Varanasi : Excursion
Varanasi : Excursion
The Fort of Chunar: Situated 39 km away in Mirzapur district, famous for its ties with Sher Shah Suri who dethroned Humayun in the 16th century. A car can cover the distance in 1.5-2 hours. Petrol bunkers, repair shops and restaurants provide amenities along the route. As the distance is not too much and the only accommodation there is a dak bungalow, it is better to return to Varanasi by the evening.
Jaunpur: 58 km, was an important Muslim centre where art and architecture found patronage. Today, it is known for its perfumes and incense.
jaunpur has many tombs; mosques and madrassas (schools of Islamic learning) dating back to the 14-15th century and carry a distinctive imprint of Tughlak-style architecture. Atala Masjid, Jami Masjid, Lai Darwaza Masjid, Khalis Mukhlis Masjid,
Shahi Bridge, Shitala Choukhiya Dham and Yamdagni Ashram are some of the interesting places in the town which also has hotels, rest houses, lodges and restaurants. A must-see is the ittar (perfumes) industry here, as Jaunpur is famous for its perfumes. The main shopping areas are Line Bazaar and Olandganj.
Chandra Prabha Sanctuary, 70 km, is in a 78 sq km area and has a varied wildlife such as the panther, deer, wild pig, partridge and peafowl. The nearest railhead is at Mughal Sarai (55 km) The Rajdari and Devdari waterfalls are a beautiful sight here. Accommodation is available at the Rajdari forest rest house. For reservations contact divisional forest officer at Ramnagar in Varanasi.
Kaimoor Sanctuary, 130 km, covers 500 sq km of dry, mixed forest and scrub. On the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border, it is accessible by road from Varanasi and Mirzapur (100 km). The nearest town, Robertsganj (3 km), has bus services from these two cities. It will take more than a day to see the sanctuary and accommodation is available at forest rest houses in Harrah, Churk, Mahuaria. For reservations contact assistant conservator of forests, Kaimoor Sanctuary, Mirzapur.
Vindhyachal, 80 km, is one of the shakti-peeths.
Vindhyavasini Temple, Ashtabhuja and Kalikhoh are major attractions. The journey by car takes two hours as road conditions are good, with all facilities available en route. For accommodation, in case of an overnight stay, there are hotels and dak bungalows in the town.
