Lucknow is the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This city is also called as the city of Nawabs, Sihraj i Hind, the Golden City of the East and the Constantinople of India. It spreads over an area of 3244 square kilometers. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the district of Lucknow. This was originally called as Awadh or Oudh. It is a commercial hub with many manufacturing units. It is one of the most polluted cities ranking 7^th in the world in air pollution.

History of Lucknow

The name Lucknow is said to have been derived from the name Lakshman or Lakhan, the younger brother of Lord Rama. It came under the rule of Delhi Sultanate in 1350 AD. It was administered by the Governor of the Mughal Empire and in 1722 Saadat Khat became the Nazim of Awadh. This was a very fertile region and was irrigated by the waters of Ganges and Yamuna. The Nawab, Shuja Ud Daula was defeated by the British in the Battle of Buxar and had to lose many parts of his territory. In 1773 it came under the influence of British.

In 1775 the fourth nawab, Asaf Ud Daula shifted his capital from Faizabad to Lucknow. In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Khan was abdicated and then Saadat Ali Khan ascended the throne with the help of the British and served as a puppet king in their hands. In 1856 the troops of the East India Company were moved to this region under the commission of Sir Henry Lawrence. People of Lucknow took part in the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. After this incident Birjis Qadra the son of Begum Hazrat Mahal was made as the ruler. He was only 14 years at that time.

According to the Doctrine of Lapse the province was annexed by the East India Company. The Lucknow Pack of 1916 was held there and the Khilafat Movement had their base in Lucknow. In 1901 it was merged with the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh and in 1920 it became the capital of the province.

Geography and Climate of Lucknow

It is located in the Gangetic plain and comes under the seismic zone III with high risk of earth quake. The River Gomti flows through this city. Some of the areas of the city are Daliganj, Irdatnagar, Madehganj, Wazirbagh, Mauzamnagar Colony, Daulatganj, Aminabad, Rakabganj, Mahanagar Colony, Vivekanandpuri, Kapurthala Garcen, Sikandarpur, Sujanpur, Muslimnagar, Naya Sardarikhera, Gopalnagar Colony, Singarnagar, Indralok Colony, Krishnanagar Colony, Hindnagar Colony, Dilkhush Garden, etc.

Lucknow has a humid subtropical climate. The winters are cool and dry and last from December to February and the summers are hot and last from April to June. June to September is the monsoon season here and the city gets an average rainfall of 896 mm. South west monsoon brings rainfall to this region. The temperature ranges from 2 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius in winter and rises as much as 40 to 45 degree Celsius in summer.

People and Culture of Lucknow

Lucknow is the second largest city in north India with a population of 4,845,509 in 2011. 71% of the people are Hindus and 26% of the people are Muslims and Sikhs, Jains, Christians and Buddhists live in small groups. 69.39% of the people of Lucknow are literates. Urdu and Hindi are the main languages spoken here.  

Lucknow is famous for its Nawabi cuisine, Mughlai cuisine and Awadhi cuisine. Tunday Kebab, Biryanis and Kakori kebabs, galawati kebab, shammi kebab, Firdaus, Dastarkhan, Chote Nawab, Naushijaan, Sakhawat, Falaknuma, Zakiya, Oudhyana, Boti kabab, Ghuta kabab and Seekh kabab are famous here. The chat varieties are Shukla chaat, Moti Mahal, Radhey Lal, Chappan Bhog, Neel Kanth, etc. The most famous sweet in Lucknow is Rewadi. Chewing of paan and paan vendors could be commonly seen.

The newspapers and magazines published here are National Herald, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Pioneer, Indian Express, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Rashtriya Sahara, Jansatta, I Next, Dainik Hindustan, Swatantra Bharat, Rozanama Rashtriya Sahara, Sahafat, Avadhnama, Aag, Roznama Urdu, Subahnama Urdu, Jayeza Daily, etc.

All the important Indian festivals are celebrated here and Muharram festival is celebrated grandly by the Shia community living here. The Azadari processions in the memory of the sacrifice of Imam Hussain are very popular.

The traditional dance of this region is Kathak. The city is also called as the city of Ghazals because many great Ghazal singers lived here. The Bhatkande Music Institute University is situated here to teach music and dance. Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts enjoys the status of deemed university.

Economy and Educational Details About Lucknow

Lucknow is the center of education and research with many universities namely Lucknow University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Integral University, G. B. Technical University, Imamia University, Amity University and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University.

The medical colleges located here are C. S. M. Medical University, S. G. P. G. J., Era’s Medical College, Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital, State Takmil ut Tib College and National Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital. The engineering colleges in Lucknow are I. E. T., B. B. D., Ram Swaroop Engineering College, Northern India Engineering College, Saroj Institute of Technology, Azad Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. M. C. Saxena College of Engineering and Technology, etc.

Some of the schools in Lucknow are A. P. S. Academy, Al Huda Model School, Aliganj Montessori School, Army Public School, Carmel Convent High School, Cathedral High School, Central Academy, Chiranjiv Bharati School, Christ Church College, Kendriya Vidhyalaya, Maharishi Vidhya Mandir, Lucknow Public School, etc.

The public sectors and the state government are the major employers here. The Small Industries Development Bank of India and Pradeshiya Industrial and Investment Corporation of Uttar Pradesh have their head quarters in Lucknow. There are many corporations located here like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Motors, Eveready Industries, Scooters India Limited, The Sahara India Parivar, etc. Indian Hukha Tobacco Paste is manufactured in this area in many small scale units located in Chinhat Aishbagh, Amousi and Talkatora.

Internal Infrastructure of Lucknow

The hospitals located here are Aliganj Hospital, Awadh Hospital, BT Hospital, Getwell Hospital, G. M. Associate Hospital, Dufferin Hospital, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital, Cantonment General Hospital, Blue Cross Hosptial, Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital, K. K. Hospital, Krishna Medical Center, Lucknow Hospital, Nishat Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Rajendra Nagar Hospital, Shalimar Hospital, Shekhar Hospital, Vivekanand Hospital, etc.

The fast food eat outs, restaurants and ice cream parlors in Lucknow are McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Dominos Pizza, Royal café, Bikanerwala, Barbeque Nation, Lalbagh, Dainik Jagran Chauk, Aryan’s, Paani Batashe, Mint, Ultra Violet, Yokosizzlers, Nirula’s, Barista, Café Coffee Day, Cappuccino Blast, India Coffee House, Baskin Robbins, Frozen Fox, Frappe, Dottz, etc.

The shopping malls in Lucknow are Sahara Ganj, East End Mall, Reverside Mall, Fun Republic Mall, Phoenix United Mall, Hazratganj, etc. The cinema theatres located here are INOX Movies, Wave Cinema, Fun Cinema, Pratibha Cinema, Mayfair Cinema, Basant Cinema, Sahu Cinema, Rajshri Talkies, Shubham Cinema, Leela Cinema, Novelty Cinema, etc.

Some of the hotels to stay while you are in Lucknow include Hotel Apsara, Hotel Raj, Hotel Mera Mann, Hotel Sunrise, Hotel Diamond, Hotel Naznin Palace, Hotel Dileep, Hotel Park Avadh, Hotel Dileep, Hotel Ashirvad, Hotel Mansi Ganga, Hotel Manglam, Hotel Gomati, Hotel Sagar International, Park Inn, Carlton, Arif Castles, Hotel Simla Palace, Comfort Inn, Hotel Taj Residency, Clarks Avadh, Piccadily Hotel, Dayal Paradise, etc.

Some of the religious places and places of worship in Lucknow are Jama Masjid, Dewa Sharif Shrine, Dada Miyan Ki Darga, Khamman Peer Dargah, Hazrat Makhdoom Shah Mia Sahab, Dargah of Hazrat Abbas, Pakka Pul Darga, Chhachhi Kuan Hanuman Temple, Aliganj Hanuman Temple, Sheetla Devi Temple, Surya Temple, Nageshwar Shiv Temple, Sangat Temple, Kabir Temple, Jagannath Temple, Mankameshwar Temple, Bhooth Nath Temple, Jain Temple, Koneshwar Temple, Kalyan Giri Temples, Buddha temples at Gautam Buddha Marg and Rishaldar Park, etc.

Details About Lucknow Transport

The Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is situated at a distance of 20 kilometers from the main city. Both international flights and domestic flights operate from here. The international airlines like Oman Air, Saudi Airlines, Indian Airlines, IndigoAir and Buddha Airlines have their services in Lucknow. There are flights to local destinations like New Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Mumbai and Hyderabad and to the international locations like Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh, Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, Nepal, etc.

Lucknow is well connected with all the major cities of India through its rail transport. There are many railway stations within the city and the main one is Lucknow Railway station located in Charbagh built in 1923. Other thirteen railway stations are Mohibullapur, Daliganj, Lucknow City, Aishbagh Junction, Alamnagar, Malhaur, Utretia, Transport Nagar, Dilkhusha, Gomti Nagar,Badshahnagar, Manak Nagar and Amausi. All these stations are within the limits of the city and the suburban railway stations are at Bakshi Ka Talab and Kakori.

Four national highways NH 24, NH 25, NH 56 and NH 28 pass through the city. The important bus terminal is Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar bus station from which the interstate buses are operated. Qaiserbagh bus stand is also very popular. The city bus service is run by Lucknow Mahanagar Parivahan Sewa and the suburban bus service is run by Lucknow Upnagariya Parivahan Sewa. The LMPs is the division of UPSRTC and runs 300 CNG operated buses. The important bus stops are Gudamba, Virajkhand, Scooter India, Engineering College, Charbagh, Andhe Ki Chowki, Alambagh, etc. with bus depots at Gomti Nagar, Amausi, Dubagga and Charbagh. The LUPS has more than 120 buses and it connects all the towns in the state.

Places of Interest in Lucknow

There are many exquisite monuments in Lucknow that bear testimony to the culture and tradition of ancient India. Some of these historical places are given here.

Bara Imambara: It was built in 1784 by the then fourth Nawab of Oudh Asaf Ud Daula. When there was a major famine in the region this building was built during the relief project.

British Residency: It is all in ruins now and stands as a symbol of the stirring events that took place during the First War of Indian Independence in 1857.

Chattar Manzil: The Nawab Ghazi Ud Din Haider started to build this and was completed by his son Nasir Ud Din Haider. This is one of the important places of visit in Lucknow and now it serves as the office for the Central Drug Research Institute.

Jama Masjid: It is constructed in 1423 by Sultan Ahmed Khan and is a blend of Muslim and Hindu architecture. It is built of yellow sandstone and is perched over 260 pillars and has 15 arched domes.

Rumi Darwaza: It was built by Nawab Asaf Ud Daula in 1784 and has an altitude of 60 feet. It has an octagonal Chatri and a staircase to climb on it. There is a huge lantern here that is lit up in night to make it look more attractive.

Clock Tower: The clock tower of Lucknow was constructed by the Nawab Nasir Ud Din Haider in 1880 and is located between Bara Imambara and Chhota Imambara. It has a height of 221 feet and boasts to be the tallest clock tower in India. It has the biggest clock fixed on to its top.

Moti Mahal: It is one of the beautiful monuments and is also called as the Palace of Pearls. It was built by the Nawab Saadat Ali Khan and this place was used to watch the birds and to spend time in leisure. The whole structure includes three buildings Moti Mahal, Shah Manzil and Mubarak Manzil. The Shah Manzil and Mubarak Manzil were built by Nawab Ghazi Ud Din Haider.

Lakshmana: This place is supposed to be the place of Lakshmana the brother of Lord Rama. The earliest human settlement in Lucknow started here.

Hussainabad Imambara: Nawab Mohamed Ali Shah built this monument in 1837. The walls of this building are adorned with the Arabic verses carved beautifully. It has white dome with many minarets. The miniatures of Taj Mahal are seen on its either side. This building is decorated fantastically during Muharram celebrations.

Other places to be seen in Lucknow include Dilkusha ruins, Qaiserbagh Complex, Crocodile Sanctuary, The Ram Krishna Math, The Zoo and Museum, Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Botanical Gardens, Buddha Park, Shaheed Smarak, Amrapali Water Park, Deva Shariff, Ambedkar Memorial, Farangi Mahal and Ram Manohar Lohiya Park.

These details about Lucknow will help you to get an insight about the city and its culture.

Article Posted By : Sumazla  On December 13, 2011lView All Articles

Suhaina Mazhar is a freelance content writer and blogger with five years experience in content writing. http://sumazla.blogspot.com is her blog.

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LUCKNOW , Uttar Pradesh