic setbacks, and many small farmers became dependent on the whims of far-away markets.Template:Sfn There was an increase in the number of large-scale famines,Template:Sfn and, despite the risks of infrastructure development borne by Indian taxpayers, little industrial employment was generated for Indians.Template:Sfn There were also salutary effects: commercial cropping, especially in the newly canalled Punjab, led to increased food production for internal consumption.Template:Sfn The railway network provided critical famine relief,Template:Sfn notably reduced the cost of moving goods,Template:Sfn and helped nascent Indian-owned industry.Template:Sfn The imperial capital was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.

File:Delhi Rajpath India Gate.jpg

The India Gate stands as a memorial to 74,187 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died between 1914 and 1921 in the First World War.

After World War I, in which approximately one million Indians served in the Indian Army,Template:Sfn a new period began. It was marked by the enactment of the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms as the Government of India Act 1919 but also repressive legislation, by more strident Indian calls for self-rule, and by the beginnings of a nonviolent movement of non-co-operation, of which Mahatma Gandhi would become the leader and enduring symbol.Template:Sfn During the 1930s, slow legislative reform was enacted; the Indian National Congress won victories in the resulting elections.Template:Sfn The next decade was beset with crises: Indian participation in World War II, the Congress's final push for non-co-operation, and an upsurge of Muslim nationalism. All were capped by the advent of independence in 1947, but tempered by the partition of India into two states: India and Pakistan.Template:Sfn

Contemporary era

The partition of India caused significant upheaval, especially in Punjab and Delhi, with widespread violence and population displacement. Jammu and Kashmir, which acceded to India amid conflict, became a central point of territorial disputes involving India, Pakistan, and China. In the decades after independence, North India underwent major administrative changes. The princely states of the Rajputana Agency were merged to form Rajasthan in 1949. In 1966, Punjab was reorganised along linguistic lines, creating Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and the present-day Punjab. Punjab also experienced a separatist insurgency in the 1980s. The Union Territory of Delhi was renamed the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1991, gaining a legislative assembly with limited powers. The Uttarakhand movement, which gained traction in 1994, culminated with Uttarakhand being carved out of Uttar Pradesh as a separate hill state in 2000.

In 2019, the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India changed Jammu and Kashmir's status, dividing it into two union territories Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Geography

File:A sunset on the dunes of the Great Indian Thar Desert Rajasthan India.jpg

Sunset on the sand dunes at Thar Desert located in North Indian state of Rajasthan

North India lies mainly on continental India, north of peninsular India. Towards its north are the Himalayas which define the boundary between the Indian subcontinent and the Tibetan Plateau. To its west is the Thar Desert, shared between North India and Pakistan and the Aravalli Range, beyond which lies the state of Gujarat. The Vindhya mountains are, in some interpretations, taken to be the southern boundary of North India.

The predominant geographical features of North India are:

• the Indo-Gangetic plain, which spans the states and union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
• the Himalayas and sub-Himalayan belt, which lie in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal;
• the Thar Desert, which lies mainly in the state of Rajasthan.

The states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir also have a large forest coverage.

General climate

File:India and South Asia Köppen climate map with legend.jpg

India's Köppen climate classification map is based on native vegetation, temperature, precipitation and their seasonality. Major categories:

  (Am) Tropical monsoon

  (Aw) Tropical savanna, wet & dry

  (BWh) Hot desert

  (BWk) Cold desert

  (BSh) Hot semi arid

  (Cwa) Monsoon-influenced humid subtropical

  (Cwb) Subtropical highland

North India lies mainly in the north temperate zone of the Earth. Though cool or cold winters, hot summers, and moderate monsoons are the general patterns, North India is one of the most climatically diverse regions on Earth. During summer, temperatures often rise above 35 °C across much of the Indo-Gangetic plain, reaching as high as 50 °C in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, and up to 49 °C in Delhi. During winter, the lowest temperatures on the plains dip below 5 °C and drop below freezing in some states. Heavy to moderate snowfall occurs in Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. Much of North India is also notorious for heavy fog during the winters.

Extreme temperatures among inhabited regions have ranged from in Dras, Ladakh to 50.6 °C (123 °F) in Alwar, Rajasthan. Dras is claimed to be the second-coldest inhabited place on the planet (after Siberia), with a recorded low of −60 °C.

New Delhi
Climate chart (explanation)
Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header     19     20 7     20     23 10     15     29 15     21     36 21     25     39 25     70     39 27     237     35 27     235     34 26     113     34 25     17     33 19     9     28 13     9     23 9 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm Source: NOAA
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.7     69 45     0.8     74 50     0.6     85 60     0.8     97 70     1     103 78     2.8     102 81     9.3     94 80     9.3     92 79     4.4     94 76     0.7     91 67     0.4     83 56     0.4     73 47 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

Amritsar
Climate chart (explanation)
Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header Template:Climate chart/month header     24     19 4     33     22 6     48     27 11     29     34 16     25     39 21     62     39 25     231     35 25     187     34 25     96     35 22     18     32 15     6     27 9     18     21 4 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm Source: NOAA
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.9     67 39     1.3     71 43     1.9     80 52     1.1     93 61     1     102 70     2.4     103 76     9.1     95 78     7.4     94 77     3.8     94 72     0.7     90 59     0.2     81 48     0.7     70 40 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

Precipitation

The region receives heavy rain in plains and light snow on Himalayas precipitation through two primary weather patterns: the Southwest Monsoon and the Western Disturbances. The Monsoon carries moisture northwards from the Indian Ocean, occurs in late summer and is important to the Kharif or autumn harvest. Western Disturbances, on the other hand, are an extratropical weather phenomenon that carry moisture eastwards from the Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They primarily occur during the winter season and are critically important for the Rabi or spring harvest, which includes the main staple over much of North India, wheat. The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand receive very heavy snowfall in winter months, however glacial and alpine areas receive snowfall throughout the year in these states.

Traditional seasons

Northern Indian tradition recognises six distinct seasons in the region: summer (grishma or garmi (jyesth- ashadh), May–June), rainy (varsha (shravan-bhadra), July–August), post-monsoon (sharad (ashivan-kartik), September–October, sometimes thought of as 'early autumn'), autumn (hemant (margh-paush), November–December, also called patjhar, lit. leaf-fall), winter (shishir or sardi (magh-phagun),January–February) and spring (vasant (chaitra-baishakh), March–April). The literature, poetry and folklore of the region uses references to these six seasons quite extensively and has done so since ancient times when Sanskrit was prevalent. In the mountainous areas, sometimes the winter is further divided into "big winter" (e.g. Kashmiri chillai kalaan) and "little winter" (chillai khurd).

Demographics

The people of North India mostly belong to the Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic branch, and include various social groups such as Brahmins, Rajputs, Gadarias, Kayasthas, Banias, Jats, Rors, Gurjars, Kolis, Yadavs, Khatris and Kambojs. Minority ethno-linguistic groups including Dravidians, Tibeto-Burmans and Austroasiatics exist throughout the region.

Population of states and union territories of North India
(2011 Census of India)

State or Union Territory	Population	Growth (2001–2012)	2025 Population Estimate	Rural pop.		Urban pop.		Density (per sq km) Template:Efn	Sex ratio (per 1000 female)
				Nos.	%	Nos.	%
States
Haryana	Template:Nts	19.9%	30,936,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	573	879
Himachal Pradesh	Template:Nts	12.9%	7,542,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	123	972
Punjab	Template:Nts	13.89%	31,122,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	551	895
Rajasthan	Template:Nts	21.3%	82,770,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	201	928
Uttar Pradesh	Template:Nts	20.2%	240,468,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	828	912
Uttarakhand	Template:Nts	18.8%	11,874,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	189	963
Union Territories
Chandigarh	Template:Nts	17.2%	1,255,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	9,252	818
Jammu and Kashmir	Template:Nts	23.6%	13,798,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	297	890
Ladakh	Template:Nts	17.8%	304,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	2.8	853
NCT of Delhi	Template:Nts	21.2%	22,146,000	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	Template:Nts	Template:Pct	11,297	868

Religion

Hinduism is the dominant religion in North India. Other religions practised by various ethnic communities include Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Baháʼí, Christianity, and Buddhism. Hindus constitute more than 80 per cent of the North India's population. The national capital of India, New Delhi, is overwhelmingly Hindu-majority with Hindus constituting nearly 90% of the capital city's population. The states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh are overwhelmingly Hindu-majority. Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are also Hindu majority states, but have a large Muslim minority (14% In Uttarakhand, 19% in Uttar Pradesh). The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has a Muslim majority, while Ladakh has a Muslim plurality with minority Hindus and Buddhists. The state of Punjab has a Sikh majority of 60% and is the homeland of Sikh religion.

Languages

File:Indo-Aryan languages.png

Distribution of Indo-Aryan languages

Linguistically, North India is dominated by Indo-Aryan languages. It is in this region, or its proximity, that Sanskrit and the various Prakrits are thought to have evolved. Hindi is spoken in Western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and by a large number of people in many urban centres across North India. Many other languages of the Central Indo-Aryan languages such as Awadhi, Braj, Haryanvi, Chhattisgarhi, Bundeli and Bagheli are spoken in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Marwari, Harauti, Malvi, Gujarati, Khandeshi, Marathi and Konkani are spoken in Rajasthan, extreme eastern Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. Towards the far north, languages of Dardic (such as Kashmiri) and Pahari (such as Dogri, Kumaoni and Garhwali) groups are spoken in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand. Punjabi is spoken in Punjab. Bengali is spoken in West Bengal. Languages of Bihari group, such as Maithili, Magahi and Bhojpuri are spoken in Bihar and Jharkhand.

A number of aboriginal languages of Austroasiatic and Dravidian origin are spoken in some regions. Several Sino-Tibetan languages are spoken in the Himalayan region like Kinnauri, Ladakhi, Balti, and Lahuli–Spiti languages.

Culture

File:Hindu bride in Lehenga.jpg

North Indian Hindu bride in Lehenga

The composite culture of North India is known as Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, a result of the amicable interaction of Hindus and Muslims there.

Dance

Dance of North India too has diverse folk and classical forms. Among the well-known folk dances are the bhangra of the Punjab, Ghoomar of Rajasthan, Nati of Himachal Pradesh and rouf and bhand pather of Kashmir. Main dance forms, many with narrative forms and mythological elements, have been accorded classical dance status by India's National Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama such as Kathak.

Clothing

Each state of North India has its own regional forms of clothing:

1. Uttar Pradesh: Chikan Suit, Pathani Salwar, Kurta Paijama, Lehenga, Gharara, Sari.
2. Jammu: Kurta/Dogri suthan and kurta/churidar pajama and kurta.
3. Kashmir: Phiran and poots.
4. Himachal Pradesh: Shalwar kameez, Kurta, Churidar, Dhoti, Himachali cap and angarkha.
5. Punjab/Haryana: Salwar (Punjabi) Suit, Patiala salwar, Punjabi Tamba and Kurta, Sikh Dastar, Phulkari, Punjabi Ghagra.
6. Uttarakhand: Rangwali Phichora.
7. Rajasthan: Traditional: Ghagra, choli, and odhni for women. Rajasthani pagdi, angarkha/kurta, and dhoti/pyjamas for Men. Mojari are worn for footwear. The pagdi is worn on many occasions, and is part of the heritage of Rajasthan with its many colours and textile design (Leheriya, Bandhej, and Gota Patti). Semi-Formal/Formal: Women often wear the Poshak, historically worn by royalty, and men often wear the Safa/Pagdi, Bandhgala (Jodhpuri suit) along with traditional pants like churidars, dhotis, and Jodhpuri pants. Footwear includes mojari, similar to the shoes found in Sindh.

Flora and fauna

File:Chinkara.jpg

Chinkara in Madhya Pradesh, India

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Goat at Great Himalayan national Park in Himachal Pradesh

North Indian vegetation is predominantly subtropical evergreen forest in Uttar Pradesh, subtropical deciduous forest in East Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, hot desert in western Rajasthan, Montane ecosystem in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, J&K, and cold desert in Ladakh, and the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Of the moist deciduous trees sal, teak, Mahogany, sheesham (Indian rosewood) and poplar are some which are important commercially. The thorn woodland region mainly contains shrubs and trees like babul, khejri, ronjh, and khair along with dhok and palash in upland regions. The Western Himalayan region abounds in chir, pine, deodar (Himalayan cedar), blue pine, spruce, various firs, birch and junipers. The birch, especially, has historical significance in Indian culture due to the extensive use of birch paper (Template:Langx) as parchment for many ancient Indian texts. The Eastern Himalayan region consists of oaks, laurels, maples, rhododendrons, alder, birch and dwarf willows. Reflecting the diverse climatic zones and terrain contained in the region, the floral variety is extensive and ranges from Alpine to Cloud forests, coniferous to evergreen, and thick subtropical moist forests to cool temperate woods.

There are around 500 varieties of mammals, 2000 species of birds, 30,000 types of insects and a wide variety of fish, amphibians and reptiles in the region. Animal species in North India include elephant, bengal tiger, indian leopard, snow leopard, sambar (Asiatic stag), chital (spotted deer), hangul (red deer), hog deer, chinkara (Indian gazelle), blackbuck, nilgai (blue bull antelope), porcupine, wild boar, Indian fox, Tibetan sand fox, rhesus monkey, langur, jungle cat, striped hyena, golden jackal, black bear, Himalayan brown bear, sloth bear, and the endangered caracal.

Reptiles are represented by a large number of snake and lizard species, as well as the ghariyal and crocodiles. Venomous snakes found in the region include king cobra and krait. Various scorpion, spider and insect species include the commercially useful honeybees, silkworms and lac insects. The strikingly coloured bir bahuti is also found in this region.

The region has a wide variety of birds, including peafowl, parrots, and thousands of immigrant birds, such as the Siberian crane. Other birds include pheasants, geese, ducks, mynahs, parakeets, pigeons, cranes (including the celebrated sarus crane), and hornbills. great pied hornbill, Pallas's fishing eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, red-thighed falconet are found in the Himalayan areas. Other birds found here are tawny fish owl, scale-bellied woodpecker, red-breasted parakeet, Himalayan swiftlet, stork-billed kingfisher and Himalayan or white-tailed rubythroat.

Wildlife parks and reserves

Important national parks and tiger reserves of North India include:

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Sultan- The largest tiger of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

Pilibhit Tiger Reserve: It is the most narrowly-forested reserve among all the Tiger reserves of India with density of 11 tigers per 100 km²,Template:Efn The reserve's 97.6% area is located in Pilibhit district and 2.4% in Shahjahanpur district in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. The core area of the reserve contains 127 species of mammals, 556 birds species, 37 species of reptiles and 87 species of amphibians, as well as 79 species of fishes, As of August 2025, reserve officials confirmed that reserve's core area hosts more than 79 adult tigers.Template:Efn

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Jim Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park: It was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park along the banks of the Ramganga River. It is India's first National Park, and was designated a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973. Situated in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, the park acts as a protected area for the critically endangered Bengal tiger of India. Cradled in the foothills of the Himalayas, it comprises a total area of 500 km² out of which 350 km² is core reserve. This park is known not only for its rich and varied wildlife but also for its scenic beauty.

Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park: Located in West Himalaya, in the state of Uttarakhand, these two national parks constitute a biosphere reserve that is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004. The Valley of Flowers is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora, this richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals.

Dachigam National Park: Dachigam is a higher altitude national reserve in the state of Jammu and Kashmir that ranges from 5,500 to 14,000 feet above sea level. It is home to the hangul (a red deer species, also called the Kashmir stag).

Great Himalayan National Park: This park is located in Himachal Pradesh and ranges in altitude from 5,000 to 17,500 feet. Wildlife resident here includes the snow leopard, the Himalayan brown bear and the musk deer.

Desert National Park: Located in Rajasthan, this national reserve features extensive sand dunes and dry salt lakes. Wildlife unique to the region includes the desert fox and the great Indian bustard.

Kanha National Park: The sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha were the setting for Rudyard Kipling's collection of stories, "The Jungle Book". The Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh came into being in 1955 and forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger.

Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary: Located in the state of Bihar, it is the only protected zone for the endangered Ganges and Indus river dolphin.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary: It is one of the finest bird parks in the world, it is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by sambar, chital, nilgai and boar.

Dudhwa National Park: It covers an area of 500 km² along the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri District of Uttar Pradesh, is best known for the barasingha or swamp deer. The grasslands and woodlands of this park, consist mainly of sal forests. The barasingha is found in the southwest and southeast regions of the park. Among the big cats, tigers abound at Dudhwa. There are also a few leopards. The other animals found in large numbers, are the Indian rhinoceros, elephant, jungle cats, leopard cats, fishing cats, jackals, civets, sloth bears, sambar, otters, crocodiles and chital.

Ranthambhore National Park: It spans an area of 400 km² with an estimated head count of thirty two tigers is perhaps India's finest example of Project Tiger, a conservation effort started by the government in an attempt to save the dwindling number of tigers in India. Situated near the small town of Sawai Madhopur it boasts of variety of plant and animal species of North India.

Kalesar National Park: Kalesar is a sal forest in the Shivalik Hills of eastern Haryana state. Primarily known for birds, it also contains a small number of tigers and panthers.

Sultanpur National Park: Sultanpur is a Ramsar wetland in Gurgaon district of southern Haryana along the Sahibi River. It is primarily known for the numerous migratory birds that come during winter with over 130 species being recorded such as Amur falcons and Egyptian vultures with antelopes like the nilgai also being common. Main vegetation is thorn forest which includes babul, neem, and khair.

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary: Asola is a dry forest spanning South Delhi, Gurgaon, and Faridabad district in Delhi and Haryana. It is located in the foothills of the Aravalli Range. The main vegetation is thorn forest which includes babul, dhok, palash, khejri, and khair. The primary fauna of this forest includes the Indian leopard, golden jackal, jungle cat, and striped hyena.

Places of interest

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Akshardham Temple, Delhi

Nature

The Indian Himalayas, the Thar desert and the Indo-Gangetic plain dominate the natural scenery of North India. The region encompasses several of the most highly regarded hill destinations of India such as Srinagar, Shimla, Manali, Nainital, Mussoorie, Kausani and Mount Abu. Several spots in the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh provide panoramic views of the snow-clad Himalayan range. The Himalayan region also provides ample opportunity for adventure sports such as mountaineering, trekking, river rafting and skiing. Camel or jeep safaris of the Thar desert are also popular in the state of Rajasthan. North India includes several national parks and reserve area such as the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Jim Corbett National Park, Keoladeo National Park Ranthambore National Park, Sundarbans National Park and the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary.

Pilgrimage

North India encompasses several of the holiest pilgrimage centres of Hinduism (Varanasi, Haridwar, Allahabad, Char Dham, Vaishno Devi, Rishikesh, Ayodhya, Mathura/Vrindavan, Pushkar, Prayag and two of the twelve Jyotirlinga sites), the most sacred destinations of Buddhism (Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar), the most regarded pilgrimage centres of Sikhism (Amritsar and Hemkund) and some of the highly regarded destinations in Sufi Islam (Ajmer and Delhi). The largest Hindu temple, Akshardham Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in India, Mahabodhi, the largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid, and the largest Sikh shrine, Golden Temple, are all in this region.

Historical

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The Taj Mahal at Agra

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Amer Fort in Rajasthan

North India includes some highly regarded historical, architectural and archaeological treasures of India. The Taj Mahal, an immense mausoleum of white marble in Agra, is one of the universally admired buildings of world heritage. Besides Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Delhi also carry some great exhibits from the Mughal architecture. In Punjab, Patiala is known for being the city of royalty while Amritsar is a city known for its Sikh architecture and the Golden Temple. Lucknow has the famous Awadhi Nawab culture while Kanpur reflects Anglo-Indian architecture with monuments like All Souls Cathedral, King Edward Memorial, Police Quarters, Cawnpore Woollen Mills, Cutchery Cemetery etc. Khajuraho temples constitute another famous world heritage site. The state of Rajasthan is known for exquisite palaces and forts of the Rajput clans. Historical sites and architecture from the ancient and medieval Hindu and Buddhist periods of Indian history, such as Jageshwar, Deogarh and Sanchi, as well as sites from the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilisation, such as Manda and Alamgirpur, can be found scattered throughout northern India. Varanasi, on the banks of the River Ganga, is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the second oldest in India after Nalanda. Bhimbetka is an archaeological site of the Paleolithic era, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent.

Economy

The economy of North India varies from agrarian in the northern plains to very industrialised in the National Capital Region. Northwest Indian plains have prospered as a consequence of the Green Revolution in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and have experienced both economic and social development. The eastern areas of East Uttar Pradesh, however, have lagged and the resulting disparity has contributed to a demand for separate statehood in West Uttar Pradesh (the Harit Pradesh movement).

The major industrial regions in North India are the Gurugram-Delhi-Meerut Belt (NCR). North Indian state with highest GDP per capita in the Indian Union was Haryana in 2021. Other North Indian states which follow are Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Delhi has the highest per-capita State Domestic Product (SDP) of any Indian union territory. The National Capital Region of Delhi has emerged as an economic power house with rapid industrial growth.

According to a 2009–10 report, a large number of unskilled and skilled workers have moved to southern India and other nations because of the unavailability of jobs locally. The technology boom that occurred in the past three decades in southern India has helped many Indians from the northern region to find jobs and live prosperous lives in southern cities. An analysis by Multidimensional Poverty Index creators reveals that acute poverty prevails in eight Indian states including the northern states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Cuisine

Popular dishes

The best-known North-Indian food items are:

• Tandoori chicken
• Reshmi kabab
• Kadai paneer
• Chole bhature
• Aloo paratha
• Butter chicken

See also

• Northeast India
• South India
• Northern South Asia

External links

• North Indian temple architecture
• Geographia.com: India
• Tourist places in North India