Located in what was historically known as the Awadh region, Lucknow has always been a multicultural city. Courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronized by the Nawabs are well known among Indians and students of South Asian culture and history. Lucknow is popularly known as the The City of Nawabs. It is also known as the Golden City of the East, Shiraz-i-Hind and The Constantinople of India.
Today, Lucknow is a vibrant city that is witnessing an economic boom and is among the top ten fastest growing non-metropolitan cities of India. The unique combination of its cultured grace and newly acquired pace is its most promising feature that augurs well for the future.
Lucknow's rise to growth and fame begins with its elevation as capital of Awadh by
Nawab Asaf-Ud-Dowlah. He was a great philanthropist and gave Lucknow a unique
and enduring legacy. The architectural contributions of these Awadh rulers include
several imposing monuments. Of the monuments standing today, the Bara
Imambara, the Chhota Imambara, and the Roomi Darwaza are notable examples.
One of the more lasting contributions by the Nawabs is the syncretic composite
culture that has come to be known as the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Asafi Imambara (popularly known as Bara Imambara), the Chhota Imambara, Residency, and Shah Najaf are monuments of architectural importance at Lucknow. The famous 'Bhul Bhulaiyan' (Labyrinth) is part of Asafi Imambara complex. Some other places of interest are the Picture Gallery, Chattar Manzil, State Museum/Lucknow Zoo, Shaheed Smarak, Dilkusha, Ambedkar Memorial, Planetarium, and Ram Krishna Math.
The British-built architectural sights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assembly ), the Clock Tower and the Charbagh Railway Station, with its distinctive domes, arches and pillars. Some of the oldest schools in India are also situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere Lucknow, St. Francis' College, Lucknow and the Colvin Taluqdar's College. Both of these schools have produced many eminent personalities.
Lucknow has several well-kept parks that attract the citizenry in large numbers on evenings, holidays and weekends. The bigger parks are Ambedkar Memorial and Lohia park in Gomtinagar, Swarn Jayanti park and Aurobindo Park in Indiranagar, Dilkusha Park, Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, Globe Park, Mukherjee Phuhaar, Haathi Park, Buddha park, and Neebu Park. The sprawling National Botanical Garden at Sikandarbagh on the banks of Gomti river is also worth visiting.
The city also has the Kukrail Reserve Forest(a picnic spot and Gharial rehablitaion centre).Moosa Bagh and Utretia are other popular picnic spots.
Natural attractions accessible from Lucknow are Katarnia Ghat, Dudhwa National
Park, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary and Samaspur Bird Sanctuary
HOW TO REACH
By plane - There are daily flights from Delhi, Bombay and Kolkata. Amausi Airport, Lucknow is directly connected with Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Bombay and Varanasi by direct flights. Indian Airlines, Reservation Enquiry, Ph : (0522)220927 Flight Information - Amausi Airport, Enquiry - Ph : (0522)435401, 436188 (pre recorded - 142) Air India-Janata Travels, (General Sale Agent) Hotel Clarks Awadh, 8, M.g. Road, Ph: (0522)226171 Sahara India Airlines, Sahara India Tower, 7, Kapoorthala Complex, Ph : (0522)377675, 372742
By train - Lucknow is on the New Delhi - Varanasi railway route. Connections can
be made to Agra and Allahabad. A major railway junction, Lucknow is conveniently
connected to many cities. Some of the important trains are : 5307/5308 Shatabadi
Ex. : 5063/5064; Nainital Ex; : 9165/9166; Sabarmati Exp : 2553/2554; Vaishali Exp :
5609/5610; Awadh-Assam Exp : 8475/8476; Neelanchal Exp : 4283/4284; Ganga-
Yamuna Exp : 4229/4230 Lucknow Mail : 2419/2420; Gomti Exp : 4057/4058; Kashi-
Vishwanath Exp : 4011/4012; Nauchandi Exp : 1015/1016; Bombay-Gorakhpur Exp :
5011/5012; Cochin-Gorakhpur Exp.
By road - Lucknow is connected by road with all the major cities of the country. Some of the major road distances are : Agra - 363 km, Allahabad - 210 km, Ayodhya - 135 km, Kolkata - 985 km, Corbett National Park - 400 km, Delhi - 497 km, Dudhwa National Park - 238 km, Kanpur - 79 km, Khajuraho - 320 km, Varanasi - 650 km.
