Five Reasons Why You Should Visit Lucknow

*Muskuraiye ki aap Lucknow mein hain*

The Lucknow Charbagh Railway station, which in its aerial view looks like a lego board, (all the pillars and domes appearing to be the pieces of lego) welcomes you with these happy words.

Here are a few reasons to pay Lucknow a visit –

1. The Food

The Awadhi Nawabs, known for their extravagant and lavish lifestyle, did not only gift the city magnificent monuments but also provided it with a delicious cuisine. Rahim-ke-Kulche Nihari, Sharma ka Band-Makkhan, Tunday Kababi, Bismillah-ki-Biryani, Royal Cafe ki Basket Chat, Chowk ki Malai Lassi, Aminabad ki Makkhan Malai and Radhey-ki Malai Gilori are only a few famous dishes to start with. For those who are looking for the ultimate gastronomic pleasure, the city has an entire lane named ‘Sham-e-Awadh’ ready to serve you with, among other things, the unique 18 layered parantha!

2. A blend of traditional and modern architecture

The older parts of the city are ostentatiously teeming with breathtaking monuments like the Residency, Roomi Darwaza, Baradari, the colossal Asafi Imambara and Tila Wali Masjid. While the recently developed areas offer ‘hangout’ places as exciting as a namesake of Mumbai’s Marine Drive and innumerable lush green parks perfectly blended with concrete.

3. Chikan work

The intricately done ‘Chikankari Kadhai’ and ‘Jaali Work,’ restricted solely to Lucknow, is being practiced since the time Awadhi rulers owned the city. Traditionally done with a white thread over cloth pieces of pastel shades, Chikankari is no less than a delight to the eyes. The labyrinthine designs have merged with modern techniques involving glass work and colourful patterns to ensure that the Chikan craft never goes out of fashion.

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4. Performing Arts

Music and dance have been patronised by the Lucknowites since the Mughal times in the city. Once upon a time, the main source of entertainment used to be the watching of the native dance of Lucknow – Kathakali. The royal courts used to echo with the powerful tapping of the graceful dancers and till date, the people appreciate and enjoy the expressions of Performing Arts. The Lucknow Expressions Club organises the annual Lucknow Literature Carnival. Breathtaking shows are still performed in the Sangeet Natak Kala Academy and the Lalit Kala Academy, which takes forward the city’s legacy and proves the Lucknowites’ love for their heritage.

5. The Tehzeeb

Celebrated as the Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb, the people of Lucknow will serve you with a thick layer of utmost respect, carefully embellished with a dialect alien to the rest of the country when they speak. The ‘pehle aap’ Tehzeeb has been joked about for many ages, but it is only when you visit the city that you will realise it is, indeed, practised with great sincerity all around. The people of Lucknow will always speak in the plural sense, and mind you, ‘tu’ is no less than an expletive in this city of ‘Nawabs’!

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