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History of Uttar Pradesh
The antiquity of the state of Uttar Pradesh can be
traced back to stone age. Various archaeologists have
discovered stone tools like hand axes and choppers in
some parts of Uttar Pradesh. By 600 B.C., Uttar Pradesh
had a thriving agricultural economy based on money
exchange. There were eight well known republics and
kingdoms at that time like Kashi, the modern Varanasi;
Kosala, the present day Oudh and Vatsa, today’s
Allahabad. Uttar Pradesh is also regarded by many Hindus
as the birthplace of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It
was the first home of the Vedic religion developed by
the earliest lndo-Aryan immigrants from around 1500 BC.
In the Vedic period, it formed part of Madhyadesha
(Middle Country). It was in Uttar Pradesh that both, the
Buddha and Mahavir found their first disciples.
Prasenjit, the ruler of Kosala, and Udayan king of Vatsa,
were early followers of Lord Buddha. The Buddha preached
his first sermon in the deer park at Sarnath and
attained parinirvana (spiritual release from the body)
at Kushinagar. The origin of Varanasi can be traced back
at least a century before the Buddha came to it in 500
BC. It became a great centre of culture, education,
commerce and craftsmanship, drawing students and
pilgrims from all over the country. Its fame also drew
the attention of the rich and powerful kings and its
temples and mansions were ransacked on many occasions
from the 11th to the 18th centuries. Over two million
years ago, Uttar Pradesh was part of Ashoka’s great
Mauryan empire. Later most of UP was controlled by
various Hindu dynasties until the arrival of the Muslims
in the 12th century. The Mughals replaced the early
Muslim Sultanates in the 16th century. Agra was one of
the capitals of the Mughal Empire which stretched from
the Bay of Bengal to Kabul in Afghanistan. Akbar had its
capital at Fatehpur Sikri and Agra. The Red Fort,
Itmad-ud-Daula and Taj Mahal are some of the famous
monuments in Agra. Shah Jahan was responsible for
encouraging the development of a fully distinct and
uniquely beautiful Mughal architecture and the Taj Mahal
is the wonderful example. The arrival of the British in
India was followed by their gradual advance up the river
Ganga. In 1836, the East India Company possessions in UP
and Delhi were combined and known as the North- western
provinces. The annexation of the independent province of
Oudh in 1856 undoubtedly contributed to the outbreak of
the 1857 Indian Mutiny. The first revolt occurred in
Meerut and quickly spread to Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra,
Allahabad and Jhansi. Some of its most dramatic
incidents occurred at Lucknow and Kanpur. After the
control of Mutiny by East India Company, the territories
were passed to the British. In 1877, the North-western
provinces and Oudh were combined to form the united
provinces of Agra and Oudh. UP was also in the forefront
of the national movement for independence and various
incidents associated with the Swaraj (Home Rule)
struggle occurred within its boundaries.
Geography of Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh shares its borders with Tibet in the
north and the north-east, Himachal Pradesh in the
north-west, Haryana and Delhi in west, Rajasthan in the
south-west, Madhya Pradesh in the south and Bihar in the
east. The vast territory of Uttar Pradesh can be divided
into three distinct physiographical regions. These
regions are the Himalayas and the Siwalik hills in the
north, the vast Gangetic plains in the centre and the
Vindhya range and plateau on the south. There are many
snow capped peaks like Nanda Devi, Kamet, Trisul,
Badrinath, Dunagiri and Shivling in the Himalayan region
and are associated with the Hindu gods. The source of
Ganga is also from here. The Siwaliks form a low range
of hills and run parallel with the Himalaya. The
Gangetic Plain occupies the largest part of the state.
The featureless and flat plain, which are hot, dry and
dusty in summer, are drained by the Ganga and its many
tributaries. Uttarakhand or Uttaranchal is the new state
of the Himalayan region which has been formed out of the
Uttar Pradesh. The major river of UP and North India is
the Ganga. It is not only sacred to the Hindus but also
irrigates large areas. The second most important is the
Yamuna which has its source in the Garhwal Himalaya at
Yamunotri. The Ghaghra, Gomti, Ramganga and Kosi are
other major rivers.
Climate of Uttar Pradesh
Except in the mountainous region, the whole state
experiences a tropical monsoon climate. From December to
February, the temperature ranges from 7 to 27 degree
Celsius and from April to June, the temperature ranges
from 22 to 42 degree Celsius. A hot dry wind often blows
from the west. The monsoon lasts from mid-June to
mid-September, during which the maximum temperature is
reduced a few degrees, humidity increases and the state
receives 80% of the annual rainfall. The hill region
differs from the plains as its highest peaks are
permanently under snow, and the daily and seasonal
temperatures are lowered according to altitude and
aspect. The rainfall generally decreases from east to
west across the state, but in the hill stations of
Nainital and Mussoorie, the winter precipitation falls
as snow.
Economy of Uttar Pradesh
Agriculture is the main occupation of three quarters of
the working population. About one sixth of the state is
under forests and much of the area has been removed.
Wheat, rice, maize and pulses are the major crops grown
in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is one of the country’s
major producers of sugarcane. Oilseeds, potatoes,
cotton, tobacco and jute are also grown here. UP does
not have lucrative mineral resources. Limestone and
silica are extracted on a large scale and magnesite and
phosphatic shale are important source of electricity.
Cotton mills were first established in Kanpur in 1869
making it one of the older industrial cities of India.
It is now one of the greatest manufacturing cities with
woollen and leather industries, cotton, flour and
vegetable oil mills, sugar refineries and chemical
works. Cottage and village-based industries like
weaving, leather, woodwork, ceramics, silk weaving and
perfumery are the important industries.
People of Uttar Pradesh
The majority of the people in Uttar Pradesh are Hindus,
and about 15% people are Muslims and form a significant
minority. The Muslim belt lies across the middle of the
state from Aligarh to Faizabad. Buddhism, Jainism,
Christianity and Sikhism constitute less than 3% of the
state’s population.
Languages of Uttar Pradesh
The main language which is spoken in the Uttar Pradesh
is Hindi, but Urdu with its strong vocabulary of Persian
words, modified Arabic script and Hindu grammatical
structure is still quite widely spoken among Muslims.
Urdu was developed in Uttar Pradesh and is now a popular
language of the entire Indian subcontinent. Various
numerous local dialects are also spoken in the state and
a broad division can be made between those on the plains
and the Pahari (hill) dialects.
Culture of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is a living testimony of classic
literature, art, music and dance forms. UP is the home
to the Kathak dance from and to artists of the caliber
of Birju Maharaj. It is also home to innumerable folk
dances including the famous raslila of Mathura, the
Nautanki of Kanpur and the rustic Dhobi, a dance of
central UP. The state offers the best of mushairas,
ghazal soirees, mehfils, darbars along with the spirit
of tehzeeb and hospitality.
Art & Crafts of Uttar Pradesh
Kurtas, salwar suits, duppatas and sarees made from the
finest chikankari and zardozi work of Lucknow and the
famous Banarasi silk saris of Varanasi are known all
over the world. The carpets of Bhadohi, the splendid
brassware of Moradabad, the blue pottery of Khurja, the
fine inlay work of Agra and the glassware of Firozabad
are also the famous craft items. These pieces of art and
craft are mementos for the valued visitors of Uttar
Pradesh.
Festivals of Uttar Pradesh
Fairs and festivals are a part of the culture of Uttar
Pradesh and acknowledged as a means of enriching
life.The city of Uttar Pradesh celebrates a number of
fairs and festivals like Kumbh Mela, Holi, Diwali, Id,
Muharram and various other Hindu and Muslim festivals.
The Kumbh Mela is one of the major festival which is
held in Allahabad after every twelve years. During this
festival, the pilgrims and tourists from all over the
country gather here and take bath in the holy waters of
Sangam where the waters of sacred river Ganga meets
Yamuna and Saraswati. Mathura and Barsana, near Mathura
are known for the colourful 'Lathmaar" Holi. Dussehra
and Ganga Mahotsav are the various other festivals which
are celebrated here.
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Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh
The diverse aromas ranges from the princely cuisine of
the Nawab of Awadh to the delectable mithais and
namkeens of other regions. Biryani-e-Dum Pukhat, shami,
seeks and galauti kababs, Korma, and kulcha – Niharis
are the famous dishes of Uttar Pradesh. Hot breads like
sheer-maals, mughlai parathas and rumali rotis can be
served here. The desserts ranges from shahi tukra,
pheerni gulathi to kulfi-faluda, seasoned with saffron
or malai gilauris, hot jablebis and imarits or pedas of
Mathura. A glass of chilled thandai from Lucknow can be
had in the end.
Cities in Uttar Pradesh
There are various cities to visit in Uttar Pradesh.
Agra, the city of the Taj; Varanasi, one of the most
ancient cities of the world, situated on the banks of
the Ganges; Haridwar, the religious city; Allahabad, the
place where the great Kumbh mela is held; Mathura,
situated on the banks of the Yamuna river and regarded
as the birthplace of Lord Krishna; Rishikesh, the place
of sages; Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh and the
famous administrative centre and market city and Kanpur,
the most important industrial centre are the famous
cities in Uttar Pradesh. The state has three of
Hinduism’s seven holy cities like Haridwar, Mathura and
Varanasi and each year vast numbers of pilgrims travel
through the state.
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Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uttar Pradesh
The geographical terrains are a veritable treasure house
of animals and birds. The luxuriant forests of Dudhwa
National park offers the finest quality of Sal trees,
vast stretches of grasslands. The Barasingha, one horned
Rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, elephant, sloth bear and
jackals are the various wild animals which can be seen
in this sanctuary. The Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, the
Chandra Prabha sanctuary and the Samaspur bird sanctuary
are the famous bird sanctuaries to view a rich variety
of birds.
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How to reach Uttar Pradesh
There is an extensive road and rail network over the
state. The main railway junction are Agra, Allahabad,
Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Moradabad and Varanasi.
The railheads are Kathgodam, Ramnagar, Kotdwara,
Haridwar and Dehra Dun. There is a surprisingly good
road network which has been extended to the border with
Tibet to facilitate troop movements. |
