Location: North India
Famous As: Important state of North India.
Capital: Lucknow
Major Cities: Agra, Allahabad, Varanasi, Lucknow
Temperature: Summer- Max.45, Min.21.9, Winter- Max.31.7, Min.4.2
Ideal Time to Visit: October- March
Language: Hindi, English and Urdu.
An Over All View of UttarPradesh
Uttar Pradesh lies in the northern part of India, and it is one of the most
famous states of India, ranking 4th in terms of area among all the states.
Lying in the foothills of the Himalayas, the state a pilgrimage centers to
Varanasi has extensive regions of rivers, monuments, mosques and temples
that have made Uttar Pradesh one of the most gratifying states of the Indian
Union.
Uttar Pradesh offers an illimitable exposition of attractions to the
tourist, in form of health resorts, a wealth of ancient temples, rich flora
and fauna, charming rivers and enchanting monuments.
Historic Perspective
Uttar Pradesh has a tremendous ancient legacy. The famous epic -the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata were written on the land of Uttar Pradesh. The
state also had the esteem of being home to Lord Buddha who spent most of his
life in eastern Uttar Pradesh, roaming from place to place preaching his
sermons.
The state of Uttar Pradesh comprises of cities like- Lucknow, that has been
linked with the princely court of Oudh and then with the British regime
famous for one of the peerless monument 'Bara Imambara'. To wards the east
lies the oldest city of India- Varanasi one of the important center of Hindu
pilgrimage. From all over the country people come to wash away their sins by
bathing in the holy river of Ganga. Another specialty of Uttar Pradesh is
its thronged bazaars on the both sides of narrow by lanes of the city,
selling brassware, silk brocades and many other items of tourist interest.
Charms of the State
Agra: Agra a home to the inimitable Taj Mahal is a world famous
city and is also famous for its craftsmanship and handicraft items. Marble
inlay work, carpet and leather goods are some important traditional crafts
of the city. Besides the Taj Mahal the other major attractions of the city
are Agra Fort, Sikandra, Ram Bagh and Itmad-ud-Daulah. Fatehpur Sikri at a
distance of 35 km from Agra contains the royal remnants of the Mughal City.
Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are not solely opulent legacies of Mughal history
but also the finest examples of architecture depicting the perfect blend of
Hindu and Muslim elements.
Varanasi
The sacred river Ganga flows down the snow-clad Himalayas through the vast
plains of Varanasi. Legend has it that Varanasi was first created spot on
earth existing for over thousands of years. Varanasi is the city, which
sanctify the very essence of Hinduism. Devotees have a strong belief that
whose life ends in Varanasi will be released from the cycle of rebirth.
Pious Hindus still come to Varanasi to spend their last days, living in
Spartan communes near the sacred River Ganga
Sarnath makes an excellent excursion from Varanasi. It is among the most
important shrines of Buddhist. The Buddha preached his first sermon in
Sarnath after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya.
Allahabad
Allahabad is situated at the conflux of the 3 sacred rivers - Ganga, Yamuna
and the invisible Saraswati. The meeting point is called as the sangam.
Hindus thronged from all over the country to take a holy dip especially
during the Kumbha Mela, held here after every 12 years.
Lucknow
Lucknow situated on the banks of the river Gomati a tributary of river
Ganga, enjoys the status of capital of Uttar Pradesh, one of the biggest
states in India. It is famous for its gardens, parks and magnificent
archaeological monuments. The people of Lucknow are known for their delicate
charm and are considered to be most courteous in their talks dominated by
the style of the Urdu language.
Mathura
Mathura is also known as a Brij Bhoomi, a birthplace of Lord Krishna. The
city is crowned on the banks of river Yamuna is a major pilgrimage center of
Hindus. Brindavan is another city that still echoes with stories of Lord
Krishna, Radha and Gopis (friends of Krishna).
Excursions
Tourist can make excellent excursions to all the parts of India from Uttar
Pradesh. To Jim Corbett National Park in Uttranchal- 297km from Delhi homes
to magnificent wild life. Khajuraho-596 kms kown for its erotic scriptures
famous as a World Heritage Sight. Kolkotta-1490 kms one of the metropolitan
city of India. Bharatpur-190 kms famous for its aerial life including
migratory birds. Jaipur-258 kms the pink city of Rajasthan renowned for its
fort and palaces. Nainital-318 kms and Kulu-502 kms beautiful hill station
of North India.
Festivity
Navrati:
One important festival of Uttar Pradesh is Navratri, celebrated over a
period of nine days. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Durga, the consort
of Shiva.
Diwali is another prominent festival devoted to Lakshmi, the
Goddess of wealth celebrated in whole of north India with great enthusiasm
and devotion.
Kumbha Mela: The largest festival-fair held in India, drawing
millions of people, is the Kumbha Mela. It is held every 12 years at Prayag
in Allahabad. In between, the Ardh Kumbha Mela is held every six years at
Allahabad and Haridwar.
Holi: The festival of colors and fun, at Barsana the holi is played
in a unique form where the ladies go out to Nandgaon, the home of Lord
Krishna, and challenge the men to throw color on them.
Shopping in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is the biggest shopping joint of north India. It has lot in
its stores to offer to his visitors. The hand-knitted woolen carpets of
Bhadoi and Mirzapur, delicate chikan work of Lucknow, terracotta of
Gorakhpur, wood carvings of Saharanpur, brassware of Moradabad, glassware of
Firozabad and handprinting of Farrukhabad, depicts the supreme workmanship.
Getting Around
Air: Uttar Pradesh has 4 major airports i.e., in Agra, Kanpur,
Lucknow, and Varanasi. Major cities in Uttar Pradesh are connected by air to
Delhi and other large cities of India.
Rail: Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad and Mughalsarai are some of the
major railheads that are connected to the rest of the country by express,
super-fast and passenger trains.
Road: Uttar Pradesh is connected to the rest of the country by a
good network of roads. Some of the important national highways that connect
the state are NH 2, 25, 26, 27, 29, and 45.
