I have been born and have spent a lot of my childhood in
this city. It’s my hometown. While pondering over the thoughts of being home
with dad and mom, I toured the city in my thoughts… What’s in it that I love it
so much… Though it’s been years since I have left it for work and landed in
this big wide metro…but still my heart lies there, where I saw my mom the last
time, where I had biryanis and kebabs my dad made, where I fought with my
brother and cousins in carom match, where I strolled around with my hostel
friends. Memories are immense….. What would it be like if I be a tourist to my
own city, a vacation in my hometown…!! I know Lucknow oozes historical
interest, cultural delights, authentic and mouthwatering delicacies, chikankari
designs and British blended monuments, it has got enough to keep you hooked to
it for a few days.
Let’s make a checklist to see what are the 5 most
interesting things this authentic and ethnic city of Nawabs offer :
1. Cultural
Delight: You experience starts from the railway station itself, which
portrays lucknow through its outstanding structure. Hire a cab and take a tour
of the other famous monuments whose history will keep you equally amused as its
architecture.. From Bada or Chhota Imambada to Rumi Darwaza to the Lucknow
Museum ,Residency and the La Martiniere school (yes the schools is also worth
seeing **:-) **). The experience of
walking through the Bhool Bhulaiya (Labyrinth) is
incredible which keeps you wondering if it was the same floor you just walked
through…
2. Shopping: Even though lucknow shopping is transforming itself to big retail shops but it’s the authentic traditional way of shopping that still attracts the visitors. The city inspite of its politeness, mujras and shayaris, it was also famous for its shopping experience. The major markets of Chawk, nakhas, aminabad, nishatganj, hazratganj still gives you the flavor of Lucknow’s old charm. Must pick is a kurta, suit or sari in chikankari (exquisite shadow-work embroidery on fine muslin cloth) which is an art in itself.
3. Cuisine…. YUMMM: When in lucknow, you might forget all the diets of the world and wish for a bigger stomach. It all started ages back with the Nawabs who lived to eat. Fill you palatte with different tastes, start from tundey or kakori kebabs with Awadhi paratha, Dumpukht biryani, nihari with naan or sheermal, roasted chicken, murgh achari or kali mirch and end with phirni, shahi tukra and kulfi faluda… am still not satisfied with my list, I want to go on… trust me there is lot more…. the chaat of aminabad is to die for and that paan of hazratganj is too tempting to resist.
4. Parks and gardens: For that naturalist or adventurist inside your visit the colour loaded gardens and parks of lucknow and mind you these too have history behind them. The nawabs that lived here left a heritage of parks for the city to boast of. Located in the heart of city, Begum hazrat mehal park that has witnessed many dusshehra celebrations but now a walkers paradise. When fountains go up and lights turn on, it’s sight is a feast for eyes. Buddha and Hathi parks are the ones where kids attraction lies …(I too have spent many summer evening there with parents, captured in photo memories now), though one of my favourites have been kukrail picnic spot, which is also a crocodile and gariyal conservation centre, a great choice to spend a day in nature.
5. Tonga ride & Ghazals: How about ditching the hired cab while coming back from the historical tour of old lucknow, instead get on a Tonga, a horse carriage for a ride of lifetime, start from old lucknow to the heart of the city, a fantastic experience. As the sun sets and you get down of the tonga thinking you have seen it all now, but no, there is lot more. Walk in to an authentic Awadhi restaurant, lots of them have special ghazal evenings for the guest. Some soulful live ghazals and mouth melting kebabs with delicious kormas truly make for the best evening.
Hope I have tempted you enough to choose this city for you
next visit and a promise of an incredible experience follows. Best time to
visit my town is winter months, so pack your bags and get set and go!!!
** Smiles smiles ***
PS: (Caution – Avoid the boastful posters with Mayawati’s
full size photographs.)
No comments:
Post a Comment