Lucknow

Surprisingly, the story of Lucknow began not so very long ago. Though the city traces its origin to the Suryavanshi dynasty of Ayodhya in ancient times, and derives its name from Lakshmana (the brother of Lord Rama), Lucknow actually came into prominence during the 18th century. In 1732, Muhammad Shah, one of the later kings of the once-powerful Mughal dynasty, appointed Mohammed Amir Saadat Khan, a Persian adventurer of noble lineage, to the viceroyalty of the area known as Avadh, of which Lucknow was a part. Saadat Khan was the founder of the famous dynasty known as the Nawab Wazirs-a dynasty that changed the face of this hitherto little-known place. Under his successors, Lucknow flowered as never before and all but became the cultural nerve center of northern India. The rapid growth of Lucknow dates from 1755 when the fourth Nawab, Asaf-ud-Daula, transferred the capital of Avadh from Faizabad to Lucknow and set about gifting to the city some of its most splendid architectural marvels, a tradition that was sustained by this successors. During this period, Lucknow also established its prominent place in the field of poetry, music, and dance. A colorful local culture, incorporating fairs and festivals, also flourished alongside. But what really set Lucknow apart from others was a certain elegance and grace of lifestyle. A romantic and courtly ambience became a part of the city. In fact, even today the city breathes history, and the sound of laughter and music, the tinkling of ankle bells and the mellifluous rendering of Urdu poetry (shairi) still echo and reverberate through the long corridors of time. Even today, when one wanders through the city, s/he will encounter the kind of refined courtesy and polish that seems to belong to another age.

Lucknow is known all over the world for the tehjeeb or the courteous behaviour of its people. It is a rare city. Few places in the world are endowed with such rich cultural traditions, as is this romantic city of the nawabs. Whether it is history, architecture, music, dance, handicrafts, etiquette, or sports, Lucknow has its own story to tell.

Lucknow today, nestling on the banks of the river Gomti, is a modern, bustling metropolis and serves as the capital of the large north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. But despite the changes it has undergone over the decades, it still retains the vestige of the culture that once made it one of the most celebrated cities of the land. It represents a harmonized blend of the old and the new; it has the advantages of a big, modern city, without any of the disadvantages. There is a profusion of parks and gardens redolent with nostalgia of another time. More importantly, residents of Lucknow have an extremely relaxed and laid-back attitude to life. So even though Lucknow is a big city today, there is none of the mad rush and hectic pace that one normally expects in a busy metropolis.