Lucknow Now!

Lucknow, the city of nawabs, is immersed in courtly culture. Its refinements of manner and speech aside, the city is a treasure trove of sites and monuments steeped in history, and bazaars bustling with delectable food and exquisite crafts.

- Bindu Gopal Rao

As I drew open the curtains in my hotel room I was amazed at the sight that unfolded in front of me, making me wonder if I was in India or in the Middle East. In front of me was a large building with rows of red sandstone domes, beautiful marble sculptures and statues amidst a well laid-out landscaped park with distinctly Indo-Islamic architecture. I found out a little later that this was the Ambedkar Memorial, spread over 107 acres and built at a whopping cost of ₹700 crore! The beautiful structure is dedicated to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.

The other remarkable feature of Lucknow is the Gomti river, the lifeline of the city, and you will cross and re-cross it as you explore different parts of the city. Known as the city of nawabs and kebabs as well as adab (courtesy) and tehzeeb (refinement), Lucknow has several delights behind its veil. And while your first impression may be of yet another urban conglomerate, its heart and soul lie in the old city with its bustling markets, quaint restaurants and heritage architecture.

Since I had only a couple of days in the city, I decided to start with its well-known monuments and made my first stop at the Rumi Darwaza. This is a 60-foot gate that dates back to 1784 and was built during the reign of Nawab Asaf ud-Daula and is inspired by the Turkish Gate in Constantinople, Turkey. The gate is huge and is said to be the entrance to the Lucknow of yore and you can actually get a sense of old world charm here. Close to the Rumi Darwaza is a 221-foot clock tower, built in 1881 to commemorate the arrival of Sir George Couper, the first Lieutenant Governor of the United Province of Awadh. Locally called Ghantaghar, the clock tower has both Victorian and Gothic design influences. My guide tells me that gunmetal was used for building the bell and the clock’s gigantic pendulum is 14 feet long!