Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh (literally meaning"Northern Province"), abbreviatedU.P. , is a state located in northernIndia. It was created on 1 April 1937as the United Provinces with thepassing of the StatesReorganisation Act and renamedUttar Pradesh in 1950. Lucknow isthe capitalUttar Pradesh and Kanpur iseconomic and industrial capital ofUttar Pradesh. On 9 November2000, a new state, Uttarakhand,was carved from the mountainousHimalayan region of

Uttar Pradesh.

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Uttar Pradesh (literally meaning "NorthernProvince"), abbreviated U.P. , is a statelocated in northern India. It was created on1 April 1937 as the United Provinces with thepassing of the States Reorganisation Act andrenamedUttar Pradesh in 1950. Lucknow is thecapitalUttar Pradesh and Kanpur is economic andindustrial capital ofUttar Pradesh. On 9 November 2000, a newstate, Uttarakhand, was carved from themountainous Himalayan region ofUttar Pradesh. The state is bordered byRajasthan to the west, Haryana and Delhi tothe northwest, Uttarakhand and the countryof Nepal to the north, Bihar to the east,Jharkhand to the southeast, and MadhyaPradesh to the southwest. It covers 93,933square miles (243,290 km), equal to 6.88% ofthe total area of India, and is the fifth largestIndian state by area. With over 200 millioninhabitants as of 2011, it is the mostpopulous state in the country as well as themost populous country subdivision in the

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whole world. Hindi is the official and mostwidely spoken language in its 75 districts.Uttar Pradesh is the second largest Indianstate by economy, with a GDP of File:IndianRupee symbol. svg708,000 crore. Agricultureand service industries are the largest partsof the state's economy. The service sectorcomprises travel and tourism, hotelindustry, real estate, insurance and financialconsultancies.Uttar Pradesh was home to powerfulempires of ancient and medieval India,including the Magadha, Nanda, Mauryan,Sunga, Kushan, Gupta, Gurjara, Rashtrakuta,Pala and Mughal empires. The two majorrivers of the state, the Ganga and Yamuna,join at Prayag and then flow as the Gangafurther east. The state has several historical,natural, and religious tourist destinations,such as the Taj Mahal, Varanasi, Piprahwa,Kaushambi, Ballia, Shravasti, Kushinagar,Lucknow, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Allahabad,Meerut and Mathura.

What To

SEE5 Sights

http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-uttar-pradesh-lp-1273338

1 Mathura

Lord Krishna, associated also with theMahabharata epic, is considered to be themost compassionate god of Hindumythology, and is thus revered all across thecountry. His birthplace in Mathura is a majordraw for his followers and devotees, anentire cult surrounding the God and his city.Visitors must see the Krishna Janmabhoomi,the prison cell where the Lord's parents,Vasudev and Devaki were held captive andwhere Devaki gave birth to Krishna. Themain shrine of the city, the DwarkadheeshTemple, is a major attraction for the devout,particularly during festivals like Holi andJanmashtami. Invaded by Islamic rulers, thecity depicts an intriguing confluence ofHindu-Muslim religions in the surroundingbuildings and architecture. Must try thespecial "Mathura ke Pede" for those whohave a sweet-tooth.In addition to religioussites, Mathura has a lot to explore such asMathura Government Museum andMuseum at Krishna Janmabhoomi TempleComplex, both has a good collection ofancient treasures. Walk your way through adazzling display of ornaments, terracottasculptures and bronze objects and you’ll besurprised at the depth of the collection here.For a city that packs so much into so little,you’ll see how there’s a delicacy at everystall, each delicacy itself having its ownspecial place where you can enjoy it. Thereis no particular restaurant culture inMathura, so you’ll find several small andlarge dhabas and stalls around the city tochoose your feast from.

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2 Bareilly

The land of temples, mosques and naturalbeauty -- this is Bareilly for you. Situated onthe banks of River Ramganga, it holds animportant place in Hindu religion.Historically known by many different names,including Nath Nagari (Lord Shiva's abode),Ala Hazrat (named after an Islamicmausoleum), Zari Nagri and Sanjashya (fromwhere Gautam Buddha descended to Earth).According to Hindu mythology, during thetimes of the Mahabharata, the region ofBareilly was known as Panchala -- thebirthplace of Draupadi. It is also believedthat Gautam Buddha once visited thefortress city of Ahichhattra in Bareiily.Ahicchattra is also important from the pointof view of archaeology. The first signs of theAryan advent in the Ganges-Yamuna Valleywere discovered here only. 

The history of Bareilly is an interesting,albeit long one. After the city was founded

by Rajputs, it was taken over by Afghansettlers, giving rise to the Afghan Rohillatribe. It was nearly after a century that theBritish East India Company came to thecountry and after a siege, the city washanded over to Shuja-ud-Daula. 

The entire city is decked up with beautifultemples (such as Dhopeshwarnath Temple,Alakhnath Temple), holy Majars and a greatshopping arcade. Famous for its Zari Zarkariwork, Surma and exquisite Bamboofurniture, Bareilly is truly a shopper'sdelight. The city is a hub of cane (bans)production and that is the reason manyconfuse the name Bans-Bareilly with thebans market. In reality, the name Bans-Bareilly is derived from two princes --Bansaldev and Baraldev, the sons of JagatSingh Katehriya who founded the city in1537. The foundation of the modern city ofBareilly was laid in 1657 by Mukrand Rai --the governor of Bareilly appointed byMughal emperorAurangzeb. Culturally, the city ofBareilly is a melting pot of music, food, artand dance. Bareilly's contribution to theworld of Indian cinema is immense. The cityhas been immortalised in many Hindi filmsongs, including the famous "Surma BareillyVala". The city's street food is lip-smacking,especially the delectable seekh kebabs. A

visit to the city would be incomplete withoutvisiting the beautiful cantonment area.

3 Vishwanath Temple

Vishwanath Gali, Varanasi, UttarPradesh 221001, India

The beating heart of Varanasi, Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to LordShiva and is the holiest of the 12 revered jyotirlingas in the country. One of the mostfamous Hindu temples, even its glimpse issaid to be auspicious. 

It is difficult to ascertain the antiquity of thetemple as it was repeatedly destroyed bythe pre-Mughal Muslim invaders and later

by Aurangzeb. However, the devotion in thehearts of the people of the city for LordShiva has outlived every such attempt. Everytime the temple was destroyed, a newtemple came up in its place. The temple thatstands today was rebuilt by Queen AhilyabaiHolkar of Indore in 1777. In 1839, 42 yearslater, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, gifted 820 kg ofgold to Vishwanath Temple. This gold wasused to plate the shikhara and ceiling and thus the temple isalso referred to as the 'Golden Temple'.Apart from a Shivalinga, there are a numberof small temples for deities includingDhandapani, Kaalbhairav, Avimukteshwara,Vinayaka, Sanishwara, Vishnu, Virupakshaand Virupaksh Gauri in the complex. Also,there is a small well in the temple called theJnana Vapi--the wisdom well. It is believedthat the Jytorlinga was hidden in this well toprotect it at the time of invasion and themain priest jumped in the well with theShivalinga in order to protect it.

Every day, five major aartis are held at    Vishwanath Temple and it is abuzz withworshipers through the day. During thereligious occasion of Mahashivratri, KashiNaresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiatingpriest. No other person or priest is allowedto enter the sanctum sanctorum and it is

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only after he performs his religiousfunctions that others are allowed to enter.Even though non-hindus are not allowed toenter the shrine, they can stroll through theVishwanath Gali (lane) and get a glimpse ofthe interiors.

4 Aligarh

Aligarh is one of the major educationcenters in India with the world famousAligarh Muslim University in the city itself.The place has more to offer in terms oftourism with other interesting attractionslike The Aligarh Fort, an 18th centurymosque, the Dor Fort and the The MethodistChurch among others. You can also visit thenearby villages like Mangarhi, Sidarmain toget a feel of the local life. It also has ahistorical significance as this is the placewhere the famous battle of Ally Ghur wasfought between the French and the British.Aligarh is also famous for its locksmanufacturing units and hence referred toas "City of Locks".

5 Bharat Kala Bhavan

Semi Circle Road 3, Kabir Colony,Banaras Hindu University Campus,Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005,India

Located inside the campus of BHU, amongthe oldest educational institutes of India, Bharat Kala Bhavan was founded by PanditMadan Mohan Malviya. Established in 1920,it became the property of BHU in 1950, andit was then that the collection wastransferred to university campus and thepresent building was inaugurated on 31January, 1962. The museum displays India'sheritage and preserves the past. It is dividedinto various sections in the form of galleries,including Mahamana Malviya Gallery, NidhiGallery, Nicholas Roerich Gallery,Archaeological Gallery, Chhavi Gallery,Sculpture Gallery and Decorative Art Gallery.

The museum houses a rare collection ofprecious artifacts, a number of Mughalminiatures, paintings, Buddhist and Hindusculptures, pictures, manuscripts,contemporary art form and bronze statuesfrom 1-15 CE, brocade textiles, which are ofgreat archaeological importance. There aremany other objects of visitor's interestincluding mental craft, pottery, ivory goods,jewellery, terracotta beads & rare

collection of Rajasthani, Gujarati and Pahariminiature paintings. It is well maintainedand gives an overview of ancient city ofVaranasi. 

Where To

Eat5 Places

http://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-uttar-pradesh-lp-1273338

1 National Bakery

Shivpuri-Jhansi Rd, Civil Lines, Cantt,Jhansi, UP 284002

+91-510-2446621

Its a great cafe or restaurant with sometempting and sumptuous meal options.They have wide variety of cafe options aswell as restaurant ones ranging from coffee,cakes, pastries, patties, ice-creams to dosa,noodles, pizza and burgers. A mixed bag ofeverything you expect from a good

restaurant, National Bakery stands upto your expectation.  

2 Dasaprakash VegetarianRestaurant

Meher Cinema Complex, Baluganj,Rakabganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh282001, India

+91-562-2463535

The favourite snack-time and meal option ofthe entire country, South Indian food is a hitwith locals and tourists, no matter what partof the country you're travelling to.Dasaprakash Vegetarian Restaurant bringsthis legacy to Agra, in all its glory andpopularity.

You'll love the lively feel of this restaurant,with the bustling crowds that throng hereduring mealtimes in particular. Try their hotsteaming rice and rawa idlis, the fresh-from-

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the-pan dosas (in different flavours too) anda whole host of other snacks. For a moresubstantial meal, give their thali a spin,complete with different vegetablepreparations served with rice and hotpooris. Top it off with the rich rawa kesarifor dessert and you're all set for reachingnirvana, metaphorically!

3 Heera Foods

Opp. CNG Filling Station, DelhiMathura Highway, NH-2, Mathura281001, India

09897222888

Heera Foods represents the finest authenticdelicacies of Indian cuisines. In Heera Foodsyou have fresh buffet every day, all spicesare natural. The real art lies in the blendingof the fresh and natural ingredients of thehighest quality, cooked with skills andfinesse. Eat in, take it to go, or have itcatered right to you. The feeling is friendlyand the food is fabulous.   

4 Esphehan, The OberoiAmarvilas

The Oberoi Amarvilas, Taj East GateRoad, Fatehabad Road, Tajganj, Agra,Uttar Pradesh 282001, India

+91-562-2231515

While you soak in the royal magnificence ofthe Taj Mahal and other Mughalarchitecture, there's an equally royal treatwaiting for you at E sphehan, The Oberoi Amarvilas. Their finedining restaurant serves some of the finesttraditional Indian dishes in an ambience thatwill at once make you feel like royaltythemselves.

Enjoy an elegant, quiet meal with theperfect Oberoi brand of hospitality topamper you thoroughly. With serene viewsof the Taj in the distance, this meal will

perhaps be one of your most unforgettableexperience of Agra. The exclusive restaurantis open for dinner, and only for two sitting at7 and 9:30pm, adding to the aura of anabsolutely niche dining experience. 

5 Shree Rathnam Restaurant

BPCL Complex,opp Refinery AgraHighway Mathura

+91-819-396-1234

The forte of Shree Rathnam Restaurant isSouth Indian Food but they also servedelicious vegetarian north indian andchinese food prepared by professionalchefs.They make the dining experience ofthe customers a physically, mentally andspiritually satisfying one. The food definitelyprovide value for money & strive hardto live up to the expectations of customers.Dosas are really recommended at this placewith the three types of chutneys served withthem and sambhar. Paneer Tikka and SpringRolls are also good if you want to go fornon-south indian starters.