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Uttar Pradesh is
fringed on the north by the Himalayas, with snow peaks,
green forests and well fed rivers.
Best
period to Visit:
October - March
Places
to Visit:
Agra-
Taj Mahal is the world's most famous mausoleum.
It is perfection in white marble. It's dome is 98 metres
in height uniting heaven and earth.
Agra Fort is a magnificent structure built
by Akbar in 1565. The entrance is through Amar Singh
Gate and has the Jahangir
Mahal on the right.
Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra
is a resplendent piece of art, which should not
be missed.
Akbar founded Fatehpur Sikri in 1571 as
a thanksgiving to the Muslim saint, Sheikh Salim
Chishti. When Akbar moved out of Agra, Fatehpur
Sikri became India's most grand ghost city.
Lucknow-
is the capital of Uttar Pradesh and was built by Asaf-Ud-Daula.
Asafi Imambara is the largest vaulted hall in the world.
Hussainabad Imambara is a gilded ornate dome with turrets
and minarets.
Baradari is a pillared pavilion, which
houses memoirs of Nawabs.
Other palaces of interest are Residency, Qaiser
Bagh Palaces, Safed Baradari, Shahnawaz and
Constantia.
Varanasi-
is the most revered of Hindu pilgrim centres.
Dasaswamedha Ghat draws the most
crowds for the legendary sacrifice of 10 horses made by
Brahma. Manikarnika Ghat has Vishnu's
foot prints in stone. It is also the 'burning ghat' where
the dead are cremated.
Vishwanath Temple- is dedicated to Lord
Shiva and is a pilgrim's attraction. Man Mandir,
Durga Temple andTulsi Manas Mandir are
worth seeing.
Alamgir Mosque, Bharat Kala Bhawan and
Ramnagar Fort are worth visiting.
Sarnath-
is an important centre. It was here in Deer Park
that Buddha preached his first sermon. The Ashoka
Pillar lies here.
Badrinath and Kedarnath-
are important pilgrim centres located in the Himalayas.
Govindghat leads to Valley of Flowers at 3,352 metres height.
Kedarnath is a Shiva temple
at a height of 3,581. It is a trek of 15km from Gaurikund.
Hemkund Gurudwara is a sacred Sikh Shrine,
which lies close by.
Uttarakhand-
is known for its breath taking landscape. It is the source
of Rivers Ganga and Yamuna. Rafting expeditions
can be enjoyed from the mouth of River Ganga to
the higher reaches of the Alaknanda River.
Jim
Corbett National Park- has immortalized the Kumaon Hills
and is famous for its tigers.
Pithoragarh,
Almora, Kausani and Nainital should be visited for the beautiful
view of the mountains.
Haridwar-
is an ancient pilgrim centre.
Rishikesh-
is well known for its hermitages.
Mathura-
is a deeply venerated religious centre. Dwarikadhisha Temple
is visited by millions of devotees every year.
Allahabad-
is an ancient holy city of India, which is known for its
'Sangam', meaning meeting point of the three great rivers
of India Ganga, Jamuna, and Saraswati. Allahabad has given
birth to famous personalities like Moti Lal Nehru, Jahawarlal
Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan, V.P.Singh and more.
Mirzapur,
Bhadohi and Shahjahanpur- are famous for hand-knotted carpets.
Arts
and Crafts:
'Chikan' embroidery:- Lucknow 'attar' (perfume). Brocades
embroidered with gold and silver threads called 'zari'.
Inlaid work in marble. Brassware, Woodcarvings, Carpets
and Durries'. Khurja pottery. Wooden folding screens from
Saharanpur.
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