Utter Pradesh 
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Uttar Pradesh is the rainbow land
where the multi-hued Indian Culture has blossomed from times immemorial.
Blessed with a varaity of geographical land and many cultural diversities,
Uttar Pradesh, has been the area of activity of historical heroes like -
Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Mahavira, Ashoka, Harsha, Akbar and Mahatma Gandhi.
Rich and tranquil expanses of meadows, perennial rivers, dense forestsand
fertile soil of Uttar Pradesh have contributed numerous golden chapters
to the annals of Indian History. Dotted with various holy shrines and piligrim
places,full of joyous festivals, it plays an important role in the politics,
education, culture, industry, agriculture and tourism of India.
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Agra
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Agra is famous as being home to one of the seven wonders of the world-the
Taj Mahal. The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and
the palaces is a vivid remainder of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces
is a vivid reminder of the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Agra was once the capital of the Mughal empire and even today it seems
to linger in the past . Not surprising , for the Mughal emperors with
their passion for building, endowed the city with some of the finest structures
in the world . It is very easy to slip away here through the centuries
into the grandeur and intrigues of the Mughal court .
A pleasant town with comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb
inlay work on marble and soapstone by craftsman who are descendant of
those who worked under the Mughals. The city is also famous for its carpets,
gold thread embroidery and leather shoes.
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Taj
Mahal
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Taj Mahal - Sheer poetry in marble. Majesty and magnificence, unrivalled.
The Taj Mahal is the one and only one of its kind. It is one of the most
flawless architectural creations of the world. The monumental labour of
love of a great ruler for his beloved queen. The ultimate realisation
of Emperor Shahjahan's dream. Since the 17th century, travellers have
crossed continents to come and see this ultimate memorial to love, and
few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty. From 1631 A.D., it took
22 years in the making. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete
the enchanting mausoleum, on the banks of the Yamuna. For a breathtaking
beautiful view of the Taj Mahal, see it by moonlight. The designer of
Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The material was brought in from all
over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport
it to the site. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers,
stone-carvers and masons were brought not only from all across India but
from lands as distant as Persia and Turkey.
The exterior
The Taj itself stands in a raised platform. The four minarets at each
corner of the plinth provide a perfect balance to the tomb. The minarets
measure 41.6 m high and each has a deliberate slant outwards so that in
an unlikely event of an earthquake, they would not fall on the tomb but
away from it. The bulbous dome of the Taj Mahal rests on an extraordinarily
high drum and rises to a total height of 44.41 mt. From the base of the
drum to the apex to the finial. The central dome, irrespective of the
angles of the view. There is only one point of access to the plinth and
tomb, a double staircase facing the entrance. One has to remove shoes
over or can put on the shoe covers which are provided at a nominal cost
by the staff stationed here for this purpose.
Interior of the Taj
The interior of the mausoleum comprises a lofty central chamber, a crypt
immediately below this and four octagonal corner rooms originally intended
to house the graves of other royal family members. In the centre are the
cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's cenotaph is to
the left and is higher than that of his beloved which rests immediately
below the dome. The cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal stands in the centre of the
marble screen, it has inscribed on it in persian with texts from the Koran.
The cenotaph has the single epitaph inscribed on it - "Marqad Munavvar
Arjumand Ban Begum Mukhatib bah Mumtaz Mahal Tanifiyat ferr sanh 1040
Hijri" (Here lies Arjumand Bano Begum called Mumtaz Mahal who died
in 1040 AH or 1630 AD). The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is inscribed in Persian
- "Marqad Mutahar Aali Hazrat Firdaus Ashiyani Sahib-qiran Saani
Saani Shah Jahan Badshah taab surah sanh 1076 Hijri" (The sacred
sepulchre of his most exalted Majesty, dweller of Paradise, the second
lord of constellations, the king Shah Jahan, may his mausoleum ever flourish,
1076 AH (1666 AD). Above the tombs is a Cairene lamp, the flame of which
is supposed to never burn out. Marble screen of trelliswork surrounds
the graves. Both tombs are exquisitely inlaid with semi precious stones.
The acoustics of the building are superb with the domed ceiling being
designed to echo chants from Koran and musician's melodies. It is suggested
that one walk around the outside of the tomb, before retrieving your shoes,
to appreciate it from all sides.
The Mosque and the Jawab
To the left of the Taj is a mosque made of red sandstone. It is common
in Islam to build a mosque next to a tomb, as it sanctifies the area and
provides for a place for worship. This mosque is still used for Friday
prayers.
An identical mosque is also built to the right of the Taj and is known
as the Jawab (answer). Prayers are not held here as it faces west i.e.
away from Mecca, the holy city of the Muslims. It was built to maintain
symmetry.
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Agra
Fort
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The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra
Fort in 1565, A.D. although additions were made till the time of his grandson
Shahjahan. The forbidding exteriors of this fort hide an inner paradise.
There are a number of exquisite buildings like Diwan-i-Khaas, Diwan-i-Am,
Musamman Burj - where Shahjahan died in 1666 A.D. Jahangir's Palace; Khaas
Mahal and Shish Mahal.
The construction of the Agra fort was started around 1565 when the initial
structures were built by Akbar. Shah Jahan replaced most of these with
his marble creations. Some however survived, among them are - Delhi Gate.,
Amar Singh Gate, Akbari Mahal and the Jehangir Mahal. The fort is crescent
shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing
the river. It has a total perimeter of 2.4 km, and is ringed by double
castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals
by bastions. A 9 mt. Wide and 10 mt. Deep moat surrounds the outer wall.
An imposing 22 mt. High inner wall imparts a feeling of invincible defensive
construction.
Buildings inside the fort
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Jehangir Mahal
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Jodha Bai's Palace
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Anguri Bagh
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Khaas Mahal
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Musamman Burj
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Sheesh Mahal
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Diwan-E-Khaas
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Diwan-E-Am
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Fatehpur
Sikri
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The wonderful city of Fatehpur Sikri was build by the emperor Akbar.
The marvelously preserved fort, palaces and tomb of salim Chishti with
its delicate lacy marble screens are worth seeing.
Perched atop a rocky ridge 37 km west of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri came into
being four centuries ago when the Emperor Akbar, not yet 28 years old,
created the first planned city in Indo-Islamic style.
In 1568, Akbar was secure and powerful but he had no son and heir. His
search for blessing for the birth of a successor brought him to the Sufi
mystic Shaikh Salim Chisti, who lived in Sikri village. The saint prophesied
the birth of three sons and soon after was born Prince Salim, later to
become Emperor Jahangir. In gratitude for the blessing Akbar decided to
create imperial residences in Sikri, which would function as a joint capital
with Agra. As a mark of his faith and his recent victories, he named his
new city Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar was a keen builder and the plan of Fatehpur
Sikri reveals an architectural mastermind at work. Research has proved
that it was planned on a definite mathematical grid.
Fatehpur Sikri is built in red sandstone, and is a beautiful blend of
Hindu and Islamic architectural elements. The sandstone is richly ornamented
with carving and fretwork. Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned 14 years after
its creation. A shortage of water is believed to be the reason.
Other Places of Interest
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Diwan-E-Am
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Diwan-E-Khas
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Private Living Quarter
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Jodhabai's Palace
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Hawa Mahal
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Birbal's Palace
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Panch Mahal
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Jama Masjid
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Salim Chisti's Tomb
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Buland Darwaza
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Mathura
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Brajbhoomi - the land where Shri Krishna was born
and spent his youth, has today little towns and hamlets that are still
alive with the Krishna legend and still redolent with the music of his
flute. Mathura, a little town on the River Yamuna was transformed into
a place of faith after Lord Krishna was born here. Vrindavan, a village
- once noted for its fragrant groves, is where he spent an eventful youth.
There are numerous other little spots in the area that still reverberate
with the enchantment of Shri Krishna.
A long line of picturesque ghats - with their steps
leading to the water's edge, arched gateways and temple spires extending
along the right bank of the River Yamuna, emphasise the sacred character
of the town of Mathura. The birth place of Lord Krishna, "the best
known, best loved and most complex of Lord Vishnu's manifestations"
- Mathura is today an important place of pilgrimage.
An ancient city whose origins fade into the mists
of history, Mathura's strategic location at the cross roads of various
trade routes - that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman Empire;
northwards, via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia and
the Silk Route and eastwards to China - ensured its position as a centre
of trade and a meeting point for varied cultures.
By the fifth century BC, during the time of
Buddha, it was a major metropolis and the capital of the Surasena Kingdom
- one of the 16 Mahajanapadas of the period. Mathura saw its `golden age'
during the rule of the Kushanas and the able governance of rulers like
Kanishka, Huvishka, and Vasishka, when the arts flourished and economic
wealth grew. It remained a centre of power during the Mauryan period,
through the enlightened rule of Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BC) to the
Gupta era (4th century AD).
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Varanasi
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Picturesquely situated on the crescent shaped
left bank of the holy Ganga, Varanasi, one of the ancient seats of learning
in India, is said to be a compound of the names of two streams, the Varuna
and the Assi, which still flow in the north and south of the city respectively.
This name seems to have been corrupted, in medieval times to Banaras,
which was in use till May 24, 1956 when it was changed to Varanasi, by
an order of the Government of India. Varanasi is probably one of the most
ancient living cities in India. From time immemorial it has been a great
religious center for Hindus and one of their most sacred places of pilgrimage,
being visited by millions of people every year. At a distance of 12 km
from Varanasi lies Sarnath, where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon.
Here he revealed the eight fold path that leads to the attainment of inner
peace, Enlightment and Ultimate Nirvana.
Prime Attractions
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The Ghats
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Sarnath
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Viswanath Temple
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Chunar Fort
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Ramnagar Fort
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Archaeological Museum
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A.B.C. Art Gallery, Prabhu Astha
Other Places of Interest
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Banaras Hindu University
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Other temples & Deer Par
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Lucknow
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Avadh is claimed to be
among the most ancient of Hindu states. According to popular legend, Ramchandra
of Ayodhya, the hero of the Ramayana, gifted the territory of Lucknow to
his devoted brother Lakshman after he had conquered Sri Lanka and completed
his term of exile in the jungle. Therefore, people say that the original
name of Lucknow was Lakshmanpur, popularly known as Lakhanpur or Lachmanpur.
The city of Ayodhya itself, forty miles away from Lakshmanpur, was reported
to be full of great riches: "Its streets, well arranged, were refreshed
with ceaseless streams of water ~ its walls, variously ornamented, resembled
the checkered surface of a chess-board. It was filled with merchants, dramatists,
elephants, horses and chariots. The cloud of fragrant incense darkened the
sun at noonday: but the glowing radiance of the resplendent diamonds and
jewels that adorned the persons of the ladies relieved the gloom!.."
(Ramayana).
The legacy of the imperial splendor of Lucknow has
always fascinated people all over the world. The ambience of Awadh has
commonly been associated with the leisurely habits, etiquette, architecture,
food and refinement, the residues of Nawabi culture. Over the years the
city has preserved this spirit of the bygone days. Lucknow took almost
two centuries to grow to the size of a metropolis. The first hundred years
of success belonged to the Nawab Wazirs which, in different degrees contributed
to its growth and made it, what has been metaphorically called, the "Shiraz
of Awadh" and the "Constantinople of India". The nawabs
were responsible for imparting a distinct image to the city, which indeed
is unique. They worked meticulously to dress Lucknow with religious and
secular edifices of uncomparable excellence. The surviving monuments of
the city mark the evolution of an interesting style in architecture. In
the reign of Nawab Asaf ud Daula, the Mughal stylistic legacy was re-interpreted
in stone and stucco instead of marble and stone. Soon the builders began
to experiment with European styles and attempts were made to fuse the
occidental with the oriental. Consequently, the style that emerged could
rival the best in the world. Modern city of Lucknow, spread evenly on
both sides of the Gomti, offers a tourist plenty of places of historical
interest. Aminabad, with its twisted lanes, is the main shopping centre,
though Hazratganj, with its theatres, coffee houses, restaurants, hotels
and bars has attracted tourists since long. The Prince of Wales Zoological
garden at Banarsi Bagh and the Botanical Garden at Sikander Bagh are ideal
places for family outings. Besides, the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary and the
Kukrail picnic spot also offer exclusive recreational facilities.
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