State of Punjab Hotels India

The Punjab is a state in the north west of the Indian sub-continent with a population of over 24m, and its driving forces are agriculture and industries that manufacture scientific instruments and electrical goods, among other things. It also derives wealth from financial services. The Punjab has diverse landscapes, geography and climate, depending on whether you are in the Himalayan foothills or on the rich alluvial plains. You can tell this from the temperature range, which varies from a maximum of over 43’C to a minimum of less than 5’C. The best time to visit overall is October to March.

Wherever you are, you will find that the local people take pride in their English speaking skills, and use of the English language goes back many decades. Most of Punjab is a fertile plain; toward, but to the southeast there are semi-arid and desert landscapes, with the line of hills along the northeast border at the foot of the Himalayas. Four main rivers, the Ravi, Beas, Satluj and Ghaggar flow southwesterly across the state, which are fed by many small and seasonal tributaries; there is also an extensive canal system developed for irrigation.

The Sivalik Hills area - the most southernmost of the Himalayas - is the richest area of Punjab for wildlife with something like 350 species of herbs, 70 species of trees, the same of shrubs, and a large number of different climbing and twining plants. There are almost 400 species of birds, over 200 butterflies or moths, and a multitude of fish, reptile and mammal species. It is a paradise for observers.

The plains are largely given over to agriculture, including many varieties of fruiting trees. There are a number of wetlands, bird sanctuaries and zoological parks across the state, including the Hari-Ke-Pattan National Wetland and Wildlife Sanctuary at Harike in Firozepur District, the Kanjli Wetland, the Kapurthala Sutlej Water Body Wetland, the Ropar Zoological Park and the Ram Bagh Garden Amritsar - to name a few. Alligators are commonly found in local rivers and herds of buffaloes graze lands adjoining the rivers.

The silkworm is reared with great industry and skill, and there is bee-keeping to produce wax and honey. By contrast, it’s hot enough on the southern plains for camels to thrive. As well as a complex geography, the state has an equally long and complex history of invaders, colonialists and rulers, resulting in a unique and fascinating culture that combines elements of Zorastrian, Hindu, Sikh, Islamic, Buddhist, Persian, Afghan, Central Asian and British found nowhere else.