Awadh

Awadh (अवध Avadh) is the central region of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, known as the granary of India. It is the centre of various period films of Bollywood and modern films.

Map of Awadh

• 26.79916782.2044441 Ayodhya — legendary birthplace of Lord Rama, the central character from the Hindu mythological epic Ramayana. Nearby Faizabad was the former capital of the Oudh State.
• 27.42951382.185462 Balrampur —
• 26.84780.9473 Lucknow — capital of Uttar Pradesh, the City of Nawabs, also home to one of the IIMs
• 25.4581.854 Prayagraj (Allahabad) — holy place where the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati meet
• 26.472580.3311115 Kanpur — once known as the "Manchester of India", now famous for its leather works and IIT Kanpur
• 25.33898381.3928976 Kaushambi — Buddhist site along the Yamuna.
• 27.44383.126157 Piprahwa — Buddhist site
• 27.51707382.0506198 Shravasti — Buddhist site
• 25.58725381.6418049 Shringverpur — a lesser-known mythical city of the Ramayana, where Rama crosses the Ganges on his way to exile with Sita and Lakshmana.
• 27.56666780.68333310 Sitapur — river city, Sufi centre
• 26.26166782.07166711 Sultanpur — a university city
• 26.5580.4812 Unnao — a small temple city

• 28.47087280.6992631 Dudhwa National Park — a project for wildlife preservation
• 27.85582.1012 Suhelva Wildlife Sanctuary — at the border to Nepal

Awadh was the name of a province of many major Islamic dynasties in India, including the Mughal Empire. With the decline of late Mughal Delhi, Awadh became a major source of literary, artistic, religious and architectural patronage in northern India under the rule of its eleven rulers, called Nawabs. From 1720 to 1856, the Nawabs presided over Awadh, with Ayodhya and Faizabad serving as the region's initial capitals. Later, the capital was relocated to Lucknow, which is the present capital of Uttar Pradesh.

The best time to visit the region is during the cooler and drier months of October to March.

While the majority of the population follows Hinduism, Awadh is noted for having a prominent Shia Muslim community, particularly in and around the city of Lucknow. This distinguishes it from most other parts of India where dominant sectarian branch of Islam is Sunni.

Like the rest of UP, nearly everyone will be able to converse with you in Hindi. However, the region is home to Awadhi, an Eastern Hindi dialect.

While the urban centres and tourist pockets have reasonable levels of English proficiency, particularly among the middle class and above, rural areas in Awadh have very low levels of proficiency in English compared to the overall Indian average.

The commercial airports in the region include:

• Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (LKO ^IATA), Lucknow
• Kanpur Airport (KNU ^IATA), Kanpur
• Prayagraj Airport (IXD ^IATA), Prayagraj
• Maharishi Valmiki International Airport (AYJ ^IATA), Ayodhya

Kanpur Central is a major railway station of India and well-connected with other parts of India. The railway stations of Lucknow, namely Lucknow Charbagh (code: LKO) and Lucknow Junction (station code: LJN), are also well-connected with the rest of India. Prayagraj Junction in Prayagraj is also a major railway station of Awadh.

The Purvanchal Expressway connects Awadh with Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Spanning around 341 km (212 mi), it links Lucknow to the city of Ghazipur, and in between passes through the districts of Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh and Mau.

The Bundelkhand Expressway, inaugurated in July 2022, connects Etawah to Chitrakoot at 296 km (184 mi).

Buses in Awadh are primarily operated by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), which connects the major cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Barabanki to surrounding districts. The key routes include services to Sitapur, Pratapgarh, Raebareli, and Ayodhya, and there are option both for travelling in ordinary buses and luxury buses.

In Lucknow, the two main bus hubs are:

• Kaiserbagh: Has services to Sitapur and Barabanki
• Charbagh: Has services to Vrindavan and Ayodhya

Tourist sights in Awadh mainly revolve around two themes: cities and temples of religious significance in Hinduism and cities with a prominent Mughal architectural heritage.

Awadhi cuisine is famous and represents a continuation of the heritage of the Mughal Empire. In the non-vegetarian space, Awadh is first and foremost known for its range of delicious kebabs, ranging from shami kebab patties to seekh kebab skewers.

Sheermal is a saffron and cardamom-infused flatbread strongly associated with Awadh, tasting like a slightly sweet naan.

• Head further east to the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh
• Go north to the Lumbini province of the Western Terai region of Nepal