Cities

Below is a selection of nine of India's most notable cities. Other cities can be found under their specific regions.

Delhi — the capital of India and the heart of Northern India.

Bangalore (now Bengaluru) — The garden city, once the sleepy home of pensioners now transformed into the city of pubs, technology and companies.

Chennai (formerly Madras) — main port in Southern India, cradle of Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam, home of the famous Marina beach, Automobile Capital of India and a fast emerging IT hub.

Jaipur — the Pink City is a major exhibit of the Hindu Rajput culture of medeival Northern India.

Kochi (formerly Cochin) — Historically, a centre of international trade, now the gateway to the sandy beaches and backwaters.

Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) — the cultural capital of India, Kolkata is home to numerous colonial buildings. It is known as The City of Joy.

Mumbai (formerly Bombay) — the financial capital of India, "Bollywood" (Indian Hindi Film Industry) hub.

Shimla — the former summer capital of British India located in the Himalayan foothills with a large legacy of Victorian architecture.

Varanasi — considered the most sacred Hindu city, located on the banks of the Ganges, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world.