The Yogi Adityanath government plans to come up with a Sufi circuit, along with Shakti Peeth and other circuits to show as potential investment opportunities at the investors’ meet in Lucknow on February 21 and 22.
The Sufi circuit was likely to include Fatehpur Sikri, Rampur, Budaun, Bareilly, Lucknow, Dewa, Bahraich and Allahabad while the Shakti Peeth circuit would comprise Vindhyachal, Balrampur, Varanasi, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Sonabhadra and Saharanpur.
“Once the requisite ecosystem comes up along these circuits, like hotels, malls, business plazas etc tourist activity would definitely increase. So these could be among the many investment opportunities in the state which investors could tap. They would be marketed in that spirit,” an official said adding that the circuits would also lead to development of the state.
The Shakti Peeth circuit will comprise places associated with Hindu Goddesses. Another circuit will be dedicated to places connected with the Mahabharata. Potential investors will also be informed about the proposed circuit on freedom struggle, another one on crafts, culture and cuisine and one on water sports too.
Fatehpur Sikri has the tomb of famous Sufi saint Salim Chishti, who was held in high esteem by emperor Akbar. So much so that Akbar had named his first son -- Salim (Jahangir) -- after the saint. Dewa near Barabanki has the mausoleum of another famous saint -- Haji Waris Ali Shah -- while Rampur, Budaun, Bareilly and Lucknow are also associated with many Sufi saints.
{{/usCountry}}Fatehpur Sikri has the tomb of famous Sufi saint Salim Chishti, who was held in high esteem by emperor Akbar. So much so that Akbar had named his first son -- Salim (Jahangir) -- after the saint. Dewa near Barabanki has the mausoleum of another famous saint -- Haji Waris Ali Shah -- while Rampur, Budaun, Bareilly and Lucknow are also associated with many Sufi saints.
{{/usCountry}}The water sports circuit could include places like Gorakhpur, Lalitpur and Jhansi while the crafts, culture and cuisine circuit has been proposed in Lucknow, Agra, Rampur, Ferozabad, Varanasi, Moradabad, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Kannauj, Pilibhit, Bareilly, Aligarh.
These circuits would be in addition to the Ramayana, Krishna, Buddhist, Braj and Jain circuits that are in various stages of completion and which Adityanath had marketed during his first overseas trip to Myanmar in August.
The UP government is hoping to not only attract investment but also connect with global tourists who, it hopes, drawn by these novelties, would travel to the most populous state.
The state’s tourism department has already identified 10 domestic tourist hot spots and an equal number of places frequented by foreign travellers.
If Allahabad, Ayodhya and Vrindavan have been ranked as the top three destinations most frequented by domestic tourists, Agra, Sarnath and Varanasi have been rated among the destinations most visited by foreigners.