Jodhpur is a royal heritage city where you can explore blue alleys, savor authentic cuisine, and lose yourself in historical forts amidst desert sunsets.

A picture of fields and fields of waving wheat, ancient Hindu temples on the banks of winding rivers, and towns and cities with narrow lanes and a rich history is what Uttar Pradesh brings to mind. The North Indian state is home to one of the world’s oldest cities and the iconic Taj Mahal. Uttar Pradesh is a holiday destination not to be overlooked. Uttar Pradesh is the true definition of diversity. It is a land of history, culture, art, and traditions. The 4th largest state in India, Uttar Pradesh covers an area of 240,928 sq km. Uttar Pradesh is a mix of culture that it celebrates and proudly presents to the world making it a tourist attraction for visitors from around the world. Uttar Pradesh is more than just the iconic Taj Mahal found in Agra. In addition to the Taj, the North Indian state is also home to the thousands of significant Hindu temples, Muslim Dargahs and Masjids, and Christian pilgrim sites.

Quick Information About Uttar Pradesh

Region	North India
Capital	Lucknow
Coordinate	27.5706° N, 80.0982° E
Total Population	199,812,341 (According to 2011 Census)
Geographical Area	240,928 square kilometers
Total Districts	75
Religion	Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain
Languages Spoken	Hindi, Urdu, English
State Animal	Barasingha (Swamp Deer)
State Bird	Palash (Butea monosperma)
State Tree	Ashoka (Saraca asoca)
State Dance	Kathak
State Game	Field Hockey
Major Tourism Cities in UP	Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Kapilvastu, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, Jhansi
Major Tourist Attractions in UP	Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, St. John’s Church, Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Digambar Jain Temple, Sarnath, Bara Imambara, Chota Imambara, Dudhwa National Park, Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh – Land of diverse cultural and spiritual places.

Uttar Pradesh has large numbers of holy places and pilgrimage sites for the followers of religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Christianity. As a consequence, Uttar Pradesh is a favored place of pilgrimage for the believers of these faiths, and welcomes large numbers of these people each year.

Holy at the confluence of the holy most rivers of India – Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati – Uttar Pradesh is a pilgrimage destination for the followers of Hinduism.

One celebrated temple featured in the hundreds of temples in Uttar Pradesh is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, in Varanasi. As one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country, the Kashi Vishwanath temple is the place to worship the God Shiva, worshipped as Vishwanath Ruler of the Universe. The Dashashwamedh Ghat is next to the Temple, and becomes packed with people in the evening, locals and tourists alike join together to watch the famous Ganga Aarti.

The Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura is another key temple in the state. It is believed to be the revered birthplace of Lord Krishna and is a well-known place among the followers of Krishna, along with many other neighboring places of religious significance, including Govardhan, Nandgaon, and Vrindavan. The temple also becomes buoyant during the festival of Janmashtami that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna.

The name of the Gorakhpur district is attributed to the famous temple of Gorakhnath. Gorakhnath was an important ascetic saint who travelled all over India and eventually wrote texts that today form the basis of the fundamental principles and values of the Nath community. The temple now contains a Samadhi chamber, the foot prints of Gorakhnath and the Gaddi of Gorakhnath where he used to sit and is a major temple of Uttar Pradesh.

The Tulsi Manas Temple in the city of Varanasi is dedicated to the deity of Lord Rama and was built to honor the Hindu poet and philosopher Tulsidas. The temple is built in marble and contains verses of Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas inscribed on its walls. Stories from the epic are displayed throughout the temple in the way of a collection of images, paintings and sculptures.

The state is also the location of the birthplace of Lord Rama in Ayodhya, Ram Janmabhoomi.

Uttar Pradesh is a key destination for followers of Buddhism. Some important locations in the Buddhist circuit are Sarnath, the location of Lord Buddha’s first sermon after his enlightenment and also home to the Ashoka Pillar and the Dhamek Stupa created centuries ago in honor of Lord Buddha. Other significant sites of Buddhism in Uttar Pradesh include Kaushambi, Sankisa, Shravasti and Kushinagar.

The state does have a number of significant locations of religious significance for the Jains. For example, the Jain Shwetambar Temple in Ayodhya, is dedicated to the first Tirthankar of the Digambar Jain sect, Rishabdev, and has a 31 feet tall marble statue of him.

Sarnath is important for followers of Jainism too for its Digambar Jain Temple, also referred to as the Shreyansnath Jain Temple, constructed in honor of the 11th Jain Tirthankara Shreyansnath.

In Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh is the Teerthdham Mangalayatan, a Jain pilgrimage complex that consists of 5 Jain temples and serves as a research center for socio-religious aims.

Deogarh, located in the district Lalitpur, is another important place for followers of Jainism. There are Jain Temples and Manastambhas (towers of honor), numbering around 31 – along the bank of the Betwa River. Most of the temples and towers are from the 7-17th centuries. All pediments of the temples and towers are adorned with images of Tirthankaras, and scenes from Thirthankara mythologies on door frames, eaves, and wall murals.

For Muslims, the Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri is at the top of the tourist places chart where pilgrims worship. It was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in the sixteenth century and it is complete with the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, a Sufi Saint. The building is referred to as one of the finest achieved buildings of Akbar.

There is another mosque built by the Mughals which visitors to Uttar Pradesh also flock to see. The jama Masjid in Agra is a beautiful building built of red sandstone and white marbles; that Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal for his daughter Jahanara Begum) had commissioned it.

The Dewa Sharif in Barabanki district, near Lucknow, is another important Muslim pilgrimage. Dewa Sharif is the tomb of Sufi Saint, Syed Haji Waris Ali Shah. There is a festival at the shrine, called Dewa Mela, which lasts for up to 10 days, which includes musical performances, Mushairas and Kavi Sammelans.

Uttar Pradesh has Christian pilgrimage sites in addition to centres of pilgrimage for Hindu, Buddhist and Jain and Muslim religions. For example, there is St. John’s Church at Meerut. St. John’s Church is regarded as one of the most prominent churches in the state. It is also North India’s oldest church, built in 1819 by the East India Company when the British were in India, with some architectural elements still present from British rule.

Another prominent church in Uttar Pradesh is St. George’s Cathedral at Agra, which is again another example of a church built by the British, constructed in 1828. St. George’s Cathedral is an Anglican Church built for British citizens who occupied part of the country. The cathedral includes multiple commemorations in memory of British soldiers who died in battles while in India.

Other examples of Christian pilgrimage sites in Uttar Pradesh are the Lalbagh Methodist Church at Lucknow, All Saints Garrison Church also at Lucknow, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces at Sardhana, in Meerut.

Uttar Pradesh- A Wonder of the Heritage World

The Marshall Heritage Trail runs throughout the state with the capital Lucknow exhibiting the elegant Mughal architecture and British architecture to Varanasi exhibiting a mix of Nagara type of architecture.

In Uttar Pradesh, on the list of Wonders of the World, is the Taj Mahal located at Agra. This mausoleum is beautifully crafted with white marble and was built in the memory of Shah Jahan’s late wife Mumtaz Mahal. It can be considered the apex of Mughal architecture. Built from 1631-1648, it remains a jewel for Uttar Pradesh and India.

The Agra Fort is another heritage site in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The site was the main residential site for the Mughal emperor until 1638 when they moved the office from Agra to Delhi. This fort is made of red sandstone and is built as a walled city. The TaJ Mahal and Agra Fort are located 2.5 kilometers apart.

The fort city of Fatehpur Sikri is located several miles away from Agra. The city was constructed by the Mughal emperor Akbar in honor of the Sufi Saint Sheikh Salim Chisti. The forts are made in the typical Mughal architecture using red sandstone. The Jama Masjid Mosque, Buland Darwaza, Palace of Jodha Bai, and Hawa Mahal are amongst some of the main attractions in Fatehpur Sikri.

In addition to being the location of the first sermon Lord Buddha gave after achieving enlightenment, Sarnath is known for its historical significance because of the Ashoka Pillar and the Dhamek Stupa, both of which were built a very long time ago.

The ancient city of Hastinapur is also a big point of interest among tourists, especially followers of the religion of Hinduism. Hastinapur is mentioned in the Mahabharata as the focal point for many events. Hastinapur is also revered for Jains as well. It has the Jambudweep Jain Tirth and the Shri Digambar Bada Jain Mandir.

Crafted with Care – Handicrafts of Uttar Pradesh

Fond of clothing? The capital city of Lucknow will pamper you with the stunning and fine Chikankari suits, kurta and sarees. Try to check when you are in Lucknow the soothing attars or perfumes which are locally made. They are organic and last long.

Zardozi embroidered handicrafts are also popular across Uttar Pradesh and the beautiful Banarasi Silk Sarees, from Varanasi, woven with painstaking care.

The glass city of India, Firozabad will stun you with its elaborate glassware of bangles, lamps and bowls. The brass handicraft of Moradabad is part of the exquisite metalware, which is famous through out the world. You will fall in love with it.

Into the Wild- Sanctuaries of Uttar Pradesh

The state of Uttar Pradesh is rich in wildlife that includes wildlife sanctuaries and national parks that contain a wide variety of wildlife. Some of the most notable wildlife sites in Uttar Pradesh are Dudhwa National Park, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary and Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, also Okhla Bird Sanctuary.

The Dudhwa National Park is a National Tiger Reserve located in the Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal border. This area includes the natural habitat of Tigers, Rhinoceros, Elephants, Swamp Deer, Porcupines, etc., and has about 450 species of birds.

The Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary is beautiful. The Chambal river includes an endangered species habitat of gharial or small crocodiles, red-crowned roof turtles, and the Ganges river dolphin. The sanctuary and its endangered species habitat are managed jointly by three states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Into the Wild- Sanctuaries of Uttar Pradesh

The state of Uttar Pradesh is rich in wildlife that includes wildlife sanctuaries and national parks that contain a wide variety of wildlife. Some of the most notable wildlife sites in Uttar Pradesh are Dudhwa National Park, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary and Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, also Okhla Bird Sanctuary.

The Dudhwa National Park is a National Tiger Reserve located in the Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal border. This area includes the natural habitat of Tigers, Rhinoceros, Elephants, Swamp Deer, Porcupines, etc., and has about 450 species of birds.

The Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary is beautiful. The Chambal river includes an endangered species habitat of gharial or small crocodiles, red-crowned roof turtles, and the Ganges river dolphin. The sanctuary and its endangered species habitat are managed jointly by three states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.