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India » Lucknow
 City Guide
 
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According to mythology, Lord Ram handed down the city as a gift to his brother Lakshman. However, traces show that life existed here during pre-Christian times as well. It was the 18th century seat of the Nawabs of Awadh till the British annexed it in 1856. Popularly known as the Constantinople of India, it reached its cultural renaissance under the patronage of the Nawabs. It s a city with beauty, charm and history and home of the graceful kathak and qawwali, and exquisite detailing ? be it in clothes, jewellery or cuisine. Many of the erstwhile gharanas of classical music and dance originate from Lucknow and one can still see amazing happenings like rooster fights and kite-flying competitions.
The city is a vibrant kaleidoscope of old mosques, delectable kebabs, exquisite paintings and nawabi etiquette. The maze of crowded streets, cloudy with smoke and pollution, often casts a pall over the rosy glow surrounding the city. Hence, other than a highly evolved cultural scenario, there is little worth enthusing about. All the same, Lucknow spins you back to the past when lavishness and indolence were a way of life. Interestingly, the chewing of paan is considered an art form complete with proper etiquette that needs to be observed!
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AIR
IA has daily flights from Delhi and four times a week from Calcutta and Patna. Sahara and Jet Airways have daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai.
Airport
Amausi airport is 14 km from the city centre.
RAIL
Northern Railways and North Eastern Railways have trains operating to Lucknow from many cities in India.
Railway Stations
Charbagh and Lucknow Junction, adjacent to each other. Charbagh handles the trains to Delhi and Calcutta while Lucknow Junction has trains plying from the south.
ROAD
Is well connected by road with buses to Kanpur,Allahabad,Varanasi,Agra,Delhi and Faizabad.
Bus terminus
Charbagh and Kaiserbagh, both near the railway stations.
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CLIMATE
An even climate with maximum and minimum temperatures for summer at 36.6°C and 25°C. The winter has a high and low of 21.1°C and 11.1°C.
STD CODE
0522
Population
Lucknow: 2,266,933
Ethnic Groups
Indo-Aryan (72%); Dravidian (25%); others (3%)
Languages
Hindi, Urdu, and English
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Bara Imambara
Built by Asaf-ud-Daula in 1784 as a famine relief project, the tomb is an architectural wonder with intricate niches and tall minarets. The famous Bhulbhulaiya (maze) is within this monument where, according to myth, there are passages which go as far as Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai! A mosque with interesting detailing stands in the same courtyard. However, it is not accessible to non-Muslims. The central hall of the Imambara is 50 m long and 15 m high and has one of the largest vaulted galleries in the world. The beautiful Rumi Darwaza, adjacent to the Imambara, is an example of the typical Muslim style with shades of Byzantine architecture.
Hussainabad/ Chota Imambara
Mohd Ali Shah built this monument in 1837 as his mausoleum. The central courtyard surrounds a tank with marble replicas of the Taj Mahal on each side. One is the tomb of his daughter and the other that of his son-in-law. The main gold-domed building encloses his mother s tomb as well. A silver throne, state memorabilia and chandeliers are on display inside.
Residency
Constructed as the British Residency in 1800, the red brick structure with picturesque lawns is definitely worth a visit. It is well maintained and has a model room, which helps you get oriented. The cellars, which were the refuge for women and children during the siege, and the cemetery are also interesting.
Shah Najaf Imambara
The tomb of Ghazi-ud-din-Haidar who died in 1827. The interior is stashed with old chandeliers and memorabilia used during the Muharram procession.
Sikander Bagh
The scene of the historical battle of 1857, it is now a fortified garden with a gateway stamped with the royal insignia of the Nawabs. The lush Botanical Gardens are adjacent and are a breath of fresh air in the otherwise polluted and crowded city.
La Martiniere School
Was designed by Frenchman Major General Claude Martin as his palatial residence. The architectural style seems to be a mixture of several and you can see Gothic statues perched atop ornate Corinthian columns scattered amidst lush lawns brimming with myriad hued flowers. As remarked upon by a British marquess, "the inspiration seems to be a wedding cake"! After his demise in 1800, it was converted into a school (which is one of the premier institutions in India) as specified in his will.
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Full of shops and bazaars crammed with interesting buys ranging from clothes and jewellery to attars and birds! Aminabad, Chowk and Hazratganj are three well-populated areas with lots of shopping options. Is the home of the delicate Chikankari work. Some of the shops specialising in chikanwear.
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