Lucknow/Varanasi: From the Buddhist heritage of Sarnath and historic Chunar Fort to the monsoon-fed waterfalls of Devdari and Rajdari, 80 bikers explored eastern Uttar Pradesh over the weekend as part of UP Tourism’s second edition of ‘The Riding Chapters’, showcasing the region’s potential for heritage, faith, eco and adventure tourism.Held under ‘Visit My State Uttar Pradesh’, the two-day ride brought together destinations rarely featured in a single weekend itinerary.The riders travelled through Sultanpur and Jaunpur before reaching Sarnath and Chunar Fort. The following morning began with darshan at Shooltankeshwar Mahadev Temple and Ganga Aarti, before the convoy headed towards Devdari and Rajdari.The final stretch emerged as a favourite, with forested roads, winding routes, lush greenery and waterfalls adding a strong monsoon and adventure element.“The greenery, winding roads and changing terrain made every kilometre enjoyable. Once we reached Rajdari, the natural setting made the journey completely worth it. It showed us a very different side of Uttar Pradesh,” rider Harsh Vardhan Gupta said.KR Hassaan Islam of Brotherhood Bikers Club, Kanpur, said the ride highlighted the potential of lesser-known destinations as weekend getaways. “We usually hear about the better-known tourist centres, but this ride showed how much more there is to explore in eastern Uttar Pradesh,” he said.Additional chief secretary, tourism, culture and religious affairs, Amrit Abhijat, said eastern UP could emerge as a strong weekend tourism belt.“A traveller coming to Varanasi should also be looking at Chunar, Devdari, Rajdari and other experiences around it,” he said, adding that the aim was to encourage visitors to travel farther and stay longer.The latest ride follows the first edition’s expedition to Kalinjar earlier this month. Through such road journeys, UP Tourism is seeking to bring eastern UP’s forts, spiritual sites and eco destinations into wider travel itineraries, particularly among young travellers and weekend riding groups.
