The term North India used to have various meanings depending upon the various connotations of the word India. In the pre-1947 context, the term corresponds to the non-peninsular region of the Indian subcontinent, including most parts of the modern states of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Now, the North Indian Territory corresponds to the non-peninsular region of the Republic of India including the area to the north of the Vindhya Mountains, Narmada River and Mahanadi River. The states that are generally referred to as North India are: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh. The National Capital Territory of Delhi is also a part of northern India.
The dominant geographic features of northern India are the Indo-Gangetic Plains, Rivers and the Himalayas. North India shows a stronger Aryan influence. The languages of northern India are preponderantly Indo-Aryan, and it is in this region that Sanskrit and the various Prakrits are thought to have first found a home in India. The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. This civilization is partly located in North India and partly in the neighboring country, Pakistan. Though the civilization was located in the North, the scripts identified at the archaeological site were found to be Proto-Dravidian.
The origin of sacred river Ganga, Yamuna and sources of many other important rivers are in northern India. The mighty Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh to Arunachal Pradesh safeguarding the country are also part of the northern India.
The entire north India from north-west to north-east is also very important, strategically and from country's safety point of view as well, as it borders Pakistan in the north-west, China in north and north-east, Nepal and Bhutan in north-east.
The languages spoken are Hindi, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Himachali, Urdu and English.
Climate plays a key factor in deciding when to visit India. The climatic conditions in the north is distinctly different to those of the south. The most pleasant time to visit places in the North is during the cooler periods of November to around mid-February. Tropical cotton for summers and Warm woolen for winter is recommended clothing.
North India has immense possibilities for tourism. From the Mighty Himalayas to the Lush Greenery of Himachal, be it cultural, heritage, pilgrimage, wildlife or adventure, North India is bubbling with captivating tourist destinations, including the Golden Triangle route.
All foreign visitors are required to carry a passport valid for 6 months. Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals. It is always advisable to make photocopies of important documents such as passport, visa and air tickets. They will be required in case the originals are lost.
All the North Indian states are comfortably connected with the capital Delhi and with the rest of India too.
By Air: Major North Indian cities are connected to Delhi by airways, making it easily accessible for tourists.
By Rail: There is a good network of Indian Railways which connects all the states and links with the rest of India too.
By Road: India is connected by a good set-up of national Highways which run throughout the country. Also many Govt. as well as private operators operate buses to major tourist destinations and private vehicles can be booked too for travel for a certain amount of period.
Local Transport: The most common mode of local transport in India are taxis and auto-rickshaws. Buses are one of the most popular public transports in the country with Govt. as well as private operators running and providing good services.
North India is culturally rich and diverse and is supported by very large cities: apart from the great metropolis of Delhi, the cities of Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Meerut, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Srinagar and Jammu are the major cities to see. There are many smaller but significant tourist destinations too which can be traveled to. The capital of India has some of the most outstanding monuments like Qutab Minar, Jama Mosque, Humayun's Tomb which were built by Mughal Emperors during their regime. The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, Northern India, is voted again in the recent poll as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is a major tourist attraction along with Varanasi, Delhi, Amritsar and Kashmir. The hill station tourist attractions are Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie, Nainital and Mussoorie.
Northern India is beautiful to visit with so many attractions from religious to adventurous to historically significant places and highly recommended to tourists who are fond of exploring India in her highest glory.
