 |
| Dudhwa National Park |
The capital of Uttar Pradesh is a modern city that takes great pride in its historic legacy. While Lucknow with its many attractions can keep a visitor engaged for quite a few days, there are also options to explore other popular as well as lesser known destinations that are easily accessible from the city.
The twin towns of Faizabad and Ayodhya are just about 6 km apart. A place closely associated with Lord Rama, Ayodhya is an important pilgrim destination. The city has many temples of historic significance like Hanuman Garhi, Ramkot, Kanak Bhawan and Treta ke Thakur. Faizabad that was once the capital of Awadh region before Lucknow became the seat of power, still has a few interesting edifices that throw light on its Nawabi past.
Dudhwa National Park is located on the Indo-Nepal border of Lakhimpur-Kheri district. Apart from its most famous denizen – the tiger, Dudhwa is also home to the swamp deer or the Barasingha, and many fascinating wildlife.
Located in the Bundelkhand region Mahoba is a place associated with the Chandela kings who built the temples of Khajuraho. The temples here are consequently built in the same style as Khajuraho. There are many places of interest here for Buddhist and Jain pilgrims. It is a destination of granite landscapes and scenic lakes. About 123 km from Mohoba is Chitrakoot or ‘the hill of many wonders’, yet another place linked to the life of Lord Rama. This is where Ram and Sita had spent 14 years of their exile and has been considered a holy town since time immemorial.
The capital of ancient Kosala kingdom, Sravasti is where Lord Buddha had spent many summers and gave important sermons. Jetavana Monastery and Tusita Stupa are two significant landmarks here. The place is also sacred to the followers of Jainism. Excavations of the ancient sites in Maheth-Saheth makes this destination an interesting new area to explore.
Founded by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century Jaunpur has a fascinating legacy of later Tughlaq architecture. The city has many impressive mosques built during the medieval era.
