City Palace, Udaipur

City Palace, Udaipur, is a palace complex in Udaipur, in the Indian state Rajasthan. It was built by the Maharana Udai Singh as the capital of the Sisodia Rajput clan in 1559, after he moved from Chittor. It is located on the east bank of the Lake Pichola and has several palaces built within its complex. Udaipur was the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar in the Rajputana Agency and its last capital.





The City Palace in Udaipur was built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in Rajasthan, a fusion of the Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles, and was built on a hill top that gives a panoramic view of the city and its surrounding, including several historic monuments such as the Lake Palace in Lake Pichola, the Jag Mandir on another island in the lake, the Jagdish Temple close to the palace, the Monsoon Palace on top of an overlooking hillock nearby and the Neemach Mata temple.



These structures are linked to the filming of the James Bond movie Octopussy, which features the Lake Palace and the Monsoon Palace. The subsequent publicity has resulted in the epithet of Udaipur as "Venice of the East". In 2009, Udaipur was rated the top city in the World's Best Awards by Travel + Leisure.

 

source : wikipedia.org

Udaipur - Most Romantic City of India

Udaipur, the capital of the former princely state of Mewar is a beautiful city in Rajasthan, India. Udaipur is also referred to as the "Venice of the East", the "Most Romantic City of India" and the "Kashmir of Rajasthan". Udaipur the “City of Lakes” is one among the most romantic and most beautiful cities of India. The city of Dawn, Udaipur is a lovely land around the azure water lakes, hemmed in by the lush hills of the Aravalis. A vision in white drenched in romance and beauty, Udaipur city of Rajasthan state is a fascinating blend of sights, sounds and experiences - an inspiration for the imagination of the poets, painters and writers. Udaipur's kaleidoscope of fairy-tale palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and narrow lanes strewn with stalls, carry the flavor of heroic past, epitomizing valor and chivalry. Their reflection in the placid waters of the Lake Pichhola is an enticing sight.

 Udaipur is a popular tourist destination in India. The lakes, palaces and lively workspaces and culture attract foreign and domestic visitors. It is a favourite marriage destination. Many celebrities, including film stars, business families, politicians chose Udaipur to hold marriage ceremonies and parties. Udaipur have three interconnected lakes - the Fateh Sagar Lake, the Lake Pichhola and the smaller Swaroop Sagar Lake; along with forts, palaces, temples, gardens, mountains and narrow lanes lines withdrawn with stalls, relives the reminisces of a heroic past, valor and chivalry. Udaipur city is easily accessible from all the major cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. Udaipur City


Udaipur is the jewel of Mewar - a kingdom ruled by the Sisodia dynasty for 1200 years. The foundation of the city has an interesting legend associated with it. According to it, Maharana Udai Singh, the founder, was hunting one day when he met a holy man meditating on a hill overlooking the Lake Pichhola.
The hermit blessed the Maharana and advised him to build a palace at this favourably located spot with a fertile valley watered by the stream, a lake, an agreeable altitude and an amphitheater of low mountains. Maharana followed the advise of the hermit and founded the city in 1559 A.D.
It was in Udaipur that legendary Maharana Pratap was born. Rana Pratap who fought against Emperor Akbar in 1576 is remembered throughout India for his bravery on the battlefield. The rulers of Udaipur never gave any of their women in marriage to the Mughals unlike some of the other royal houses of Rajputana.

source : udaipurplus.com

Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

Ganesh Chaturthi -  Also Called: Vinayaka Chaturthi


Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by Hindus all over India, as the birthday of the god of wisdom, knowledge and prosperity, Lord Ganesha. The celebrations continue from five to ten days, depending upon family traditions. It is believed that praying to Lord Ganesha leads to fulfilment of wishes and desires. His blessing removes all the obstacles from life. Although it is not known when this festival was first celebrated, but it is alleged to have been celebrated in Pune initially. Celebrations were started during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji to promote nationalism and give a feeling of unity. Ganapati is the son of Shiva and Parvati; various fables are attached to his birth. This elephant-headed god with Mooshak (rat) as his vehicle was created by Goddess Parvati from the sandalwood dough. It was she who infused life in Ganesha and asked him to guard at the door while she was in her bath. When Lord Shiva returned and was stopped by this unknown child Ganesha, Shiva in rage cut off the head of that child.


 As soon as Parvati got to know about the severing of head of her son, she asked Shiva to bring him to life again. Shiva then implanted the head of an elephant on Ganesha's body. This re-birth of Ganesha is celebrated as Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as 'Vinayaka Chaturthi' or 'Vinayaka Chavithi'.




History

 Ganesh Chaturthi is said to have been celebrated since the days of Maratha rulers: Satavahana, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta. Mainly celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh with a lot of zeal and splendour, Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular festival of Maharashtra. Ganesh Chaturthi was started by Chhatrapati Shivaji as a public event to promote traditions and nationalism, this festival was even celebrated by Peshwas to worship Ganapati as their family deity.



The festivities remained a family affair until the festival was revitalised by Bal Gangadhar  Tilak in the late 19th Century, to take the message of freedom struggle to all Indians. This festival brought in a feeling of unity and togetherness in Indians that helped in revival of their patriotic spirit. Through the medium of this festival he brought together all the classes of societies against British by getting rid of the caste differences.




 He stressed on it that Ganesh Chaturthi was a festival for everyone irrespective of the caste or class, and so he organised cultural events like dance dramas, musical nights, and religious gatherings on this festival.  That was the time when social and political gatherings weren't allowed by the British. Festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi that continued for ten days gave people of every religion the scope to interact and know each other. It is from that time this festival has been celebrated every year with great fervour all over the country


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source : ganeshchaturthigifts.com

The world’s biggest school in India

The world’s biggest school in India


 The first day in class for any new pupil can be an overwhelming experience, so imagine arriving for lessons as one of 40,000 pupils on the roll-call of the world's biggest school.
The latest edition of Guinness World Records awards the title to the City Montessori School (CMS) in Lucknow with 39,437 registered pupils in the 2010-2011 academic year.

The school says that enrollment numbers have already risen above 45,000, with 2,500 teachers, 3,700 computers, 1,000 classrooms -- and one of the hardest first-eleven cricket teams to break into.CMS, as it is known, was opened by Jagdish Gandhi and his wife Bharti in 1959 with a loan of 300 rupees ($6 at current rates) and just five pupils.

Today it sprawls over 20 sites in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state, and is as famous for its exam results and international exchange programmes as for its scale.

"The phenomenal growth of our school is a reflection of our efforts to please our parents with our service to their children," said Gandhi, who is still involved in the school's management at the age of 75.

"Our students have exceptional academic results each year and outstanding global exposure. Getting this Guinness record is heartening but it's not just about size," he told AFP.

The pupils, who are aged between three and 17, all wear uniform and each class has about 45 members, but the whole school never gathers for assembly as there is nowhere big enough to hold them.

CMS, which receives no government funding, charges 1,000 rupees a month in fees for younger pupils, rising to 3,500 a month for seniors.


"In such a large school, there are many advantages, one being you get to make a lot of friends across the many sites that we have," Ritika Ghosh, 14, who has been at CMS for two years, told AFP. "But as the school is so huge it takes a lot of effort to get noticed. Otherwise you are just one of the thousands that study," she said. "There are certainly more challenges and competitions, which in the end prepares us for real life."


Fellow pupil Tanmay Tiwari, 16, credits the large size of the school for making him more outgoing. "I used to be very shy but the school has given me that confidence," he told AFP. "Now I am in the college team, debating in national competitions."

The school's size is matched only by its idealistic ambitions, with pupils taught a philosophy of universal peace and globalism under the motto "Jai Jagat" (Victory be to the World).

With pupils under fierce pressure to get good exam results, sport is not always a top priority, but cricket coach Raju Singh Chauhan says selecting a team is still tricky.
"To fish out sports talent in the 45,000-plus students can be a huge problem," he said. "For this reason we hold inter-branch competitions to dig out the best children and then eventually we get the bigger picture and our best eleven for the team."

CMS first held the title of the world's biggest school in 2005, when it had 29,212 pupils, beating the previous record holder, the Rizal High School in Manila, Philippines, which had 19,738 pupils.





Alumni include Ushhan Gundevia, an executive banker at Goldman Sachs, and Prakash Gupta, a senior United Nations diplomat in New York, as well as Harvard scholars and several leading surgeons and scientists.

"The school is an inspiration not only to the pupils, but also to anyone, anywhere who wants to make a positive difference," Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, told AFP from London.

"The school understands that teaching is the most sacred of professions, and from humble origins to being the largest and one of the most respected educational establishment in the world, it is a truly awe-inspiring story."

Janmashtami - Lord Krishna Birth Festival

Janmashtami also known as Gokulashtami is celebrated all over the country with great gusto. On this auspicious day, Lord Krishna took birth to end the wickedness which was growing day by day during those days. This day holds great significance among the Hindus and the ardent followers of Lord Krishna observe fast. India is a country of diversity and thus, there is a slight difference in the rituals and traditions which are followed in various parts of the country. People sing bhajans, give performances on the life and great achievements of Lord Krishna during this festive time. The idols of Lord Krishna are decorated very beautifully and the houses and temples are also adorned to welcome Lord Krishna. Till the date, Lord Krishna is showing His followers the path of honesty, truth and kindness through the holy book called Bhagavad Gita. Read the article to know more about the importance of Janmashtami along with the date on which it will be celebrated in 2013.

When Is Janmashtami Celebrated


According to the Hindu calendar, Janmashtami is celebrated on the 8th day of the Krishna Paksh or the dark half under the nakshtra Rohini, in the month of Shravana whereas as per the Gregorian calendar, it comes in the month of mid August-September. The Shravana month corresponds to the month of Bhadrapada Krishnapaksha, according to Barhapatyamana. It is said that Lord Krishna took birth in the year of Visvavasu, about 5,227 years ago. He was the avatar of Lord Krishna which came to the earth in Dwapara Yuga.

In present time, this festival is rejoiced for over two days because the nakshatra called Rohini and the 8th day of Krishna Paksh may not fall on the same day. This is why this festival is celebrated for two days, in which the first day is known as Krishnashtami, as on this day Lord Krishna took birth which comes on the eighth day after the festive occasion of Raksha Bandhan whereas the second day is called as Kalashtami.



Significance of Janmashtami
The festivities of Janmashtami start at midnight because it is said that God made his celestial appearance on the earth during this time. Conch is blown and the idol of Lord Krishna is given a consecrated bath with panchamrit and then with gangajal. After this, people perform special puja, perform aarti, offer sweets, fruits and fresh flowers as a tribute to the God. Also, they rock the cradle which indicates that Lord Krishna has taken birth. After performing the rituals, people break their fast by having the prasad.

Krishna Janmashtami - Dahi Handi Festival


The main objective of the coming of Lord Krishna on this earth was to make the people and the Mother Earth free from the evilness of the demons. He also played a very significant role in Mahabharta which was the legendary battle took place in Kurukshetra. He spreads the message of love, kindness, humanity, pure bhakti and good karma on the earth.

In 2013, the festive occasion of Janmashtami is on 28 August (Wednesday).

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan, (the bond of protection) or Rakhi is a Hindu festival primarily observed in India, Mauritius and Nepal(Madheshis only), which celebrates the relationship between brothers (shaurya), cousins and sisters (shreya). It is also called Rakhi Purnima in most of India. It is also celebrated in some parts of Pakistan. The festival is observed by Hindus, Jains, and some Sikhs.
In fact, the popular practice of Raksha Bandhan has its historical associations also. The Rajput queens practised the custom of sending rakhi threads to neighbouring rulers as token of brotherhood. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her. The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. One Islamic Scholar believes that Raksha Bandhan grew in popularity after Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of Chittor, sent a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun when she required his help.

Interesting facts about Rakhi

Yama, the lord of death, was blessed with eternity as his sister Yamuna tied up a Rakhi thread on his wrist. Since that time the festival of Raksha Bandhan is associated with tying of Rakhi thread.
Lord Krishna was left with a bleeding finger, after Shishupal's death. To stop bleeding, Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, tore a strip of silk off her sari and tied it around Krishna's wrist. Touched by her concern, Krishna declared that he would protect her and promised to repay the debt manifold, and spent the next 25 years of his life doing just that.

Queen Karmavati of Chittor had sent a Rakhi to Humayun to protect her from Bahadur Shah. Humayun, then engaged in an expedition against Bengal, turned back to carry out his sacred brotherly duty and tried to protect her but was too late. Chittor had already fallen and the Rani had immolated herself in the Rajput custom of Jauhar.

Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate poet used the occasion of the Raksha Bandhan as a community festival and gave a call to tie a rakhi amongst all Hindus and Muslims so as to maintain peace and harmony between them and spread the nationalist spirit among people from different ethnic backgrounds.

Other festivals on this day

In southern and central parts of India including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha, this day (i.e. Shravan Poornima day), is when the Brahmin community performs the rituals of Avani Avittam or Upakarma.

Balarama Jayanti
This is also celebrated as Shri Baladeva birth Ceremony. Lord Krishna's elder Brother Prabhu Balarama was born on this Poornima.

Raksha Bandhan celebrations in India and Nepal
While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated all over the country, different parts of the country mark the day in different ways.

In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on shravan purnima. It is also called Janaeu Purnima (Janaeu is sacred thread and purnima means full moon). Janaeu is changed in this day, in Brahmins and Kshetry families. A sacred thread is tied on wrist by senior family members and relatives. Nepalese people enjoy this festival, eating its special food "Kwati", a soup of sprout of seven different grains.

Rakhi Purnima
Rakhi is celebrated as Rakhi Purnima in North India. The word "Purnima" means a full moon night.

Gamha Purnima
Rakhi is also celebrated as Gamha Purnima in Odisha. On this date, all the domesticated Cows and Bullocks are decorated and worshipped. Various kinds of country-made cakes called Pitha and sweets mitha are made and distributed within families, relatives and friends. In Oriya Jagannath culture, the lord Krishna & Radha enjoy the beautiful rainy season of Shravana starting from Shukla Pakhya Ekadashi (usually 4 days before Purnima) and ending on Rakhi Purnima with a festival called Jhulan Yatra. Idols of Radha-Krishna are beautifully decorated on a swing called Jhulan, hence the name Jhulan Yatra.

Narali Purnima
In western India and parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa this day is celebrated as Narali Purnima. On this day, an offering of a coconut (naral in Marathi) is made to the sea, as a mark of respect to Lord Varuna, the God of the Sea. Narali Purnima marks the beginning of the fishing season and the fishermen, who depend on the sea for a living, make an offering to Lord Varuna so that they can reap bountiful fish from the sea.

Jandhyam Poornima
Jandhyam is Sanskrit for sacred thread, and Poornima denotes the full moon in Sanskrit.
The people of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, celebrate Raksha Bandhan and Janopunyu (जन्यो पुन्यु) on the Shravani Purnima, it is a day on which people change their janeu जनेयु or जन्यो (sacred thread). On this day, the famous Bagwal fair is held at Devidhura in district Champawat. Punyu in Kumauni means Purnima or full moon it is the purnima in which the sacred thread Janeu or Janyo is ceremonially changed. The Raksha Bandhan celebrations are similar all across North India. The thread changing ceremony is done all over India.
Kajari Purnima
In central parts of India such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkand and Bihar this day is celebrated as Kajari Purnima. It is an important day for the farmers and women blessed with a son. On the ninth day after Shravana Amavasya, the preparations of the Kajari festival start. This ninth day is called Kajari Navami and varied rituals are performed by women who have sons until Kajri Purnima or the full moon day.

Pavitropana
In parts of Gujarat, this day is celebrated as Pavitropana. On this holiday, people perform the grand pooja or the worship of Lord Shiva. It is the culmination of the prayers done throughout the year.

Jhulan Purnima, Poonal/Jandhya Poornima/ Janyu
According to Bengali Culture and Celebration, in the state of West Bengal (India), this day is also called Jhulan Purnima. Prayers and puja of Lord Krishna and Radha are performed there. Sisters tie rakhi to Brothers and bestow immortality. Political Parties, Offices, Friends, Schools to colleges, Street to Palace celebrate this day with a new hope for a good relationship. Brahmins in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Konkan, and Odisha change their sacred threads on the same day (Janayu, called as Poonal in Tamil, Jandhyam in Sanskrit)

ABOUT RAJASTHAN

Rajasthan  known as "the land of kings", is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It comprises most of the area of the large, inhospitable Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, which parallels the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with Pakistan to the west. Rajasthan is also bordered by Gujarat to the southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the northeast and Punjab to the north. Rajasthan covers 10.4% of India, an area of 342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi).




Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the state. Geographical features include the Thar Desert along north-western Rajasthan and the termination of the Ghaggar River near the archaeological ruins at Kalibanga of the Indus Valley Civilization, which are the oldest in the Indian subcontinent discovered so far.
One of the world's oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range, cradles the only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu, famous for Dilwara Temples, a sacred pilgrimage for Jains. Eastern Rajasthan has the world famous Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site[2] known for its bird life. It also has two national tiger reserves, Ranthambore and Sariska Tiger Reserve, and a famous temple in Khatu, Sikar district, dedicated to Khatu Shyam Ji. Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949, when the region known until then as Rajputana, consisting of erstwhile 18 princely states, two chiefships and the British district of Ajmer-Merwara.

Largest cities of Rajasthan with population
Jaipur- 30,73,349
Jodhpur- 10,33,918
Udaipur- 11,51,735
Kota- 10,01,365
Bikaner- 6,47,804
Ajmer- 5,42,580
Sriganganagar-3,70,768
Bhilwara- 3,60,009
Alwar- 3,15,310
Bharatpur - 2,52,109





TOURISM : 
Rajasthan is famous for its forts, intricately carved temples, and decorated havelis, which were built by Rajput kings in pre-Muslim era Rajasthan.[citation needed] Rajasthan's Jaipur Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples, Chittorgarh Fort, Lake Palace, miniature paintings in Bundi, and numerous city palaces and havelis are an important part of the architectural heritage of India. Jaipur, the Pink City, is noted for the ancient houses made of a type of sand stone dominated by a pink hue. In Bundi, maximum houses are painted blue. At Ajmer, the white marble Bara-dari on the Anasagar lake is exquisite. Jain Temples dot Rajasthan from north to south and east to west. Dilwara Temples of Mount Abu, Ranakpur Temple dedicated to Lord Adinath in Pali District, Jain temples in the fort complexes of Chittor, Jaisalmer and Kumbhalgarh, Lodurva Jain temples,Mirpur Jain Temples, Sarun Mata Temple kotputli, Bhandasar and Karni Mata Temple of Bikaner are some of the best examples.

I don't claim the information to be my own. It has been collected from various sources

The Himalayas

The Himalayas, also Himalaya is a mountain range in Asia separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau.
The Himalayan range is home to some of the planet's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. The Himalayas include over a hundred mountains exceeding 7,200 metres (23,600 ft) in height. By contrast, the highest peak outside Asia—Aconcagua, in the Andes— is 6,961 metres (22,838 ft) tall.



The Himalayas have profoundly shaped the cultures of South Asia. Many Himalayan peaks are sacred in both Buddhism and Hinduism.
Besides the Greater Himalayas of these high peaks there are parallel lower ranges. The first foothills, reaching about a thousand meters along the northern edge of the plains, are called the Sivalik Hills or Sub-Himalayan Range. Further north is a higher range reaching two to three thousand meters known as the Lower Himalayan or Mahabharat Range.

The Himalayas abut or cross five countries: Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, and Pakistan, with the first three countries having sovereignty over most of the range. The Himalayas are bordered on the northwest by the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges, on the north by the Tibetan Plateau, and on the south by the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Three of the world's major rivers, the Indus, the Ganges, and the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra all rise near Mount Kailash to cross and encircle the Himalayas. Their combined drainage basin is home to some 600 million people.
Lifted by the collision of the Indian tectonic plate with the Eurasian Plate, the Himalayan range runs, west-northwest to east-southeast, in an arc 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) long. Its western anchor, Nanga Parbat, lies just south of the northernmost bend of Indus river, its eastern anchor, Namcha Barwa, just west of the great bend of the Tsangpo river. The range varies in width from 400 kilometres (250 mi) in the west to 150 kilometres (93 mi) in the east.

 I don't claim the information to be my own. It has been collected from various sources

States and Union Territories of India

Indian state View

STATES OF INDIA

Number	State	Code	Capital	language(s)
1	Andhra Pradesh	AP	Hyderabad	Telugu, Urdu,English
2	Arunachal Pradesh	AR	Itanagar	English
3	Assam	AS	Dispur	Assamese,Bengali
4	Bihar	BR	Patna	Hindi,Magadhi,Maithili, Urdu
5	Chhattisgarh	CG	Raipur	Chattisgarhi,Hindi
6	Goa	GA	Panaji	Konkani
7	Gujarat	GJ	Gandhinagar	Gujarati
8	Haryana	HR	Chandigarh	Hindi, Haryanvi
9	Himachal Pradesh	HP	Shimla	Hindi
10	Jammu and Kashmir	JK	Srinagar	Dogri, Kashmiri, Urdu
11	Jharkhand	JH	Ranchi	Hindi
12	Karnataka	KA	Bengalooru	Kannada
13	Kerala	KL	Thiruvananthapuram	Malayalam, English
14	Madhya Pradesh	MP	Bhopal	Hindi
15	Maharashtra	MH	Mumbai	Marathi
16	Manipur	MN	Imphal	Manipuri
17	Meghalaya	ML	Shillong	English, Pnar, Garo,
18	Mizoram	MZ	Aizawl	Mizo
19	Nagaland	NL	Kohima	English
20	Odisha	OD	Bhubaneswar	Oriya
21	Punjab	PB	Chandigarh	Punjabi
22	Rajasthan	RJ	Jaipur	Hindi
23	Sikkim	SK	Gangtok	Nepali, Bhutia, Sunwar
24	Tamil Nadu	TN	Chennai	Tamil
25	Tripura	TR	Agartala	Bengali, Tripuri
26	Uttar Pradesh	UP	Lucknow	Hindi, Urdu
27	Uttarakhand	UK	Dehradun	Hindi, Sanskrit
28	West Bengal	WB	Kolkata	Bengali, English

UNION TERRITORIES 

MAP	NAME	CODE	LANGUAGE	CAPITAL
A	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	AN	English	Port Blair
B	Chandigarh	CH	English, Hindi,Punjabi	Chandigarh
C	Dadra and Nagar Haveli	DN	English,Gujarati, Hindi,Marathi	Silvassa
D	Daman and Diu	DD	English,Gujarati, Hindi,Marathi	Daman
E	Lakshadweep	LD	English,Malayalam	Kavaratti
F	National Capital Territory of Delhi	DL	English,Hindi,Punjabi, Urdu	Delhi
G	Puducherry(Pondicherry)	PY	French andTamil; Regional: Malayalam, Telugu	Pondicherry

 I don't claim the information to be my own. It has been collected from various sources