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Uttar Pradesh’s Top Tourism Places: From Taj Mahal to Varanasi

Matrika Shukla — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:49:26 +0000

Uttar Pradesh recently gained significant attention due to the grand Bhoomi Poojan ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. This upcoming temple is poised to become a major attraction for both pilgrims and tourists, enhancing Uttar Pradesh’s appeal in the realm of tourism. The state holds a special place in history as the land where revered figures like Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, and Lord Buddha once walked, establishing it as a cornerstone of Indian mythology and civilization. Despite its vastness, Uttar Pradesh seamlessly integrates iconic sites like the Taj Mahal, spiritual destinations like Kushinagar and Varanasi, and cultural hubs like Lucknow into a rich tapestry of heritage, architecture, religious significance, and natural beauty. This diverse blend of monuments, spiritual centres, and wildlife sanctuaries makes Uttar Pradesh a hidden gem waiting to be explored.

Best time to visit: Some of the best times of year to visit Uttar Pradesh are during the cooler months, specifically from October to March. This period offers pleasant weather with moderate temperatures, making it ideal for sightseeing and outdoor activities. Additionally, winter, which spans from December to February, is a great time to visit as it hosts various cultural events and festivals like the Kumbh Mela and the Magh Mela.

Here are some places you must visit on your next trip to UP:

Agra

Agra, a significant destination in Uttar Pradesh renowned worldwide as the home of the Taj Mahal, sits gracefully on the banks of the Yamuna River. This city not only houses the iconic Taj Mahal but also boasts two other UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, offering a glimpse into the rich architectural history of the Mughal empire. Agra is a key stop on the popular Golden Triangle Circuit, which includes Delhi and Jaipur, as well as part of the Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc with Varanasi and Lucknow. Agra appeals to history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and food aficionados alike, known for its delectable Petha sweets and exquisite marble crafts. It stands out as a must-visit location in Uttar Pradesh for both locals and international visitors exploring India.

Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, a city constructed from red sandstone, was established in 1571 by Mughal Emperor Akbar. Situated 40 km from Agra, it stands as a symbol of the Mughal Empire’s grandeur. Serving as the empire’s capital for fifteen years, Fatehpur Sikri showcases a remarkable fusion of Indo-Islamic architectural brilliance and religious influences. This UNESCO World Heritage Site features three palaces dedicated to Emperor Akbar’s favourite wives, including Hindu, Muslim, and Christian influences; the impressive Jama Masjid still in active use; the grand Buland Darwaza; and the revered tomb of Salim Chisti. The city exudes a magical charm, especially at sunset, making it a top destination to explore in Uttar Pradesh.

Varanasi

Varanasi, known as Kashi and Benaras, is revered as the world’s oldest living city and stands out as a prominent tourist destination in Uttar Pradesh. As one of Hinduism’s seven sacred cities, Varanasi holds the title of India’s spiritual capital. The city is adorned with numerous temples, with the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a revered Jyotirlinga shrine, being the oldest and most frequented. Varanasi is believed to be a sacred place for attaining moksha or liberation from the cycle of life and death. Along the Holy Ganges, around 80 ghats symbolize the essence of Varanasi. The Ganga Aarti ceremony, a spectacle of grandeur and spiritual significance, is a must-see experience in the city. Additionally, savouring the local delicacies like hot chaat and refreshing lassi promises a delightful culinary journey for visitors.

Mathura

Mathura, known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, holds a significant place as one of Hinduism’s seven sacred cities, attracting pilgrims and tourists worldwide. Similar to Varanasi’s Ganga Aarti, Mathura’s Yamuna Aarti is a key attraction. The town experiences a surge in visitors during the festive seasons of Janmashtami and Holi. Shri Krishna Janmabhumi stands out as a major tourist spot, believed to be the precise location of Lord Krishna’s birth, with the prison where he was born now open for public viewing. Other notable temples include Dwarkadheesh Temple and Gita Mandir. Mathura is also renowned for its delectable street food offerings, including kachodis, aloo-puri, chaat, jalebis, and gulab-jamuns.

Lucknow

Lucknow, the capital and largest city of Uttar Pradesh greets visitors with the welcoming phrase ‘Muskuraiyein, kyunki aap Lucknow mein hai’ (Smile, for you are in Lucknow). Positioned along the Gomti River, this city is renowned for its Nawabs, Kebabs, architecture, history, literature, and culture. The iconic Rumi Darwaza, a Mughal Gateway at the heart of the city, separates Lucknow into its old and new sections. The old part is famous for its lively streets, delicious kebab and biryani eateries, Lucknowi Chikan market, and jewellery stores, while the new part is a melting pot of cultures, urban, and one of Asia’s most well-planned cities. Lucknow stands out as a prominent destination not just in Uttar Pradesh but across India.

Prayagraj

Allahabad, now officially known as Prayagraj, is renowned for Triveni Sangam, the sacred meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, making it a significant tourist destination in Uttar Pradesh. Situated in the ancient town of Prayag, Allahabad has been historically famous for hosting the grand Hindu gathering known as the Maha Kumbh Mela every twelve years at the Sangam, drawing millions of pilgrims worldwide. Originally named Prayag or Prayagraj, the city was later called ‘Ilahabas’ by Emperor Akbar and then ‘Allahabad’ by his grandson Shah Jahan. Besides Triveni Sangam, popular attractions in Allahabad include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Allahabad Fort, Anand Bhavan – the Nehru family’s ancestral home, All Saints Cathedral, Chandra Shekhar Azad Park, and Allahabad Museum.

[The article has been modified using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.]

COVID-19 test mandatory before visiting Taj Mahal

News Desk — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 10:53:58 +0000

Tourists planning to visit UNESCO World Heritage site and popular tourist attraction Taj Mahal, would be required to undergo a Covid19 test before the visit. The decision has been taken amidst the rising cases of Covid 19 in China, and elsewhere in the world. The tests have been made mandatory for all tourists.

The Taj Mahal topped the list of domestic tourists paying the visit in 2022. More than 3200 thousands tourists made a paid visit to Taj Mahal this year. Taj Mahal was visited by most number of foreign tourists as well this year.

Four cases of BF.7 strain said to be behind the rising cases have been reported in India. Three cases were reported from Gujarat and one from Odisha, the officials of both the states confirmed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to review the situation in a meeting today.
Union Health Minister asked the states to spread awareness about Covid appropriate behavious amidst the rising cases globally. The Minister said that the center is considering 2% random sampling of International passengers to minimize the risk.

The Minister further added the Union Health Ministry is keeping an eye on the development. He also asked the states to administer booster doses and increase the genome sequencing of positive cases.
India reported 185 Covid cases today, the total number of active cases have come down under five thousands. The cases in India have seen a continuous decline. India has administered 220 crores doses of covid vaccines, 22.35 crores have been administered precautionary doses.

Check out the Ultimate Wingsuit Fly-By of The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, organised by Red Bull India

Gaurav Jain — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:15:12 +0000

Frederic Fugen, Vincent Cotte and Aurélien Chatard flew by the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the World, on 11th October to achieve something that had never been done before. Titled the Taj Mahal Fly-by project, Red Bull Athlete Frederic jumped out of an A Cessna 172 airplane at altitude of 5000 feet about two kilometres away from the Taj Mahal, and using his wingsuit, he flew near by the monument to achieve something that had never been done before – an individual proximity fly-by. He flew by the Taj Mahal at a proximity of 510 metres, achieving a speed of 150kmph in the process. He then gained an elevation of about 50 metres before opening his parachute and landing in Gyarah Sidi (translates to Eleven Steps), the remains of an astrological observatory of the Mughal Emperor Humayun on the banks of the Yamuna River adjacent to the Taj.

The trio performed one jump on 11th October, evening and one more on 12th October, afternoon. The jumps saw them light up the sky with green and orange colours to create a beautiful aerial display as tourists and visitors to the Taj Mahal were left enthralled, highlighting India’s Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav celebrations.

Special thanks to

**The Government of Uttar Pradesh,

**The District Magistrate of Agra,

**Ministry of Culture, Government of India

**Archaeological Survey of India,

**Director General of Civil Aviation, Government of India

**Agra Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh

**Agra Police and

**Agra Development Authority (ADA)

Frederic Fugen is one of the most talented and innovative skydivers, wingsuit pilots and BASE jumpers on the planet.

As part of the Soul Flyers, a group of international athletes that perform wingsuit projects around the world, he has executed some truly incredible flights. Among his craziest projects have been Door in the Sky, when he jumped off a mountain peak and flew into an airplane; Sky Skiing, when he performed a 45-second ski routine in the sky before landing and skiing down a mountain; Flying past the Pyramids of Giza, when he conducted a wingsuit flight super-close to the pyramids; BASE jumping off Burj Khalifa, when he performed the highest-ever BASE jump and parachute off a building; and many others.

Recently, Frederic came up with the idea of a project around one of the country’s most iconic monuments – the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, celebrated as one of the 7 Wonders of the World. And he achieved this feat on 11th & 12th October 2022. Joining Frederic on this project were frequent collaborators Vincent Cotte and Aurélien Chatard, who have been part of some of his best-known aerial projects in recent years. The thrilling moments were captured by renowned sports videographer Dino Raffault, who has captured many of Frederic’s projects and has also been part of Hollywood productions where aerial filming has been involved.

On why Taj Mahal in Agra, India was chosen as a location for this project, Frederic Fugen commented, “Well, Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world, and it’s just amazing for us to be able to fly our wingsuit around there, to practice and showcase our sport above and around such a beautiful landscape. So, it’s been a very, very huge opportunity to be able to do it.”

On flying close to the Taj Mahal, Frederic Fugen added, “We feel that it’s a great honor. It’s a very big, big privilege to be able to fly here, it’s very special. I know it’s never been done before, so I feel very happy to share this joyous moment with my friends as well, to do it as a team. We would like to thank everybody, all the people who helped us to make it happen, and of course, the team from Red Bull India because it’s been a great collaboration and a lot of work to make this dream come true.”

Being seasoned wingsuit pilots, Frederic, Vincent and Aurelien had all the experience and expertise needed to pull off this project. But as they say, every project and location are different from the other, and none are without their challenges. And so, the wingsuit athletes made sure that their safety, the safety of their team, and that of everyone around the monument was of utmost importance.

Taj Mahal reopens today after 2 months, Read new guidelines here

Himanjali Mahanta — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 07:02:59 +0000

Months after being closed due to Covid-induced lockdown, entry to the historic Taj Mahal reopened today. All centrally protected monuments, museums, and sites closed for around two months due to the Covid pandemic will reopen on June 16, an Archeological Survey of India (ASI) order issued on Monday said.

All guidelines to visiting the Taj Mahal

Strict COVID-19 protocols will be followed. Entry will be allowed only via online ticket and no tickets counter will open.
Masks will be mandatory for tourists. They would be sanitized before entering the monument premises.
A restriction of only 650 people has also been imposed by the Agra District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh. “No more than 650 people will be allowed inside Taj Mahal at a given time. Teams will be deputed to monitor the crowd at all times,” he said.
Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Agra Circle, Vasant Kumar Swarnakar told PTI that the monument premises will be sanitized three times a day.
The visitors would not be allowed to touch any object on the monument premises and they would have to follow social distancing norms,” said Swarnakar.

Meanwhile, a single day rise of 62,224 new corona infections was reported today taking India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,96,33,105 according to the Union Health Ministry data. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,79,573 with 2,542 fresh fatalities.

Taj Mahal site evacuated after a hoax call about Bomb Threat

Arnav Dogra — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 07:11:30 +0000

The site of the historical monument Taj Mahal in Agra was evacuated around 10:30 AM (IST) on Thursday after the Agra Police received a phone call from an unidentified man claiming that there was a bomb installed at the site.

IGA Satish Ganesh, Agra’s Inspector-General had said, “the call came on UP 112. He said there is a bomb planted at the premises of the Taj Mahal. Immediately, we pressed our teams into action. No explosive has been found yet. We are also trying to trace the caller.”

Inspector-General Ganesh had correctly predicted that the call was a hoax as no bomb was discovered at the site and it was highly improbable a bomb could have been sneaked on to the site with the tight security measures that are in place at the Taj Mahal.

The Agra Police on its official Twitter handle released a public statement on the issue after no bomb was found by the team that had been sent on the spot.

@agrapolice .
उक्त सूचना के सम्बंध में ताजमहल परिसर व आस-पास के क्षेत्र में चैकिंग कर ली गयी है, स्थिती सामान्य पाई गयी है, पर्यटकों के लिये ताजमहल पूर्व की भांति खोल दिया गया है। इस सम्बंध में #sspagra @IpsBablooKumar द्वारा दी गयी बाईट।@Uppolice
@adgzoneagra pic.twitter.com/iZQ9kyqFLr

— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE AGRA (@agrapolice) March 4, 2021

After the call was received, the Eastern and Western gates of the monument were closed as soon as the tourists were evacuated from the site and bomb-disposal teams were brought to the scene. After less than an hour of being closed, the site was declared clear and the gates opened again at 11:15 AM.