Thing of Beauty

Sybaritic pleasure in the city of nawabs. Nayantara Patel enjoys the lebua Lucknow—a lot!

- Nayantara Patel

The lebua Lucknow is the hottest place to be in the city. At this moment, in late January, with the fascinating drama of the Uttar Pradesh elections about to unfold, it’s where anyone with an interest in Indian politics might want to be. First, it’s located in what my cab driver informed me was a “VIP area”. I hadn’t paid much attention, till I nearly arrived. To nearly arrive is to drive past a fortification that could have been Mughal, except that it displays too much bad taste. Aha, Mayawati, not Mughal; similar intent, different effect.

The exquisite lebua Lucknow, Saraca Estate, is located across from the enormity that is the politician’s residence and the vaulting ambition that is her party headquarters. The UP Congress headquarters are down the road. This is all very interesting because I arrived just after the earthquake called demonetisation had hit the country, and the air was thick with chatter, annoyance, bluster and belief. (Cars lining up at midnight outside M’s house, allowed inside, because, you know, suitcases… AY is a good guy, he tries, but, you know, his father…. NM has done a great thing, of course the BJP will win… NM has done a terrible thing, the BJP cannot win…)