Lucknow

Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, was once the artistic capital of northern part of India. The city of Lucknow is popular among tourists for its cultural and traditional heritage. Lucknow belongs to Avadh (Oudh) region. It is also the renowned seat of Shi'ism and is referred to as ‘the epitome of Shia culture’ in India.

Lucknow is traversed by River Gomti, dividing the city in to Trans-Gomti and Cis-Gomti. Located towards the centre of the great Gangetic plain in the seismic zone III, Lucknow is bounded by Barabanki District in the East, Unnao District in the West, Raebareli District in the South and Sitapur and Hardoi districts on its North.

The city of Lucknow is of ancient origin as per the inscriptions given in the epic Ramayana.  Lakshmanpur or Lakhanpur was the initial name of Lucknow. This territory was gifted to Lakshmana by Lord Rama, after conquering Sri Lanka and completing the term of life in exile. Later this region came under the rule of Afghans, Mughals and the British. Lucknow also became a major centre for uprisings like the First War of Independence and Indian Independence Movement. 

Lucknow was the seat of the Nawabs of Avadh, who were great connoisseurs of art, during the 18th and 19th centuries. It was Nawab Wazir Sadat Khan who was appointed as the first ruler of Avadh, in 1732. Lucknow was the centre for political, cultural, artistic and literary renaissance in North India during this period. Art forms like Kathak, Thumri, Khayal, Dadra, Qawalis, Ghazals and Shero Shairi reached their summit during the rule of Nawabs.

The field of architecture was also revived by various experimentations on the existing styles of oriental and occidental architecture. Culinary skills were also refined during this period to create Nawabi cuisine, which is unique to Lucknow.  

Today, Lucknow is a fast growing city of India and a major commercial, educational, research and IT hub. It is also home to Asia’s first DNA bank at Biotech Park, which has the designation of being the world’s second, in having DNA identification system (DIS). Lucknow, the headquarters of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), is also renowned for its small scale industries based on distinctive Chikan and Lakhnawi Zardozi styles of embroidery. 

Hindi, Urdu and English are the widely used languages in Lucknow.  Festivals like Moharrum, Id-Ul-Zuha, Id-Ul-Fitar, Shab-e-Barat, Holi, Dusshera, Diwali, Jamghat, Bada Mangal Mela & Lucknow Mahotsav are celebrated with great vigour by the people of Lucknow.

Asafi Imambara (Bara Imambara), Chhota Imambara, British Residency and Shah Najaf are some of the prominent monuments of Lucknow that points out the architectural marvel. Rumi Darwaza, Sikandar Bagh, Lucknow Zoo & State Museum, Botanical Gardens and Kaiserbagh Palace complex are the other popular attractions of Lucknow.

Lucknow is well connected by air, rail and road. The Lucknow airport is a domestic one and is well connected to major cities in India. It is at a distance of around 14 km from the city centre. The nearest international airport, though, is the Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi, which is almost 500 km away.

Lucknow is a major railhead in northern India and is reachable from almost all parts of the country. The city is also well connected by bus services to nearby cities like Agra, Delhi, Allahabad, Kanpur, among others. These are run by state as well as private bus operators.

The best time to visit Lucknow is during the winter season. The weather during this time is cool with an average maximum temperature of 21⁰ Celsius and minimum of 4⁰ Celsius. The annual Lucknow Festival is also held during this time, November-December, and is a good time to visit the city.