Bareilly's Hidden Gems: From Mahabharata Legends to Ancient Ahichchhatra Ruins

• Bareilly is emerging as a significant religious tourism destination in Uttar Pradesh, attracting over 1 crore visitors in 2025.
• The Alakhnath Temple, a 12th-century Shiva shrine, is undergoing a Rs 230 crore corridor development, linking seven Nath shrines.
• Ahichchhatra, an hour west of Bareilly, was the capital of Uttara Panchala from the Mahabharata era and one of the 16 Mahajanapadas.
• Excavations at Ahichchhatra reveal continuous habitation until the 11th century, with findings from various empires and the first-ever painted grey ware.
• The site holds immense importance for Jainism, where Parshvanatha attained omniscience, and also has Buddhist connections, with a pyramid-like structure believed to be a Shiva temple.