Kanpur

This city sits between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers on northern plains, its boundaries stretching to include industrial compounds and commercial districts. Wide roads link older neighborhoods near the center to newer residential areas and factory zones on the outskirts, with markets and small workshops scattered throughout.

A treaty in 1773 led the British East India Company to turn a small village into a garrison and trading hub. Over the following decades, the settlement grew rapidly as factories and barracks reshaped the landscape and drew workers from across the region.

Five days after Holi, thousands gather along the Ganges for the Ganga Mela festival, performing rituals and attending open-air performances. The ghats fill with pilgrims taking ceremonial baths and chanting prayers, while musicians and storytellers keep traditional practices alive through song and recitation.

The central railway station offers connections to major cities across the country, while the new metro system covers key routes within the urban area. Buses and auto rickshaws fill in the gaps, especially in neighborhoods not yet served by the metro.

The city is known for its leather workshops, where generations of craftsmen produce goods sent to markets around the world. Many of these tanneries sit in older districts, using methods passed down over decades alongside newer machinery that speeds up the finishing process.