Top 5 Must See Tourist Places in Uttar Pradesh, India

Uttar Pradesh, the fifth largest state of India, is a prime tourist destination in India. Apart from the fabled Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, there are a host of tourist attractions like the time-honored monuments, awe-inspiring religious places, rugged forts, wildlife forests and salubrious parks scattered all over Uttar Pradesh. The State draws huge number of tourists from within and outside India all through the year. Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarkhand and Nepal are the neighboring states of UP.

The city of Agra is known internationally as it home to Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a monument of love in memory of his beloved wife, it presents an incredibly splendid view - particularly on moonlit nights. Taj Mahal is an architectural masterpiece of marvelous symmetry, which appears to be floating in the air when viewed from a distance .

Agra is a picturesque and vibrant city situated on the banks of the Yamuna River and it continues to be a major tourist destination because of the many imposing structures like the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri – both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . One must also see the Moti Masjid -a white wonder mosque resembling a perfect pearl.

Allahabad, known in earlier times as Prayaga, is one of the largest cities of the State of Uttar Pradesh. The city has enormous religious significance as it is one of the sites for the grand Kumbh Mela – a Hindu carnival held once in twelve years. Allahabad is further renowned because it is a city situated at the confluence of the three holy rivers, the brown muddy Ganga, the green Yamuna, and the invisible Sarasvati and the exact spot of the tri-seas merger is known as the Triveni Sangamam.

No tourist to Allahabad should miss the Patalpuri - an underground temple, inside the Allahabad fort. In this temple lies the Akshaya Vat, considered an immortal tree. This temple has found mention in several ancient scriptures and the immortal tree stands in a deep niche above an underground shaft. There is the alluring Minto Park situated near Saraswati Ghat where there is a magnificent stone memorial with a four-lion symbol on top.

One of the biggest attractions of Uttar Pradesh is the world-renowned deer park of Sarnath where Gautama the Buddha first taught the principles of Dharma to the world. The Emperor Ashoka, who spread Lord Buddha’s message of love and compassion throughout his vast empire, visited Sarnath around 234 BC and erected the lofty Chaukhandi Stupa - a square edifice surrounded by an octagonal tower.

It is the first monument visitors see when they enter Sarnath. Several Buddhist structures were erected at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, and today most of them are in ruins. Sarnath Museum houses a rich collection of Buddhist sculptures comprising numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images, which tourists can ill-afford to miss.

Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, is located along the serene banks of the River Gomti. Lucknow was for several centuries the centre for Urdu poetry, art and music and today, the city is dotted with remnants of its rich historic past. The chief attraction of Lucknow is Hussainabad Imambara, more familiarly known as the Chhota Imambara. The approach to Imambara is through an exquisite garden. The Imambara has a white dome and numerous turrets and minarets that present a panoramic view. Dudhwa National Park, close to Nepal border covers a wide area of 490 sq km and is recognized as a Tiger Reserve.

Varanasi or Benares is one of the oldest, continually inhabited vibrant cities in the world and it has been the cradle of two major religions - Hinduism and Buddhism. The city, along the ghats of the holy river Ganges, exudes a quaint antique charm with its undated temples and with Hindu monks swarming all over the city. There are temples galore in Varanasi and few of the more prominent ones are - Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Annapurna Temple, Kalbhairav Temple, Mritunjay Mahadev Temple and Sankatmochan Temple.

Though difficult to believe, the holy city of Varanasi has as many as 84 ghats. The Assi Ghat is a clay-filled ghat and located in the southernmost part of city. The Ghat is at the confluence of the Assi and the Ganges river and adjacent to a huge lingam under a Peepal tree. The Tulsi Ghat is one of the Varanasi’s oldest and most venerated Ghats. The Dasashvamedha Ghat is a centrally located ghat and the most accessible bathing ghat with rows of pandas sitting on wooden platforms under bamboo umbrellas.

Uttar Pradesh, the most populous and fifth largest Indian State, predominantly covers the densely populated Indo-Gangetic plains. Some of the other major tourist attractions of Uttar Pradesh include Jhansi, Mathura, Chitrakoot, Kanpur and Vrindavan.

Uttar Pradesh provides ample opportunity to the tourists to get a glimpse of the rich, traditional, cultural as well as religious heritage of entire India. There are a host of historical monuments, wildlife sanctuaries, renowned pilgrim centers, awesome religious sites, and bewitching holiday spots and all tourists to Uttar Pradesh will have a sense of fulfillment – regardless of his/her inclinations.