India Word Search of Cities, States, Festivals and Food

Hide Mumbai, Golden Temple, Samosa and Peacock in a printable grid with its answer key, or swap words for clues.

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India Word Search

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0 of 16 words found

FIPEUDYSSBNHONF

ATHGANDHICUSIET

USLKGPVXCOFIHWA

MQJEOANAMASTEMB

UVLRLYPQJSYAAOL

MATADNEOWURRTIA

BRVLEBOLLYWOODD

AAEANIEHIHOJTFD

INIUTHARDESERTY

LAASERCRICKETIY

MSCAMJULMIIHHDN

AIPMPEACOCKIION

NLIOLNELEPHANTI

GKESEIOBLOTUSST

OFPAIYLSNSOSFES

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MumbaiMUMBAI
VaranasiVARANASI
KeralaKERALA
Thar DesertTHAR DESERT
Golden TempleGOLDEN TEMPLE
PeacockPEACOCK
ElephantELEPHANT
LotusLOTUS
SamosaSAMOSA
MangoMANGO
SitarSITAR
TablaTABLA
BollywoodBOLLYWOOD
GandhiGANDHI
NamasteNAMASTE
CricketCRICKET

16 of 30 words from the India Favorites list.

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Answer key: India Word Search

FIPEUDYSSBNHONF

ATHGANDHICUSIET

USLKGPVXCOFIHWA

MQJEOANAMASTEMB

UVLRLYPQJSYAAOL

MATADNEOWURRTIA

BRVLEBOLLYWOODD

AAEANIEHIHOJTFD

INIUTHARDESERTY

LAASERCRICKETIY

MSCAMJULMIIHHDN

AIPMPEACOCKIION

NLIOLNELEPHANTI

GKESEIOBLOTUSST

OFPAIYLSNSOSFES

MUMBAI, VARANASI, KERALA, THAR DESERT, GOLDEN TEMPLE, PEACOCK, ELEPHANT, LOTUS, SAMOSA, MANGO, SITAR, TABLA, BOLLYWOOD, GANDHI, NAMASTE, CRICKET

Next step Add your own India unit words to a new puzzle Scramble the Indian states and festivals

All 280 words

Indian Cities 31

Agra City on the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh where the Taj Mahal stands.
Ahmedabad City in Gujarat by the Sabarmati River, 25 km away from the state capital, Gandhinagar.
Amritsar City in Punjab that takes its name from the pool around the Golden Temple.
Bengaluru Capital of Karnataka, called the Garden City for its parks; it was spelled Bangalore until 2014.
Bhopal Capital of Madhya Pradesh, which also has the nickname City of Lakes.
Chandigarh Planned city that is the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana; Le Corbusier prepared its master plan.
Chennai Capital of Tamil Nadu on the Coromandel Coast, also known by its older name, Madras.
Darjeeling Hill town in the Eastern Himalayas about 2,000 m up, the end of a narrow mountain railway opened in 1881.
Guwahati Largest city of Assam, on the Brahmaputra's south bank.
Hyderabad Capital of Telangana on the Musi River, once nicknamed the City of Pearls.
Jaipur Capital of Rajasthan, which Sawai Jai Singh II founded in 1727 and known as the Pink City.
Jaisalmer Golden City in the Thar Desert, built on a ridge of yellowish sandstone and founded in 1156.
Jodhpur Blue City of Rajasthan, which Rao Jodha founded in 1459.

Show all 280 words (267 more)

Indian Cities, continued

Kochi Port on the Malabar Coast nicknamed the Queen of the Arabian Sea, once spelled Cochin.
Kolkata Capital of West Bengal on the Hooghly River, spelled Calcutta until 2001 and known as the City of Joy.
Kozhikode Port also called Calicut, known as the City of Spices; the explorer Vasco da Gama came here.
Lucknow Capital of Uttar Pradesh; the Nawabs of Awadh once ruled from here.
Madurai City on the Vaigai River, called the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, with the Meenakshi Temple.
Mumbai Capital of Maharashtra on the Konkan coast, called Bombay until 1995; the financial capital of the country.
Mysuru City of Palaces in Karnataka, once the capital of a kingdom and famous for its Dasara festival.
New Delhi The national capital, home of Parliament House, the Supreme Court and Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Ooty Hill station in the Nilgiri Mountains at 2,240 m, called the Queen of hill stations.
Panaji Capital of Goa on the Mandovi River, once the capital of Portuguese India.
Patna Capital of Bihar on the southern bank of the Ganges, known long ago as Pataliputra.
Puducherry Town on the southeast coast that grew from a French settlement of 1674; formerly Pondicherry.
Pune City in Maharashtra called the Oxford of the East for its colleges; it was spelled Poona until 1978.
Rishikesh Town on the Ganges in Uttarakhand, the Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas, with a yearly yoga festival.
Shillong Capital of Meghalaya, nicknamed the Scotland of the East.
Shimla City declared the summer capital of British India in 1864, now the capital of Himachal Pradesh.
Udaipur City of Lakes in Rajasthan, founded in the 1500s by Udai Singh II as the capital of Mewar.
Varanasi Pilgrimage city on the Ganges, also called Benares or Kashi, known for ghats, the steps down to the river.

States of India 26

Andhra Pradesh State on the Bay of Bengal where Telugu is the official language; its capital is Amaravati.
Assam State in the Brahmaputra Valley, south of the eastern Himalayas.
Bihar State split in two by the Ganges, which crosses it from west to east; the capital is Patna.
Chhattisgarh Landlocked state that was part of Madhya Pradesh until November 2000; its capital is Raipur.
Goa Smallest state by area, on the west coast; it stayed under Portuguese rule until 1961.
Gujarat Western state on the Arabian Sea with the longest coastline in the country; its capital is Gandhinagar.
Haryana Northern state that shares its capital, Chandigarh, with Punjab; the Yamuna forms its eastern border.
Jharkhand Eastern state whose name means the land of forests; its capital is Ranchi.
Karnataka Southern state formed in 1956 as Mysore State and renamed in 1973; its capital is Bengaluru.
Kerala State on the Malabar Coast between the Western Ghats and the sea, where Malayalam is spoken.
Madhya Pradesh State in the middle of the country; its name means Central Province and its capital is Bhopal.
Maharashtra State of the western Deccan on the Arabian Sea; its capital is Mumbai.
Manipur Northeastern state beside Myanmar; its capital is Imphal.
Meghalaya State formed in 1972 from the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills; its name means abode of clouds.
Mizoram Forested northeastern state between Bangladesh and Myanmar; its capital is Aizawl.
Nagaland Northeastern state with Assam to its west and Myanmar to its east; its capital is Kohima.
Odisha State on the Bay of Bengal that was spelled Orissa until 2011; its capital is Bhubaneswar.
Punjab Northern state whose name means land of five rivers; it shares the capital Chandigarh with Haryana.
Rajasthan Largest state by area; its name means Land of Kings and it holds most of the Thar Desert.
Sikkim Small Himalayan state between Nepal and Bhutan; its capital is Gangtok.
Tamil Nadu Southernmost state, on the Coromandel Coast; its capital is Chennai.
Telangana State on the Deccan Plateau that was formed on 2 June 2014; its capital is Hyderabad.
Tripura Small state with Bangladesh on its north, south and west; its capital is Agartala.
Uttar Pradesh Northern state whose name means Northern Province; its capital is Lucknow.
Uttarakhand Himalayan state that separated from its big neighbor in November 2000; the name means Northern Land.
West Bengal Eastern state next to Bangladesh, with the Ganges delta and the Sundarbans; its capital is Kolkata.

Map of India 29

Andaman Island group between the Bay of Bengal and a sea that shares its name.
Arabian Sea Body of water on the west side of the country; Maharashtra faces it.
Aravalli Old mountain range that runs across Rajasthan toward Delhi; its highest point, Guru Shikhar, is near Mount Abu.
Backwaters Network of lagoons, lakes and canals that runs behind the coast of Kerala.
Bay of Bengal Sea on the east side of the country; Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu face it.
Brahmaputra Great river that flows through Assam past the city of Guwahati.
Chilika Lake Largest brackish lagoon of the east coast, in Odisha.
Deccan Large plateau of the south, bounded by the Eastern and Western Ghats.
Eastern Ghats Broken chain of mountains along the east coast, cut through by rivers such as the Godavari.
Ganges River more than 2,500 km long that rises in Uttarakhand and crosses the northern plains.
Godavari Great river of the Deccan, about 1,450 km long, with its source near Nashik.
Himalayas Mountain range that separates the northern plains from the Tibetan Plateau and holds Mount Everest.
Kangchenjunga Third-highest mountain in the world, nearly 8,600 m, on the border with Nepal.
Kanyakumari Town at the southern tip of the mainland, once called Cape Comorin.
Kaveri River of the south, also spelled Cauvery, that rises in the Western Ghats of Karnataka.
Konkan Stretch of the west coast where Mumbai lies.
Lakshadweep Group of 36 small islands 220 to 440 km from the city of Kochi, in the Arabian Sea.
Majuli Large river island in Assam, with the Brahmaputra on its south side.
Malabar Coast The southwestern shore of the country; the port of Kochi lies on it.
Mawsynram Village in Meghalaya known as among the rainiest spots on Earth.
Monsoon Seasonal wind that reverses direction and brings the rainy season.
Nanda Devi Himalayan peak in Uttarakhand more than 7,800 m high, ringed by a national park.
Narmada Longest river in the country that flows toward the west.
Nilgiris Hills of the south whose name means Blue Mountains; the kurinji flower once gave them a bluish hue.
Rann of Kutch Large area of salt marshes in Gujarat.
Sundarbans Mangrove forest in the Ganges Delta, known for its Bengal tigers.
Thar Desert Dry, sandy region in the northwest, most of which lies in Rajasthan.
Western Ghats Mountain chain 1,600 km long beside the west coast, also called the Sahyadri.
Yamuna River that starts at the Yamunotri Glacier, flows past Delhi and Agra and joins the Ganges at Prayagraj.

Indian Landmarks 28

Agra Fort Stronghold that Akbar rebuilt in red sandstone in the 1560s and 1570s.
Ajanta Caves Buddhist prayer halls and monasteries cut into rock in Maharashtra, known for their wall paintings.
Amber Fort Hilltop stronghold about 10 km from Jaipur, also spelled Amer.
Chand Baori One of the deepest stepwells in the country, in the village of Abhaneri in Rajasthan, with flights of narrow steps.
Charminar Monument in Hyderabad built in 1591; its name means four minarets.
Ellora Caves Rock-cut temples in Maharashtra carved out of a cliff over several centuries by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
Gateway of India Stone arch on the Mumbai waterfront, built to mark a visit by King George V and Queen Mary.
Gol Gumbaz Dark gray basalt tomb in Vijayapura (Bijapur), Karnataka; its name means Round Dome.
Golconda Ruined fort city on the edge of Hyderabad that grew rich as a trade center for large diamonds.
Golden Temple Famous gurdwara in Amritsar, surrounded by the pool that gave the city its name.
Hampi Ruined city in Karnataka that was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565.
Hawa Mahal Palace of Winds in Jaipur, built in 1799 with a honeycomb front of small windows.
India Gate Tall stone arch in New Delhi that honors soldiers who died in the First World War.
Jal Mahal Water Palace that stands out in Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur.
Jantar Mantar Set of giant stone instruments for watching the sky in Jaipur, built in the early 1700s, with a huge sundial.
Jog Falls Waterfall 253 m high on the Sharavati River in Karnataka.
Khajuraho Group of temples in Madhya Pradesh, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986.
Konark Sun temple in Odisha, built in the 1200s in the form of a giant stone chariot with wheels and horses.
Lake Palace White marble summer home of a king, built on an island in the waters of Pichola at Udaipur.
Lotus Temple Bahá'í House of Worship in Delhi, shaped like a giant flower with white marble petals.
Mehrangarh Fort on a rocky hill more than 100 m above the city of Jodhpur, begun about 1459.
Qutub Minar Tower in Delhi 72.5 m tall, built about 800 years ago.
Rani ki Vav The Queen's Stepwell, built about a thousand years ago at Patan in Gujarat.
Red Fort Main home of the Mughal emperors in Old Delhi, built for Shah Jahan in the mid-1600s.
Rock Garden Sculpture park in Chandigarh that Nek Chand began in secret and built from waste.
Root Bridge River crossing in Meghalaya shaped by hand from the living aerial parts of rubber fig trees.
Sanchi Hilltop Buddhist site in Madhya Pradesh, famous for its Great Stupa.
Taj Mahal White marble tomb beside the Yamuna in Agra, ordered in 1631 by Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz.

Indian Wildlife 28

Asiatic Lion Big cat that survives in the wild only in Gujarat, in and around the Gir forest.
Banyan The national tree, a kind of fig.
Blackbuck Grassland animal also known as the Indian antelope.
Dhole Wild dog that lives and hunts in clans.
Elephant Huge animal with a trunk, named the national heritage animal.
Gaur Largest of all wild cattle, also called the Indian bison.
Gharial Fish-eating crocodile with a long, thin snout, named after a clay pot called a ghara.
Hornbill Large forest bird that eats mostly fruit.
Jim Corbett The country's first national park, set up in 1936 and named after a man who helped to found it.
Kaziranga National park in Assam with a large population of one-horned rhinoceroses.
King Cobra World's longest venomous snake, regarded as the national reptile.
Langur Gray monkey native to the subcontinent.
Leopard Big cat that is widely distributed across the subcontinent.
Lotus Water plant whose bloom is the national flower.
Mongoose Small gray hunter that catches snakes, lizards, mice, rats and beetles.
Myna Brown bird with a bright yellow bill and legs, at home in towns and cities.
Neem Tree of the mahogany family native to the subcontinent, also called Indian lilac.
Nilgai The largest antelope in the country; its name means blue cow.
Nilgiri Tahr Wild goat of the southern hills, the state animal of Tamil Nadu.
Pangolin Scaly anteater whose large overlapping scales act as armor.
Peacock Male of the peafowl, which is the national bird.
Ranthambore National park in Rajasthan named after an old fort that stands inside it.
Red Panda Small reddish mammal of the eastern Himalayas.
Rhinoceros Great one-horned animal of the grasslands of Assam, protected in Kaziranga National Park.
River Dolphin Freshwater mammal of the Ganges, recognized as the national aquatic animal.
Sarus Crane Tallest flying bird in the world, standing up to 1.8 m.
Sloth Bear Shaggy animal that feeds on ants and termites.
Tiger Striped big cat that is the national animal, protected in special reserves across the country.

Festivals of India 25

Bihu Name shared by three festivals of Assam.
Diwali Festival of lights, when homes glow with oil lamps and the night is marked with fireworks.
Diya Oil lamp of clay, brass or silver, burning a cotton wick, lit in homes for the festival of lights.
Durga Puja Major autumn festival of Bengal; its Kolkata celebration joined a UNESCO heritage list in 2021.
Dussehra Festival kept on the tenth day, at the end of the nine nights of Navaratri.
Eid al-Fitr Holiday that closes the month-long fast of Ramadan.
Gandhi Jayanti National holiday on 2 October, the birthday of the leader honored as the Mahatma.
Garba Dance from Gujarat performed during Navaratri.
Gulal Colored powder thrown during the spring festival of colors.
Holi Spring festival of colors, when people throw colored powder and water at each other.
Kite Flyer on a string; people in Gujarat send them up for Makar Sankranti.
Lohri Midwinter festival of Punjab, when people gather around a bonfire to sing and dance.
Makar Sankranti Mid-January harvest holiday; in Gujarat it is tied to kite flying.
Navaratri Festival that lasts nine nights.
Onam Harvest festival of Kerala, with flower carpets and boat races.
Pongal Tamil harvest festival in the middle of January; the name means boiling over.
Pushkar Fair Camel and livestock market in Rajasthan, held in late October or early November.
Raksha Bandhan Day when sisters tie a thread called a rakhi around the wrists of their brothers.
Rangoli Pattern made on the floor with colored sand, rice flour or flower petals, often for Diwali.
Ratha Yatra Chariot festival held at Puri in Odisha in June or July.
Republic Day Holiday on 26 January for the constitution of 1950, with a big parade in New Delhi.
Snake Boat Long paddled canoe raced on a lake in Kerala between July and September, around the time of Onam.
Teachers' Day Kept on 5 September here, the birthday of President Radhakrishnan.
Ugadi New Year day of Telugu and Kannada speakers.
Vaisakhi Spring harvest festival of Punjab, on 13 or 14 April.

Indian Food 32

Basmati Long, slender-grained rice with a rich aroma.
Biryani Mixed rice dish cooked slowly with spices and meat, seafood or vegetables.
Cardamom Spice made from the seeds inside small, three-sided pods.
Chaat Family of street snacks that began in Uttar Pradesh; the word means lick or tasting.
Chapati Thin flatbread cooked on an iron griddle called a tava, then puffed over direct heat.
Chutney Relish served on the side, some kinds raw with coriander and some cooked with sugar.
Curry Dish cooked in a sauce full of spices.
Dal Makhani Punjabi dish of black lentils and other pulses cooked with butter and cream.
Dhokla Savory steamed sponge from Gujarat made from a fermented batter.
Dosa Thin, savory pancake of South India made from a fermented batter of rice and black gram.
Garam Masala Blend of ground spices whose name means hot or warm spices.
Ghee Clarified butter with a nutty flavor, used widely for cooking.
Gulab Jamun Fried sweets made mainly from milk solids and soaked in a light sugar syrup.
Idli Soft steamed rice cake of South India, popular at breakfast.
Jalebi Sweet made by frying batter in pretzel or circle shapes and soaking them in sugar syrup.
Kheer Pudding made by boiling milk, sugar and rice.
Kulfi Frozen dairy dessert, denser and creamier than ice cream, that melts slowly.
Laddu Ball-shaped sweet often served at celebrations.
Mango Sweet stone fruit of a tropical tree, the national fruit.
Naan Light, fluffy flatbread made with a rising agent, often baked in a tandoor.
Pakora Fritter of vegetables such as potato and onion, coated in gram flour batter and deep-fried.
Paneer Fresh soft cheese that does not melt, made by curdling milk with lemon juice.
Pani Puri Street snack: a crisp hollow shell that is filled and dipped in flavored water.
Paratha Flatbread folded and rolled with ghee into many layers, then shallow fried.
Rasgulla Dumpling cooked in light sugar syrup; the name means syrup-filled ball.
Roti Round flatbread of stoneground whole-wheat flour called atta.
Sambar Lentil and vegetable stew of South India cooked with tamarind broth.
Samosa Fried turnover with a savory filling, mostly spiced potatoes, onions and peas.
Tandoor Large vase-shaped clay oven used to bake flatbreads and roast meat.
Thali Round platter holding a full meal of many small dishes; the word means plate.
Turmeric Spice from a plant of the ginger family; it turns dishes yellow.
Vada Pav Fried potato dumpling inside a bread bun, a fast food from Maharashtra.

Indian Music and Dance 27

Bansuri Side-blown flute made of bamboo.
Bhangra Lively folk dance of Punjab, tied to the spring harvest festival of Vaisakhi.
Bharatanatyam Classical dance that began in Tamil Nadu.
Bismillah Khan Musician credited with making the shehnai popular on the concert stage.
Bollywood Nickname of the Hindi film industry of Mumbai, a blend of Bombay and Hollywood.
Dholak Two-headed hand drum of folk music.
Ektara Folk instrument of Bengal with just one string.
Ghatam Clay pot with a narrow mouth, played as a drum in South Indian music.
Ghoomar Folk dance of Rajasthan in which the dancers twirl as they move in and out of a wide circle.
Ghungroo String of small metal bells tied around the ankles of a dancer.
Jugalbandi Duet for two soloists; the word means entwined twins.
Kathakali Classical dance-drama of Kerala, known for large and unusual makeup and costumes.
Kuchipudi Classical dance named after a village in Andhra Pradesh.
Manipuri Classical dance that comes from a northeastern state beside Myanmar.
Mridangam Two-sided drum from Tamil Nadu, the main rhythm instrument of Carnatic music.
Odissi Classical dance that began in Odisha.
Raga Framework of notes that a musician uses to improvise a melody.
Ravi Shankar Sitar player and composer (1920 to 2012), the best-known voice of Indian classical music in his time.
Santoor Hammered dulcimer of Kashmir, struck with two light mallets.
Sarod Stringed instrument of Hindustani music known for a deep, weighty sound.
Shehnai Double reed wind instrument that Bismillah Khan made popular.
Sitar Plucked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music.
Tabla Pair of hand drums.
Tala Cycle of beats that keeps the rhythm; the word is linked to clapping.
Tanpura Long-necked instrument with four strings that plays a steady drone, not a tune.
Tansen Hindustani classical musician born in Gwalior who joined the court of Akbar.
Veena Name for several old plucked string instruments of the subcontinent.

Famous Indians 27

Abdul Kalam Aerospace engineer who was president from 2002 to 2007, widely called the People's President.
Akbar Third Mughal emperor, on the throne from 1556 to 1605, and founded the city of Fatehpur Sikri.
Ambedkar Jurist who led the committee drafting the Constitution; he was the first law minister.
Anandi Joshi One of the first Indian women to qualify as a doctor of western medicine; she studied in Pennsylvania.
Birbal Minister at the court of Akbar, remembered in folk tales for his wit.
C. V. Raman Physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1930 for work on how light scatters.
Dhyan Chand Field hockey star who won three Olympic gold medals; his birthday is National Sports Day.
Gandhi Leader born in Porbandar in 1869 who used nonviolent resistance; he is honored as the Mahatma.
Kalpana Chawla Astronaut born in India who flew into space on the shuttle Columbia.
Lakshmibai Queen of Jhansi, a leading figure of the rebellion of 1857 against British rule.
Mother Teresa Nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Nehru First prime minister, in office from 1947 until 1964; his birthday is Children's Day.
R. K. Narayan Novelist of the made-up South Indian town of Malgudi; his first book was Swami and Friends.
Radhakrishnan Philosopher who was president from 1962 to 1967; his birthday is kept as a day for teachers.
Ramanujan Mathematician (1887 to 1920) who worked with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge on number theory.
Ravi Varma Painter who joined European academic art with Indian subjects and sold cheap prints so many homes could own one.
Razia Sultan Woman who ruled from Delhi for about four years in the 1200s.
Salim Ali Naturalist called the Birdman of India, author of The Book of Indian Birds.
Sardar Patel First deputy prime minister, nicknamed the Iron Man of India for his work to unite the new country.
Sarojini Naidu Poet and activist nicknamed the Nightingale of India.
Satyajit Ray Bengali film director whose first film, Pather Panchali (1955), won prizes around the world.
Savitribai Widely seen as the first Indian woman teacher; she and her husband opened a school for girls in Pune.
Shah Jahan Fifth Mughal emperor, who ordered the building of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.
Shivaji Ruler crowned in 1674 who founded the Maratha kingdom and formed a navy.
Tagore Bengali poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 and wrote the national anthem.
Tenzing Norgay Sherpa climber who reached the top of Mount Everest with Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953.
Visvesvaraya Civil engineer whose birthday in September is celebrated as Engineer's Day.

Life in India 27

Ashoka Chakra Navy blue wheel with 24 spokes at the center of the national flag.
Auto Rickshaw Three-wheeled motor taxi, often called a tuk tuk.
Bindi Colored dot worn on the center of the forehead; the word means point or drop.
Carrom Indian tabletop game whose players flick discs toward the corners of the board.
Chandrayaan Moon mission series; its third craft touched down near the lunar south pole on 23 August 2023.
Chess Board game for two; its recorded history goes back to chaturanga, played in India in the 7th century.
Constitution Supreme law of the country, the longest written national one in the world.
Cricket Bat-and-ball game between two teams of eleven, with a wicket at each end of the pitch.
Dabbawala Worker in Mumbai who carries hot lunches from homes to people at work.
Devanagari Script written from left to right; the most widely used language of the north is written in it.
Dhoti Unstitched cloth that men wrap around the waist and legs.
Hindi Language written in the Devanagari script, an official language of the national government.
Independence Freedom from British rule, reached on 15 August 1947 and celebrated on that date each year.
Jana Gana Mana The national anthem, written in Bengali by Tagore in 1911.
Kabaddi Contact sport for two teams of seven in which a lone raider tries to tag defenders.
Khadi Hand-spun, hand-woven cloth that the Mahatma promoted during the freedom struggle.
Kho Kho Traditional tag game with nine chasers, eight of them crouched in a central lane.
Kurta Loose collarless shirt or tunic.
Madhubani Style of painting named after a district of Bihar, also known as Mithila art.
Mehndi Temporary patterns drawn on the skin with a paste made from henna.
Namaste Respectful greeting, usually said with a slight bow and the hands pressed together.
Rupee The money of the country, divided into 100 paise.
Salt March Nonviolent protest walk to the sea in 1930, nearly a month long, led by the Mahatma against a British monopoly.
Sari Long unstitched cloth draped around the body, with one end resting over the shoulder.
Tiranga Everyday name of the national flag, meaning tricolor: saffron, white and green.
Turban Headwear made by winding a long cloth.
Yoga Practices for body and mind that began in ancient India.

How this list was compiled: 280 words about modern India, chosen and defined for this site: ten themed lists (cities, states, map, landmarks, wildlife, festivals, food, music and dance, famous Indians, life in India), India Favorites, an easy list of every word of 3 to 5 letters and a hard list of every word of 8 letters or more. States of India has 26 of the 28 states, because Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are longer than the 14 letters an entry may have. Entries have 3 to 14 letters once spaces, hyphens, apostrophes and periods are dropped, and the grid hides a two-word entry as one run of letters. Inside one list no word sits inside another, forwards or backwards, which is why Delhi is not listed beside New Delhi. Festivals are plain names with a neutral clue that says when the day falls or what people do. No clue names a disputed border. No brand, team, living person, fictional character, trademarked event or drink is listed. Clues are our own wording for readers of about 8 to 13; no clue repeats a word of four letters or more from its own entry. American spellings. Every place, date, name and number was checked on 2026-09-19 against the entry's English Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India and the article for each entry). On 2026-09-20 the dates, sizes, firsts and superlatives were checked a second time in Store norske leksikon (https://snl.no/), Lex, the Danish national encyclopedia (https://lex.dk/), the Archaeological Survey of India (https://asi.nic.in/), the district and territory sites https://vijayapura.nic.in/ and https://lakshadweep.gov.in/, the Chilika Development Authority (https://www.chilika.com/), the UNESCO intangible heritage list (https://ich.unesco.org/) and the Animal Diversity Web (https://animaldiversity.org/). Where the two works differed, or no second one was found, the clue now says only what both support. Licence: own work

How it works

Mumbai, Golden Temple, Samosa and Peacock open this India word search, with 12 more words drawn from 30 favorites. Pick States of India, Festivals of India or another of 10 themed lists under Start from a list, or the easy or hard list.

Read the full guide

Ten lists for an India unit

Ten themed lists of 25 to 32 words share the 280 words: Indian Cities, States of India, Map of India, Indian Landmarks, Indian Wildlife, Festivals of India, Indian Food, Indian Music and Dance, Famous Indians and Life in India. States of India has 26 of the 28 states; Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are longer than the 14 letters these lists allow.

Clues make it an India quiz

Tick Show clues, not words, and the word list turns into questions. "Navy blue wheel with 24 spokes at the center of the national flag" is Ashoka Chakra. Many clues translate a name: Meghalaya means abode of clouds, Nilgai means blue cow and Charminar means four minarets.

A young class can start with Goa, Holi and Yoga: pick Easy India and 8 words. Large print is under More options.
The grid keeps letters only: Taj Mahal hides as TAJMAHAL, Eid al-Fitr as EIDALFITR and C. V. Raman as CVRAMAN. Tell pupils first.
Kangchenjunga and Bharatanatyam have 13 letters each. Give Hard India room: press Hard, and the grid grows by itself when a word finds no place.

Questions and answers

Are all 28 Indian states in the puzzle?

States of India lists 26 of the 28, from Kerala and Goa to Sikkim and Nagaland; two names are too long. Each clue gives the capital or another fact: Goa is the smallest state by area, and Telangana was formed on 2 June 2014.

Which festivals are in the India word search?

Festivals of India has 25 words, among them Diwali, Holi, Onam, Pongal and Eid al-Fitr. Diwali is the festival of lights: homes glow with diyas, which are oil lamps, and floors are decorated with rangoli. Diya and Rangoli are in the list too.

Are the national symbols of India in the lists?

Yes: Tiger, the national animal, Peacock, the national bird, Lotus, the national flower, Banyan, the national tree, and Mango, the national fruit, with Tiranga, the flag, and Jana Gana Mana, the anthem.

How do I print the India puzzle with its answer key?

Press Print or save as PDF. The sheet carries a Name and Date line, and the answer key prints on a page of its own. New puzzle builds a fresh grid for each group.

All 280 words

Indian Cities 31

Indian Cities, continued

States of India 26

Map of India 29

Indian Landmarks 28

Indian Wildlife 28

Festivals of India 25

Indian Food 32

Indian Music and Dance 27

Famous Indians 27

Life in India 27

How it works

Ten lists for an India unit

Clues make it an India quiz

Questions and answers

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