It may still be a bad time to talk about travel as India has emerged from the second COVID-19 wave only two months’ back. However, there is a post idea that has been on our minds for weeks now & we felt this would be the perfect time to write it down.
So, we have travelled to 21 states & 6 union territories of India. Not all of them for sightseeing but nonetheless… & something or the other has always caught our eye!
Now, even in states, a lot changes between districts. Thus, this is not a generalization but just an account of the things we have experienced & liked about a place.
So, here we go with what we like about…
Andhra Pradesh
P visited Andhra Pradesh as a child. The memories are faint but if we had to choose, it would be the beaches of Vishakhapatnam.
Bihar
What to say about the state that has been home? Yet, Biharis’ zeal to achieve stands out spectacularly.
Chandigarh
The planned sectors & the bungalows… Retiring here would not be a bad idea!
Chhattisgarh
Limited exposure that too in childhood & not from a sightseeing POV
Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu
We have been to Daman. Loved its laidback vibe. Also, what we coined “poor (wo)man’s Goa”!
Moti Daman Fort
Delhi
Heritage, history, more heritage, more history!
Goa
The lush greenery & the intimidating Arabian Sea during monsoon
Gujarat
The farsan!!!
Haryana
Dhabas & dhaba food!
Himachal Pradesh
The far Himachal of Lahaul, Spiti & Kinnaur… the dangerous Hindustan – Tibet Road… the friendliness of locals…
Jammu & Kashmir
Without a doubt, the valleys. & The dried berries & fruits!
Jharkhand
Limited exposure not from a sightseeing POV
Karnataka
The backwaters! (Yes! Unknown compared to the Kerala ones but quite pretty.)
Kerala
How we can go from hills to seas in less than five hours! & The Malabar cuisine.
Between Karnataka & Kerala can be a competition for the best backwaters. We weren’t complaining though…
Ladakh
The sheer grit of the locals! It is a difficult terrain to live in; yet we never found a single person without a smile!
Madhya Pradesh
That fact that it is SO underrated! It has everything – hills, water bodies, geographical formations, indigenous cultures, heritage – & yet it is not the first name that pops up when we speak of ‘Incredible India’.
The symmetry of Jahangir Mahal, the combination of the Mughal & Rajput forms of architecture and the emotion with which it was constructed are worth learning from… 
Chaturbhuj Mandir – the temple without its deity! 
Khajuraho Group of Temples – A UNESCO World Heritage Site 
Khajuraho being only about erotica is a hype!
Maharashtra
The Western Ghat undoubtedly! & Konkani food!!
A pink sky on the Western Ghats
Odisha
P visited Odisha as a child. But she remembers the Chilka Lake vividly…
Puducherry
Favourite beach town in all of India! Great food, colourful buildings, heritage, & max – chill vibe!
Punjab
Mustard fields. Sarson ka saag & makke ki roti. & Harmandir Sahib.
Rajasthan
The fact that when all north India shuts down in winter, this state comes alive! Also, the folk music! & The royalty!
Sikkim
How clean! How safe! How pristine!
Tamil Nadu
The headshake to start with… & Mysore Pak (We know Mysore Park originated in Karnataka, but we have always eaten Mysore Pak in TN ☹)
Telangana
P visited Telangana as a child. She remembers the musical clock at the Salar Jung Museum…
Uttar Pradesh
Home. & Kashi.
Uttarakhand
The difference between Garhwal & Kumaon. The omnipresence of rhododendrons.
West Bengal
The romanticism. Many movies & series are made with WB as the backdrop. & The outcome is nothing short of beautiful…
There is still a lot to be seen. We hope to cover at least all the states & union territories in our lifetime even if we are unable to see them in entirety. Frankly, one lifetime is inadequate to experience all of Incredible India!
