Uttar Pradesh

Currency: Indian Rupees

Official languages: Hindi

The history of Uttar Pradesh the Northern Indian state, stretches back technically to its formation on 1 April 1937 as the North-Western Provinces of Agra and Awadh, but the region itself shows the presence of human habitation dating back to between 85,000 and 73,000 years ago.

The Culture of Uttar Pradesh is an Indian Culture which has its roots in the Hindi and Urdu literature, music, fine arts, drama and cinema. Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, has several beautiful historical monuments such as Bara Imambara and Chhota Imambara. Uttar Pradesh is known for its rich culture and tradition. It is home to Ayodhya and Mathura birthplace of Lord Rama,Lord Krishna and Bhgwan Parshuram respectively. Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in Agra is also located in Uttar Pradesh. There are different places one can visit in Uttar Pradesh.

U.P. has a climate of extremes. With temperatures fluctuating anywhere from 0 °C to 50 °C in several parts of the state and cyclical droughts and floods due to unpredictable rains, the summers are extremely hot, winters cold and rainy season can be either very wet or very dry.

Citizens of most countries, including the United States, need a visa to visit India which should be arranged in advance. Full details can be found at The Government of India website (http://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/). Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan do not need a visa, while some nationalities may get them upon arrival.

Reaching Uttar Pradesh by rail is one of the most convenient ways to get to the state. Uttar Pradesh is well connected by railways with one of the main stations being in Lucknow; the Lucknow Charbagh Railway station is distanced at 3.2 km from the center of the city.

Before you leave on your holiday, there are at least four health-related things you should do. Please check the handbook for specifics, but for now, here’s the short list:

Step 1: Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting.

Step 2: Have a medical checkup with your doctor.

Step 3: Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.

Step 4: Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less important than steps 1-3.)

We recommend avoiding packing any plastic bags in your luggage before flying to Kenya. You should also remove any items purchased at departure airports from their bags before boarding. Double check your luggage before disembarking in Kenya and leave any plastic bags on the plane.

DO

• Respect the traditions and culture of Uttar Pradesh and its people.
  
• Wear descent dresses while visiting religious places.
• Exchange money only at official exchange counters and banks.
• Only hire guides that are approved by the government and have license.
• Spend your money wisely.
• Learn few words of local language that are commonly used here.
• Buy items that depict the true essence of Uttar Pradesh and are not available elsewhere.

DON'T

• Do not litter, help us in maintaining our cities clean and green.
  
• Do not take any photographs that may make people embarrassed.
• Don’t smoke, don't drink alcohol or don't  use drugs at public places and religious spots.
• Don’t touch or harass animals and support conservation of animals by paying entrance fees to parks and conserved sites.
• Don’t buy crafts or products made from skin of endangered animals.
• Do not drive on Indian roads unless you are well-aware about Indian roads and drive to the left of the road
• Do not give any offensive comment about any religion; it could be controversial.
• Do not buy or book hotels/bus/air/railway tickets through strangers or unauthorized agents.
• Do not hire transportation from unlicensed operators.