LUCKNOW ::: A city of Traditions

I’ve been visiting Lucknow since my school days. This time I thought of writing about the city, so read History of Avadh and took some inputs from Wikipedia and other websites. As I sincerely feel that I have no business wasting time of people who are reading me at my invitation and request. Whatever I have written is not my original writing, most of the text I have taken from some sources....

On Nov-14, I walked down history's corridors n witnessed the undying grace of the city of Nawabs , Lucknow – The Constantinople of India, The city of delectable cuisines, An upcoming METRO,A city that has a magical cultural and Monumental charm, British residency,domes,arches,tombs stood in their splendor, overlooking shopping malls, undisturbed by the honking of cars. Lucknow is fascinating in the sense that you could be walking through an ultra modern landscape and suddenly bump into an ancient relic.

Going through history, Of all the Rulers of Lucknow (Avadh) I personally liked Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula (1175-97) he was a generous and sympathetic ruler, an incorrigible builder of monuments. He built the Bara - The Imambara with its complicated Bhul-bhulayya surrounded by beautiful gardens, which the Nawab started as a charitable project to generate employment during the famine of 1784. In that famine even the nobles were reduced to nothing. It is said that Nawab Asaf employed over 20,000 people for the project (including commoners and noblemen), which was neither a masjid nor a mousoleum (contrary to the popular contemporary norms of buildings). The Nawab's sensitivity towards preserving the reputation of the upper class is demonstrated in the story of the construction of Imambara. During daytime, common citizens employed on the project would construct the building. On the night of every fourth day, the noble and upper class people were employed in secret to demolish the structure built, an effort for which they received payment. Thus their dignity was preserved.

The Nawab became so famous for his generosity that it is still a well-known saying in Lucknow that "he who does not receive (livelihood) from the Lord, will receive it from Asaf-ud-Dowlah" (Jisko de na Moula, usko de Asaf-ud-Doula).

Walking through the lanes and by - lanes of Chowk and Aminabad one finds Lucknow of yore. The ‘Tehzib’ or mannerism is still prominent and a topic of great appreciation. City still speaks the language of “aap-janab” and the maxim of “pehle -aap” is still a part of everyday life for a true Lakhnawi. – and so natural it is –‘Aadab’ or salutation which has its own sophistication and style. Dress forms though have changed noticeably in the span of a century, yet the beauty and charisma of Chikan (the intricate and delicate hand embroidery), still rules the wardrobe of elites and commoner alike. Lucknow is in fact among a few cities that duly understands the grace of the ‘dupattas’ or the covering cloth. Wisdom, women and wine are the three things truly understood and respected by the Nawabs.

During Nawab rule, not a thing of condemnation but an institution it was the ‘kothas’ (Brothel House), where sons of Nawabs were deliberately sent to learn the culture, sophistication and respect for the fairer sex. Film Director Muzzafar Ali’s unforgettable film “Umrao Jaan” is a depiction of this social institution. Love was found in either Paris or Lucknow– a proof of this is the lovers lane in the posh modern Hazratganj: this lane used as a meeting place for the lonely hearts to escape the monitoring eyes of their parents.

“Kan kauwe bazi” or ‘kite flying’ was not only a pastime but the means of sending love letters to the beloved, “kal shaam kothe pe aana, hum intezaar kareinge tumhara”– Tomorrow in the evening come to the terrace, I’ll wait for you. Such words were written on the patang or the kite and the kite was flown and dropped on the beloved’s terrace.

A interesting story goes that once a Chhote Nawab (young nawab) did this with his beloved and instead of the beloved getting the letter her mother found it and the love bug bit her, assuming that the Bade Nawab (father of Chhote Nawab) has done this sweet and naughty thing, she reciprocated in the same manner writing “Intezaar tumhara hi to tha humein, umra bhar rahein takte rahe, der lagee aane mein tumko, shukr hai phir bhi aaye to”– I was waiting for this all my life, you came late yet now you have come. Thus started the love between the Bade Nawab and the Badi Begum which ended up in their marriage and left the real ones to repent.

Today in Lucknow many things may have impurities but preparations like those of Tunde-ke-kabab, Rahim-ke-kulche nihari, Boti Kababs at Akbari Gate, Ram Asrey ki malai aur lal peda, Raja-ki-thandai, Parathas naans aur sheermals ya Sharma-ki-chaat aur Prakesh ki Kulfi, have held their heads high due to purity and standards maintained. Good eateries in Lucknow are often found in the zigzag lanes of old Lucknow. So many of you would have been born in or around Lucknow like me, but will agree that each day is distinct. The shades of the monuments differ with each sun and moon. You discover and rediscover Lucknow everyday. No one has known Lucknow to the full and will never. That is why : “Jisey Aap Kehte Hain Lucknow – Usey Hum Kehte Hain Duja Jahan” (The place that you call Lucknow – we call the other world)
Although I have given the city a farewell with a commitment that I shall return here again and again to witness its mute beauty.