Purvanchal is the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the most ancient regions of India and it enjoys a rich heritage and culture.

Cities

• 1 Ballia —

• 2 Chunar — a 2000-year old historic city rising to prominence during medieval times

• 3 Gorakhpur — religiously significant city named after medieval saint Gorakhnath and home to the Gita Press

• 4 Jaunpur —

• 5 Kushinagar — a site of Buddhist pilgrimage, believed to be the location where the Buddha died and attained parinirvana

• 6 Mirzapur —

• 7 Robertsganj —

• 8 Sarnath — the site of the Buddha Sakyamuni's first teaching after gaining enlightenment

• 9 Varanasi — one of the holiest cities in India to Hindus, many temples are off-limits to non-Hindus, on the banks of the Ganges

Understand

Compared to the rest of Uttar Pradesh, Purvanchal is the poorest and most underdeveloped region of the state. It has been known as a hotspot for organised crime, gang violence and general lawlessness. Transport and tourist infrastructure has unsurprisingly been lacking, with the region only receiving investment and develop and grow in a meaningful sense since 2017. During this period, the stranglehold of the various mafia dons has also declined significantly, making the region a safer and more attractive travel destination.

The native language of Purvanchal is Bhojpuri. A language with a strong oral literary history and in which many films are nowadays made, at the official level it is regarded as an eastern dialect of Hindi.

Get in

By plane

The commercial airports in the region include:

• Gorakhpur Airport (GOP ^IATA), Gorakhpur – domestic
• Kushinagar International Airport (KBK ^IATA), Kushinagar – international
• Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS ^IATA), Varanasi – international

By car

The Purvanchal Expressway, inaugurated in November 2021, is as of December 2024, the longest expressway in Uttar Pradesh and third longest expressway in India. The expressway connects Lucknow, the major city in the neighbouring Awadh region, to Ghazipur which is in the heart of Purvanchal, at 340 km (210 mi).

Go next

Cross the state border with Bihar and enter the region of Magadha. Alternatively go north, cross the international border with Nepal and journey into the Western Tarai.