Central Uttar Pradesh

Sikandra (Akbar’s Tomb)
Sikandra is a small town outside Agra, where the impressive sandstone and marble tomb of Akbar is located. Akbar was the Mughal Emperor between 1556 and 1605, and he was known as a fair and just ruler. Akbar started the construction himself. After his death, his son Jehangir completed it, changing some of the plans.

The entrance gate, Buland Darwaza (Gateway of Magnificence) is gigantic. It is made of sandstone and has marble geometric patterns on it and inscriptions from the Koran. The large central mausoleum has marble domes and is relatively simple. A ramp on the south side goes down to where Akbar’s body is located. There are deer and monkeys in the park here. Delhi Gate is located across the road from the mausoleum.
This place is located about 15km outside of Agra on the road going toward Mathura. Open 6.30 am to 5.30 pm; admission Rs 15 except on Friday when it is free, video camera Rs 25. To get here by bus you take a bus going to Mathura from the Agra Fort bus stand (Rs 5). An auto-rickshaw will cost Rs 100 for a return trip with a hour waiting time.

Naimisaranya
This is where the Srimad Bhagavatam was spoken. It is said that a pilgrimage to Badrinath and Kedarnath is incomplete without a visit to Naimisaranya. In the Mahabharata it is said, “Anyone who fasts, prays, and attains perfection at Naimisaranya finds happiness in all the worlds.”

When Lord Brahma contemplated a great wheel that would span the entire universe, the wheel’s center was at xe "Naimisaranya" Naimisaranya. Naimisaranya has a parikrama (circumambulation) path of 16km, in which all the sacred places in India are believed to be located.

Lord Balarama, Dadhici Muni, the Pandavas, Prabhu Nityananda, and Ramanujacharya all came here. The Pandavas are said to have come here when they were in exile. This is the place where the demigods came to ask Dadhici for his body, to be able to create a weapon that would be able to kill the demon Vritrasura. Lord Rama is said to have performed a sacrifice here for killing Ravana.

It is said that if you bathe in Chakra-tirtha Kund and make an offering to the presiding deity, Lalita, on a full moon day that falls on a Monday, you will wash away all the sins committed in a lifetime. About 10,000 people come for this. Lalita Devi, the presiding female deity of Naimisaranya, is said to grant fulfillment of desires.

Information
It takes about two or three hours to see the major places here. I hired a guide for Rs 100 for two hours. He did not speak very good English, but he knew all the places. These places would have been difficult to find without him, as almost no one here spoke English and the places are spread out.

If you would like to walk around Chakra-tirtha, which is what most of the pilgrims do, remember to bring clothes for bathing.

Chakra Tirtha Kund
At the junction of Dwapara and Kali-yuga, 80,000 sages headed by Saunaka Rishi wanted to perform a sacrifice to hold off the effects of the oncoming age of Kali. They asked Lord Brahma where they should hold the sacrifice, and he told them he would send his disc to the earth and they should perform the sacrifice where it hit. It struck the earth at Naimisaranya. The disc passed through the earth at this spot, Chakra-tirtha.
The Bhagavat Purana says there is no holy place on earth that compares to this one.

Chakra-tirtha is said to be the center of the universe. It is said that the large sweet-water spring that marks the location of Chakra-tirtha has no bottom. The British wanted to disprove this as mythology, so they brought a cable and attempted to find the bottom. After more than 1000 metres (3300 ft) they ran out of cable and gave up.

Vyasa Gaddi
Close to Chakra-tirtha is where Vedavyasa is said to have divided the Vedas into four parts and written the Puranas. There is a big banyan tree here which is said to be over 5,000 years old and the place where Vyasa sat. In the temple there is a deity of Vyasadeva.

Hanuman Garhi & Panch Pandava
There is a 5½m (18 ft) self-manifested Hanuman deity here. In the Ramayana it says that Ravana captured Rama and Laksman and kept them in Patalaloka at the bottom of the universe. Hanuman came and rescued them. When he came back to earth he arrived at Naimisaranya. There is a deity of Hanuman, with Rama on one shoulder and Laksman on the other. Pilgrims buy big sweets and put them in his mouth.
Panch Pandava is a temple dedicated to the Pandavas.

Other Places
Suta Gadi is where Suta Goswami sat while instructing the sages 5,000 years ago. He spoke the Srimad Bhagavatam here.

There is also the Narada Deva Temple with 108 altars and the 1008 Siva-linga Temple, containing copies of the four Vedas and Puranas, including Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana).

Where to Stay and Eat
You would normally come here for a day trip from either Lucknow or Sitapur. It is best to bring your own water, as I did not see any place that sold bottled water or cold drinks. There is a decent basic Government Bungalow here, which usually does not have electricity.

Travel
Naimisaranya is about 80km northwest of Lucknow and 60km from Sitapur. To get here you would normally go first to Lucknow or Sitapur.

From Lucknow there are regular buses (3 hr) from the Kasierbagh Bus Stand. It could be a good idea to take a taxi to Naimisaranya from Lucknow, as the bus trip is long and painful. You can also take a passenger train from Lucknow to Sitapur, and then get a bus to Naimisaranya from there. This complete trip would take four or five hours one way. There are regular buses to and from Sitapur (2 hr).

The bus stand in Naimisaranya is about an eight-minute rickshaw ride from Cakra-tirtha. The bus stand is a little off the road.

Kanpur
Pop: 2.5 million Area Code 0512

Kanpur, 438km east of Delhi, is the largest city in Uttar Pradesh, but there is nothing really to see in this city and not many tourists come here. Kanpur has a nice spread out Zoo.

Money can be changed at ANZ Grindlays on The Mall.

Where to Stay and Eat
The budget hotels near the railway station do not usually allow foreigners to stay in them. The normal place to stay is in hotels along The Mall.
The railway Retiring Rooms are Rs 200 and Rs 450 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 70.
Ganges (352-962; fax 311-356), 51/50 Nayaganj, near the railway station, is a budget place.
Meera Inn (319-972), The Mall, has good clean, air-cooled rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 450/650. It is friendly and recommended.
Attic (311-691), 15/198 V Singh Rd, is a British Raj type building with a nice garden. It has comfortable rooms for Rs 700/800. It has character.
Atithi (311-607), 17/11 The Mall, is a modern hotel. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel Meghdoot (311-999; fax 310-209), The Mall, is a popular place that has rooms for Rs 1300/1900. It has a pool.
Kwality Restaurant, The Mall, is a good place.
Shang-hai, The Mall, has good Chinese food.

Travel
There are trains to Delhi (6 hr), Calcutta (15 hr to 26 hr), Allahabad (3½ hr), Varanasi (6 hr), Lucknow (1½ hr), Mumbai (25 hr) and Agra (6 hr). There are regular buses to Lucknow (1½ hr).

Faizabad
Pop: 190,000 Area Code: 0527

Faizabad used to be the capital of Oudh. Located here is the 42m high Tomb of Bahu Begum (1816), the wife of the third Nawab of Oudh. There is also the Tomb of Shuja-ud-daula.
One of the main reasons to come here is traveling through to get to Ayodhya. While visiting Ayodhya you could stay in the city of Faizabad, which is just 6km away from Ayodhya and has better facilities.

The State Bank of India, Civil Line, changes money.

The Regional Tourist Office (813-214), Civil Line, has a good map of Ayodhya (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm).

Where to Stay
There are three places on a side street by the Moti Bagh (downtown) area.
Abha Hotel (22550), Moti Bagh, has good rooms with hot water for Rs 130/185. For the price, it is a nice place and is suggested.
Hotel Priya has rooms for Rs 90/120.
Hotel Amber has rooms for Rs 90/120.
Hotel Alka Raja, Rekabganj area, is a decent place that has rooms with bath for Rs 150/175.
Hotel Shane Avadh (813-586), Civil Lines, by the bus stand a little outside of town, has rooms for Rs 175/225 and Rs 225/275 for a deluxe room. The A/C rooms are Rs 400/450. The rooms on the ground floor are noisy, as noise carries from the lobby, so it is best to stay upstairs. It is the best place in Faizabad.
Hotel Tirupati (813-231), next door, is equally good. It has rooms for Rs 250/300 and Rs 400/500 with A/C. The front rooms of both these hotels are noisy, as they are on a very busy street. Both of these hotels are good places to stay.

Travel
Train Faizabad is three hours from both Varanasi and Lucknow by train on a broad-gauge railway line. From Faizabad trains depart to Lucknow, Haridwar, Varanasi, Calcutta, Gaya, Delhi, Ujjain and Ahmedabad.

Bus From Faizabad there are many buses to Lucknow (3 hr), Allahabad (5 hr), and Gorakhpur (3 hr). There is an early morning direct bus to Sunauli, for Nepal. The bus station in Faizabad is located a few km from the downtown and about 8km from Ayodhya.

Shravasti
At this place Buddha sat on a 1000-petaled lotus and multiplied himself a million times, while water and fire emanated from his body. There are ruins of an ancient city and the Jetavana Monastery which are located near the villages of Maheth and Saheth. Ashoka built a couple of pillars here.
Balrampur is the closest good-sized town. You get here by first going to Gonda, 50km from Ayodhya. Gainjahwa is where the closest railway station is located on the Gonda to Gorakhpur loop.

Kushinagar
Area Code: 05563

Kushinagar is 55km east of Gorakhpur, not far from the Nepal border. This is said to be the place of Lord Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana. He passed away at this place and his body was cremated here. There is a 15m (50 ft) high isolated brick stupa, called Ramabhar Stupa, on the west edge of Ramabhar Tal, about 1.5km from the main site. It is said to be the original Mukutabandhana Stupa that marked the spot of Lord Buddha’s cremation.

The Kunwarkakot Matha, about 2km west of Ramabhar Stupa, is a temple with a huge seated Buddha.

The Nirvana Stupa dates back to 413-55 AD and was rebuilt in 1927 by the Burmese Buddhists. Near this stupa is a huge reclining figure of Buddha in the Mahaparinirvana Temple.
There are also modern international temples here. There are temples built by Buddhists from Tibet, Japan, Burma, and China.

The Tourist Office, opposite the Myanmar monastery, is helpful and informative.

Where to Stay
It is possible to stay at the Tibetan, Chinese and Myanmar monasteries for a small donation (Rs 50). The International Buddhist Guest House is a nice budget place.

The UP State Pathik Nivas has good rooms with hot water for Rs 450/550 and deluxe rooms with A/C for Rs 1000/1200. It is over-priced. It has a garden and a high-priced restaurant.

The three-star Lotus Nikko Hotel (7239; fax 71139)) has rooms starting at $70/120. It is popular with Japanese pilgrims and has a Japanese restaurant and Japanese bathhouse.

Travel
There are frequent buses to and from Gorakhpur (1½ hr, 55km west, Rs 20). Buses to Varanasi take eight hours. The bus stand in Kushinagar is several km from the temple, but it is easy to get the bus to Gorakhpur on the main road. The shared taxis and jeeps to and from Gorakhpur are not as comfortable as the buses.

Sunauli
Area Code: 05522
Sunauli is a very small Indian border town next to the Nepal border. It is about 25km from Lumbini in Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha. The town on the Nepal side is a bit more happening, but that isn’t saying much.

The State Bank of India in Sunauli does not change money, but there are several places in Nepal that change money. On the Nepal side of the border you can purchase a bus ticket and almost anything else with Indian rupees.

Visa for Nepal
Visas are issued for Nepal from their border office between 6.30 am and 7 pm. A visa costs $15 for 15 days and $25 for 30 days. You have to pay in US dollars (cash and not travelers cheques) or Nepalese rupees with an encashment certificate. If you do not have US dollars you are allowed to walk across the border and change your money in a Nepal bank, and then return and get your visa. You can not use Indian rupees to get your visa. If you pay in US dollars it is best to have exact change.

Practicalities
The UP State Hotel Niranjana, about half a km from the border, is a good clean place with rooms with bath for Rs 250/300 and Rs 400/500 with A/C. A dorm bed is Rs 50. It has a restaurant.

Sanju Lodge (4919), near the border, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 75/100 and Rs 175/200 with bath and hot water. Dorm beds are Rs 50.

On the Nepali side of the border there are several cheap hotels and restaurants.

Travel
There are buses to Gorakhpur (3 hr, Rs 30) every half-hour between 5 am and 7 pm. There are directs buses to Varanasi (9 hr, Rs 130) in the early morning and evening. There are also buses to Lucknow (12 hr, Rs 150) and Allahabad (12 hr).

Travel Between India and Nepal
Sunauli is a popular crossing point for travelers coming from Delhi or Varanasi. When you cross the border at Sunauli it is just a few minutes walk to the bus station where you get the bus to Kathmandu (Nepali Rs 140, 9 to 12 hours) or Pokhara to Nepali Rs 125, 9 hr). Buses leave regularly in the morning up to around 11 am and from 4.30 to 8 pm. If you travel during the day you can see good views. The buses are four seats across, run-down, old luxury buses. You should buy your ticket in advance at the station (opens 4 am), but you can only purchase a ticket on the day you are departing. Government buses depart for Kathmandu from Bhairawa, 4km north of Sunauli at 6.30 and 8 am (NR 110) and at 6.30 and 7 pm (NR Rs 130). These buses should be booked a day in advance at their booth near the Hotel Yeti in Bhairawa.
You could stop at Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, after crossing the border. It is only 22km from Bhairawa.

In Gorakhpur you will be approached by travel agents to take special buses to Kathmandu. They may try to charge you Rs 250 one way from India to Kathmandu. The actual cost is Indian Rs 30 to Sunauli and another Indian Rs 80 to get from Sunauli to Kathmandu, or a total of Indian Rs 110. I know someone who paid Indian Rs 650 to go round trip from Gorakhpur to Kathmandu. The actual price was Indian Rs 220.

There is absolutely no reason or advantage to book a bus in Gorakhpur to Kathmandu with a travel agent, as it is easier to buy your own ticket at the bus station. Then you can also choose what bus you want to take at the border.

From Gorakhpur it can be hard to get a same day train to either Delhi or Agra. If you get the 8 am bus from Sunauli you will arrive in Gorakhpur at 11.30 am. There is a train to Agra at 1.30 pm, but there is a good chance by the time you arrive there will be no tourist quota tickets available.

From the travel agents across from the railway station you can purchase a ticket to Agra for Rs 300. The actual price was Rs 165. It is not a good idea to purchase a train ticket from the travel agents in Sunauli, as there is a good chance that a mistake will be made and you will be charged a higher commission. If you want to get an immediate train out of Gorakhpur, most of the travel agents across the street need only a couple of hours to get a quick ticket.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides