MEERUT

Located 67 kms north of Delhi , Meerut is said to have been founded by Maya, the father of Mandodari. Its ancient name was Mayarastra. Lying at the junction of several roads and rail lines, Meerut is a trade centre for agricultural products and has a considerable amount of industry, including manufacturing, smelting, handicrafts, and the milling of sugar, cotton, flour, and oilseeds.

The initial uprising of mutiny of 1857 broke out here. The Suraj Kund is the most interesting Hindu temple in Meerut and there is a Moghul mausoleum here - the Shahpir.

PRIME ATTRACTION

Religious Places
St. John's Church:
Established in 1819 in Meerut Cantonment, this church was completed in 1822.

Vilveshwarnath Temple:
Vilveshwarnath Temple is supposed to be the oldest temple here.

Dargah of Shah Pir:
Situated near Shah Pir Gate, the Moghul mausoleum, the red stone construction was built in 1620 A.D., by Noor Jehan.

Jami Masjid:
The mosque was built by Hasan Mehdi, a minister of Mahmood Ghaznavi, in 1019 A.D

Wildlife
Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary:
Founded in 1986, in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bijnore and Jyotiba Phule Nagar, The Hastinapur Sanctuary sprawling in an area of 2073 sq. kms, is inhabited by varied types of wild animals like the swamp deer, chital, nilgai, wolf, leopard, hyena, gharial and wild boar.

Others
Martyr's Memorial:
The Martyr's Memorial is a tall white-stone structure located at the Bhaisali Grounds where many freedom fighters were hung in the 1857 struggle.

EXCURSIONS

Sardhana:
19 kms north-west of Meerut lies the fascinating town of Sardhana with a romantic and historically significant past, famous for the church Basilica. It was built in 1809 and raised to the status of a minor basilica in 1960. Apart from this, Begum Samru's Palace and Anthoni Kothi are worth a visit.

Saharanpur:
178 km From Delhi is Saharanpur, famous for its Botanical Gardens, known as the Company Bagh, which is over 150 years old.

HOW TO GET THERE

Air: There is no direct air connection.

Rail: Meerut is connected by trains on the Delhi - Dehradun route. Road: There is a well-developed network of buses that connects Meerut to all the important places.

Local Transport: Taxis, cycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws.

PLACES TO STAY

Merrut is one of the major cities of Uttar Pradesh, so its not hard to find good and resonable acommodation over here. The options vary from nice and comfy hotels to tourist lodges and budget hotels.

NEARBY CITIES

¤ Delhi  (67 km)
¤ Sardhana (19 km)
¤ Saharanpur (178 km)