LUCKNOW

LUCKNOW- The City of Nawabs

I thought I will not write this post until and unless I visit this city completely. But I could not stop myself. Moreover, this is the only city I visited this year. Popularly known as the City of Nawabs, Lucknow is definitely in my list of places to visit in India.  But I did not go there to visit the place as such. I went there for some other purpose, but managed to get glimpse of some of the famous places there. I will go there again and write another detailed post on the city. But till that time I will just jot down some great things about this amazing city.

The Railway Station of Lucknow

The city is a perfect mixture of tahzeeb (cannot find an English word that is closest to it) and modern amenities. There is a thahrav (stability) in this city and at the same time it is not like any other small city of India. What makes this city a worth visit is- its distinct monuments, royal cuisines and the historic buildings. The two great places that I managed to visit in my short span of time I was there was- Bara Imambaara and Chowk.

The Asif Mosque

The Asif Mosque

Built by Asaf-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Lucknow in 1784, Bara Imambaara is also called the Asaf Imambara. Blessed with beautiful architecture, it is supported by a Mosque and Baoli in its left and right. But the most interesting part of this monument is that it was build as a part of a relief project for a major famine that took place in the year 1784.

The Bhul Bhulaiya inside the Bara Imaambara

The Bara Imambaara is known for its incredible maze called Bhulbhulaiya. This is located in the upper floor of the monument. A stairway leads to this level. One can view a scenic panorama of the city from the top of this monument, which is absolutely breath-taking. The Bhulbhulaiya is a must see and the best way to find your way out without getting lost is by hiring a guide. It is said that great treasures are hidden in these secret tunnels of this maze. The monument remains open from morning 6am to evening 5pm.

Entrance of Bara Imaambara

The two inseparable part of this amazing city is- its Chikan Embroideray and Tunday Kabab. Good quality textiles with exquisite form of embroidery can be purchased from the city and I definitely grabbed the chance and bought kurtas of Chikan from Chowk. Chowk is a local market in Lucknow known for Chikan shops. Tunday kabab is something I just loved hogging. But unfortunately I could not have it because of lack of time. So, next time whenever I will go there I will make a proper plan and then visit the whole city properly. So, till then I will try to be satisfied with my short trip.