Lucknow Uttar Pradesh

“Khushamdeed” (a joyous welcome) to Lucknow.

2500 years old, jewel in the crown of the kingdom of Oudh, Lucknow is claimed to be among the most ancient of Hindu states. Lucknow is popularly believed to have been gifted to his beloved brother Lakshman by Lord Rama of Ayodhya, the hero of the Ramayana. According to legend, the original name of Lucknow was Lakshmanpur. Historians are of the opinion that a civilization with rich material culture flourished in this region. With the advent of the Moghul era, it saw a resurgence of Islamic influences and came to be known as Lucknow. On the collapse of the Moghul empire, Lucknow flowered into its own and was soon recognised as the fabled city of Nawabs. It is here that the legacy of the imperial splendour of the Mughals flowered in music and dance. Famous for its delectable refinement and charming way of life, the city has managed to preserve the spirit of a bygone era.

Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh. The city is spread out evenly on both sides of the River Gomti which is a tributary of the holy Ganges. You will still find the ethos of the past in its magnificent edifices and gardens, legendary hospitality, the renowned art of slow cooking, Lucknow Gharana - which has produced world-acclaimed classical dancers, vocalists and musicians, kite flying competitions, classical handicrafts - and exquisite evenings at exotic eating joints.

In this city, brimming with culture, tradition and myth, the past jostles with the present, where refinement in outlook dictates every aspect of life and good cuisine and etiquette are considered important. It is here that the haunting tones of the muezzins calling the faithful to prayer, co-exist peacefully with temple bells and ancient practices.

Lucknow is both elusive and endearing. In the alleys of the old city area, you can still sample delicacies prepared by men who trace their lineage to Lucknow’s legendary cooks. In Phulwari Galli or Flower Alley, women still embroider exquisite chikan saris and dresses exactly as before and you can still buy itra from the perfumers to the erstwhile Nawabs.

Aristocracy, though now on the wane, still exists in certain parts of the city. The descendants of the aristocracy are concentrated in the old city and continue to lead a nostalgic and laid-back lifestyle. The real magic of the city lies in its people...their etiquette, genteel mannerisms and polite language.

Lucknow is a gourmet’s delight.
Under the patronage of the rulers of Avadh developed a cuisine which did not remain the prerogative of royalty alone. Recipes travelled from the royal kitchens to the nobility and on to the kitchens of the ordinary people. Time and money were no constraint to the aristocracy. Research and innovation proceeded unabated in the kitchens. Cooks and other kitchen staff were paid staggering salaries. Due to excellent performance, cooks were given total freedom to pursue their work their own way. Contd……

It was the cooks who laid down conditions of employment and in Lucknow alone would you find cooks strutting off in a huff if the king did not sit down for a meal when told to do so because the food was hot. People of lesser means also had well stocked kitchens from which the staff turned out the most exotic dishes. Lucknowis believe in quality and not quantity. It is considered uncultured to eat large quantities. Their food is rich and nutritious. A Lucknowi dastarkhwan unless it had the following dishes:

Qorma (braised meat in thick gravy), salan (a gravy dish of meat or vegetables), qeema (minced meat), kababs (pounded meat fried or roasted over a charcoal fire) bhujia (cooked vegetables) dal, pasinda (fried slivers of tender meat, usually kid in gravy), pulao (rice cooked with meat) and a variety of rotis (bread). Desserts comprised of kheer (a rich sweet rice dish boiled in milk), muzaffar (vermicelli fried in ghee garnished with almonds & saffron) and halwas garnished with malai (cream).

Sightseeing of Lucknow
Visit the exquisitely decorated Rumi Darwaza also known as the Turkish Gate and see the magnificent Bara Imambara,* the Husainabad Immambara, and the Asafuddaula Immambara, which reflect the quintessence of Avadhi architecture with its strong Persian influence. Visit the Picture Gallery which houses a collection of life-size oil paintings of the Nawabs of Oudh (1882-1885) and see in the foreground the British style Clock Tower built in 1881. Also visit Chattar Manzil, Moti Mahal, British Raj Residency and the National Botanical Gardens.

* In 1784, a terrible famine struck the kingdom of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah, ruler of the state of Oudh (presently Lucknow). As a famine relief work he ordered the construction of a unique building: a vaulted hall for prayer, a terrace to take a vast congregation and a honeycomb structure to distribute the weight of the huge roof. Today, the Bara (Great) Immambara stands as testimony to this ruler’s foresight. The honeycomb structure is known as the Bholbholayam, the labyrinth. Visitors are advised to take a guide when they step into the labyrinth for it is a totally confusing maze of corridors and false passages, dead ends, steps and ramps leading to nowhere. With a guide to lead the way, it is an exciting experience.

La Martiniere was built at the end of the 18th century by the Frenchman Major General Claude Martin who gave it his name. Martin was an extraordinary man who arrived at Pondicherry in 1751 as a penniless common soldier and by a mixture of skill, luck and hard work, became the richest European in Lucknow, so rich that he was able to lend 2.50.000 to the Nawab Asafud-daula. Martin himself designed this building. This was perhaps the first building of the European Order to be built in northern India. Martin had willed that his palace-tomb should become a school for boys of any religion and he also left money to start schools in Kolkatta and Lyon, all to be called La Martiniere.