Manchester of the East, Kanpur, is the main industrial center of Uttar Pradesh. Situated on the banks of the eternal Ganga has its own historical, religious and commercial importance. Hindu Singh of the erstwhile estate of Sachendi is believed to be the founder of Kanpur, which was originally called 'Kanhpur'. Jajman on the eastern outskirts of present day Kanpur is regarded as one of the most archaic township of the district. Famous for its leather and textile goods. It has amongst its historical remains the memorial Church where 'All souls cathedral' was raised in honor of the fallen at the 'Wheeler's entrenchment' in 1962. After 1947, the marble Gothic screen was transferred to the Church yard. Once the stronghold of Awadh's nawab and thence under the British, Kanpur was the epicenter of the outbreak of 1857 rebels. Nana Sahib, Tatya Tope played heroic roles during the revolt. As of now, Kanpur is also an important educational center and has the distinction of producing Hindi literature like Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi and Balkrishna Sharma 'Navin'. with a score of interesting places in and around the city, like Jajman, J.K Temple, Phool Bagh, Nana Rao, religious destination Bithoor (Once famous as 'Bavan Ghaton Ki Nagri' or City of 52 Ghats) and various archeological sites, Kanpur is a compelling destination on Uttar Pradesh's tourist map, as is the Bhitargaon brick temple, the oldest roofed Hindu shrine extant with a high shikhara.

Upto the 1^st half of the 18^th century Kanpur continued to survive as an insignificant village. Its fate, however, took a new turn soon after. In May 1765, Shuja-ud-daula, the Nawab Wazir of Awadh, was defeated by the British near Jajmau.

Today besides being the most industrialized region of the state, Kanpur is also an important educational center, with institutions like Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Agricultural College, Indian Institute of Technology, G.S.V.M. Medical College, National Sugar Institute and Government Textile Institute being located here. Apart from playing a stellar role in the development of the country as a whole, Kanpur has also been instrumental in making an unforgettable contribution to the Indian freedom struggle. A favorite center of activities of stalwarts like Nanarao Peshwa, Tantiya Tope, Sardar Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad among others, Kanpur is also the birth place of Shyamlal Gupta `Parshad’, composer of the famous patriotic ditty `Vijayee Vishwa Tiranga Pyara’. The propagation and popularization of Hindi also owes much to this city, with great Hindu literatures like Acharya Mahavir Parasad Dwivedi, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, Pratap Narain Mishra, Acharya Gaya Prasad Shukla `Sanehi’ and Balkrishna Sharma `Navin’ having hailed from here.

Jajmau

The mound of Jajmau, on the eastern end of the city occupies a high place among ancient cities of the region. Excavations of the mound were undertaken during 1957-58 which unearthed antiquities ranging from 600 BC to 1600 AD.

Jajmau,known as Siddhapuri in ancient times, is supposed to have been the kingdom of Yayati, the Pauranic king and the high mound overhanging the Ganga is known as the site of his fort.

Today, Jajmau houses the Siddhnath and Siddha Devi temples and the mausoleum of Makhdum Shah Ala-ul-Haq, the famous Sufi saint, built by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1358. A mosque built by Kulich Khan in 1679 also stands here.

Shri Radhakrishna Temple (J.K. Temple)

Beautifully constructed, J.K. Temple is a boon to the devotees. Built by J.K. Trust this architectural delight is a unique blend of ancient architecture with the modern. Among the five shrines that the temple has the central one is consecrated to Shri Radhakrishna and the other are adorned with idols of Shri Laxminarayan, Shri. Ardhanarishwar, Shri Narmadeshwar and Shri Hanuman.

Jain Glass Temple

It is situated in Maheshwari Mohal behind the Kamla Tower. It is a beautiful temple highly decorated with glass and enamel work.

Allen Forest Zoo

The Kanpur Zoo was opened in 1971 and ranks among one of the best zoos in the country. It is an ideal place for outdoor life and picnics amongst picturesque surroundings. Ph: 543678.

Kamla Retreat

Lies to the west of the Agricultural College in immediate neighborhood of the Allen Forest. It is under the possession of Singhania family and is a beauty spot of the city. There is a swimming tank with an equipment for producing artificial waves and suitable arrangement for lighting. Besides parks and a canal with facilities for boating, a zoo is also maintained.

Kamla Retreat also houses a museum which has a good collection of historical and archaeological artifacts. Visitors are allowed only with prior permission from:; Deputy General Manager (Administration), Kamla Tower, Kamlanagar, Kanpur, UP. Phone: 311478 & 311479.

Phool Bagh

It is a beautiful park in the heart of the city on the Mall Road. In the center of the park is a building known as Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial. After the first World War there was an Orthopedic Rehabilitation Hospital in this building. It is now known as Ganesh Udyan.

Bithoor

The quiet and beautiful township of Bithoor is situated on the Kannauj Road, 27 km from Kanpur. Situated on the banks of the Ganga, this tranquil spot is of considerable historical and religious importance. According to Hindu scriptures Lord Brahma came to Utpalaranya, as it was known then, for the creation of mankind. The place which first witnessed the creation of mankind came to be known as Brahmavarta or the seat of Brahma. Later Brahma installed a Shivalinga which is still worshipped as Brahmeshwar Mahadeva at the principal Ghat of Bithoor, the Brahmavarta Ghat. A nail of the horse shoe embedded in the steps of the Ghat is an object of special reverence for devotees, considered to be of Brahma’s horse, while going for Ashwamedha Yajna. On the completion of the yajna, the forests of Utpalaranya became known as Brahmavarta, from which the popular name, Bithoor is derived.

In later centuries Brahmavarta flourished as a capital of the kingdom of Utpalaranya, over which ruled the emperor Uttanpad. His son Dhruva penanced here in order to please Brahma. The place is pointed out to be Dhruva Teela.

There is a small pool inside Valmiki Ashram, famous as Sita-Kund. Sita ‘Rasoi’ is still preserved, near which stands `Swarga Naseinee’ or Deep Malika Stambha, studded with niches all around for illumination. The tower has about 48 steps leading to its top which is surmounted by a cupola, from where one can heave a panoramic view of the entire area. The existing Valmiki temple is said to have been rebuilt by Baji Roa Peshwa in the 19^th century.

Later Brahmavarta fell into obscurity, only to regain prominence in the 18^th century. During 1753-75 under the rule of Nawab Shuja-ud-daula, the administration of Bithoor was entrusted to Almas Ali Khan, who erected a mosque near Lakshman Ghat on the right bank of Ganga.

Bithoor was the capital of the Pargana from 1811 to 819. After the departure of the courts, the place was assigned as a residence to Baji Rao, the deposed Peshwa. The Palace of Nana Sahib was reduced to rubble by the British in 1857 and the only traces remaining of it are some large well heads and broken palace walls.

Bhitargaon

59 km. Situated in Ghatampur tehsil, Bhitargaon houses a unique architectural specimen – a brick temple belonging to the Gupta era. The very first shrine with a shikara, it dates back to 600 AD.

Musanagar

65 km from Kanpur, the ancient site of Musanagar with innumerable mounds deserved mention on account of the ancient temple of Muktadevi, which is said to have been built in Treta-Yug by Raja Bali. A large fair is held at Muktadevi temple on occasion of Kartik Poornima. Musanagar is also a rich archaeological site and has yielded a large number of artifacts and specimens of the post Harrapan, Shunga, Maurya and Kushana periods. The Muktadevi temple also offers an excellent view of the surrounding landscape. One can climb the roof of the temple dharamshala, from where can be seen the meandering Sengar river meeting the Yamuna down below, in a beautiful natural setting.

Kannauj

80 km. Situated on the banks of the river Ganga, Kannauj was the 7^th century capital of Emperor Harshavardhana’s empire, which encompassed the entire region between the rivers Sutlej and Narmada and eastern Bengal. While all traces of this past have vanished, Kannauj is famous for its manufacture of essence (ittar) used in perfumes.

Lucknow

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary

43 km from Lucknow, along the Lucknow-Kanpur highway near Unnao, is the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary attracts rare Siberian migratory birds during winters, the main bird species being Pintain, Pigeon, Common teal, Shoveller, Pochard, Coot, Purple Moorhen and others. The ideal season for bird watching is between December and March. The Priyadarshini Motel of U.P. Tourism provides good boarding and lodging facilities at the sanctuary.

Air

Chakeri Airport, Kanpur, has become operational since January 1996 and is serviced by , Archana Airways and other private airlines. Apart from this the nearest airport is Amausi, Lucknow, 65 km.

Rail

Connections to all the major stations of the country by express, super-fast and passenger trains. Some of the important trains that pass through Kanpur Central are;

Road

Kanpur is connected by road with all the major cities of the country. It is situated on National Highway No. 2 on the Delhi-Agra-Allahabad-Calcutta route and on National Highway No. 25 on the Lucknow-Jhansi-Shivpuri route. Distances from some destinations in the region:

There are also a number of other hotels, guest houses, lodges and dharamshalas in the city.

UP Tourism Accommodations

Restaurants

The city of Kanpur abounds in restaurants and eateries that cater to vegetarian and non-vegetarian palates. Some restaurants also serve Chinese and continental cuisine.

Shopping

Kanpur is famous for leather goods. The main shopping centers in the city are; The Mall, Birhana Road, Gumti No. 5, Parade, Naveen Market, Meston road and P.P.N. Market. The city center also offers the shopper a delightful array of State Emporia, viz. UPICA, UP Handloom Emporium, The Mall; Phulkari, Punjab Emporium and Manjusha, Bengal Emporium, The Mall.

Banks

Post Offices

Hospitals

Travel Information