Rampur

A city with major population believing in Islam, there are numerous mosques here, which are built in the Mughal style of architecture. The most famous of them all is Jama Masjid, which was built by Nawab Faizullah Khan and is one of the largest mosques in the city. The structure is a great example of Mughal architecture that is known to leave its visitors spellbound with its magnificence. Many devotees come here to celebrate the Muharram festival in the memory of Martyr Imam Hussain. There are many other mosques as well as several temples that you can visit such as Shiv Mandir, Dargah Hafeez Sahab, Ahi Chchhtra Jain Temple, Lal Masjid and many others.

Although not particularly a museum, but Rampur is famous for the Raza Library, which is housed inside the Rampur fort. This library was established by Nawab Faizullah Khan for his personal collection of ancient manuscripts and miniature specimens of Islamic Calligraphy. With time, this treasure went on expanding, and now it contains rare and valuable collections of historical documents, astronomical instruments, miniature paintings, and rare illustrated works in Arabic and Persian and in all the library houses 75,000 printed books in different languages. The subjects of manuscripts are related to all realms of history, geography, science, philosophy, art, medicine, literature, etc.

Rampur does not really boast of many lavish hotels, but if you want to spend your nights here there are some decently good options for you such as The Opal, Hotel Tourist, Wings and Nest and Hotel York’s.

Rampur gives you the pleasure of shopping in the old bazaars full of small to big shops that are completely vibrant with colors and fragrances. You can find a variety of stuff from precious jewels to lovely flower garlands and handkerchiefs to the embellished bridal outfits. You can purchase anything and everything from handicrafts, Rampuri knives, applique work, zardozi and zari work garments and several musical instruments. And while you are mesmerized by these several options, you must also look out for some colorful kites as Rampur Kites are great in demand in the state. A few places for shopping are Khushali Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Safdar Ganj Bazaar and others.

To add to the sightseeing list are few historical places such as Gandhi Samadhi, which is a memorial to the great Mahatma Gandhi signifying his struggles during India’s Independence. Another unique place is Kothi Khas Bagh, which is a palace that was once a residence of the Nawabs of Rampur. Showcasing the unique blend of Islamic and British architecture, this magnificent structure is spread over the 300-acre compound. It has huge halls which are ornamented with Burma teak and Belgium glass chandeliers and Italian marble staircase that approaches the main bedrooms.

The Rampuri cuisine is very famous as the recipes have come from the kitchens of Nawabs. You can taste the blending flavors of Mughlai, Afghan, Avadhi and Rajput cultures as you enjoy some delicious Mutton Korma, Doodhiya Biryani, Shammi Kebabs, Mutton Koftas and Adrak ka Halwa. You must definitely try the royal halwa known as the Habshi Halwa or Halwa Sond, which is a dessert made from wheat. The flavorful taste of Rampuri cuisine comes from the use of herbs and spices in exact proportions while the meal gets cooked on low flame for several hours before it is served. The Opal, Wings & Nest, Batra Hotels, and Restaurants, Annapurna are some of the places where you can get lip smacking food.

Rampur has an agrarian based economy as it is blessed with fertile land. The major cash crop of this region is mentha and so flourishes the menthol oil manufacturing. One of the oldest industries here is the Kite making which has a great demand in the state. Other main industries are wine-making, sugar processing, textile weaving and Beedi making.