The Heartland of India -Uttar Pradesh

Due to the large number of temples in Uttar Pradesh, it is considered to be the most religious region in India. Some of the prominent and most fascinating temples are- Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mandir, Gorakhnath Math Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banke Bihari temple, Sarnath temple, SankatMochan Hanuman temple, TulsiManas temple, Baldev Dauji temple and Bharat Mata mandir.  One can find Uttar Pradesh apt for shopping as the state has some fascinating markets for shopaholics that deal in clothes, furniture, art and handicrafts, and a lot more other items. Many of them are made by skilled artisans locally. These are renowned the world over and visitors find it very exciting to own them.

When it comes to street food Uttar Pradesh is considered as the most unbeatable as the streets of Uttar Pradesh have many lip-smacking cuisines that are flavored with rich spices for its visitors like- Chaat, samosas, Pakoras, tunda kebabs, kakori kebabs, Bharwan Chicken pasanda, Mutton Kofta, Bedmi, and many other delicacies. Out of these, some have been invented here in Uttar Pradesh that find customers from far and wide.

Some of the famous fairs and festivals of Uttar Pradesh which are celebrated with great pomp and show are- the Taj Festival, Barsanaholi, Nandgaon Holi, MahaShivratri, Kampil Fair, Ganga Dusshera and Kailash Fair. As Uttar Pradesh has seen a mix of cultures from pre-historic times to the Sultanate of Delhi, Mughals, Britishers, and other Asians one will be awestruck with the varied customs and traditions followed here. The food and handicrafts too, that can be seen here have a lasting impact on the visitors.

Things to do in Uttar Pradesh

Vast as it is, Uttar Pradesh offers scores and scores of opportunities to do and to be carried out by curious visitors who are on the lookout for a beautiful experience that will have an everlasting impression on their memories.

Tours interspersed with boating opportunities is an activity most sought after by eager tourists. It is Banaras in Uttar Pradesh, which is a holy city built around the river Ganga, that offers an important site for boating. Several packages are available to the tourists for the boating activity. Several unforgettable opportunities and experiences will implore the tourists to return to Agra for more. The camel ride package that takes one around Havelis and a tour to the Chambal River will keep the visitors yearning for more of such types of rides.

There are bicycle tour packages for touring the Taj Mahal, the market place, etc., within Agr, which keeps the visitors active, and also a visitor can enjoy and cover large areas in Agra. Available tour guides, in this, not only add to the enjoyment but are also fruitful. Tourists have ample opportunities to explore the flora and fauna of Uttar Pradesh as there are well-conserved National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries with lush green vegetative cover.

The major animal species are tigers, deer, wild boars, cats, elephants, antelopes, and Rhinos and there are varied bird species such as painted storks, black-necked storks, Indian horned owls, woodpeckers, Saras, Kingfishers, bee-eaters, etc. The largest Tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh is Dudhwa National Park. Other important Reserves are Chandra Prabha Sanctuary, Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Katarneaghat Sanctuary, National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary, and SoorSarover Bird Sanctuary are some of the important natural reserves so prominently famous among environment lovers.

These visits to nature give an escape from the routine insipid city life. One can enjoy colorful birds and other fauna and flora by indulging in photography that will keep one’s memory alive for years to come. There are several magnificent temples to visit. A few of the famous temples of Uttar Pradesh are- Nageshwarnath temple, Hanuman Garhi, Tretake Thakur located in Ayodhya, Radha Raman, and Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir in Vrindavan. Many other temples cater to the religious sentiments of the visitors.

There are markets, big and small, in Uttar Pradesh that keep visitors engaged due to their liveliness. The Shopaholics visiting here can find several shops selling art and handicrafts,  from skilled artisans of Uttar Pradesh, that include stone-carved replicas of the Taj Mahal, apart from woodwork, glasswork, and mirrorwork. The state is famous for its brassware and bronze all over the world. Visitors visiting Rampur can find a variety of knives that are creatively designed to appeal to one’s senses. Bareilly and Saharanpur are famous for furniture work that visitors will find of good quality and unique designs.

Interested in buying musical instruments and sports goods, then visit Meerut which offers plenty that too of graded quality and varied designs. The Taj Mahal complex is where visitors will find a marketplace with eye-catching goods that cater to all types of customers. The most famous ones are the Sadar Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar, and Munro Road. One looking for clothes and apparel can visit Subhash Bazaar and Hospital Road Market.

Lucknow is famous for Chikankari's work. Chikankari is a special kind of embroidery work or Zardozi which is unique to Lucknow. Famous shops/markets that deal in such stuff are- Om Prakash, Seth, GarhaBhandar, Dupatta Mahal, Thok Bazaar, and Sargodha Cloth House.

Street food of  Uttar Pradesh lures the visitors to themselves in large numbers. These street foods have varied menus and are cooked in different ways to bring out the taste and flavor that is unbeatable, malpua, samosa chaat, Aloo Tikki chaat, Matar chaat, Baatichokha, Galaouti Kebabs, Kulfi and other delicacies that can be found in the whole of Uttar Pradesh.

Popular Tourist Places of Uttar Pradesh

• Ayodhya

Ayodhya is also known as the Ram Janmabhoomi as it is the birthplace of Lord Rama. Ayodhya is located on the bank of the Sarayu River. It is the seven most important pilgrimage sights of Saptapuri. Places to be visited in Ayodhya are Ram Janmabhoomi, Kanak Bhawan, Nageshwarnath temple, Hanuman Garhi, Gulab Bari, and Tretake Thakur. Then there are - Bhuteshwar Mahadev temple, Sri

• Mathura

Mathura is one of the Saptpuris. It is famous as the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The place is known for many temples such as Keshav Dev temple, Banke Bihari temple, and Birla Mandir.

• Vrindavan

Vrindavan is located in the Mathura district. The place is considered a holy city for Hindus. It is known for Lord Krishna temples like Prem Mandir, Govind Devji Temple, Mandir, Banke Bihari Temple, Meera Bai Temple, Sri Krishna Balarama Temple, Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple, Sri Radha Raman, Vrindavan Chandrodaya mandir. The Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir is the world’s tallest and most expensively constructed temple in India.

• Agra

Agra is known for the Taj Mahal which is one of the seven wonders of the world. Agra is situated on the banks of the river Yamuna and is a part of the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc tourist circuit and one of the tourist sights of the Golden Triangle tourist circuit. Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Red Fort are the other tourist destinations in Agra.

• Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri is the finest example of Mughal architecture in India. It is situated in the Agra district. The famous and most popular attractions in Fatehpur Sikri are Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal, Jama Masjid, and Buland Darwaza.

• Chitrakoot

The premise of Chitrakoot is spread within the borders of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is well known for its religious sights and ancient temples. It has a beautifully constructed Ramghat, Bharat Milap temple, Hanuman Dhara, and Kamadgiri temple to visit.

• Deogarh

Along the bank of the Betwa river is a famous village, Deogarh, that comes under the Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The village is known for its ancient Gupta monuments which are under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India. There are three other temples: the Varaha temple, the Dashavatara Temple, and the Shantinath temple.

• Varanasi

Varanasi, Banaras/Kashi is the holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges. It is famous for the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The other very famous temples are the Durga temple and the SankatMochan Hanuman temple. The Banaras Hindu University is the famous and Asia’s largest university. The university is residential. Varanasi is also famous for its many ghats. Apart from the aforementioned sights, visitors can visit Varanasi for Jantar Mantar, Ramnagar Fort, Alamgiri Mosque, Parshvanath Jain temple, and Ganga Ghats.

• Sarnath

The city of Sarnath is about 13 km from Varanasi. Buddhist pilgrims visit the holy city Sarnath, which is situated near the confluence of the river Ganga and Varuna. The pilgrims visit the 128 feet high Dhamek Stupa. Visitors can adore the sights of Mulagandhakuti Vihara and Ashoka Pillar.

• Kushinagar

Situated at 50kms east of Gorakhpur, Kushinagar is a holy pilgrim site for Buddhist pilgrims belonging to different parts of the world. Kushinagar has some splendid tourist attractions like Ramabhar Stupa, Parinirvana Stupa, Nirvana Statue of the Buddha, and Indo-Japan Sri Lanka temple.

• Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur district is located on the banks of the Rapti River. Gorakhpur city is one of the important cities of Uttar Pradesh and is located in the Gorakhpur district. Gorakhpur is famous for Gorakhnath Math and Gorakshanath temple. Gorakhpur has a 1.35 km long railway platform that is the longest in the world.

• Allahabad

Allahabad is the second oldest city in India. It has a number of religious sights like Sri Bade Hanuman Mandir, Tomb of Nithar located at Khusrobagh, Kumbh Mela, Triveni Sangam, and All Saints Cathedral. Kumbh Mela is the largest Mela in the world. It is organized once every 12 years. The Triveni Sangam at Allahabad is the confluence of three sacred rivers, Yamuna, Ganges, and Saraswati.

• Dudhwa National Park

The Dudhwa National Park is situated at the Indo-Nepal border of Uttar Pradesh. This national park has several endangered species. The National Park is famous for Tigers, Leopards, Honeybadger, Barasingha, Elephants, bear, Hog deer, and Sloth bears.

• Jhansi

 Jhansi is a historic city and was a princely state. It belongs to the Bundelkhand region and was ruled by the queen of Jhansi. The popular sights for visitors are: the Herbal Garden, Government Museum, Rani Mahal, Jhansi Fort, and Laxmi Temple.

• Mirzapur

The Mirzapur is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh. It has a large number of ghats, Ghanta Ghar, Chunal fort, Baba Ashram, Dams, Waterfalls, and natural spots. Visitors visiting can visit the Vindhyavasini temple.

• Sonbhadra

Sonbhadra is known as the Energy Capital of India as there are several electrical power stations here. Visitors visiting this place will find it worth visiting as the tourists can find some magnificent temples like Jwaladevi temple, Shivdwae temple, Renukeshwar, and Mahadev temple. Tourists can also visit Vijaygarh Fort, Salkhan Fossil Park, and Rihand Dam.

• Bada Gaon

Bada Gaon is located near Khekra. It is an important Jain religious site in India. Bada Gaon is known for the Lord Parshvanath Trilok temple. Visitors can find the Teerth Dham, which is 317 feet high in the Jain temple and is designed in the shape of a Jain Emblem.

• Hastinapur

Hastinapur was the capital of the Kauravas during the Mahabharata times. It is snugly located on the banks of the river Ganga. Hastinapur comes from the Meerut district. Hastinapur is known for Kailash Parvat, Shwetambar Jain temple, Jambudweep, Gurdwara, and Hastinapur Sanctuary.

• Lucknow

Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh. It is the largest city in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is a part of Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc. Visitors coming to this city can find several major tourist attractions to go to, such as Bada Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, La Martiniere School, Hazratganj, and Ambedkar Memorial Park.

• Kanpur

Kanpur is located in Uttar Pradesh and it is the second-largest city of Uttar Pradesh. According to the Mythology, Kanpur was the town of Karna from the Mahabharata. The place has several tourist spots like Anandeshwar Mandir, Kanpur Memorial Church, JK Temple, Khereshwar Shiv Mandir, Bithoor, and Allen Forest Zoo.

• Aligarh

Aligarh is a district of Uttar Pradesh. It is known as Aligarh Muslim University. Visitors can visit the Academic Museum, which has Indian arts, culture, the history of Medicine, and sciences. There are other places like the Maulana Azad Library. It is one of the largest university libraries. Shekha Jheel is famous for Bird watching, Khereshwar Temple, Teerthdham Mangalaayatan, located at Aligarh-Agra Marg, Aligarh fort, Chacha Nehru Gyan Pushp and an educational museum.

Where to Stay

Uttar Pradesh's visit will be a comfortable experience for the tourists as several cheap and luxury hotels, resorts and even heritage hotels are available in the major cities and historical towns of Uttar Pradesh. In more insignificant areas one may find Dharmshalas for a comfortable stay. One can visit off-season, and book hotels, and resorts upon reaching the site of their visits. On other occasions, one can book online in advance which will make one escape from the anxiety of the travel tour.

Best time to Visit Uttar Pradesh

Although visitors can visit Uttar Pradesh all around the year, it is more comfortable to visit in winter, October till March as the weather allows visitors to stroll, loiter, and walk at a leisurely pace in the marketplaces, historical sites, and other sites of interest. It is the ideal time as it is also the season of festivals. One can enjoy Holi, which happens to be in March, Gokul and Nandgaon are such places to enjoy this festival. Ayodhya is also a destination where the festival of Diwali is celebrated with great pomp and show as it is Lord Ram’s hometown.

Visitors visiting Uttar Pradesh in December and January can get the opportunity to celebrate Makar Sankranti. People can take a holy dip in the river Ganga during the festival. It is a fascinating experience. Visitors visiting Mathura can enjoy Lath Mar Holi which is celebrated a few days before Holi in Barsana near Mathura. This festival is the main attraction as ladies are found hitting laths at each man as it is the custom of this festival. Festivals thus form an added attraction to the visits.

How to Reach

By Air

It is the fastest way to reach Uttar Pradesh. There are two international airports, one in Lucknow -  Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport which is at a distance of about 15.1 km from the center of Lucknow city and the other is in Varanasi - Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport which is at a distance of about 23.8 km from the center of the city. There are other domestic airports located at Kanpur, Varanasi, and Agra that serve passengers from other cities of India and the passengers of Uttar Pradesh itself.

By Road

Uttar Pradesh is well connected with national and state highways. NH 19, NH 34, NH 30, and NH 21 highways can be taken to reach Uttar Pradesh. One can opt for Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation which pylon all major routes of Uttar Pradesh. Yamuna Expressway can be taken to drive on.

By Rail

It is the most convenient way to reach Uttar Pradesh. The main station is in Lucknow - The Lucknow Charbagh railway station which is about 3.2 km from the main city. There are other stations in Agra, Mughal Sarai, Kanpur, Moradabad, Varanasi, and other cities in the state. This travel mode is the most inexpensive and quite comfortable too.