Bareilly Sights and Landmarks Guide, India

Bans-Bareilly (a.k.a Bareilly) was named after Bansal Dev and Baral Dev, the two sons of the king of Bareilly. Although Bareilly is famous for its furniture made of big bans (bamboo), this isn’t the reason behind the name Bans-Bareilly, which happens to be only a coincidence. Bareilly started off as a small town (like every other city does) but today it is more-or-less listed amongst the metro cities of India. It is located in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India.

Bareilly contributes a major share for the medical backbone of India and it happily boasts of first Women Hospital in Asia (Clara Swain Hospital) which turns out to be a major tourist attraction too. Bareilly has 18 institutions which serve the medical requirements of West Nepal, Rohilkhand, and Kumaun. Plethoras of teaching institutions are located on the chest of Bareilly with some of them built before the Revolt of 1857. These ancient monuments are worth watching.

The Jat Regiment of Indian Army resides in Bareilly, and the Trishul air-base of Indian Air Force is also located in the highly restricted Bareilly cantonment area. On May 1st, 2006, Bareilly was amongst the most-talked-about-city in India as MiG-25 spy planes took off for the last time in the history of Indian Air Force. Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi quoted some of his experiences with India’s most successful spy plane on the occasion of its retirement. Army Service Corps. Museum, in Cantonment area, is full of details about the achievements of Indian Army and it should be visited at least once by every tourist.

A bunch of historical monuments in and around the metro city relates Bareilly with rich history of India. The majestic remains of Ahichchhatra at Ramnagar Fort (25 km of Aonla) and Teerthankar Temple (also located in Ramnagar 25 km Aonla) are remarkable historical monuments which one just cannot miss out. No doubt, that Bareilly was also known as Panchal Desh in Mahabharata period.

Bareilly is also know for the Dargah of Imam Ahmad Reza Khan, the Ahle Sunnat scholar, whose Razwi Silsila of Sufism is still famous around the globe.

Chunne Miyan's Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (temple) was constructed by Hindus migrating from Pakistan and came to Bareilly in 1947, the year when India gained independence. The land of the temple was owned by a Muslim fellow Fazal-ul-Rahman (nick named Chunne Miyan). He initially filed a case for illegal possession of his land by Hindus but later willingly gave up the land once he heard the preaching of famous Hindu scholar HarMilapi ji Maharaj. Hence the temple was named Chunne Miyan's Mandir.