Uttar Pradesh is India's fourth largest state in terms of land area and most populous state,
located in the north-central part of the country. It spreads over a large area, and the plains of the state are quite distinctly different from the high mountains in the north. It is situated on the northern spout of India and shares an international boundary with Nepal.
Uttar Pradesh, with a total area of 243,290 square kilometres (93,935 sq mi), is bounded by Uttarakhand on the north-west, Haryana and Delhi on the west, Rajasthan on the south-west, Madhya Pradesh on the south, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand on south-east and Bihar on the east. It is situated between 23°52'N and 31°28'N latitudes and 77°3' and 84°39'E longitudes, this is the fourth largest state in the country in terms of area, and the first in terms of population.
Physical Features
Uttar Pradesh can be divided into three distinct regions:
1. The Shivalik foothills and Terai in the North
2. The Gangetic Plain in the center - Highly fertile alluvial soils; with numerous ponds, lakes, and rivers; 3. The Vindhya Hills and plateau in the south - Hard rock Strata; with hills, plains, valleys and plateau and having limited water availability.
Forests constitute about 6.8% of the total geographical area of the state.The terai and bhabhar area in the Gangetic Plain have most of the forests. The Vindhyan forests consists mostly of scrub.
Animals that can be found in the jungles of Uttar Pradesh include the tiger, leopard, wild bear, sloth bear, chital, sambhar, jackal, porcupine, jungle cat, hare, squirrel, monitor lizards, and fox. Uttar Pradesh has one of the highest varieties of birds in the country. The most common birds include the crow, pigeon, dove, jungle fowl, black partridge, house sparrow, peafowl, blue jay, parakeet, kite, mynah, quail, bulbul, kingfisher and woodpecker.
Climate - marked by three distinct seasons:
1. Summer (March–June): Hot & dry (temperatures rise to 45 °C, sometimes 47-48 °C); low relative humidity (20%); dust laden winds. 2. Monsoon (June–September): 85% of average annual rainfall of 990 mm. Fall in temperature 40-45° on rainy days. 3. Winter (October–February): Cold (temperatures drop to 3-4 °C, sometimes below -1 °C); clear skies; foggy conditions in some tracts.
Languages of Uttar Pradesh
The official language of Uttar Pradesh is Hindi but there are around 6 to 7 well recognized dialects. They are:
1: Khariboli 2: Braj Bhasha
3: Kannauji
4: Awadhi
5: Bhojpuri
6: Bundelkhandi
7: Bagheli
Festivals
1: Holi: Holika is the original name of Holi. Holi is the festival of colors.
2: Ramanavami: It is the birthday of Lord Rama. It is a festival celebrated for nine days in the month of March-April.
3: Dusshera: Dusshera is celebrated for 10 days in the month of October. On this day, Lord Rama killed Ravana. During these 10 days, Epic Ramayan is enacted as Ramlilla in all cities/towns and villages across the state. Ramlilla culminates on Dusshera day, with burning of effigies of Ravana.
4: Diwali: The festival of Diwali is celebrated for five days.
First Day- Dhantheras,
Second Day- Choti Diwali
Third Day- Laxmi Pujan
Fourth Day- Goverdhan puja
Fift Day- Bhai Dooj...
5: Makar Sankranti: Makar Sankranti is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Uttar Pradesh in the month of January.
6: Buddha Purnima: Lord Buddha’s birthday is celebrated as Buddha Purnima.
7: Raksha Bandhan: On this day, sisters tie the threads on their brother’s wrists. This festival is celebrated across Uttar Pradesh with great fervor.
Dresses of Uttar Pradesh
The people of Uttar Pradesh wear a variety of native- and Western-style dress. Traditional styles of dress include colourful draped garments – such as sari for women and dhoti or lungi for men – and tailored clothes such as salwar kameez for women and kurta-pyjama for men. Men also often sport a head-gear like topi or pagri. Sherwani is a more formal male dress and is frequently worn along with chooridar on festive occasions. European-style trousers and shirts are also common among the men.
Famous people of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh has produced a host of famous people including many prime ministers of India. Some of the most famous people born in Uttar Pradesh are:
1: Jawaharlal Nehru
2: Lal Bahadur Shastri
3: Atal Bihari Vajpayee
4: Amitabh Bachchan
5: Pandit Ravi Shankar
6: Major Dhyan Chand
7: Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya
Historical Places:
1: Agra:
Agra is home to the world famous Taj Mahal. This ancient city has wonderful monuments making you awestruck by their sheer brilliance. The famous Fatehpur Sikri, the 16th century city, built by the renowned Mughal emperor Akbar is also close to Agra.
2: Lucknow:
The capital of Uttar Pradesh and famously referred to as ‘The city of Nawabs’, Lucknow retains its ancient charm with such authority that you will find yourself in a different world.
3: Varanasi:
‘The Religious Capital of India’ as Varanasi is called, is frequented by pilgrims from various parts of the world. Considered one amongst the seven holy spots for followers of Hinduism, the city lies on the banks of the river Ganga.
4: Allahabad
Allahabad is an important pilgrim center as Lord Brahma, the creator according to
Hinduism, landed at this place on earth. The city is located at the confluence of three rivers namely Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswathi. This ancient city, also called Prayag, witnesses one of the largest gatherings of religious nature during Kumbh Mela once every 12 years.
5: Mathura and Vrindavan
The twin cities of Mathura and Vrindavan are associated with Lord Krishna. Mathura is considered the birthplace of Lord Krishna and hence it is one of the sacred cities for followers of Hinduism. These ancient towns have a number of temples belonging to various ages.
6: Ayodhya
Ayodhya, the ancient city, is amongst the sacred cities for Hindus, located in Uttar Pradesh, as it is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama.
7: Jhansi:
The famous city of Queen Rani Laxmi Bai in Uttar Pradesh has a blend of religion, history, natural beauties and architectural excellence.
8: Sarnath:
Sarnath is yet another important pilgrim center in Uttar Pradesh as it was here Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. The place is sacred for Jains as well.
Famous Foods of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is famous for its cuisine. The cuisine of Uttar Pradesh is also greatly influenced by Mughal cooking techniques.
The state is famous for its Nawabi foods (of Lucknow) and use of rich spices including cardamom and saffron. Its most famous dishes include kebabs, dum biryani, and various type of chaats, samosa and pakora, are also originally from Uttar Pradesh. The main genre of Uttar Pradesh cuisine is Awadhi, a type of cuisine found in the state's Awadh Region. The state is also home to many sweet delicacies, popular across the country, such as Gujia, Ghevar, Gajar ka halwa and Jalebis.
