The capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is in the middle of the state accessed by road, rail and air. It is totally land bound by the districts of Unnao in the west, Rae Bareily in the south, Barabanki in the east and the district of Handoi in the north. The River Gomti flows through the city. The Dasheri mangoes of the area are famous world over. It experiences a tropical climate with hot summers and cold winters.
Lucknow formerly was one of the cities in the ruled by the Avadh rulers and after Uttar Pradesh attained statehood it eventually became the capital of the State. The city famous for its cultivated manners and refined urbane culture; Lucknow even today remains the home of light-classical North Indian music and the Kathak school of dance. The lifestyle of Lucknow is known as the Nawabi Nazakat meaning, soft to speak, eat food with best of spices, wear clothes with the best of embroidery, listen to the best of shayari and attend classical music and Kathak dance performances.
The history of this ancient city dates back to the mythological era of Lord Ram, the king of Ayodhya. It is said that when he came back after defeating Ravan in Lanka, he gifted this nearby small town to his brother Lakshman, who had helped through the 14 years of exile. The place was known Lakshmanpur since then and Lucknow is another version of the same name.
Lucknow grew into prominence only in the medieval period during the rule of the Mughals and later the Nawabs. The Nawabs were actually subhas or the presiding managers of the Mughal empire, but after the deterioration in the Mughal governance the Nawabs of Avadh declared independence and ruled the rich constituency. The British annexed the area under the pretext of failure in administration in the mid - 19th century. The atrocities of the British resulted in strong revolt against the empire within the royal family it self. This resulted in imprisonment of the Nawab Wazir Ali Shah and confinement of his wife in Nepal.
Leisurely habbits, etiquette, fine architecture, delicious food and refinement have become the part of living of the people of Lucknow.
The small town near the Avadh, which was gifted to Lakshman rose to prominence with the Nawabs and was metaphorically called, the Shiraz of Avadh and the Constantinople of India. Today, Lucknow lives with the residue of the Nawabi culture; it lives with the memories of the past and also with the acquired status of a city rich in art, music, dance; a city of culture and gracious living.
But as one leaves the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, the memories of its historical by-lanes, beautiful architecture, intricate embroideries, gracious dances and mouth watering delicacies lingers on like the aroma of the Ittar, the perfumed natural oils which Lucknow is famous for in your memories for years to come through.
