The culture of Uttar Pradesh is painted in the form of folk dances, conventional cuisines, long imparted values and traditions. It draws a large number of tourists worldwide because of the historic cities, rustic ancient forts, bustling markets and vibrant culture. Other than the folk music, dance, art and craft, people of Uttar Pradesh are known to adhere to their rich cultural heritage and traditional norms. They also take pride to be the first to introduce the two great epics- Ramayan and Mahabharat to the world. The state also has a plethora of fairs and festivals that adds to the charm and charisma of the state.
Other than the national festivals like Holi, Diwali and Makar Sankranti- a few other cities have a few other festivals celebrated with a whole lot of zeal and
fervour. Bharat Milap or Chhath Pooja is supposed to be a big affair in Varanasi and it attracts tourists from all over the country. This festival is dedicated to the worship of the Sun, God of Energy and is believed to cure incurable diseases like leprosy etc.
Uttar Pradesh is a home to a variety of cuisines, most famous of which are Awadhi cuisines and Mughal cuisines, very popular in Lucknow. The delicious food is supposed to be a hereditary of the ruling Mughals. The most sought-after dishes include - dum biryani, dum Gosht and Nahari, which is slow cooked overnight and sealed in large pots. In the northern Uttar Pradesh, which includes Meerut, Moradabad, Mathura etc. ? the staple food includes kachori, Aloo curry and the very regular dal, roti and rice. Petha is a very famous sweet dish available in the state and owes its authenticity to the city of Agra. Among the drinks, people prefer lassi, chaas and roohafza.
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Uttar Pradesh is mostly a state of two sects- Hindus and Muslims. The traditional costume of the women of Uttar Pradesh is a sari and a blouse or salwar kameez. The men opt for dhoti kurta or kurta pyjama. They also wear pagri or topi on their heads. On more festive occasions, men go for sherwani- which is an embroidered kurta with churidars. Women wear lehenga choli on formal occasions which is an embroidered long skirt with a blouse and a long scarf known as odhani. This is the unique costume of the women of Uttar Pradesh. They also adorn themselves in accessories including gold chains, necklaces, rings, bangles, trinkets, tiaras and anklets etc.
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Folk music too proliferated and largely appreciated by the people both in the country and worldwide. Rasiya is famous in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, sung generally during the Holi Festival. It is based on the theme of love of Lord Krishna for his assort Radha and other dairymaids. Another renowned music is Birha , which creates a mood of lament. Kajari is songs of Shravana, the month of rainy seasons. Its theme too is that of melancholy and sadness, elegy of insulation but it is less sensual than Birha.
Uttar Pradesh offers a wide range of folk art and dance forms from which you may have your pick. Raslila is one of the most popular performing arts of the state. It owes its source to the drama act of Lord Krishna and his milkmaids. The folk tradition includes a variety of classical music, dance and drama. Ramlila is another famous art form, which is based on Lord Rama's life story.
Khayal is a form of semi classical singing which comes from the royal courts of Awadh. Other than that, Svanga is a dance drama of semi historical tales and ballads.
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To discuss the culture of Uttar Pradesh , a due mentioning of the glorious festivals and fairs of the region becomes imperative. Not only the popular Indian festivals like Holi, Diwali, Makar Sankranti are feted, the localites observe some special festivals and fairs in great fervor. The 'Taj Mahaotsav' celebrated in February at Agra and has drawn admirers from various places. This festival recalls the bequest of the Meena Bazaar of Mughal era by exhibiting the fine marble replica toys of the Taj, Mughal jewelry, 'zari' clothing and lots of other more things that create awe and splendor amongst the spectators.
Kumbh Mela
Other than that, Kumbh Mela, Magh Mela and Ardha Mela are celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm in Allahabad. It is considered to be one of the holiest cities of India and during the time of the melas, it experiences a large amalgamation of devotees from all over the world. The festivities are performed with grandeur and the melas considered very auspicious for the people practising Hinduism.
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The people of Uttar Pradesh follow the ritual or more than that they make it compulsion in one's life time of taking a dip in the holy water of river Ganga and Yamuna. They believe that by having a bath in this holy water they get purified from all the sins they have committed in their life time. Aarti is another important ritual which is followed in the Ganga ghats. The deities are offered with light from the wicks soaked in purified butter in a very grand manner. Havan is a ritual performed by the people of Hindu community. It involves lightning of holy fire or the Yagna and the belief is that by doing this all evils and ill-wills are thrown apart. It is considered very auspicious among the Hindus to perform a Havan for the prosperity and the good luck before starting of any new work. This puja is conducted by the chief priest and during which lots of mantras are recited. There is also a traditional belief of frog marriages to usher rains in case of delayed monsoons. According to Hindu rituals when the marriage is performed, the Gods are pleased and rainfall takes place within days. They also believe in rolling of children on the grounds so that Indran, God of Rains is pleased and blesses the people with a good shower. They follow the patriarchicalsystem ofsociety or socialstructure.
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Different regions of this state specialize in different Crafts of Uttar Pradesh. If Benaras is known for its benarasi silk saris and zari work, then Agra is known for its leather works, Mirzapur is known for its exquisite carpets, and Lucknow is known for its Chikankari work.
The craftsmen of Uttar Pradesh were gem of an artist creating wonders in stone and wood. The government of the state is trying its best to uphold these craftsmen through the many small and big industries that sprawls throughout Uttar Pradesh. Even handloom industries has got a new lease of life and gaining momentum every year. Each of the craft practiced in Uttar Pradesh has fine specialization. For instance benarasi silk is further specialized into zardosi, tissues and brocade saris and dress materials. Carpets can be coarse woven in jute or soft woven in cotton thread with silk patterns. Jewelries can be chunky with intricate pattern or lots of minakari work done.
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