Kanpur City
About Kanpur City
THE COMMERCIAL TOWN WITH HISTORICAL and RELIGIOUS CONNOTATIONS Located southwest of Lucknow Kanpur is the largest city of Uttar Pradesh Nestled on the banks of the eternal Ganga, Kanpur City stands as one of North India?s major industrial centres with its own historical, religious and commercial importance. Believed to be founded by king Hindu Singh of the erstwhile state of Sachendi, Kanpur was originally known as `Kanhpur?. Formerly known as Cawnpur, Kanpur, one of the largest cities in India, has an area of more than 260 sq km. It is an important road and rail hub and a major commercial and industrial centre. Today, besides being the most industrialized region of the state, Kanpur is also an important educational centre, 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. The propagation and popularization of Hindi, the national language of India also owes much to this city.
Location
South West Of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) Significance: The Largest City Of Uttar Pradesh.
How To Get There
Air: Chakeri Airport, Kanpur. Rail: Connections to all the major stations of the country by express, super-fast and passenger trains. 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.
Attractions
Religious Places 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 believed 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 beautifully constructed temple is a unique blend of ancient and modern architecture. Among the five shrines that the temple has, the central one is dediacated 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. The Kanpur Memorial Church (All Soul?s Cathedral) Built in Lombardic Gothic Style, the Kanpur Memorial Church was constructed in 1875, to honour the British who lost their lives in the war of 1857. The Church was designed by Walter Granville, architect of the East Bengal Railway. Made of bright red brick, with polychrome dressings, the interiors of the church contain monuments to the mutiny, including several memorial tablets. { Book Religious Tours Others 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 in the midst of picturesque surroundings. Kamla Retreat: Possessed by Singhania family, this beautiful estate lies to the west of the Agricultural College. There is a well-lit swimming pool, wherein artificial waves are created. Besides parks and a canal with facilities for boating, a zoo is also maintained. Kamla Retreat also houses a zoo and a museum, which has a good collection of historical and archaeological artifacts. Phool Bagh: Also known as Ganesh Udyan, this beautiful park with Ganesh Shanker Vidyarthi Memorial in the centre, is located in the heart of the city, on the Mall Road. Nana Rao Park: To the west of Phool Bagh is located the Nana Rao Park. It is the site of the `Bibighar? of 1857. The Park was renamed as Nana Rao Park after independence. Harcourt Butler Technological Institute: The Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, engaged in imparting technical training and industrial research was established in 1920 at Kanpur. Indian Institute of Technology: One of the five IIT?s, IIT Kanpur, set up in 1959, provides education in the fields of engineering, technology, science and humanities. Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology: Established in 1957 to provide education of agriculture, animal husbandry and veterinary science for the benefit of rural people. Among other sites worth visiting at Kanpur are the Hanuman temple-Panki, Anandeshwar temple, Jageshwar temple, Dwarikadhish temple, Prayagnarayan temple, Kailash temple, Buddhadevi temple, Kherepati temple, Varahidevi temple, Bhairav temple and Tulsi Upvan (Moti Jheel).
History
Historically, Jajmau on the eastern outskirts of present day Kanpur is regarded as one of the most archaic townships of Kanpur district. Upto the 1st half of the 18th 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. It was probably at his time that strategic importance of the site of Kanpur was realized by the British. European businessmen had by this time gradually started establishing themselves in Kanpur. In order to ensure protection to their lives and property the ‘Awadh local forces’ were shifted here in 1778. Kanpur passed into British hands under the treaty of 1801 with Nawab Saadat Ali Khan of Awadh. This forms a turning point of the history of Kanpur. Soon Kanpur became one of the most important military stations of British India. It was declared a district on 24th March, 1803. Kanpur was soon to become the epicentre of the outbreak of 1857, as some of the leading luminaries of the War of Independence hailed from here, namely - Nana Sahib, Tantiya Tope, Azimoolah Khan and Brigadier Jwala Prasad. The three strategic events of the 1857 war at Kanpur were the fight at ‘wheeler’s entrenchment’, the ‘massacre at Sati Chaura Ghat’ and the ‘Bibighar massacre’. Nana Sahib had declared independence on the 7th of June, 1857 at Kanpur. The British under Commander Hugh Wheeler retreated into a shallow earth entrenchment in the cantonment area, later known in history as ‘wheeler’s entrenchment’. The English garrison surrendered in the last week of June 1857 on terms of safe passage to Allahabad.
But when on the morning of 27th June, the soldiers along with the women and children were about to embark into the boats at Sati Chaura Ghat, fighting broke out and most of the men were killed. The survivors, women and children were rescued who were imprisoned into the Savada Kotihi and later shifted to Bibighar in the cantonment magistrates’ compound. But when it became clear that relieving force under General Havelock were nearing the city and defeat was inevitable, the captives-all women and children, were massacred and their dismembered bodies buried in the well of the compound on 15th July, 1857. The Bibighar was dismantled by the British on reoccupation of Kanpur and a ‘memorial railing and a cross’ raised at the site of the well. The well is now bricked over. Only remains of a circular ridge survive, which can be still seen at the Nana Tao park.
Tourist Information Centers
UP Government Tourist Office: 26/51 Birhana Road (Backlane), Opp. Post Office, Kanpur
Shopping
Kanpur is famous for leather goods. The main shopping centres in the city are; The Mall, Birhana Road, Gumti No. 5, Parade, Naveen Market, Meston road and P.P.N. Market. The city centre also offers the shopper a delightful array of State Emporia, viz. UPICA, UP Handloom Emporium, Phulkari, Punjab Emporium and Manjusha, Bengal Emporium.
Excursions
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. Lucknow: Located 90 Kms. from Kanpur, Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh. 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. Sita Kund, Dhruva Teela and the mosque near Lakshman Ghat are some places worth a visit. Bhitargaon: (59 km) Situated in Ghatampur tehsil, Bhitargaon houses a unique architectural specimen - a brick temple belonging to the Gupta era. Dating back to 600 AD, this the very first shrine with a shikara. 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. Kannauj: (80 km) Situated on the banks of the river Ganga, Kannauj was the 7th 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.
ref: www.indnav.com
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