The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh

VaahanYogi · 16th April 2013, 21:32

Readers,

This travelogue is based on my visit to Uttar Pradesh which I would like to call "the Tamil Nadu of the North"

for the numerous temples of puranic significance present in the state and I feel very blessed for having been able to visit these places.

The main places of visit were Prayag, Kashi and Gaya with the purpose of performing pinda pradanam to the ancestors of our family. This travelogue will be informative for those intending to visit these holy places for this purpose and for other religious/spiritual purposes.

Duration of the trip: 9 days
Number of people: 3 (me & my parents)
Mode of travel: Train & bus

Below is the itinerary:

Day 1 & 2: Travel by train from Bengaluru to Allahabad by Sanghamitra Express

Day 3:
1) Arrival at Allahabad and travel to Prayag (about 8 kms by auto)
2) Pinda pradanam at Prayag followed by bath at the triveni sangam
3) Visit to Bade Hanuman Mandir close to the sangam area
4) Travel to Varanasi by bus - about 125 kms (good road) and night halt at Varanasi

A view of the Ganga at Prayag.

VaahanYogi · 17th April 2013, 02:01

Day 4: Varanasi sight-seeing which included visit to the famous Kashi Vishvanath temple which houses one of the 12 Jyotirling and Ganga aarthi

Varanasi, also known as Banaras and Kashi, is the city lying between Varuna ghat and Asi ghat along with Ganga flows. There are 108 ghats in Varanasi.

Ganga aarthi is performed everyday at 6.45 PM at Dashashvamedha ghat.

Photos of some of the ghats along the Ganga and that of Ganga aarthi along with the arch at Gate-1 (Vishvanath gali) which leads to the Vishvanath temple can be found below.

VaahanYogi · 18th April 2013, 23:56

Day 5: Pinda pradanam at Varanasi. One can find many priests available at the ghats for this purpose. Some perform this task on the other side of the river and reach there by boats which are plentily available.

Below is a photo of the other side of the river

VaahanYogi · 19th April 2013, 00:14

The later part of Day 5 was utilised for sight-seeing in and around Varanasi

1. Sarnath - Mulagandhakuti Vihara, Dhamek Stupa and Buddha temples in
Chinese, Japanese and other types - about 15 kms from Varanasi

2. Ramnagar Qila/Vyaskashi - a fort with Ganga flowing at the back

3. Birla Mandir inside Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus

4. Durga kund

Photos of these places are found in the same order below.

It took about 5 hours to cover these places. After visiting these places, boarded train to Gaya and reached Gaya at 5 AM

VaahanYogi · 19th April 2013, 01:21

Day 6: On arrival at Gaya, took an auto to the Vishnu Padam temple where pinda pradanam is performed.

The first photo below is an inscription about the significance of the temple. Akshay Vat tree and Sita Kund are other spots of significance at Gaya (see photos below).

Phalguni river which flows across Gaya is dry for 9 months of the year due to a curse by Sita and the river bank has to be crossed to reach Sita kund.

VaahanYogi · 19th April 2013, 01:29

The later part of Day 6 was utilised to visit Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya (about 10 kms from Gaya) and Mangala Gouri temple, one of the 18 shaktipeeths.

Photos of the Mahabodhi temple, Bodhivriksha (where Buddha attained enlightenment and Mangala Gouri temple can be found below.

VaahanYogi · 19th April 2013, 01:37

Day 7 was a leisure day with no plans of sight-seeing. Travelled to Patna from where train tickets to Bangalore were reserved. There is a Hanuman temple in front of Patna railway station which has a floating stone from the Ram sethu built by Hanuman (photos below - coins thrown into the box have settled at the bottom but the rock continues to float)

Day 8 & 9: Travel by train from Patna to Bangalore

GTO · 20th April 2013, 16:04

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!

<Badguy> · 20th April 2013, 18:23

Hi VaahanYogi

Nice clean travelogue...Just a correction though Gaya comes under Bihar and not Uttar Pradesh

.

This will definitely help people going for pinda pradanam. Can you put more details on places where you stayed and how was the experience with pandits in these places. I have heard that they fight for the 'clients'. They also try to flee as much money as they can get from you. Did you faced any difficulties in dealing with them.

16th April 2013, 21:32	#1
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Readers, This travelogue is based on my visit to Uttar Pradesh which I would like to call "the Tamil Nadu of the North" for the numerous temples of puranic significance present in the state and I feel very blessed for having been able to visit these places. The main places of visit were Prayag, Kashi and Gaya with the purpose of performing pinda pradanam to the ancestors of our family. This travelogue will be informative for those intending to visit these holy places for this purpose and for other religious/spiritual purposes. Duration of the trip: 9 days Number of people: 3 (me & my parents) Mode of travel: Train & bus Below is the itinerary: Day 1 & 2: Travel by train from Bengaluru to Allahabad by Sanghamitra Express Day 3: 1) Arrival at Allahabad and travel to Prayag (about 8 kms by auto) 2) Pinda pradanam at Prayag followed by bath at the triveni sangam 3) Visit to Bade Hanuman Mandir close to the sangam area 4) Travel to Varanasi by bus - about 125 kms (good road) and night halt at Varanasi A view of the Ganga at Prayag. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by VaahanYogi : 18th April 2013 at 22:49.
	(1) Thanks

17th April 2013, 02:01	#2
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Day 4: Varanasi sight-seeing which included visit to the famous Kashi Vishvanath temple which houses one of the 12 Jyotirling and Ganga aarthi Varanasi, also known as Banaras and Kashi, is the city lying between Varuna ghat and Asi ghat along with Ganga flows. There are 108 ghats in Varanasi. Ganga aarthi is performed everyday at 6.45 PM at Dashashvamedha ghat. Photos of some of the ghats along the Ganga and that of Ganga aarthi along with the arch at Gate-1 (Vishvanath gali) which leads to the Vishvanath temple can be found below. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by VaahanYogi : 18th April 2013 at 22:55.
	(1) Thanks

18th April 2013, 23:56	#3
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Day 5: Pinda pradanam at Varanasi. One can find many priests available at the ghats for this purpose. Some perform this task on the other side of the river and reach there by boats which are plentily available. Below is a photo of the other side of the river Attached Thumbnails Last edited by VaahanYogi : 18th April 2013 at 23:57.
	(1) Thanks

19th April 2013, 00:14	#4
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh The later part of Day 5 was utilised for sight-seeing in and around Varanasi 1. Sarnath - Mulagandhakuti Vihara, Dhamek Stupa and Buddha temples in Chinese, Japanese and other types - about 15 kms from Varanasi 2. Ramnagar Qila/Vyaskashi - a fort with Ganga flowing at the back 3. Birla Mandir inside Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus 4. Durga kund Photos of these places are found in the same order below. It took about 5 hours to cover these places. After visiting these places, boarded train to Gaya and reached Gaya at 5 AM Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

19th April 2013, 01:21	#5
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Day 6: On arrival at Gaya, took an auto to the Vishnu Padam temple where pinda pradanam is performed. The first photo below is an inscription about the significance of the temple. Akshay Vat tree and Sita Kund are other spots of significance at Gaya (see photos below). Phalguni river which flows across Gaya is dry for 9 months of the year due to a curse by Sita and the river bank has to be crossed to reach Sita kund. Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

19th April 2013, 01:29	#6
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh The later part of Day 6 was utilised to visit Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya (about 10 kms from Gaya) and Mangala Gouri temple, one of the 18 shaktipeeths. Photos of the Mahabodhi temple, Bodhivriksha (where Buddha attained enlightenment and Mangala Gouri temple can be found below. Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

19th April 2013, 01:37	#7
VaahanYogi BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61 Thanked: 35 Times	re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Day 7 was a leisure day with no plans of sight-seeing. Travelled to Patna from where train tickets to Bangalore were reserved. There is a Hanuman temple in front of Patna railway station which has a floating stone from the Ram sethu built by Hanuman (photos below - coins thrown into the box have settled at the bottom but the rock continues to float) Day 8 & 9: Travel by train from Patna to Bangalore Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

20th April 2013, 16:04	#8
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,534 Thanked: 300,738 Times View My Garage	Re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!
	() Thanks

20th April 2013, 18:23	#9
<Badguy> BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Noida Posts: 76 Thanked: 36 Times	Re: The Holy Trip to Uttar Pradesh Hi VaahanYogi Nice clean travelogue...Just a correction though Gaya comes under Bihar and not Uttar Pradesh . This will definitely help people going for pinda pradanam. Can you put more details on places where you stayed and how was the experience with pandits in these places. I have heard that they fight for the 'clients'. They also try to flee as much money as they can get from you. Did you faced any difficulties in dealing with them.
	() Thanks