State of India - Lakshadweep

Area: 32 sq km

Population: 51,681

Capital Of City: Kavaratti

Languages: Malayalam

Crops:

How You Know: The Lakshadweep islands are coral atolls. An atoll is a coral organism lying at the surface of the ocean, where air and water meet, a condition necessary for the existence of coral life. Each atoll is the top most point of a pillar of limestone extending . Sea water over a lagoon appears turquoise blue. This is because when sunlight penetrates deep waters of the sea the red and yellow rays of the light are absorbed by the water. Thus the light reflected back consists of mostly blue rays. These rays are mixed with the light yellow of the sands which also get reflected because of the clear shallow waters. That is why water over a lagoon seems turquoise blue

History: Lakshadweep, formerly Laccadive (renamed Lakshadweep in 1973), is the smallest Union Territory of India. It is not one big island as many of you might have thought but a collection of islands. The Lakshadweep islands are located some 300 kilometers off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea. What makes them special is that they are India's only coral islands. There are 36 islands in all out of which only 10 are inhabited. Historical records show that around the 7th century, a Muslim saint was shipwrecked on the island of Amini. He converted the inhabitants here to Islam. The rulers of Kerala asserted their sovereignty over the region till the 16th century when it passed to Ali Raja of Cannanore (Kannur) and later, in 1783, to Tipu Sultan. Following the defeat of Tipu Sultan by the British at Srirangapattanam in 1799, the islands were annexed by the East India Company. They remained as a part of British India until the Independence of the country in 1947. The islands were made into a Union Territory in 1956. Ethnically, i.e. by background or origin, the people of this island are very similar to the people of Kerala. Fundu Fact The people of Lakshadweep follow the matriarchal system. This means that after marriage the man goes to live in the woman's house and also brings a dowry with him! Most of the people here belong to the Muslim community and speak Malayalam except in Minicoy where Mahl is spoken. The Lakshadweep islands are very peaceful and crime is almost unheard of. The magnificent turquoise blue lagoons, golden beaches and relative isolation of these islands make them a great tourist destination. Facilities for water sports like windsurfing, scuba diving, parasailing, water skiing and snorkeling are available on most of these islands. The best way to see the islands is through a cruise. Only five of the islands are open to Indian tourists. These are Kavaratti, Minicoy, Kalpeni, Kadamat and Bangaram. For foreigners the choice is limited to the uninhabited island of Bangaram. Other places of tourist interest include the Ujra Mosque at Kavaratti with its beautiful wood carving and the tomb of Hazrat Ubaidullah. The nearly 50 metre tall light house at Minicoy (shown left) is worth a climb. You can get a panoramic view of the top. Those with an interest in history can visit the Buddhist archeological remains at Andrott.

State of India - Assam

Area: 78,438 sq km

Population: 2,24,14,322

Capital Of City: Dispur

Languages: Assamese

Crops: The principal food crop is rice. Cash crops are jute, tea, cotton, oilseeds, sugarcane, potato.

How You Know:

History: The state of Assam stands like a guard of the Indian frontiers. It shares India's international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh. Tea is the most famous product of Assam. You might have seen advertisements for branded tea claiming that the tea is pure Assamese. The state contributes about 15 per cent of the world's entire tea production. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre where tea is sold to dealers is the biggest tea auction centre in the world. India's largest tea exporting town, Dibrugarh, is also in Assam.Assam is also known for its wildlife. The Kaziranga National Park covers an area of 430 sq km. People from all over the world come to see its famous one horned rhinos. The Manas National Park is the place to spot tigers and other rare species like the hispid hare, golden langur etc.Bihu is the most important festival of Assam. The merriments include dancing and singing on the wild beats of Dhol and Pepa (buffalo hornpipe). The colourful festival is exclusive to Assam and is celebrated on three different occasions in a year. Rangali Bihu or Bohag Bihu is the biggest and marks the Assamese New Year. Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu is the harvest festival and Kati Bihu or Kangali Bihu in autumn is a simple affair.The Assam Tea logo (see left) features a rare one horned rhino symbolizing purity. It can only be used with permission from the Indian Tea Board and is displayed on 100% pure Assam tea.

Tourist Places: Important places of tourism in and around Guwahati are Kamakhya temple, Umananda (Peacock Island), Manas (tiger project), and Hajo (meeting place of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam).