Home » Cities in India» Lucknow

Distance	507km from Delhi, 72km from Kanpur, 220km from Allahabad
Population	22,10,000
Altitude	123m
Temperature	Min 4oC, max 47oC

¤ Lucknow - The Capital City of Uttar Pradesh : The Gomti River divides Lucknow, the erstwhile city of the Nawabs, into two. Formerly called Oudh, or Avadh, Lucknow is now the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India.
It is a medieval city that continues to retain its old-world charm. Its once broad and tree-lined streets now gasp for breath, as smoke-spitting automobiles roll over them.
In 1784, when the Nawab of Lucknow, Asaf-ud-Daula decided to transform Lucknow into a city of spectacular monuments, he went on a building spree. The result was a phenomenal number of monuments, and a completely depleted royal treasury.

¤ Major Attractions of The Region : Some of the best monuments in Lucknow are the Bara Imambara (Asfi Imambara) and the Chota Imambara (Husainabad Imambara), the British Residency andthe Constantia, a.k.a. La Martiniere School.

¤ The City Has Lot In Its Stores To offer : Lucknow is also famous for its Mughlai cuisine, a reminder of Muslim influence on the city. A kite-flying festival held after Diwali, the festival of lights, draws thousands of competitors to the city. The city is also known for its gharanas, or schools of Indian classical music, as well as its bidri (silver inlay work) ware, jewellery, chikan (embroidered cotton) and zardozi (silver or gold thread woven into cotton or silk). The main shopping centres in Lucknow are Hazratganj, Aminabad and Chowk. An annual 10-day music, dance, and drama festival is held in Lucknow in Nov/Dec.

Monuments in Lucknow
After the conquest of Kannauj by the Afghans at the end of the twelth century, Awadh submitted to the Sultan of Ghazni and became a part of the Delhi empire and subsequently a subah (or province) of the Mughal empire. In 1526, Lucknow was temporarily occupied by the Mughal prince Humayun. In 1540, he lost the throne to his Afghan rival, Sher Shah, who occupied Lucknow where he established a copper mint.

During the Mughal reign, Lucknow became a major centre of commerce, which persuaded a French merchant to settle here. He reaped enough profits to build four splendid houses in the very first year, but was not given permission to stay further. His persistence resulted in the confiscation of his property, which came to be known as the Firangi Mahal.

¤ The Legendary Tale : History has very little to say about the founders or the first settlers of Lucknow. According to a popular legend, Lord Ramchandra of Ayodhya, the hero of the famous epic Ramayana, gifted the territory of Lucknow to his devoted brother Lakshman after his victory over the demon king Ravana. The original name of Lucknow is thus believed to be Lakshmanpur or Lakhanpur. Yet another story suggests that this city was a gift to the holy sages of this region by Lord Yudhishtar’s grandson.

The story of Lucknow, as we know today, begins in 1732 when Saadat Khan, a Persian adventurer, originally from Khurasan in Persia, was honoured by the Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Shah, and was made Nizam or governor of the province of Avadh and later the Nawab. In 1740, the Nawab was called Wazir, which means Chief Minister – hence he was given the title Nawab Wazir. In practice from Saadat Khan onwards, titles have been hereditary, inheritors of which were responsible for shaping the history of Lucknow

¤ Lucknow Flourished Under The Regime of Asaf-ud-Daulah : Nawab Saadat Khan was succeeded by his nephew and son-in-law, Safdar Jung in 1814. It was his grandson Asaf-ud-Daulah, the fourth Nawab, who transferred the seat of the Awadh government to Lucknow in 1775, to distance himself from his imperious mother in Faizabad. Thereon ushered a new era.
In the eight intense decades that followed (i.e.1775 –1856), Lucknow prospered and grew into a sophisticated and picturesque city with parks, palaces, gardens and imposing architectural monuments. The Nawab’s patronage of music and arts attracted poets, artists, and musicians to Lucknow in large numbers. During these eventful years, Lucknow became one of the most celebrated centers of opulence, dance, poetry and scholarship.

¤ Bara Imambara : Asaf-ud-Daulah was also an inveterate builder of monuments. Driven with an ambition to discover the glory of the past and present and surpass them in magnificence and splendor, the numerous buildings built by Asaf-ud-Duala, like the Bara Imambara built in 1784, the testify to his architectural zeal.

This is indeed a monumental feat considering the fact that it once boasted the largest vaulted hall in the world, with a 50 feet high roof, spanning an area of 162 feet and a height 53 feet in the absence of a single beam! After all, as per the Nawab’s directive, his architecture was to be original in conception with no influence of any existing structure or design.

The galleries and corridors within the great Imambara form a complicated and intricate labyrinth (bhool-bhuliya) through which at times it is difficult to find your way. Its terrace provides a fine view of the Lucknow city. During one of his visits to the site, the pleasing aroma of food being cooked in giant ovens attracted the Nawab. It is here when he discovered the Dum process of cooking, wherein the food is cooked slowly in its own steam, which lends a unique aroma and flavor to the food. Impressed with the process, he ordered the royal kitchen to practice the same method of cooking.

¤ Rumi Darwaza or The Turkish Gate : Towards the west of the Imambara is the Rumi Darwaza or the Turkish Gate built by Asaf-ud-Duala between the years 1784 to 1786. The 60 feet high gateway stands as an equally grand entrance to the great hall. During the Nawabi era, a huge lantern placed atop the Rumi Darwaza would light up the pathway, while jets of water gushed from the numerous fountains created on the rim of the gateway. ¤ British Residency : Unlike his predecessor, Sadat Ali proved to be a great builder who introduced a large number of architectural styles. One of his best-known monuments is the Residency, which was built in 1800 for the British Resident.
Today it stands desolate as a mute witness to the Mutiny of 1857 when it was almost completely destroyed. Despite its numerous scars, this monument retains till today its original charm that almost recreates the history associated with it and is a stark reminder of the numerous sieges during the Mutiny. Among the long list of grand palaces commissioned by Sadat Ali the Moti Mahal, Dilkusha Palace, Hayat Baksh, Chattar Manzil, Khusheed Manzil and Lal Baradari, deserves a visit.

¤ Shah Najaf Imambara : Gazi-ud-Din’s most outstanding building is the Shah Najaf Imambara where he is entombed together with his three wives. The Imambara is a huge masonry structure with a large dome. The wise Nawab gave the British a large sum of money for its embellishment and maintenance. Under the terms of agreement, this mausoleum is well cared for and is in excellent condition even today.

¤ Tarunvali Kothi : Ironically, the proclamation of kingship coincided with a period of almost complete dependence on the British. The title of King neither improved the administrative capabilities of the rulers nor their morale. The second King Nasir-ud-Din Haider, son and successor of Gazi-ud-Din, was so effeminate that he often spoke and dressed like a female. His only contribution in the field of architecture was the construction of Tarunvali Kothi, an archeological center, which was equipped with sophisticated instruments and entrusted to the care of a British astronomer.

¤ Juma Masjid : The Juma Masjid, with its two minarets and three domes is yet another delightful place to visit in Lucknow. An interesting building built by Muhammed Ali Shah is the Baradari, also known as the Picture Gallery, which houses the portraits of the erstwhile, Nawabs and Kings of Awadh.
Here one can admire the marvelous costumes and jewellery that the nobles a adorned themselves with. A patient of chronic rheumatism, Muhammad Ali died in 1842 and left behind a number of incomplete monuments, which would have honored him as the greatest builders amongst all Awadh Kings.

The Sat Khanda (or seven slices) was an edifice planned to resemble the minaret of Babylon with each of its storeys superimposed on the other -the top of which was to provide one of the finest views of Lucknow. Not far from the picture gallery is yet another marvel, the Clock Tower which is said to be the largest in India. This was however completed in seven years at the cost of more than a lakh of rupees- an enormous amount at the time!

¤ Qaiser Bagh Palace : Muhammed Ali was succeeded by his son, Wajid Ali Shah in 1837 who was also the last of the rulers to ascend the throne. A poet, singer and a great patron of arts, his pursuit of personal pleasure left little time for looking into administrative responsibilities. This led to the British annexation of Awadh. Wajid Ali Shah’s single contribution to Lucknow was the Qaiser Bagh Palace built in 1850, which he wanted to be promoted as the eighth wonder of the world!

¤ La Martiniere-A Funerary Monument : The architectural skyline of Lucknow remains incomplete without the mention of La Martiniere-a funerary monument. Built at the end of the 18th century, it is said be the largest in Asia and houses the coffin of its builder, French Major General Claude Martim. Martim had come to India as a penniless soldier but gradually his luck and labor fetched him a fortune big enough to lend a princely amount of 250,000 pounds to the Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah! La Martiniere is today a school of great repute.

¤ Lucknow’s Cultural History Remains Unrivaled : In almost all forms of art and entertainment, Lucknow developed its own variety, be it poetry, music, dance, story telling, fashion, animal combats and gastronomy. The Dastarkhans of the Lucknow courts are still proverbial. In fact the master chefs excelled in their talents to such a great extent that they are believed to have received salaries more than that of the Prime Minister himself!

In this period alone, there were more poets that in any other part of the country. Subsequently the Mughal monarchy was battling for its survival and in their sinking empire, had no time for patronising creative talent. This led to the influx of several artists to Lucknow where they received considerable patronage. Cultural refinement was thus, not just confined to the courts but thrived even on the streets and by-lanes of this ancient and historical city.