India Travel

Practicalities of the Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Around Mathura of the Braj in the Uttar Pradesh

At the very heart of Braj, Mathura is the obvious base for peregrinations into the pastoral landscape associated with the adolescent Krishna, where the sacred temple-crowned hills of Govardhan, Barsana and Nandagaon stand in striking contrast to the prevailing flatness. Very little survives of its idyllic legendary forests, and only serious pilgrims would choose to walk rather than catch one of the numerous local buses.

Practicalities of Vrindavan in the Uttar Pradesh

Buses, shared tempos, and taxis run out to Vrindavan from Mathura for about Rs70 per head one way. Three local trains also cover the same route, leaving from Mathura Junction (6.30am, 3.40pm & 7.40pm) for the station in the south of Vrindavan (they return at 7.30am, 4.35pm & 8.05pm). Besides the numerous dhammshalas, several ashrams offer good-value accommodation at fixed rates, as well as food. Some are, however, open only to Indian pilgrims. Away from the centre, the Krishna Sadhak Seva Ashram on Gurukul Road, set in extensive grounds, is quiet and has comfortable suites; more central is the large,

Eating of the Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh

Due to the city's spiritual significance, restaurants and cafes in Mathura tend to serve vegetarian food only. Aside from the hotel restaurants, the numerous sweetshops and dhabas around Holi Gate and the Shri Krishna Janamsthan serve snacks and thalis. Brijwasi Mithai Wala, opposite Shri Krishna Janamsthan. Very clean sweetshop with a number of other branches in Mathura. Offers a huge range of fresh sweets and snacks. Kwality, near Old Bus Stand. Formerly part of the famous chain, and retaining much of its typical look and feel, but now poorly maintained and run by indifferent management. Serves veg food. Prakash Hotel,

Govardhan west of Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh

GOVARDHAN, 25km west of Mathura, is significant as Krishna is said to have lifted the hill of the same name on the tip of one finger, to shelter the inhabitants of Braj from a deluge caused by the wrath of the god Indra. A popular Vaishnavite icon, the entire hill is circumambulated by thousands of pilgrims each year. The eponymous town is clustered close to a masonry tank known as Mansi Ganga, in a gap towards the hill's northern end. Two impressive cenotaphs immediately opposite the tank commemorate Randhir Singh and Baladeva Singh, two of the Bharatpur rajas, while the

Mathura south of Delhi and northwest of Agra in the Uttar Pradesh

The sprawling city of MATHURA, 141km south of Delhi and 58km northwest of Agra, is celebrated above all as the place where Krishna was born, on the banks of the River Yamuna that features so prominently in tales of his boyhood. Hindu mythology claims that it was founded by Satrugna, the youngest brother of Rama - hero of the Ramayana and incarnation of the godhead Vishnu. However, Mathura's earliest historical records date back around 2500 years, before the conquests of Alexander. Buddha himself founded monasteries here, in what was known to later Greeks as Madoura ton Theon (Mathura of the

Mahaban and Gokul southeast City of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh

Across the Yamuna from Mathura, 10km southeast of the city and reachable by-boat, rickshaw or bus, Mahaban and Gokul are associated with Krishna's foster parents, Nanda and Yashoda. There is a cluster of temples at MAHABAN, "the Great Forest", of which the most interesting is Nanda's Palace, also known as Lssi Khamba or "Eighty Pillars", an amalgam of several influences including kiddhist. Rebuilt as a mosque under Aurangzeb, the temple's pillars resemble the Qutb Minar in Delhi, and probably date back to the tenth century. On a high bank overlooking the river 2km from Mahaban, GOKUL, the cowherd encampment to which

Details of Western UP

Western Uttar Pradesh, on the fringes of Delhi, and serving as the gateway to the heartland of the subcontinent, has always been close to the centre of power in India. Once the Moghul capital, Agra is renowned for the most stunning mausoleum in the world - the Taj Mahal - as well as the stupendous battlements and palaces of the Agra Fort. Not far away, the sandstone pavilions of Fatehpur Sikri, built by the Moghul emperor Akbar and abandoned after only fifteen years, remain perfectly preserved in the dry desert-like air. The earliest records of the area date back 2500 years,

Accommodation to the Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh

Despite being an important pilgrimage centre and a large industrial and military city, Mathura offers a very limited choice of accommodation, and none of its up market hotels is especially worthy of recommendation. Neighbouring Vrindavan also has a small, basic range of accommodation. Agra, Bengali Ghat, Charming, small place established in 1930, overlooking the river in the old city and redolent of the atmosphere of the ghats. Bengali food, and a choice of clean air-cooled rooms. Some a/c. International Guest House, Shri Krishna Janamsthan. Large institution-like building set in beautiful gardens beside the temple. Very affordable and clean, with a good

Braj: Mathura and Vrindavan in the Uttar Pradesh

The holy land of BRAJ can be precisely located on the map - centred around the city of Mathura, it lies in the southwestern corner of the Gangetic valley, extending 75km north to south and 50km east to west, with its northern boundary roughly 80km south of Delhi. However, its prime significance is metaphysical, as the mythological land where the Hindu god Krishna spent his idyllic childhood. Early texts mention only Mathura itself- Krishna's birthplace - the forest tract of Vrindavan, the hill of Govardhan, and the River Yamuna. However, in the sixteenth century, Bhakti saints (Krishna devotees) such as Chaitanya

Practicalities to Ayodhya in the Uttar Pradesh

Though Ayodhya has a small railway station of its own, most visitors come for the day from busy Faizabad, on buses and auto-rickshaws from the station there. If you want to stay in Ayodhya, the tourist bungalow Hotel Saket, next to the station, has a dorm (Rs50) and a wide range of rooms, as well as a poorly managed restaurant. Alternatively, the Birla Dhararnsala, on the main road, has very decent and cheap accommodation in its "VIP" rooms. Ayodhya is a vegetarian town.

Details of Uttar Pradesh

UTTAR PRADESH, "the Northern State", known as UP since the days of the United Provinces, under the Raj, is the heartland of Hinduism and Hindi, dominating the nation in culture, religion, language and politics. A vast steamy plain of the Ganges, its history is very much the history of India, and its temples and monuments - Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim - are among the most impressive in the country. Not far from Delhi, in the west of the state, Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, and deserted Fatehpur Sikri stand as poignant reminders of

Arrival and information of the Agra in the Uttar Pradesh

Agra has no less than six railway stations. The busiest is Agra Cantonment (Cantt), in the southwest, which serves Delhi, Gwalior. Jhansi and points south, has a tourist information counter, and is near most hotels. Trains from Rajasthan pull in close to the Jami Masjid at Agra Fort Station, further from the main hub of hotels. Don't be persuaded to get off at Agra City Station, an expensive rickshaw ride away from town. To get to a hotel, use the prepaid auto-rickshaw/taxi booth at Agra Cantonment Station (Rs40/90) or flag down one of the cycle rickshaws (Rs25) that wait in the

Practicalities of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh

Regular buses link Kushinagar with Gorakhpur (2hr) and Varanasi (8hr). Shared taxis and Jeeps also travel to and from Gorakhpur, but are a lot less comfortable. The airport is closed to commercial flights. UP Tourism maintains a low-key office and information desk at the tourist bungalow, Pathik Niwas. Both the Government of India and UP Tourism run comprehensive tours of the whole "Buddhist Circuit" ofUttar Pradesh, which can be booked either at che tourist office in Kushinagar or in Delhi. Accommodation is available in rooms for visiting pilgrims at some of the temples such as the Myanmar Buddhist emple (as

Practicalities to the Chitrakut in Uttar Pradesh

For, the few tourists in this region, Chitrakut serves as a centre for catching connecting buses and trains between Allahabad, Kalingar and Khajuraho. Long-distance transport connections are best made via Karbi. From the main Karbi Bus Stand numerous daily buses run to Allahabad (3-4hr), passing through Serai Akil, 15km from the Buddhist ruins of Kausambi, and also to historic Mahoba, a possible stopoff en route to Khajuraho. The railway station at Karbi has services to Allahabad and Mahoba, as well as Varanasi, 374km northeast (9hr). From the Satna Bus Stand in Chitrakut, buses head south into Madhya Pradesh; connecting buses

Practicalities to Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh

Sarnath is easily reached by road from Varanasi. Blue buses depart regularly from outside Varanasi Cantonment railway station and cost Rs4 but can get very crowded. Shared auto-rickshaws also run from the station for around Rs8 per person and are quicker and more comfortable. The main sites can be quite easily — and pleasantly - explored on foot; the so-called guides who linger outside the main gates and near the museum aren't really necessary. Close to the main gate, the UPTDC Tourist Bungalow has reasonable rooms and a dorm (Rs50). Some of the monasteries, such as the pleasant Burmese Vihara, north

Vrindavan north of Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh

VRINDAVAN, a dusty little town on the banks of the Yamuna, 11km north of Mathura, is among the most important pilgrimage sites in Braj, attracting an estimated 500,000 pilgrims each year. In practice, most of these come during the spring Holi festival, which hereabouts is extended for up to a month, and during the two months of celebrations for the birthdays of Krishna and Radha, his mythical mistress, in the autumn. Although Vrindavan is m theory a tirtha or holy crossing place on the Yamuna, in fact the town has been progressively abandoned by the river, as it meanders away from

Kanpur and around in the Central UP

The teeming metropolis of KANPUR, 438km east of Delhi and 190km west of Allahabad, is among the most polluted cities in the world, and most visitors are there solely for business. Kanpur has been a textile-manufacturing centre since its cotton mills were established in 1869, and together with its twin city, Lucknow, 76km northeast, it dominates the industrial heartland of Uttar Pradesh. Unlike other points along the Ganges, the riverside is of little significance; its ghats are run down, and only those at Bithur, 20km upstream, are worth exploring.

The Town history and its religious heritage, Mathura in the Uttar Pradesh

Despite its prominent history and its religious heritage, Mathura today must be one of the most crowded and dusty cities in India. The recently restored sandstone Holi Gate at the entrance to the old city is Mathura's major landmark, surrounded by similarly decorative temples boasting Moghul cusped arches and intricate carvings of flowers and deities. To the east, the riverfront, with its many temples haphazardly crowding the ghats, is minute compared with Varanasi. Flanking each temple are shops selling Krishna dolls and assorted outfits to dress them in, and other equipment necessary for devotional activites. Along the river towards the

Chaukhandi Stupa in Sarnath at Uttar Pradesh

The dilapidated brick remains of the Chaukhandi Stupa, 1km south of the main site, date from the Gupta period (300-700 AD), and are said to mark the spot where the Buddha was reunited with the Panchavargiya Bikshus, his five ascetic companions who had previously deserted him. Standing on a terraced rectangular plinth, the stupa is capped by an incongruous octagonal Moghul tower, built by Akbar m 1589 AD to commemorate his father's visit to the site.

Crafts in Hyderabad

Crafts Leepakshi The AP state government emporium at Gun foundry on MG Road, stocks a wide range of handicrafts, including Bidri metalwork, jewellery and silks. Utkalika (Government of Orissa handicrafts), House no. 60-1 -67, between the Ravindra Bharati building and Hotel Ashoka, has a modest selection of silver filigree jewellery, hand-loom cloth, ikhattie-dye, Jagannath papier-mache. Figures and buffalo bore carvings. Cheneta Bhavan is a modem shopping complex a little south of the railway station, stuffed with hand-loom cloth shops from various states, including Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. For silks and saris, try Meena Bazaar. Pocfiampally