Culture of Uttar Pradesh

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Hindu civilization and culture reached its pinnacle in the territory of Uttar Pradesh. According to some scholars Rig Veda was composed in the Gangetic valley. The renowned names that find mention in the Hindu sacred literature, such as Yajnavalkya, Vashishtha, Vishwamitra, Valmiki, Attriyea, Bharadwaja, Kapil and Vyas lived in the retreats of Uttar Pradesh and enthused millions through the ages.
Uttar Pradesh's supreme gifts to humanity are the two epics, 'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharata'. From the epic age, the territory of Uttar Pradesh has been under the ages of several culture, the two most noteworthy being those generated by the teachings of the Buddha and Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankar. Manifestations of these are to be found in a mass of literature and many relics of art and architecture which encompasses valued cultural heritage of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The dynamism of the people of Uttar Pradesh is reflected in the colorful vivacity of their fairs and festivals. Whether it is the village, still steeped in tradition, or the town, sheepishly modern, Uttar Pradesh never lose touch with its deep-rooted culture. The culture of Uttar Pradesh is superficially manifested through festivities all the year round. All Indian festivals are celebrated here with traditional joviality and fervor.
If you are planning to visit Uttar Pradesh you can take a glimpse of the Uttar Pradesh culture by visiting the world's seventh wonder along various world heritage sites, participate in the festivals, listen the traditional music and watch the Kathak dance, taste the special Awadhi cuisine and achieve the spiritual enlightenment on the ghats of river Ganga. Further you can shop for the exclusive Banarasi sari, Chikankari suits and brass artifacts as ornamental items that will revive the memory of this visit.
Uttar Pradesh is also famous for its handi-crafts. Skilled and efficient artisans are found here who are famous for making the Chickankari Embroidery of Lucknow is especially famous. Uttar Pradesh is the largest Brass and Copper making state in India with thousands of establishments. The diverse Culture of Uttar Pradesh is reflected from these backgrounds.
The Kathak dance style, the most admired classical dance form in India, flourished in UP. Today, foreign countries have also learned this graceful dance form to perfection: the gorgeous Veronique Azan as an example. The countryside songs and dances are noteworthy traits of local Uttar Pradesh culture.
The state is very well linked by all the means of transport. There are daily flights to all the major cities from Delhi. Besides there is also an outstanding rail net work linking the several parts of the state. With all the activities to do and see you will feel a dream come true, so plan a holiday trip to the state and make your visit the most ravishing ones. People in Uttar Pradesh mostly are accustomed with English, Hindi and Urdu dialect. Get accustomed to the unique culture in Uttar Pradesh.

Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh

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Uttar Pradesh - this state boasts of a rich historical past and is home to many Holy Places. Steeped in religious legends and rich in mythological associations, it consists of many cities that are highly revered by devotees belonging to different religions. It is well reflective of the secular spirit of the country for there aren't just Hindu Temples here mosques as well as Jain and Buddhist places of worship dot the cityscapes of the various cities in Uttar Pradesh.
When speaking of the Holy Cities in Uttar Pradesh, the first that comes to mind is Varanasi, also known by the names of Kashi and Benaras. Referred to as the cultural capital of the country, it is a melting point of various cultures. Even though there are many masjids in this ancient city, it is the temples which feature topmost on the list of the Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh. Be it the golden turreted Vishwanath Temple or the simple yet beautiful Tulsi Manas Temple or the Durga Temple with its exquisite multi tiered Shikhara, all of them are amongst the most sacred Places in Uttar Pradesh.
Mathura and Vrindavan are shrouded in the memories of Lord Krishna. The latter boasts of more than 4000 temples and most of them stand as pointers to this association with him who is considered to be a very endearing God of the Hindu pantheon. Even though all do not enjoy the same amount of reputation, there are several which stand in all its glory till today and are frequented not just by religious minded devotees but also by common tourists. These temples date back to several centuries and constitute some of the most important Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh.
Ayodhya is believed to be the place where the epic hero worshipped as a God in this country ruled. A place like this is bound to be blessed with several temples where he is paid homage to and Ayodhya is no exception. Its temples including those as well which are not dedicated to him constitute some of the most important Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh.
Sarnath, Kushinagar are places which have intimate association with Lord Buddha. The former is where he gave his first sermon after becoming "The enlightened one" and the latter is where he delivered his last before death. Both have Buddhist temples and these are counted amongst the prime Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh. Jains too have temples in these places and they are no less sanctified.
The Jama Masjid in Fatehpur Sikri has made a distinctive place for itself amongst the various Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh. It is an exquisite example of the heights scaled by Indian craftsmen in the field of art and architecture. There are many other mosques in many of the other cities and all of them have some admirable feature or the other but this mosque is impressive in every sense of the word.
Even though far fewer in number as compared to the temples and mosques, some of the cities in Uttar Pradesh, India also have churches and gurudwaras. And they are not visited only by devout Christians and Sikhs but also by common tourists. Any tour to Uttar Pradesh is incomplete without a visit to these Holy Places which are amongst the top Tourist Attractions in Uttar Pradesh.

Tourist Attractions in Uttar Pradesh
Holy Places in Uttar Pradesh
Jama Masjid Agra
Moti Masjid Agra
Mangleshwar Temple Agra
Bageshwarnath Temple Agra
Guru Ka Taal Agra
Jama Masjid Fatehpur Sikri
Jami Masjid Lucknow
Dwarkadish Temple Mathura
Shiva Temple Mathura
Katra Masjid Mathura
Jama Masjid Mathura
Govind Dev Temple Vrindavan
Pagal Baba Temple Vrindavan
Bankey Bihari Temple Vrindavan
ISKCON Temple Vrindavan
Madan Mohan Temple Vrindavan
Jugal Kisore Temple Vrindavan
Rangaji Temple Vrindavan
Radharamana Temple Vrindavan
Radha Damodara Temple Vrindavan
Radha Vallabha Temple Vrindavan
Sri Gopesvara Mahadeva Mandir
Jaipur Temple Vrindavan
Shahji Temple Vrindavan
Vishwanath Temple Varanasi
Durga Temple Varanasi
Arhai Kangra Masjid Varanasi
Alamgir Mosque Varanasi
Tulsi Manas Temple Varanasi
Hanuman Garhi Ayodhya
Babri Masjid Ram Janam Bhumi Ayodhya
Kanak Bhavan Temple Ayodhya
Nageshwarnath Temple Ayodhya
Jetavana Monastery Shravasti
Mulagandha Kuti Vihar Sarnath
Jain Temple Sarnath
Parinirvana Temple Kushinagar
Birla Temple Kushinagar
Wat Thai Temple Kushinagar
Japanese Temple Kushinagar
Digambar Jain Temple Meerut
Suraj Khund Temple Meerut
Gurudwara Banno Sahib Kanpur
Shri Radhakrishna Temple Kanpur
All Souls' Memorial Church Kanpur
Jain Glass Temple Kanpur
Sangam Allahabad
Someshwar Mahadev Temple Allahabad
All Saints Cathedral Allahabad
Hanuman Temple Allahabad
Patalpuri Temple & Undying Banyan
Nag Basuki Temple Allahabad
Chakra Harji Vishnu Temple Faizabad
Raja Mandir Faizabad
Atala Masjid Jaunpur
Jami Masjid Jaunpur
Lal Darwaza Masjid Jaunpur
Khalis Mukhlis Masjid Jaunpur
Trilochan Mahadev Temple Jaunpur
Gorakhnath Temple Gorakhpur
Arogya Mandir Gorakhpur

Cities in Uttar Pradesh

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Uttar Pradesh has been one of the most influential cities in India and its charisma has inspired a lot of travelers and foreigners to come and learn more about its culture and history. This north Indian state has also been the home to a lot of great thinkers, and philosophers, dancers and musicians, poets and writers, artistes and artisans, leaders and politicians, intellectuals and academics. The cities in Uttar Pradesh tell its own story that constantly keeps mesmerizing not only the people of India but also the foreign travelers. Indianholiday.com is your perfect Uttar Pradesh city guide that offers the best of information on every travel related question.
Beginning with the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow was established by the Nawabs who were from Oudh in the 17th century. The city is famous for its architectural monuments that were built by the Mughals during their rule. This is one of the fastest growing cities in terms of economy and one amongst the top ten non-metropolitan cities of India. Lucknow is one of the most important cities in Uttar Pradesh and enjoys popularity throughout India.
Amongst the other cities of Uttar Pradesh Agra deserves a special mention. This city is famous all over the world for its magnificent piece of Mughal architecture, Taj Mahal which is better known as the symbol of love. This city has remained the retreat of the Mughals for a fairly long period of time and hence is one of the most beautiful cities in Uttar Pradesh. Shahjahan, the Mughal ruler tried his level best to enrich the beauty of this city by establishing beautiful square shaped gardens. Allahabad is one of the important cities in Uttar Pradesh that is known as the venue for the Kumbh Mela. It is one of the largest cities in Uttar Pradesh and is also popular as a spot where the holy Ganga and Yamuna rivers join together. Varanasi is one of the holy cities and holds an important place in Hindu pilgrimage also. One can visit the holy shrine of Lord Kashi Vishwanath here and this city has also been linked with Buddhism and Jainism. All these cities call for a sure visit since they have something unique to offer to the tourists in terms of information and lots of other tourist attractions. Most of the pilgrim points of Hindus are located in this erstwhile state.

Cities in Uttar Pradesh
Tours to Agra
Tours to Aligarh
Tours to Allahabad
Tours to Ayodhya
Tours to Baldeo
Tours to Balrampur
Tours to Bithoor
Tours to Chitrkut
Tours to Faizabad
Tours to Fatehpur Sikri
Tours to Gokul
Tours to Gorakhpur
Tours to Jaunpur
Tours to Jhansi
Tours to Kannauj
Tours to Kanpur
Tours to Kapilavastu
Tours to Kaushambi
Tours to Kushinagar
Tours to Lucknow
Tours to Mahaban
Tours to Mathura
Tours to Meerut
Tours to Noida
Tours to Rae Bareily
Tours to Sarnath
Tours to Shravasti
Tours to Sunauli
Tours to Varanasi
Tours to Vrindavan

History of Uttar Pradesh

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Uttar Pradesh is considered as the cultural cradle of India. Uttar Pradesh has a rich historical heritage and it would not be wrong to state that the history of Uttar Pradesh plays a key role in defining the lifestyle of the present day Uttar Pradesh. The history of Uttar Pradesh is very old and fascinating and had a great impact on the Indian culture and civilization.
Uttar Pradesh history can be traced back to the period when the Aryans made their advent and started to establish settlements in what they called the "Madhyadesh" or the Central Country. Uttar Pradesh has been ruled by a number of kingdoms at different points in time. The rule of the Kosalas is of particular significance. King Dasaratha and his successor Ram were the illustrious rulers of the kingdom.
It was sometime around the middle of the 1st millennium BC that Uttar Pradesh saw the advent of Lord Buddha and the spread of Buddhism. Around the time Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh was under the Magadha rule. The power was subsequently shifted to the Nanda dynasty and then to the Mauryas. However the city reached its pinnacle of glory during the reign of Harshavardhana.
The historical background of Uttar Pradesh has a lot to do with the advent of the Muslim rule. The period witnessed the subjugation of the Rajputs whose power was confined to the a few pockets of Rajasthan. Uttar Pradesh reached the peak of prosperity during the Mughal rule, and particularly during the rule of Emperor Akbar. It's during the Mughal rule itself that Uttar Pradesh saw the construction of some of its most magnificent monuments whose names have been engraved in golden letters in the history of Uttar Pradesh.
In due course of time, Uttar Pradesh witnessed the decadence of Mughal rule and the advent of the British. The Mughal influence was restricted to the Doab region. Uttar Pradesh also played a key role in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

Monuments In Uttar Pradesh - The Land of Exotica

Taj Mahal
Fatehpur Sikri
Agra Fort
Historical Overview
Agra
Capital City of Lucknow
The rich archaeological heritage of Uttar Pradesh can be characterized by amazing artistry of human hands from the ancient times to the contemporary. This is evident by the presence of thousands of sites, remains, and monuments of archaeologically distinct dynasties, nestling in almost every nook and corner of the state. These human creations represent various facets of history, art and architecture, language and trade, associated with those times. The cities of Lucknow, Agra, and Fatehpur Sikri are the hub of tourist destination full of the imprints of past glory safely preserved and nurtured over the times. The world's best architectural marvel, Taj Mahal has honored the sub-continent of India, at the same time Buland Darwaza of Fatehpur Sikri and the Bara Imambara of Lucknow were no less in praises received all over the world. Right from the ancient monuments to the modern ones, forts to palaces, mosques to mausoleums, temples to monasteries, there is everything in Uttar Pradesh that will make your trip a dream come true.
Taj Mahal - Symbol of Love
Taj Mahal, Agra
Taj Mahal has been considered as one of the most beautiful and incomparable piece of architecture also known as the 7th wonder of the world. The Mughal emperor Shahjahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal in the capital city of Agra. The garden (Charbagh), tome, dome, minarets each part of the Taj is decorated with various designs of calligraphy, carving, abstract geometric elements, vegetative motifs and inlay marbles. The jali and details of lapidary are also worth looking. The sighting of this heavenly glory across river Yamuna in moonlight night will definitely cast a spell on you.
Agra Fort - City of The Red Sandstone.
The famous Agra fort lies on the way to Taj and is less than two kilometers away from the Taj Mahal. The construction of the fort was initiated by Akbar and completed during Shahjahans reign. On your visit to the fort dont forget to compare the Agra fort with its counter part Red Fort in Delhi. You will be amazed to know that the mighty Agra fort is much bigger in size. The Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate are the two main entrances of the fort. The fort consists of a number of buildings of tourist interests such as Jehangiri Mahal, Khas Mahal, Musamman Burj, Diwani-i-Khas, Sheesh Mahal etc. Most of these buildings depict a mixture of different architectural styles.
Fatehpur Sikri - Treasure Revealed
Fatehpur Sikri Ruins
Fatehpur Sikri is only 37 kilometers away from the Agra and the famous Monument City in Uttar Pradesh. This town is completely built in red sandstone and has been recognized as one of the world heritage site. Fatehpur Sikri presents the best example of the culmination of Hindu and Muslim architecture and at the same time Mughal architectural splendor. There are many exciting attractions in Fatehpur Sikri such as Buland Darwaza, Diwan-khanai-khaas, The Treasury, Turkish Sultana's House, Palace of Jodha Bai, Panch Mahal etc. Fatehpur Sikri also comprises of a numerous palaces, halls and Masjids in typical Mughal fashion. Fatehpur Sikri Mosque is said to be a copy of the mosque in Mecca and has designs, derived from the Persian & Hindu architecture. The urban spaces and the buildings of this heritage city capture the imagination and wonder of all that experience it.
Bada Imambara - Lost In The Labyrinth Architectural Marvel
Among all other monuments in Uttar Pradesh, Bada Imambara has its own renowned place, well known for its exquisite Mughal architecture and intricate narrow passages that will lead you nowhere. Designed especially for enemies to get bewailed in its confined paths and hence never able to find their way out. Many of the stairway leads to deep dark wells, which are now, close down by the authorities for security reasons. These 489 identical galleries and corridors in the upper structure form a complicated and intricate puzzle make it impossible to find a way hence its always advisable to accompany a guide whose interesting tales will keep you involve and you will not get stuck in the creativity of the designer. Try to break out the riddle yourself by finding your way upwards till you reach the terrace, one on top you have break the puzzle, enjoy the panoramic view of the Lucknow city from here, your all loss energy will be regained.Asaf-Ud-Daulla an inveterate builder of Bada Imambara constructed in 1784 which took six years, and hence become one of the ambitious discoverers of the glory of the ancient heritage. The Bada Imamabara also known as the Asafai Imambara is considered as a monumental feat. Keeping the fact in mind that it once boasted the largest vaulted hall in the world with the height of 50 feet high roof, spanning an area of 162 feet in the absence of a single beam. Bara Imambara is easily accessible as it is centrally located just 20 kilometers away from the city there is an international airport.
Dhamekh Stupa - Temple of Peace And Prosperity
Dhamekh Stupa, Sarnath
The Dhamekh Stupa is one of the sacred places for the followers of Buddhist faith. This massive structure at Sarnath is built partly in brick and partly in stone, with 28 meter in diameter at the base and 43.6 meter in height. Dhamekh Stupa has a particular significance at Sarnath as it signifies the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon to five disciples. Archaeologists believe that the Stupa was built here by the emperor Ashoka named Dhameka to mark the spot where Lord Buddha preached the Dharamchakrapavartana (Set in motion the wheel of law). While on visit to this place don't forget to examine the smooth glistening stone pillar that commemorates the King Ashoka's visit to this holy place called Ashoka pillar with loin capital on its top. The lion capital became the National Emblem of India.
Other Important Monuments
The other important monuments of the state are Itam-Ud-Daulla Tomb also known as mini Taj and Kalinjari Fort. About the Daulla tomb it is said that it has became the source of inspiration for Shahjahan to build the Taj Mahal. The Kalinjari fort is believed to be built in the 7th century by Kedar Burman, the King of Chandela Dynasty. Remember to mention the names of these monuments while charting out the tour programme to Uttar Pradesh. The architecture and design is amazing and you will find the experience great.
Heritage Remains The Biggest Draw
The monumental heritage of the state of Uttar Pradesh has become its identity. To name few the ancient architecture, Mughal architecture, Hindu architecture and the colonial architecture have left a vestige behind them. Being on the banks of the river Ganga at the time of sunrise and under the moon light at Taj are the very special moments one can remember in his life. Are you going to feel it never mind being late! Plan your tour at the earliest, before it is spotted by the hoarders, going for sight-seeing, tasting the cuisines, spending some time for yoga and finally shopping at the festivals held in the state from time to time.

HISTORY

Ruled By : Maurya, Guptas, Rajputs, Mughals and Nawabs
Famous Nawabs : Nawab Saadat Khan, Nawab Shuja-Ud Daulla and Asaf-ud Daulla
Major Historical Events : Mutiny started from Meerut in 1857
Also Known As : Aryavarta, Hindustan, United Province of Agra, Awadh, Uttar Pradesh