With spiritual and historic roots that go deep, Kanpur located on the banks of the holy Ganges, is a quintessential Indian city. While a part of the city, boasting a cluster of tanneries, bustles with an active pace of life, one can spot the other part of Kanpur catching up with languid strides, chewing the traditional betel leaves. One of the largest cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur is a shopper's delight, especially noted for its exquisite leather products and cotton fabrics. Dotted with various temples, churches and mosques, the city enjoys a spiritual fervour for the better part of the year.

Situated around 80 km from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur was founded by Raja Hindu Singh of the Sachendi state. The city was originally called Kanhpur. It was also at the heart of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the first Indian uprising against the British rule.