Uttar Pradesh Visiting places.

Agra The 'Taj Mahal', the world's greatest wonder built by Shahjahan is in Agra. Built in white marble, it is the enduring monument of love. The excellent specimen of Mughal architecture can be seen in Agra. The famous fort of Agra and palaces in Fatehpur-Sikri were built by Akbar. Notable monuments built during Jahangir's reign were the mausoleums of Akbar at Sikandara and of Etmad-ud-daula. Besides these, the shrine of Shia saint Qazi Nurullah 'Shastri' who came to India from Iran during Jahangir's reign, is also located in Agra.
· Ayodhya Ayodhya is among the seven great cities of India. It has the distinction of being the birthplace of Lord Ram. It was also the capital of famous Ikshwaku kings. There are a number of places in Ayodhya which are said to be associated with Lord Ram, Sita and Dashrath.
· Barsana Barsana is situated 10 km. south of Kosi on Agra-Delhi road. It has the distinction of being the birhtplace of Radha, the beloved of Lord Kishna. Its original name was Brahma Sarini. Four prominent peaks are considered to symbolize divinity and adorn the temples constructed in honour of Ladliji, a local name of Radha. A fair is held here every year on the occasion of Radhashtmi.
· Bahraich This has the Dargah of Syed Salar Masood Ghazi, who came to India along with Mahmud of Ghazni.
· Bhrigu Mandir
It is the place where Dardar Muni, son of Bhrigu, son of Lord Brahma, undertook penance. The famous Dadri fair of India is held here in his memory on the occasion of Kartik Purima every year.
· BhitargaonIt is situated in Narwal Tehsil of Kanpur district about 32 km. south of Kanpur. It has a temple of the Gupta period. Built of bricks, it is considered to be an excellent specimen of the Gupta architecture.
· Bithoor Situated about 21 km. north-west of Kanpur city, on the banks of the Ganga, Bithoor is important both from the historical and religious points of view. Its ancient name was Brhmavarta Tirth. According to popular belief, Maharshi Valmiki, the author of Ramayan, had his Ashram here. A fair is held here on Kartik Purnima day.
· Chunar Inside the Chunar Fort is a temple dedicated to Bhartrihari, built by Adi Vlikramaditya. Close by is the Koop temple of the Vallabh sect, where Sri Vitthalnathji had his Gaddi.
· Chitrakoot Chitrakoot is situated on Jhansi-Manikpur railway line about 80 km. south-east of Banda on the bank of river Mandakini. Lord Ram stayed here for some time on way to his exile-in-forest. The Sitapur here has a chain of 24 ghats along the river. Of these, Raghav Prayag, Kailash Ghat, Ram Ghat and Dhritikalpa Ghat are considered especially sacred. It is said that lord Ram lived in the Parnakuti near Ramghat. Three km. from here are the ashrams of Sati Anisuiya and Maharshi Atri. In a hill region, Mandarachal, from where the Mandakini originates, there are temples dedicated to Anisuiya, Atri, Dattatreya and Hanuman. About 3.30 km. away from Sitapur is the beautiful Janki Kund. Near Janki Kund is the Sphatik Shila (rock crystal). Also, there is Bharat Koop, which has the holy waters collected from all the sacred rivers.
· Chakra TirthChakra Tirth is foremost among the centers of pilgrimage in Naimish. It is said that a circular pond was created when the Divine Chakra built by Lord Brahma fell on the ground.
· DeograhThe famous Dashavatar temple is situated here.
· Devipatan It has the famous temple of Pateshwari Devi . It is said that the statues of the deity in the temple was installed by Emperor Vikramaditya.
· Dauji Dauji has the famous temple of Baldau (Dauji), the elder brother of Lord Krishna. Two fairs are held here every year.
· Deoband It has a famous temple dedicated to Goddess Durga.
· Dewa Sharif The Mazar of famous Sufi saint Waris Ali Shah is situated in Dewa about 40 km. from Bara Banki. A big fair is held every year in the month of Kartik.
· DwarahatIt has the three clusters of temples known as 'Kach-hari', 'Maniyan' and 'Ratnadev'. Most of the temples are without statues. It also has a temple of Gujardev which is an excellent specimen of art.
· Fatehpur-Sikri It has the mausoleum of the famous saint Sheikh Salim chishti. The mausoleum is in the premises of a mosque and was built during the reign of Akbar.
· Garh Mukteshwar Situated on the right bank of the Ganga, 42 km. from Meerut, Garh Mukteshwar was a suburb of Hastinnapur in ancient times. There is a temple of Mukteshwar Shiva here. Close to the temple is the ancient Jharkhandeshwar Shiva-ling. A fair is held here on Kartik Purnima.
· Govardhan There is a beautiful temple of Haridev near the vast lake known as the sacred Manasi Ganga. This temple was built by Raja Bhagwan Das of Amber during the reign of Akbar.
· Gola Gokaran NathPleased by the penance done by Ravana in the Treta Yug, Lord Shiva directed him to install a Shiva-ling in Lanka with the instruction that it should not be kept on land anywhere before installation. On the way Ravana left the Shiva-ling for some time with a devotee who was not able to bear its weight, placed it on the land. The Shiva-ling got installed there. On coming back, Ravana got very angry and pressed the ling with his thumb. The ling took the shape of human ear. It is on this basis that the place was called Gola Gokaran Nath.
· Gorakhnath Temple The Gorakhnath temple is situated at the place where Mahayogi Gorakhnath distributed 'Khichri' as Prasad and performed miracle. Since then the city is known as Gorkhpur after the name of the Mahayogi.
· Hastinapur This city was the capital of the Pandavas. A big fair is held here on Kartik Purnima. It also has a famous Jain pilgrim centre. It was here that king Shreyans donated 'ikshuras' to the first Jain Tirthankar, 'Rishabhdev'. Hence, it is known as 'Dan (donations) Tirth'.
· Jain Shwtembar TempleThe main deity in the grand temple is Lord Vimalnath seated on a high edestal. There are symbols of four Kalyanaks in the four corners of the temple.
· Jain Digamber TempleIt has the statue of the original Lord Vimalnath. It is estimated that this statue is several hundred years old. There are also a number of small temples, ruins and old wells.· JaunpurJaupur was founded by Feroze Shah Tughlaq in 1359 A.D. Famous buildings constructed here by Sharqi rulers include the Fort, Attala Masjid, Jama Masjid and Lal Darwaza Masjid.
· Kanva Ashram Kanva Ashram is now called Chowkighat. The Sacred area spread from Kanva Ashram to Nanda Giri is known as Badrinath Mandal.
· Katarmal The famous Surya temple of Uttarakhand is situated here. The image of the Surya in the temple is a creation of 12th century AD. The statues of Shiva-Parvati, Lakshmi-Narayan and Nrisingh are also there in the temple.
· Kankhal The main temple of this city is of Daksheshwar Mahadev on its northern border. A Hanuman temple is also situated here.
· Kalpi The place is famous for its Vyas Tila and Nrisingh Tila. The common belief is that Lord Vyas had his Ashram here and Lord Nrisingh appeared on Nrishingh Tila to protect Prahlad.
· Kaushambi It is a famous pilgrim centre both of the Buddhists and the Jains. A number of ancient images have been discovered during excavations here.
· KannaujThe old name of the city was Kanyakubja. The importance of Kanyakubja increased in the seventh century when Emperor Harshavardhan established his sovereignty here. Yuan-Chwang has given a description of the city during the reign of Harsha. This centre of archaeology, art and culture is also famous for its scents (Ittra). Old ruins, temples and mosques of Kannauj date back thousands of years.
· Kampil This small town, hiding within the mysterious folds of India's long history, has been known since ancient times as the captivating casket of philosophy, religion and culture. It is mentioned in various forms, contexts and backdrops in Vishnu Puran, Jataks, Ramayan and Uttaradhyayan Sutra and other works and reports. This pilgrim centre is the birthplace of thirteenth Jain Tirthankar Lord Vimalnath, Mahasati Draupadi and Guru Dronacharya.
· Kapil Muni AshramA cave has been discovered here during excavations in which there are some statues and things used in worship.
· Kushinagar Kushinagar is one among important Buddhist centres. Lord Buddha attained 'Nirvan' here. An ancient 'Nirvan Stupa' has been found here in excavation. Several 'Vihars' and temples of the Gupta age have also been found in excavation here. The old name of Kushinagar was Vaseya. A fair is held here on Buddha Purima.
· LucknowAccording to the legend, the city of Lucknow was founded by Lakshman, younger brother of Lord Ram, and its ancient name was Lakshmanpuri. There is an old mound here which is known as the Lakshman Tila. Asaf-ud-dawla built the Roomi Darwaza and the Imambara. The Asafi Mosque, Daulatkhana, the Residency, Bibiapur Kothi and Chowk market were also built by Asaf-ud-daula. The famous Chhatar Manzil was constructed by Nasir-ud-din Haider which now houses the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI). The Martyr's Memorial was erected in memory of freedom fighters. The Zoological and National Botanical Gardens are also places worth seeing. There is also the Mazar of famous Muslim saint, Shah Mina.
· LakhamandalLakhamandal derives its name from the discovery of lakhs of statues here. Some important rock inscriptions have also been found here in excation.
· LodheswarLodheshwar is in Bara Banki district and has a temple dedicated to lodheshwar Mahadev.
· MathuraMathura it is one of the seven great cities. Madhuban near the present mathura was earlier ruled by Madhu and his son, Lavan. Madhuban or Madhupuri was founded after the name of Madhu. Shatrughan, the brother of Lord Ram, killed Lavan and gave a new form to the city. Lord Krishna belonging to the Yadav clan of Chandravanshis was born here. Lakhs of pilgrims come here every year to visit the Dwarikadhish temple and Vishramghat.
· Maghar Saint-poet Kabir breathed his last here. His Samadhi/Mazar, a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, is situated here.
· MisrikhLegend is that Maharshi Dadhichi bathed here in water brought from all the Tirths before donating his bones. Hence, its name Mishrit or Misrikh. The ashram of Maharshi Dadhichi and Sita Kund are other places of attraction here.
· Nandgaon Nandgaon is situated at the foot of a hillock about 48 km from Mathura. Nand Baba had his house here. On the top of the hillock is a big temple. The place is held very sacred by the Hindus.
· NaimisharanyaIt was at this place that for establishing Dharma on the earth, the Gods requested Maharshi Dadhichi to give his bones for preparing a weapon to kill the Demon Vrittrasur. Naimisharnaya was a centre of spriitual development. There are many places of pilgrimage (Tirth) in Naimisharanya.
· Nanda Devi After Gauri Shankar, it is the highest mountain peak in the world.
· Prayag Situated at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuan, Prayag, known as the "Tirthraj" is the famous pilgrims’ centre of India. Here a Kumbh Mela takes place every twelfth year and an Ardh-Kumbh every sixth year. The ashram of sage Bharadwaj and the ancient Akshayvat are also situated here. There is a fort at the Sangam which was built by Akbar.
· Pindari Glacier Flowers of varied hues, beautiful forests and snows are the main attractions. The Pindar river also originates from this glacier.
· Rajapur The great saint-poet Tulsidas is said to have been born here. A beautiful memorial has been built here on behalf of the Tulsi smarak samiti. In Rameshwardham temple, Shatrughan, younger brother of Lord Ram, had installed the Shiva-ling brought from Lanka here. Sita used to worship this Shiva-ling daily during her stay in Ashok Vatika.
· RanikhetThe main attraction of Ranikhet is its sylvan surroundings. This hill resort can easily be reached from Almora and Naini Tal also. It has many beautiful spots, pine forests and fruit orchards. Not far away is the Chaubatia Government Gardens. It has an excellent Golf Course. A rope-way has also been built here.
· SankisaIt was called Sankasya in ancient times. The Chinese traveller, Yuan-Chwang has described it as 'Kapittha'. There are certain relics on a mound here. According to the Buddhists, Lord Buddha had descended on earth at this place. The place is also held sacred by the Hindus. A Shravani Mela is held here every year.
· Sarnath Sarnath occupies a very important place among Buddhist Shrines. After Enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, the Buddha preached his first sermon in Mrigdav (Sarnath). Remains of several ancient Vihars and temples have been found here in excavations. The Archaeological Museum here is also an important place to visit.
· ShringirampurSituated on the south bank of the Ganga in Farrukhabad district, Shringiramapur has a temple dedicated to shringi Rishi. Fairs are held here on the occasion of Kartik Purnima and Dussehra.
· Shakumbhari DeviThis ancient temple is situated at a place 41.6 km. from Saharanpur. The Shakumbhari Devi temple is surrounded by hills on all sides. A fair is held here on the occasion of Navaratri.
· Sri Lalita Devi TempleIt is close to the Chakra Tirth. It is said that a divine power called Lalita appeared here by the order of Brhma and holding the Brhma's Chakra by its top, made it stand erect. This temple has great importance for the devotees.
· Shravasti According to Pauranic lore, Shravasti, was founded by Suryavanshi king Shravast. The Buddhist scriptures describe it as one of the six prominent cities of India. The city is also an important centre of Jains. It was also the second capital of Kosal.
· Soron Soron or Shooker-Kshetra is one of the famous pilgrim centres of India. According to the Pauranic lore, at the time of creation, the earth appeared first of all at this place. There is a temple of Lord Varah here in which a colossal image of Varah is installed and nearby is the Varah Ghat on Haripadi.
· Sri Hanuman Garhi and Panch PandavThere is a colossal statue of Lord Hanuman here. According to the legend, after killing Ahiravan, Lord Hanuman appeared here along with Lord Ram and Lakshaman. Here also is a temple of the Pandavas. Pandavas stayed here during their period of secret abode.
· Shukra Tal Maharshi Shukracharya a narrated the story of Mahabharat to King Parikshit under a banyan tree here.
· Tapovan Lakshman Jhola is the main attraction of the place. There is also a Lakshman temple and an ancient temple of Lord Vishnu. At some distance is the Swargashram. There is also a Rameshwar temple at this place.
· Varanasi (Kashi)Varanasi is among the most ancient cities of the world. It derives its name two rivers-Varuna and Assi. The present Kashi has many beautiful temples which include the famous Vishwanath temple, Annapurana temple, Vishweshvar, Sakshi Vinayak and Panchratna temples. Among the 'Kunds' and 'Vapis', notable are Durga Kund, Pushkar Kund, Pishach Mochan, Kapildhara, Lolark, Mansarovar and Mandakini. It has a number of ghats, famous among them being Assi, Harishchandra, AhilyaBai, Dashashwamedha and Manikarnika.
· Vrindavan There are about 4, 000 temples, ghats and sarovars in Vrindava. The Govind Dev temple is very beautiful and grand. It was built by Raja Man Sing of Jaipur in 1500 AD. In front of this is the grand temple of Rangnath built of white stone in the Dravidian style. Other famous temples are Behariji temple, Radhavallabh temple, Radharaman temple, Gopinath temple, Shahji temple, Ashta Sakhi temple etc. Nidhivan and Sewakunj are famous forest resorts and Vashivat, Kalidah and Keshgat are important ghats of the Yamuna in Vrindavan.
· Vindhyachal The famous temple of Vindhyavasini Devi is located here. A great fair is held here during Nav-ratri.