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Vaisakhi

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145-561: Vaisakhi , also known as Baisakhi , marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is traditionally celebrated annually on 13 April and sometimes 14 April. It is seen as a spring harvest celebration primarily in Punjab and Northern India. Whilst it is culturally significant as a festival of harvest, in many parts of India, Vaisakhi is also the date for the Indian Solar New Year. For Sikhs, in addition to its significance as

290-403: A Vaisakhi fair was held annually since 16th century CE which was attended by around 60,000 Hindu pilgrims and Bairagi saints from all over India used to throng the shrine. The 1961 Muzaffargarh District Census Report claims that Vaisakhi is associated with bullock racing and is a common festivity among the cultivators. Vaisakhi is celebrated as Nepalese New Year because it is the day which marks

435-693: A bench was established at Lucknow. Allahabad continues to be an important administrative base of today's Uttar Pradesh and has several administrative headquarters. Uttar Pradesh continued to be central to Indian politics and was especially important in modern Indian history as a hotbed of the Indian independence movement . The state hosted modern educational institutions such as the Aligarh Muslim University , Banaras Hindu University and Darul Uloom Deoband . Nationally known figures such as Ram Prasad Bismil and Chandra Shekhar Azad were among

580-639: A day after Vaisakhi. The festivities include fireworks, shopping for new clothes and interesting displays called 'Vishu Kani'. Hindus make arrangements of flowers, grains, fruits which friends and family visit to admire as "lucky sight" ( Vishukkani ). Giving gifts to friends and loved ones, as well as alms to the needy, are a tradition of Kerala Hindus on this festive day. Vaisakhi is also related to Bohag (Rongali) Bihu in Assam and as Pohela Boishakh in Bengal , but typically one or two days after Vaisakhi. The following

725-524: A dense population, Eastern Uttar Pradesh ( Purvanchal ) faces notable socio-economic disparities. For 2021-22 the GDDP for Purvanchal it is ₹5.37 lakh crore, while for Western Uttar Pradesh it is ₹9.44 lakh crore. For the Bundelkhand and Central Uttar Pradesh regions, the GDDP remained ₹99,029.34 crore and ₹3.36 lakh crore, respectively. As of 2021-22, the per capita annual income in eastern districts

870-624: A mayor and councilors elected from wards. Nagar Palika Parishad or Municipal Council, serves medium-sized towns like Bela Pratapgarh , Jalaun , or Bisalpur and are governed by a chairperson and councilors. Nagar Panchayat which operate in smaller towns and semi-urban areas like Badlapur, Jaunpur , Bikapur , or Chilkana Sultanpur , are governed by a chairman and councilors. There are 14 Municipal Corporations , while Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Budha Nagar district are specially administered by statutory authorities under

1015-409: A ritual bath. Two earthen lamps are lighted on this day one of Sangiya of oil and other one is Jyot of Ghee . These are kept in a large saucer along with water pot, blades of evergreen turf, Kusha, Incense , Sandal , Vermillion and Dakshina (money). With these things worship of household deities is performed. Alms are given in form of rice and pulses with small coins which are placed near Deity. This

1160-627: A serious rebellion erupted in various parts of North India, which became known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 ; Bengal regiment 's sepoy stationed at Meerut cantonment , Mangal Pandey , is widely considered as its starting point. After the revolt failed, the British divided the most rebellious regions by reorganising their administrative boundaries, splitting the Delhi region from 'NWFP of Agra' and merging it with Punjab Province , while

1305-822: A significant impact on the people of the region. Sultanat era in the state also witnessed the construction of mosques and tombs, including the Atala Masjid in Jaunpur , the Jama Masjid in Fatehpur Sikri , and the Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq's Tomb in Tughlaqabad . In the 16th century, Babur , a Timurid descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan from Fergana Valley (modern-day Uzbekistan ), swept across

1450-475: A unified political state, with Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant of Guru Nanak , conducting the coronation. Vaisakhi is celebrated in much the same way as Gurpurab , or a Guru's birthday anniversary, with gurdwaras being decorated and attended by Sikhs who listen to kirtan and religious discourses there. Many Sikhs also choose to be inducted into the Khalsa order on this day. After the prayers, karah parshad

1595-709: A well-developed irrigation system. They suffer from waterlogging and large-scale user tracts. In addition, the area is fairly arid. The state has more than 32 large and small rivers; of them, the Ganga , Yamuna , Saraswati , Sarayu , Betwa , and Ghaghara are larger and of religious importance in Hinduism . Cultivation is intensive in the state. Uttar Pradesh falls under three agro-climatic zones viz. Middle Gangetic Plains region (Zone–IV), Upper Gangetic Plains region (Zone–V) and Central Plateau and Hills region (Zone–VIII). The valley areas have fertile and rich soil. There

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1740-405: Is 79 per cent and for women 59 per cent. In 2001 the literacy rate in the state stood at 56 per cent overall, 67 per cent for men and 43 per cent for women. A report based on a National Statistical Office (NSO) survey revealed that Uttar Pradesh's literacy rate is 73 per cent, less than the national average of 77.7 per cent. According to the report, in the rural region, the literacy rate among men

1885-420: Is 80.5 per cent and women is 60.4 per cent, while in urban areas, the literacy rate among men is 86.8 per cent and women is 74.9 per cent. Hindi is the primary official language and is spoken by the majority of the population. Bhojpuri is the second most spoken language of the state, it is spoken by almost 11 per cent of the population. Most people speak regional languages classified as dialects of Hindi in

2030-470: Is a state in northern India . With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world – more populous than all but four other countries outside of India ( China , US , Indonesia , and Pakistan ) – and accounting for 16.5 percent of the population of India or around 3 percent of the total world population. The state

2175-486: Is a list of new year festivals: Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated on the same day as Vaisakhi in the Indian state of Kerala, and falls on the first day of Malayali month called Medam. The festival is notable for its solemnity and the general lack of pomp and show that characterize other Hindu festivals of Kerala such as Onam . The festival is marked by family time, preparing colorful auspicious items and viewing these as

2320-418: Is a result of various factors, such as sex-selective abortion , female infanticide , and discrimination against girls and women. The state's 2001–2011 decennial growth rate (including Uttrakhand) was 20.1 per cent, higher than the national rate of 17.64 per cent. It has a large number of people living below the poverty line . As per a World Bank document released in 2016, the pace of poverty reduction in

2465-550: Is about 10 per cent of India's GDP. According to a survey conducted by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Uttar Pradesh's unemployment rate increased 11.4 percentage points, rising to 21.5 per cent in April 2020. Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of net migrants migrating out of the state. The 2011 census data on migration shows that nearly 14.4 million (14.7%) people had migrated out of Uttar Pradesh. Marriage

2610-408: Is about one-fourth of the national average at ₹12,741 while the state's average stood at ₹17,349. In 2009–10, the tertiary sector of the economy (service industries) was the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of the state, contributing 44.8 per cent of the state domestic product compared to 44 per cent from the primary sector (agriculture, forestry, and tourism) and 11.2 per cent from

2755-630: Is also associated with harvesting, Sikhs in Kashmir mark the day when Guru Gobind Singh baptised the Panj Pyare . Bajan Keertans are held in all gurdwaras in Kashmir. However, the main celebration takes place at Chatti Pathshahi Gurdwara in Rainawari. Sikhs will visit friends and family in Vaisakhi. People will wear special clothes and prepare special food to mark the festival. Sikhs will also visit

2900-476: Is also characterized by the folk dance, Bhangra which traditionally is a harvest dance. Aawat pauni is a tradition associated with harvesting in the Punjab, which involves people getting together to harvest the wheat. A large number of Sikhs visit Paonta Sahib on the festival of Vaisakhi. According to Sahi (1999), Paonta Sahib "was the abode of Guru Gobind Singh Ji for a couple of years." Paanta Sahib Gurdwara

3045-502: Is also considered "harvest festival" and considered auspicious, especially for marriages. Celebrations of Vaisakhi also include Dogri Bhangra. According to Ganhar (1975), "Bhangra dances are a special feature of Baisakhi celebrations but bhangra is an importation from the Punjab and is more secular than religious". The occasion is marked by numerous fairs and people come by the thousands to celebrate Vaisakhi. For example, Airwan in Kathua

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3190-689: Is also home to three World Heritage sites . Modern human hunter-gatherers have been in Uttar Pradesh since between around 85,000 and 72,000 years ago. There have also been prehistorical finds in the state from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic dated to 21,000–31,000 years old and Mesolithic / Microlithic hunter-gatherer settlement, near Pratapgarh , from around 10550–9550 BCE. Villages with domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats and evidence of agriculture began as early as 6000 BCE, and gradually developed between c. 4000 and 1500 BCE beginning with

3335-480: Is also known as Baisākhī ), is a very important day for Sikhs and one of the most colourful events in the Sikh calendar. It occurs during mid-April every year and traditionally in Punjab, the festival corresponds with the first harvesting of the crops for the year. Historically, the festival has been a very joyous occasion and a time for celebration. However, since 1699, it has marked the very significant religious event of

3480-528: Is because the date of Vaisakhi and other Sankrantis keeps changing slowly over years. Vaisakhi would fall on 29 April in Year 2999. The festival coincides with other new year festivals celebrated on the first day of Vaisakh in other regions of the Indian Subcontinent such as Puthandu , Pohela Boishakh , Bohag Bihu , and Vishu . The word Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is an Apabhraṃśa form evolved from

3625-442: Is bordered by Rajasthan to the west, Haryana , Himachal Pradesh and Delhi to the northwest, Uttarakhand and Nepal to the north, Bihar to the east, Madhya Pradesh , Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to the south. It is the fourth-largest Indian state by area covering 243,286 km (93,933 sq mi), accounting for 7.3 percent of the total area of India. Lucknow serves as the state capital , with Prayagraj being

3770-559: Is called Nasrawan and is commonly to family priest. Fried cakes of black gram which are prepared a day before are distributed to neighbours after Puja is completed. Special dishes are prepared on this day. White washing is performed on this day and floors are plastered. This is called Prau lagana . In the evening people enjoy fairs which are organised for three days. Vaisakhi is celebrated with religious fervour in Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra . In Kurukshetra district, Vaisakhi fair

3915-566: Is celebrated on first day of Vaisakha, as per Hindu Solar Calendar. This day is also known as Sattuā or Satwahi , as Sattu is donated and consumed on this day. The common rites during this festival is bath in a river or pond and to eat Sattu and Gur ( Jaggery ). Vaisakhi coincides with the first day of the solar cycle year, that is the solar New Year or Mesha Sankranti which is also related to other regional new years such as ' Vishu ' and ' Puthandu ' celebrated in Kerala and Tamil Nadu

4060-537: Is common in Jammu. Vaisakhi is celebrated at Udhampur on the bank of Devika river where for three days devotees enjoy the folk songs. At Sudhmahadev, this festival is celebrated with great pomp and show where folk singers come down and a competition of folk songs is held. Vendors generally install their shops and stalls of eatables. Many people go to the Nagbani temple to witness the grand New Year celebration. Vaisakhi

4205-622: Is governed by a parliamentary system of representative democracy . Uttar Pradesh is one of the seven states in India, where the state legislature is bicameral, comprising two houses: the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) and the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council). The Legislative Assembly consists of 404 members who are elected for five-year terms. The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 100 members with one-third (33 members) retiring every two years. The state sends

4350-511: Is headed by a District Magistrate , who is also an IAS officer, and is assisted by several officers belonging to state services. District Magistrate being the head of the district administration, is responsible for maintaining law and order and providing public services in the district. At the block level, the Block Development Officer (BDO) is responsible for the overall development of the block . The Uttar Pradesh Police

4495-570: Is headed by an IPS officer of the rank of Director general of police . A Superintendent of Police , an IPS officer assisted by the officers of the Uttar Pradesh Police Service, is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues in each district. The Divisional Forest Officer, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service manages the forests, environment, and wildlife of

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4640-568: Is held at Baan Ganga Tirtha , which is associated with Arjuna of Mahabharata . There is a Vaisakhi tradition of ritual bath at the sacred tank of Baan Ganga Tirtha in Village Dayalpur of Kurukshetra . A fair is held annually on Vaisakhi at this Hindu pilgrimage. Besides, Haryana government organizes a Vaisakhi festival in Pinjore Garden to commemorate this religious and cultural festival. Vaisakhi or Vaisakhi Sankranti

4785-485: Is held at Takht Kesgarh Sahib on Baisakhi day". A procession is lead through the city of Anandpur to mark the occasion. Other important places where large gatherings take place are Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo. A special celebration takes place at Talwandi Sabo (where Guru Gobind Singh stayed for nine months and completed the recompilation of the Guru Granth Sahib ), in

4930-648: Is in Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh . The site is located near the river Yamuna. The tricentenary celebrations to mark the birth of the Khalsa were started from Paanta Sahib Gurdwara in 1999. Gurdwara Dera Nangali Sahib in Jammu was established in 1803. The Gurdwara is situated in the Poonch district of Jammu. An annual gathering takes place at the gurdwara on the on Baisakhi when many people participate in

5075-482: Is intensive cultivation on terraced hill slopes, but irrigation facilities are deficient. The Siwalik Range which forms the southern foothills of the Himalayas , slopes down into a boulder bed called 'bhabhar'. The transitional belt running along the entire length of the state is called the terai and bhabhar area. It has rich forests, cutting across it are innumerable streams which swell into raging torrents during

5220-457: Is known for Vaisakhi fair attended by 10,000 people as per Census 1961. Every year on Baisakhi festival around 15,000 pilgrims pay their obeisance at 700 tear old temple of Subar Nag Devta temple in Bhaderwah . Other places where Vaisakhi fairs are held are Doda Bridge and Ramban . In Himachal Pradesh, Vaisakhi is an important festival of Hindus. People get up early in the morning and have

5365-706: Is located in Prayagraj . The state contributes 80 seats to the lower house Lok Sabha and 31 seats and the upper house Rajya Sabha . On 9 November 2000, a new state, Uttaranchal (now Uttarakhand ), was created from Uttar Pradesh's western Himalayan hill region. The two major rivers of the state, the Ganges and its tributary Yamuna , meet at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, a Hindu pilgrimage site. Other notable rivers are Gomti and Saryu . The forest cover in

5510-469: Is more than any other state and is the source of the largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha . Despite its political influence since ancient times, its poor record in economic development and administration, poor governance, organised crime and corruption have kept it among India's backward states. The state has been affected by repeated episodes of caste-related and communal violence . In December 1992

5655-425: Is not the universal new year for all Hindus. For some, such as those in and near Gujarat, the new year festivities coincide with the five-day Diwali festival. For others, the new year falls on Cheti Chand , Gudi Padwa and Ugadi which falls a few weeks earlier. The harvest is complete and crops ready to sell, representing a time of plenty for the farmers. Fairs and special thanksgiving pujas (prayers) are common in

5800-404: Is now dominated by the services industry. The service sector comprises travel and tourism , hotel industry , real estate , insurance and financial consultancies. The economy of Uttar Pradesh is the third-largest state economy in India, with ₹ 18.63 lakh crore (US$ 220 billion) in gross domestic product and a per capita GSDP of ₹ 68,810 (US$ 820). The High Court of the state

5945-471: Is observed as a family time. Households clean up the house, prepare a tray with fruits, flowers and auspicious items, light up the family Puja altar and visit their local temples. People wear new clothes and youngsters go to elders to pay respects and seek their blessings, then the family sits down to a vegetarian feast. In the Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal , the new year is celebrated as Jur Sital. It

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6090-661: Is situated on the northern spout of India and shares an international boundary with Nepal. The Himalayas border the state on the north, but the plains that cover most of the state are distinctly different from those high mountains. The larger Gangetic Plain region is in the north; it includes the Ganges-Yamuna Doab , the Ghaghra plains, the Ganges plains and the Terai . The smaller Vindhya Range and plateau region are in

6235-425: Is the fourth-largest economy in India, with an estimated gross state domestic product of ₹ 14.89 lakh crore (US$ 180 billion), contributing 8.4% of India's gross domestic product. According to the report generated by India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), in 2014–15, Uttar Pradesh has accounted for 19% share in the country's total food grain output. About 70% of India's sugar comes from Uttar Pradesh. Sugarcane

6380-422: Is the most important cash crop as the state is country's largest producer of sugar. As per the report generated by Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), total sugarcane production in India was estimated to be 28.3 million tonnes in the fiscal ending September 2015 which includes 10.47 million tonnes from Maharashtra and 7.35 million tonnes from Uttar Pradesh. With 359 manufacturing clusters, cement

6525-461: Is the top sector of SMEs in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Financial Corporation (UPFC) was established in 1954 under the SFCs Act of 1951 mainly to develop small- and medium-scale industries in the state. The UPFC also provides working capital to existing units with a soundtrack record and to new units under a single window scheme. In July 2012, due to financial constraints and directions from

6670-432: Is then served to the congregation, and the function ends with a langar , or community lunch. The festival is marked with a nagar kirtan street procession headed by a group of Panj Pyare representatives, and music, singing, and chanting scriptures are part of the celebration. Fairs and melas are held in many places in Punjab to celebrate the formation of the Khalsa. According to Dogra and Dogra (2003), "an annual fair

6815-489: Is traditional to use lotus leaves to serve sattu (powdered meal derived from grains of red gram and jau (Hordeum vulgare) and other ingredients) to the family members. Vaisakhi is an important among Pakistani Hindus. In Undivided Punjab , the Hindu Shrine of Katas Raj was known for its Vaisakhi fair. It was attended by around 10,000 pilgrims who were mostly Hindus. Similarly, at the shrine of Bairagi Baba Ram Thaman,

6960-406: The 2012 election . Religion in Uttar Pradesh (2011) Languages of Uttar Pradesh from 2011 census Uttar Pradesh has a very large population and a high population growth rate. From 1991 to 2001 its population increased by over 26 per cent. It is the most populous state in India , with 199,581,477 people on 1 March 2011. The state contributes to 16.2 per cent of India's population. As of 2021,

7105-704: The Ajmer – Marwar region was merged with Rajputana and Oudh was incorporated into the state. The new state was called the North Western Provinces of Agra and Oudh, which in 1902 was renamed as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh . It was commonly referred to as the United Provinces or its acronym UP. In 1920, the capital of the province was shifted from Allahabad to Lucknow . The high court continued to be at Allahabad, but

7250-552: The Babool ( Vachellia nilotica ) and animals such as the Chinkara ( Gazella bennettii ) are found in the arid Vindhyas. Tropical dry deciduous forests are found in all parts of the plains. Since much sunlight reaches the ground, shrubs and grasses are also abundant. Large tracts of these forests have been cleared for cultivation. Tropical thorny forests, consisting of widely scattered thorny trees, mainly babool are mostly found in

7395-577: The British East India Company accession over the state's territories. Ajmer and Jaipur kingdoms were also included in this northern territory, which was named the " North-Western Provinces " (of Agra). Although UP later became the fifth-largest state of India, NWPA was one of the smallest states of the British Indian empire. Its capital shifted twice between Agra and Allahabad. Due to dissatisfaction with British rule,

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7540-584: The Chief Secretary assists the council of ministers. The Chief Secretary is also the administrative head of the government. Each government department is headed by a minister, who is assisted by an Additional Chief Secretary or a Principal Secretary , who is usually an officer of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary serves as the administrative head of

7685-462: The Department of Home and Confidential , is the largest police force in the world. Uttar Pradesh also reported the highest number of deaths – 41,746 – due to road accidents till December 2022, according to "Road Accidents in India" report of Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways . The UP Transport Department report also indicates that the primary cause of road accident fatalities

7830-591: The Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib the birthplace of the Khalsa , and at the Golden Temple in Amritsar . Vaisakhi is a harvest festival for people of Northern India. Chander and Dogra (2003) state that in Punjab, Vaisakhi marks the ripening of the rabi harvest. According to Dhillon (2015), in Punjab, this day is observed as a thanksgiving day by farmers whereby farmers pay their tribute, thanking God for

7975-534: The Hindu calendar and the Indian national calendar ; it comprises the time of crop-harvesting in the Punjab region . Vaisakhi is the most important festival in the Sikh calendar, taking place on the first lunar month of Vaisakh, which falls on 14 April each year. On this day, the Khalsa was created and much celebration takes place in the form of Samagams, Nagar Kirtan , Gatka exhibitions, Akand Paths and so on. On

8120-699: The Indus Valley Civilisation and Harappa culture to the Vedic period and extending into the Iron Age . Out of the sixteen mahajanapadas (lit. 'great realms') or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India, seven fell entirely within the present-day boundaries of the state. The kingdom of Kosala , in the Mahajanapada era, was also located within the regional boundaries of modern-day Uttar Pradesh. According to Hinduism,

8265-790: The Khalji dynasty (1290–1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414), the Sayyid dynasty (1414–51), and the Lodi dynasty (1451–1526). The first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb ud-Din Aibak , conquered some parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Meerut , Aligarh , and Etawah . His successor, Iltutmish , expanded the Sultanate's rule over Uttar Pradesh by defeating the King of Kannauj . During the reign of Sultan Balban ,

8410-584: The Khyber Pass and founded the Mughal Empire , covering India , along with modern-day Afghanistan , Pakistan and Bangladesh . The Mughals were descended from Persianised Central Asian Turks (with significant Mongol admixture). In the Mughal era, Uttar Pradesh became the heartland of the empire. Mughal emperors Babur and Humayun ruled from Delhi. In 1540 an Afghan, Sher Shah Suri , took over

8555-629: The Maurya (320–200 BCE), Kushan (100–250 CE), Gupta (350–600), and Gurjara-Pratihara (650–1036) empires. Following the Huns ' invasions that broke the Gupta empire, the Ganges-Yamuna Doab saw the rise of Kannauj . During the reign of Harshavardhana (590–647), the Kannauj empire reached its zenith. It spanned from Punjab in the north and Gujarat in the west to Bengal in the east and Odisha in

8700-427: The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC), Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states of encounter killings and custodial deaths. In 2014, the state recorded 365 judicial deaths out of a total 1,530 deaths recorded in the country. NHRC further said, of the over 30,000 murders registered in the country in 2016, Uttar Pradesh had 4,889 cases. A data from Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) avers, Bareilly recorded

8845-401: The North Central Railway and Gorakhpur is the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway . Lucknow and Moradabad serve as divisional Headquarters of the Northern Railway Division. Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express , the second fastest Shatabdi Express train, connects the Indian capital of New Delhi to Lucknow while Kanpur Shatabdi Express , connects New Delhi to Kanpur Central . This

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8990-494: The Samajwadi Party , the Bahujan Samaj Party , the Bharatiya Janata Party , and the Indian National Congress . The political landscape of the state is often characterized by intense competition and polarization , leading to caste-based tensions and communal conflicts . Critics often suggest that despite Uttar Pradesh's significant political legacy of producing eight Prime Ministers , the state continues to struggle with issues that hinder its overall advancement. According to

9135-532: The Second Battle of Panipat , and Uttar Pradesh came under Emperor Akbar 's rule. Akbar ruled from Agra and Fatehpur Sikri . In the 18th century, after the fall of Mughal authority, the power vacuum was filled by the Maratha Empire , in the mid-18th century, the Maratha army invaded the Uttar Pradesh region, which resulted in Rohillas losing control of Rohilkhand to the Maratha forces led by Raghunath Rao and Malha Rao Holkar . The conflict between Rohillas and Marathas came to an end on 18 December 1788 with

9280-420: The Upper Doab and Delhi , (in what was Kuru Mahajanapada), during the reign of the Pandava King Yudhishthira . The kingdom of the Kurus corresponds to the Black and Red Ware and Painted Gray Ware culture and the beginning of the Iron Age in northwest India, around 1000 BCE. Control over Gangetic plains region was of vital importance to the power and stability of all of India's major empires, including

9425-414: The government . Uttar Pradesh is divided into 75 districts under these 18 divisions: The following is a list of top districts from state of Uttar Pradesh by population, ranked in respect of all India. Each district is governed by a District Magistrate, who is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed Government of Uttar Pradesh and reports to Divisional Commissioner of

9570-418: The judicial capital . It is divided into 18 divisions and 75 districts . Uttar Pradesh was established in 1950 after India had become a republic. It is a successor to the United Provinces , established in 1935 by renaming the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh , in turn established in 1902 from the North-Western Provinces and the Oudh Province . Though long known for sugar production, the state's economy

9715-511: The monsoon . Uttar Pradesh has a humid subtropical climate and experiences four seasons. The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May and the monsoon season between June and September. Summers are extreme with temperatures fluctuating anywhere between 0–50 °C (32–122 °F) in parts of the state coupled with dry hot winds called the Loo . The Gangetic plain varies from semiarid to sub-humid. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 650 mm (26 inches) in

9860-495: The 16th of this month, Guru Angad and Guru Har Krishan took leave for their higher abode and passed the Guruship to Guru Amar Das and Guru Tegh Bahadur respectively. Moreover, on the 18th, the Sikhs celebrate the birthday of Guru Angad Dev (the second Sikh Guru ) and Guru Tegh Bahadur (the ninth Sikh Guru). Ji Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( / ˌ ʊ t ər p r ə ˈ d ɛ ʃ / UUT -ər prə- DESH ; Hindi: [ˈʊtːəɾ pɾəˈdeːʃ] ; abbr. UP )

10005-430: The Bengali calendar to the 7th-century king Shashanka . The term Bangabda (Bangla year) is found too in two Shiva temples many centuries older than Akbar era, suggesting that Bengali calendar existed before Akbar's time. Various dynasties whose territories extended into Bengal , prior to the 13th-century, used the Vikram Samvat . Buddhist texts and inscriptions created in the Pala Empire era mention "Vikrama" and

10150-456: The Civil Judges (Junior Division)/Judicial Magistrates and civil judges (Senior Division)/Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Uttar Pradesh higher judicial service comprises civil and sessions judges. The Subordinate judicial service (viz. The district court of Etawah and the district court of Kanpur Dehat) of the judiciary at Uttar Pradesh is controlled by the District Judge. Politics in Uttar Pradesh has been dominated by four political parties –

10295-436: The Ganges, Jhelum and Kaveri. Hindus visit temples, meet friends and party over festive foods. Vaisakhi is the day when Hindus believe River Goddess Ganga descended on earth from heaven. One of the largest Vaisakhi fair in India is held at Haridwar , which is an important Hindu pilgrimage. Around 50 lakhs (5 million) pligrims throng Brahm Kund in Haridwar to take a dip in Ganga river on this festival. In Punjab ,

10440-604: The High Court of the Uttar Pradesh judiciary on the advice of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India as well as the governor of Uttar Pradesh. Subordinate Judicial Service, categorised into two divisions viz. Uttar Pradesh civil judicial services and Uttar Pradesh higher judicial service are another vital part of the judiciary of Uttar Pradesh. While the Uttar Pradesh civil judicial services comprise

10585-537: The Hindu Shrine of Katas Raj was known for its Vaisakhi fair. It was attended by around 10,000 pilgrims who were mostly Hindus. Similarly, at the shrine of Bairagi Baba Ram Thaman, a Vaisakhi fair was held annually since 16th century CE which was attended by around 60,000 pilgrims and Bairagi saints from all over India used to throng the shrine. The Vaisakhi fair is at Thakurdwara of Bhagwan Narainji at Pandori Mahatan village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab where

10730-705: The Hindu Solar New Year as per Vikram Samvat , the Hindu Solar Calendar. Vaisakha is the first month in Nepalese Calendar. The idols of Goddess Thimi Kumari are carried out in palanquins and are taken around the city. Vaisakhi is celebrated by Hindu community and Indian & Nepalese diaspora in United States of America. Every year Nepalese Hindus gather up in traditional outsfits like kurtis and Nepalese caps to observe

10875-504: The Hindu Solar New Year. The Bengali Hindu Community also celebrates its new year 'Pohela Baisakh' on this day. A Baisakhi Mela or fair is also held where Bengali handicrafts sessions are held. The Bay Area Malayalee Association holds Vishu celebration (Kerala New Year). Event includes Sadhya (Kerala-style feast) and cultural, cinematics and comedy programs, and end with a tea social. Tamil Community also celebrates New Year on this day as Puthandu . Vaisakhi (Punjabi: ਵੈਸਾਖੀ , vaisākhī ,

11020-708: The Hindu tradition. It is available in the Vanis of the saints that in Satlok, the Vaisakhi-like atmosphere always remains there. It is regionally known by many names among the Hindus, though the festivities and its significance is similar. It is celebrated by Hindus bathing in sacred rivers, as they believe that river goddess Ganges descended to earth on Vaisakhi from Svarga . Some rivers considered particularly sacred include

11165-864: The Immortal) started by Guru Hargobind . Early Sikh military history was dominated by the Nihang, known for their victories where they were heavily outnumbered. Traditionally known for their bravery and ruthlessness in the battlefield, the Nihang once formed the irregular guerrilla squads of the armed forces of the Sikh Empire , the Sikh Khalsa Army . Nihangs mark Vaisakhi in their own unique manner. They will engage in martial arts and participate in Gatkas. They will also exhibit displays of horsemanship. According to Singh and Fenech (2014), Nihangs will move to

11310-738: The Mamluk dynasty faced numerous rebellions in the state, but he was able to suppress them and establish his authority. Alauddin Khilji , extended his conquests to various regions in the state, including Varanasi and Prayagraj . Apart from the rulers, the Delhi Sultanate era also saw the growth of Sufism in Uttar Pradesh. Sufi saints, such as Nizamuddin Auliya and Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki , lived during this period and their teachings had

11455-594: The Odia new year in Odisha . Celebrations include various types of folk and classical dances, such as the Shiva-related Chhau dance . On this day people hang pieces of Neem branches with leaves in front of their houses believed to have health benefits. They prepare a liquid mixture of jaggery, mango, pepper and other ingredients which is called Pana (ପଣା). An earthen pot with a small hole and a grass (କୁୁଶ) within

11600-431: The United Provinces were renamed "Uttar Pradesh" ( lit.   ' northern province ' ), preserving UP as the abbreviation of the state's name, with the change coming into effect on 24 January 1950. The new state was formed after the merger of several princely states and territories, including the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh , and the Delhi territory. The state has provided nine of India's prime ministers which

11745-543: The Uttar Pradesh Budget Documents (2019–20), Uttar Pradesh's debt burden is 29.8 per cent of the GSDP . The state's total financial debt stood at ₹ 2.09 lakh crore (US$ 25 billion) in 2011. Uttar Pradesh has not been able to witness double-digit economic growth despite consistent attempts over the years. The GSDP is estimated to have grown 7 per cent in 2017–18 and 6.5 per cent in 2018–19 which

11890-607: The Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Act, 1976. In 2011, state's cabinet ministers headed by the then Chief Minister Mayawati announced the separation of Uttar Pradesh into four different states of Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Avadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh with twenty-eight, seven, twenty-three and seventeen districts, respectively, later the proposal was turned down when the Akhilesh Yadav –lead Samajwadi Party came to power in

12035-470: The abundant harvest and also praying for future prosperity. The harvest festival is celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. In the Punjab, historically, during the early 20th century, Vaisakhi was a sacred day for Hindus and Sikhs and a secular festival for all Muslims and Christians. In modern times, sometimes Christians in Punjab participate in Baisakhi celebrations along with Hindus and Sikhs. The harvest festival

12180-805: The afternoon of 23 November 2007, within a span of 25 minutes, six consecutive serial blasts occurred in the Lucknow, Varanasi, and Faizabad courts, in which 28 people were killed. Another blast occurred on 7 December 2010, the blast occurred at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi in which more than 38 people were killed. In February 2016, a series of bomb blasts occurred at the Jhakarkati Bus Station in Kanpur , killing 2 people and injuring more than 30. figures in crores of Indian rupees In terms of net state domestic product (NSDP), Uttar Pradesh

12325-610: The arrest of Ghulam Qadir , the grandson of Najeeb-ud-Daula, who was defeated by the Maratha general Mahadaji Scindia . In 1803–04, following the Second Anglo-Maratha War , when the British East India Company defeated the Maratha Empire, much of the region came under British suzerainty. Starting from Bengal in the second half of the 18th century, a series of battles for north Indian lands finally gave

12470-479: The belt of temperate upper mountainous forests. Medicinal plants are found in the wild and are also grown in plantations . The Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands support cattle. Moist deciduous trees grow in the upper Gangetic plain, especially along its riverbanks. This plain supports a wide variety of plants and animals. The Ganges and its tributaries are the habitat of large and small reptiles, amphibians , fresh-water fish, and crabs. Scrubland trees such as

12615-431: The bhabhar in a thin strip. The entire alluvial plain is divided into three sub-regions. The first in the eastern tract consisting of 14 districts which are subject to periodical floods and droughts and have been classified as scarcity areas. These districts have the highest density of population which gives the lowest per capita land. The other two regions, the central and the western , are comparatively better with

12760-636: The census. These include Awadhi spoken in Awadh in central Uttar Pradesh, Bhojpuri spoken in Purvanchal in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Braj Bhasha spoken in the Braj region in Western Uttar Pradesh. These languages have also been recognised by the state government for official use in their respective regions. Urdu is given the status of a second official language, spoken by 5.4 per cent of

12905-611: The cities of Vancouver , Abbotsford , and Surrey hold their annual Vaisakhi celebrations in April, which include two Nagar Kirtan (parades). Vaisakh Vaisakh ( Shahmukhi : وساکھ ; Gurmukhi : ਵਿਸਾਖ , Punjabi pronunciation: [ʋɪsaːkʰᵊ] ) is the second month in the Nanakshahi calendar and the Punjabi calendar . This month coincides with April and May in the Gregorian calendar and to Vaisakha in

13050-527: The city of Amritsar on Vaisakhi day. Pakistan has many sites that are of historic importance to the Sikh faith, such as the birthplace of Guru Nanak. These sites attract pilgrims from India and abroad every year on Vaisakhi. Pakistan used to have many more Sikhs, but a vast majority moved to India during the 1947 India-Pakistan partition. Contemporary Pakistan has about 20,000 Sikhs in a total population of about 200 million Pakistanis, or about 0.01%. These Sikhs, and thousands more who arrive from other parts of

13195-434: The country. The state's per capita GSDP was ₹ 29,417 (US$ 350), lower than the national per capita GSDP of ₹ 60,972 (US$ 730). Labor efficiency is higher at an index of 26 than the national average of 25. Textiles and sugar refining, both long-standing industries in Uttar Pradesh, employ a significant proportion of the state's total factory labour. The economy also benefits from the state's tourism industry. The state has

13340-622: The creation of the Khalsa Panth. Vaisakhi falls on the first day of the Vaisakh month and marks the sun's entry to the Mesha Rasi ( Mesha Sankranti ) marking the solar transition to Aries. The day is also described as a sacred festival for Sikhs in India as it marks the birth of the Khalsa. The significance of Vaisakhi as a Sikh religious festival started after the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur for refusing to convert to Islam under

13485-544: The day-long function of Baisakhi. Dera Nangali Sahib is known as a centre for Sikhism in Jammu. The other important gurdwara is the Dera Baba Banda which is dedicated to Banda Bahadur. The gurdwara is located near Reasi. Baisakhi celebrations take place at this Dera. Sikhs in Kashmir celebrate Vaisakhi as a religious festival to mark the foundation of the Khalsa. Unlike in the North Indian plains where Vaisalhi

13630-656: The day. Bohag Bihu or Rangali Bihu marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year on 13 April. It is celebrated for seven days Vishuva Sankranti (Mesha Sankranti) of the month of Vaisakh or locally 'Bohag' (Bhaskar Calendar). The three primary types of Bihu are Rongali Bihu, Kongali Bihu, and Bhogali Bihu. Each festival historically recognizes a different agricultural cycle of the paddy crops. During Rangali Bihu there are 7 pinnacle phases: 'Chot', 'Raati', 'Goru', 'Manuh', 'Kutum', 'Mela' and 'Chera'. Pana Sankranti (ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି) also known as Maha Vishuba Sankranti marks

13775-571: The department they are assigned to. Each department also has officers of the rank of Secretary, Special Secretary, Joint Secretary etc. assisting the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary / Principal Secretary . For administration, the state is divided into 18 divisions and 75 districts. Divisional Commissioner , an IAS officer is the head of administration on the divisional level. The administration in each district

13920-470: The disputed Babri Mosque located in Ayodhya was demolished by Hindu activists, leading to widespread violence across India. In 2000, northern districts of the state were separated to form the state of Uttarakhand . Uttar Pradesh, with a total area of 240,928 square kilometres (93,023 sq mi), is India's fourth-largest state in terms of land area and is roughly of same size as United Kingdom. It

14065-549: The district, assisted by the officers of Provincial Forest Service and Uttar Pradesh Forest Subordinate Service. The judiciary in the state consists of the Allahabad High Court in Prayagraj , the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court , district courts and session courts in each district or Sessions Division, and lower courts at the tehsil level. The president of India appoints the chief justice of

14210-589: The divine King Rama of the Ramayana epic reigned in Ayodhya , the capital of Kosala. Krishna , another divine king of Hindu legend, who plays a key role in the Mahabharata epic and is revered as the eighth reincarnation ( Avatar ) of the Hindu god Vishnu , is said to have been born in the city of Mathura . The aftermath of the Kurukshetra War is believed to have taken place in the area between

14355-510: The division in which his district falls. The Divisional Commissioner is an IAS officer of high seniority. Each district is divided into subdivisions, governed by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate , and again into Blocks . Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities . These blocks consists of urban units viz. census towns and rural units called gram panchayat . Uttar Pradesh has more metropolitan cities than any other state in India. The absolute urban population of

14500-510: The early 20th century, there were three major princely states in Uttar Pradesh – Ramgadi, Rampur and Benares and served as a focal point for the 1857 rebellion against British rule. The state houses several holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres. Along with several historical, natural and religious tourist destinations, including Agra , Aligarh , Ayodhya , Bareilly , Gorakhpur , Kanpur , Kushinagar , Lucknow , Mathura , Meerut , Prayagraj , Varanasi , and Vrindavan , Uttar Pradesh

14645-457: The estimated population of the state is around 240 million people. The population density is 828 people per square kilometre, making it one of the most densely populated states in the country. It has the largest scheduled caste population whereas scheduled tribes are less than 1 per cent of the total population. The sex ratio in 2011, at 912 women to 1000 men, was lower than the national figure of 943. The low sex ratio in Uttar Pradesh,

14790-491: The fair lasts for three days from 1st Vaisakha to 3rd Vaisakha. The celebrations start in form of procession on morning of 1st Vaisakha, carrying Mahant in a palanquin by Brahmacharis and devotees. After that Navgraha Puja is held and charities in money, grains and cows are done. At evening, Sankirtan is held in which Mahant delivers religious discourses and concludes it by distributing prasad of Patashas (candy drops). Pilgrims also take ritual bathings at sacred tank in

14935-543: The first thing on the Vishu day. In particular, Malayali Hindus seek to view the golden blossoms of the Indian laburnum ( Kani Konna ), money or silver items ( Vishukkaineetam ), and rice. The day also attracts firework play by children, wearing new clothes ( Puthukodi ) and the eating a special meal called Sadya , which is a mix of salty, sweet, sour and bitter items. The Vishu arrangement typically includes an image of Vishnu , typically as Krishna . People also visit temples on

15080-400: The gardens and markets. The mode of celebration is believed to be different to the way the festival is celebrated elsewhere. The Nihang ( Punjabi : ਨਿਹੰਗ ) or Akali (lit. "the immortals") is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent . Nihang are believed to have originated either from Fateh Singh and the attire he wore or from the " Akali Dal " (lit. Army of

15225-490: The harvest festival, during which Sikhs hold kirtans , visit local gurdwaras, community fairs, hold nagar kirtan processions, raise the Nishan Sahib flag, and gather to socialize and share festive foods, Vaisakhi observes major events in the history of Sikhism and the Indian subcontinent that happened in the Punjab region . Vaisakhi as a major Sikh festival marks the birth of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh ,

15370-544: The highest number of custodial death at 25, followed by Agra (21), Allahabad (19) and Varanasi (9). National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data from 2011 says, the state has the highest number of crimes among any state in India, but due to its high population , the actual per capita crime rate is low. The state also continues to top the list of states with maximum communal violence incidents. An analysis of Ministers of State of Home Affairs states (2014), 23 per cent of all incidents of communal violence in India took place in

15515-509: The hole at the bottom is hung over the Tulasi (ତୁୁୁଳସୀ ଚଉରା). The pot is filled with water daily which acts as a drip to protect the sacred plant from the summer heat. Poyla Baishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar and is celebrated on 14 April every year in the states of West Bengal , Tripura , Jharkhand and Assam ( Barak Valley ) by Bengali Hindus . Some historians attribute

15660-479: The largest number of legislators to the national Parliament. The state contributes 80 seats to Lok Sabha , the lower house of the Indian Parliament , and 31 seats to Rajya Sabha , the upper house. The Government of Uttar Pradesh is a democratically elected body in India with the governor as its constitutional head and is appointed by the president of India for a five-year term. The leader of

15805-474: The largest railway network in the country but in relative terms has only sixth-highest railway density despite its plain topography and largest population. As of 2015 , there were 9,077 km (5,640 mi) of rail in the state. The railway network in the state is controlled by two divisions of the Indian Railways viz. North Central Railway and North Eastern Railway. Allahabad is the headquarters of

15950-556: The leaders of the movement in Uttar Pradesh, and Motilal Nehru , Jawaharlal Nehru , Madan Mohan Malaviya and Govind Ballabh Pant were important national leaders of the Indian National Congress . The All India Kisan Sabha was formed at the Lucknow session of the Congress on 11 April 1936, with the famous nationalist Sahajanand Saraswati elected as its first president, to address the longstanding grievances of

16095-612: The massacre proved influential to the history of the Indian independence movement . This holiday is observed by Sikhs and is known by various regional names in other parts of India. For many Hindu communities, the festival is an occasion to ritually bathe in sacred rivers such as Ganges, Jhelum, and Kaveri, visit temples, meet friends, take part in other festivities, and perform a mandatory daan (charity) especially of hand fans, water pitchers and seasonal fruits. Community fairs are held at Hindu pilgrimage sites. In many areas, processions of temple deities are taken out. The holiday also marks

16240-515: The months such as Ashvin , a system found in Sanskrit texts elsewhere in ancient and medieval Indian subcontinent. Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarusham or Tamil New Year , is the first day of the month Chithirai on the Tamil calendar . On this day, Tamil people greet each other by saying "Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukkaḷ!" or "Iṉiya puttāṇṭu nalvāḻttukkaḷ!", which is equivalent to "Happy New Year". The day

16385-476: The most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state, along with Urdu . Uttar Pradesh was home to most of the mainstream political entities that existed in ancient and medieval India including the Maurya Empire , Harsha Empire , Gupta Empire , Pala Empire , Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire as well as many other empires. At the time of the Indian independence movement in

16530-671: The name of a Nakshatra known as Vishakha . In Punjab region, the word Vaisakhi is common, but in the Dogra regions, and the Doabi and Malwai dialects of Punjab, speakers often substitute a B for a V , so it is known as Baisakhi or Basakhi; also people in Jammu call it Basoa. Traditional For most of the Hindus, the first day of Vaisakh marks the traditional solar new year, in Assam , Bengal , Bihar , Himachal Pradesh , Haryana , Kerala , Odisha , Punjab Tamil Nadu , Uttar Pradesh , Uttrakhand and other parts of India. However, this

16675-545: The orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb . This triggered the ascension of Guru Gobind Singh , the tenth Guru of Sikhism, who subsequently inaugurated the Khalsa on Vaisakhi of 1699. The increased persecution of Sikhs by Mughal authorities followed a period of increasing strength of the Sikh movement in the Malwa region of Punjab during the period of Guru Tegh Bahadur, which would lead to his execution and

16820-480: The overall precipitation of the state. The rain in Uttar Pradesh can vary from an annual average of 170 cm (67 inches) in hilly areas to 84 cm (33 inches) in Western Uttar Pradesh . Given the concentration of most of this rainfall in the four months of the monsoon, excess rain can lead to floods and shortage to droughts. As such, these two phenomena, floods and droughts, commonly recur in

16965-545: The party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, and the council of ministers is appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister. The governor remains a ceremonial head of the state, while the chief minister and his council are responsible for day-to-day government functions. The Council of Ministers consists of Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State (MoS). The Secretariat headed by

17110-576: The peasantry and mobilise them against the zamindari landlords attacks on their occupancy rights, thus sparking the Farmers movements in India. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, Ballia district overthrew the colonial authority and installed an independent administration under Chittu Pandey . Ballia became known as "Baghi Ballia" (Rebel Ballia) for this significant role in India's independence movement. After India's independence,

17255-402: The population. English is used as a means of communication for education, commerce, and governance. It is commonly spoken and employed as a language of instruction in educational institutions, as well as for conducting business transactions and managing administrative affairs. Other notable languages spoken in the state include Punjabi (0.3 per cent) and Bengali (0.1 per cent). The state

17400-560: The pressure of those who want a puritanical version of Islam to be practiced in the name of religion than anything else". Unlike the Indian state of Punjab that recognizes the Vaisakhi Sikh festival as an official holiday, the festival is not an official holiday in Punjab or Sindh provinces of Pakistan as Sikhs constitute a very small number in terms of population. In the Province of British Columbia , large, local Sikh communities in

17545-555: The recorded forest area in the state was 16,583 km (6,403 sq mi) which is about 6.9% of the state's geographical area. In spite of rapid deforestation and poaching of wildlife, a diverse flora and fauna continue to exist in the state. Uttar Pradesh is a habitat for 4.2% of all species of Algae recorded in India, 6.4% of Fungi , 6.0% of Lichens , 2.9% of Bryophytes , 3.3% of Pteridophytes , 8.7% of Gymnosperms , 8.1% of Angiosperms . Several species of trees, large and small mammals , reptiles , and insects are found in

17690-725: The region. Kannauj was several times invaded by the South Indian Rashtrakuta dynasty , from the 8th century to the 10th century. After the fall of the Pala empire, the Chero dynasty ruled from the 12th century to the 18th century. Uttar Pradesh was partially or entirely ruled by the Delhi Sultanate for 320 years (1206–1526). Five dynasties ruled over the Delhi Sultanate sequentially: the Mamluk dynasty (1206–90),

17835-614: The reins of Uttar Pradesh after defeating the Mughal King Humanyun. Sher Shah and his son Islam Shah ruled Uttar Pradesh from their capital at Gwalior . After the death of Islam Shah Suri , his prime minister Hemu became the de facto ruler of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and the western parts of Bengal. He was bestowed the title of Hemchandra Vikramaditya (title of Vikramāditya adopted from Vedic period ) at his formal coronation took place at Purana Qila in Delhi on 7 October 1556. A month later, Hemu died in

17980-496: The report of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released in 2020, the state per capita income is below ₹ 80,000 (US$ 960) per annum. As per 2011 census , Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, is home to the highest numbers of both Hindus and Muslims. The literacy rate of the state at the 2011 census was 67.7 per cent, which was below the national average of 74 per cent. The literacy rate for men

18125-443: The resulting foundation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh, to defend religious freedoms. This gave Vaisakhi the added dimension of being observed as a celebration of the formation of the Khalsa, and is also known as Khalsa Sirjana Divas or Khalsa Sajna Divas. The Birth of the Khalsa Panth was on 30 March 1699. Later, Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire on 12 April 1801 (to coincide with Vaisakhi), creating

18270-399: The secondary sector (industrial and manufacturing). Noida , Meerut , and Agra rank as the top 3 districts with the highest per capita income, whereas Lucknow and Kanpur rank 7th and 9th in per capita income. During the 11th five-year plan (2007–2012), the average gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate was 7.3 per cent, lower than 15.5 per cent, the average for all states of

18415-419: The shrine. Vaisakhi is an important festival among Dogra Hindus of Jammu region. On this day, people get up early in the morning, throng the rivers, canals, and ponds and take a ritual dip every year on this occasion. In Dogra households, a Puja is performed afterwards and part of food crop is offered to the deities. New fruit of the year is enjoyed on this day. A Ritual Bath at Tawi river during Vaisakhi

18560-545: The south. It included parts of central India, north of the Narmada River and it encompassed the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain . Many communities in various parts of India claim descent from the migrants of Kannauj. Soon after Harshavardhana's death, his empire disintegrated into many kingdoms, which were invaded and ruled by the Gurjara-Pratihara empire, which challenged Bengal's Pala Empire for control of

18705-420: The south. It is characterised by hard rock strata and a varied topography of hills, plains, valleys and plateaus. The Bhabhar tract gives place to the terai area which is covered with tall elephant grass and thick forests interspersed with marshes and swamps . The sluggish rivers of the bhabhar deepen in this area, their course running through a tangled mass of thick undergrowth. The terai runs parallel to

18850-496: The southwest corner of the state to 1,000 mm (39 inches) in the eastern and south eastern parts of the state. Primarily a summer phenomenon, the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian monsoon is the major bearer of rain in most parts of state. After summer it is the southwest monsoon which brings most of the rain here, while in winters rain due to the western disturbances and north-east monsoon also contribute small quantities towards

18995-584: The southwestern parts of the state. Uttar Pradesh is known for its extensive avifauna . The most common birds which are found in the state are doves , peafowl , junglefowl , black partridges , house sparrows , songbirds , blue jays , parakeets , quails , bulbuls , comb ducks , kingfishers , woodpeckers , snipes , and parrots. Bird sanctuaries in the state include Bakhira Sanctuary , National Chambal Sanctuary , Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary , Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary , Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary , and Okhla Sanctuary . Other animals in

19140-512: The state government, lending activities were suspended except for State Government Schemes. The state has reported total private investment worth over Rs. 25,081 crores during the years of 2012 and 2016. According to a 2015 report by the World Bank on the Ease of Doing Business in India , Uttar Pradesh was ranked among the top 10 states and was the first among the northern states. According to

19285-462: The state has been slower than the rest of the country. Estimates released by the Reserve Bank of India for the year 2011–12 revealed that the state had 59 million (59819,000) people below the poverty line, the most for any state in India. The central and eastern districts in particular have very high levels of poverty. The state is also experiencing widening consumption inequality. As per

19430-520: The state include reptiles such as lizards , cobras , kraits , and gharials . Among the wide variety of fishes, the most common ones are mahaseer and trout . Some animal species have gone extinct in recent years, while others, like the lion from the Gangetic Plain, the rhinoceros from the Terai region, Ganges river dolphin primarily found in the Ganges have become endangered . Many species are vulnerable to poaching despite regulation by

19575-470: The state is 44.4 million, which constitutes 11.8% of the total urban population of India, the second-highest of any state. According to the 2011 census , there are 15 urban agglomerations with a population greater than 500,000. Uttar Pradesh has a complex system of municipalities. Nagar Nigam (Municipal Corporation) are urban local bodies in large cities such as Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and cities having population more than 4 million. These governed by

19720-399: The state is 6.1 percent of the state's geographical area. The cultivable area is 82 percent of the total geographical area, and the net area sown is 68.5 percent of the cultivable area. Inhabitants of the state are called Awadhi , Braji , or Bundeli , depending upon their region of origin. Hinduism is practised by more than three-fourths of the population, followed by Islam . Hindi is

19865-454: The state. According to a research assembled by State Bank of India , Uttar Pradesh failed to improve its Human Development Index (HDI) ranking over a period of 27 years (1990–2017). Based on sub-national human development index data for Indian states from 1990 to 2017, the report also stated that the value of human development index has steadily increased over time from 0.39 in 1990 to 0.59 in 2017. The Uttar Pradesh Police , governed by

20010-602: The state. The climate of the Vindhya Range and plateau is subtropical with a mean annual rainfall between 1,000 and 1,200 mm (39 and 47 inches), most of which comes during the monsoon. Typical summer months are from March to June, with maximum temperatures ranging from 30–38 °C (86–100 °F). There is a low relative humidity of around 20% and dust-laden winds blow throughout the season. In summer, hot winds called loo blow all across Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has an abundance of natural resources. In 2011,

20155-527: The tenth Guru of Sikhism, on 13 April 1699. Later, Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire on 12 April 1801 (to coincide with Vaisakhi), creating a unified political state. Vaisakhi was also the day when Bengal Army officer Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to shoot into a protesting crowd in Amritsar, an event which would come to be known the Jallianwala Bagh massacre ;

20300-425: The vehicle, drowsiness, poor road visibility, and engineering defects. Between 2006 and 2010, the state has been hit with three terrorist attacks, including explosions in a landmark holy place, a court and a temple. The 2006 Varanasi bombings were a series of bombings that occurred across the Hindu holy city of Varanasi on 7 March 2006. At least 28 people were killed and as many as 101 others were injured. In

20445-456: The word Vaishākhī (वैशाखी), derived from the name of the Indian month of Vaishakha . There is no distinction between sounds 'sha' (श) & 'sa' (स) and between 'va' (व) & 'ba' (ब) in Prakrit & Apbhramsa . Hence the name, Vaisakhi or Baisakhi. Vaisakhi which is observed on Sankranti of Vaisakh ( Vaishakh ) month literally means 'related to Vaisakh month', which in turn is derived from

20590-1003: The world for pilgrimage, observe Vaisakhi in Western Punjab (Pakistan) with festivities centered on the Panja Sahib complex in Hasan Abdal , Gurudwaras in Nankana Sahib , and in various historical sites in Lahore . According to Aziz-ud-din Ahmed, Lahore used to have Baisakhi Mela after the harvesting of the wheat crop in April. However, adds Ahmed, the city started losing its cultural vibrancy in 1970s after Zia-ul-Haq came to power, and in recent years "the Pakistan Muslim League (N) government in Punjab banned kite flying through an official edict more under

20735-459: The worship and propitiation of various deities, such as Durga in Himachal Pradesh, Surya in Bihar, and Vishnu in southern India. Although Vaisakhi began as a grain harvest festival for Hindus and its observance predates the creation of Sikhism, it gained historical association with the Sikhs following the inauguration of the Khalsa. Vaisakhi is observed on the 13 or 14 April every year in the 21st century. However, in 1801 AD, it fell on 11 April. This

20880-455: Was cited as the predominant reason for migration among females. Among males, the most important reason for migration was work and employment. Uttar Pradesh continues to have regional disparities, particularly with the western districts of the state showing higher development indicators such as per capita district development product (PCDDP) and gross district development product (GDDP) compared to other regions. Due to inadequate infrastructure and

21025-410: Was over-speeding, which accounted for 40 per cent of deaths. Drunken driving contributed to 10 per cent of fatalities, while 12 per cent of deaths were due to driving on the wrong side. Additionally, 10 per cent of accident deaths were caused by the use of mobile phones, and 5 per cent resulted from running red lights. The remaining 23 per cent of deaths were attributed to factors such as losing control of

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