Lucknow is the capital and the biggest city in the state of Uttar pradesh . This city also famous for Non – veg food and Biriyani which has a rich legacy of the Newab . Lucknow is full of Historical Monument which attracts people from all over India specially the Bhul Bhulia and the bara imambara and chota imambara . Lucknow is also famous for it’s music and chicken karigari (It is a embroidery made on traditional dresses). In 18 th – 19 th century Lucknow was the capital of Awadh and that time lucknow flourished as a bigger city . After the independence Lucknow has been recognized as the capital of Uddarpradesh and major tourist attraction of the state .
I came here in the month of november or december in the time of winter . I came from Varanashi by bus and it leaves me in front of any metro station the name I can remember now . It was like morning 5:30 am and the metro starts from 6 am in the morning . There was lady in the counter , I asked her about the Daily pass . She said to wait till 6 am , in the meantime she inquire the detail from her supirior . so I was waiting outside the metro station and around 6 am I once again come . She said me to contact the control room … from where I can get the day pass . So I contact the control room and get the day pass .With this day pass you can travel anywhere within the city in metro unlimited times . This is a very good concept for travelers like us . You can travel the city with 100 INR per day .
Now after getting down from the metro in husan ganj metro station , I take some bhujia and samosa as morning breakfast and walk toward my hostel . Now after taking a bath I planned for the local tour . In the way towards the husan ganj metro there is a shop which sold onion kachori and vegetables . This is very tasty kachori which is totally floppy and crunchy . After that I first planned to visit the Historic monuments of the Lucknow . So I reached to the Bara imambara . First I make a local tour then come for bhul bhuliya in Bara imambara .
So first came to the Rumi Darwaza . It is the signature building in the lucknow city . In the city metro logo and govt work it is used in as the trademark of the city . It is made in the time of Nawab Asif – ud – doula . At this time there was a Femine going on . So for giving work to the labor Nawab made those structure . It is influenced by Turkey art . People said lucknow’s famous chicken karigari also influenced by him. It is the gate that comes in between the Bara imambara and choto imambara .
building in the city of Lucknow and shifted the capital from Firozabad to Lucknow
Now in the old city there is lots of other places to explore like Picture gallery , Husainabad clock tower , Satkhanda . In between those I think The picture gallery is most amazing where from one side of the picture it looks like something and from another side a different angle . My guide said that they mixed diamond in the mixture of painting which was used for painting . Every painting looks like live and are amazing . Then comes the clock tower . It is the biggest clock tower in India and can be seen from a long distance . Now comes the Satkhanda . It was build by mahammad ali shah . Who wish to see the panoramic view of the city from here . The original plan was to build the building of seven floor but in the meantime either her daughter or himself died . So his building was incomplete and only four floor was build up . But still it is called Satkhanda .
After that I reached to Choto Imambara . This is both the religious and Ancient Monument . Mostly shia muslims obey it as the religious place and it is mostly influenced by Irani culture . Here inside the choto imambara , First in the gate there is a flying fish which indicates the wind direction . It is made by some Egypt Engineer . Next comes the Sahi hummam . Where Badshah use to bath . This hummam was fecilated with modern fecility like there was hot water and cold water supply then toilet and bath top for bathing . Next comes the choto imambara . Here you can see some beautiful candle stand connected like a flower which is hangs from the celling . Here you will find some silver throne which is dedicated for religious scholer who give speech on religious texts. There is also some beautiful pictures painted at that time and after the choto imambara comes the tomb of nabab’s daughter which looks like mini tajmahal . Opposite of the Choto Imambara is the Nahabat khana where artisian , poets and other religious scholer stays free of cost at that time .
After visiting the Choto Imambara comes the Baro Imambara . In 1784 it was build by the nabab asaf – ud – doula . It is one of the religious place for the shia muslims in India . Here in another building there is Bhul Bhulia . Which is real wonder . People says that it has 1000 doors which is very confusing to find out which is the right door to come out . There is 1000 doors which lead you to the roof of the building but only two door to come out in the ground floor .History says that It is a accident which is the result of Bhul Bhulia . They want to build a very thick roof but when engineer says that it would be very heavy to carry the load of the roof then they curved out the rest part and the doors are made . Such is the making of the Bhul Bhulia . In the ground floor there is huge no beam hall which is really you should visit . But I must say you must choose the Guide carefully otherwise you don’t understand and they will just take your money . My first Guide was like that so I have to take another guide to understand the concept of Bhul Bhuliya properly . There is another building which has some amazing mechanishim by that people inside can see who is coming inside by the gate by looking at the water reflection but outside people can not see inside people .
There is lots of famous parks in this city like ambedkar park , Janeshwar mishra park , Gomati park , Dr Ram monohar Lohia park , Saheed smarak , Goutam Buddha park , swarna Jayanti smriti Bihar park . Actually the first one Janeswar Mishra park is huge . It is spread across 376 acre . It has beautiful water fountain , a long walking trail and a fighter jet . It is full of greenery . Then comes the Ambedkar park . It is also very new . Ms mayabati made this in the remembrance of Baba Saheb Ambedkar who is the leader of the backward community . Whose Ideology pull the sc/st community out of the proverty and illiteracy and make a situation where everybody can get equal rights . This park is all covered by white marvel and red stone . In this park there is a huge statue of the Baba Saheb Ambedkar . There is lots of big white elephant statue in the park . The park is huge but after Mayabati left from the UP government it’s maintenance work got down . Most of the toilets are not working or broken . Though it were made very finely still now it is broken .
After todays visit I come back to my hostel and in the next day around 4 pm I have flight toward Kolkata from here . So in the morning I take a bath and kept my luggage at the store room of the Hostel and start for the City tour . A rishka tour covers some of the local spots like British Residency , dilkhusa kothi , state museum Lucknow , Jama Masjid Lucknow , Shah Najaf Imambara , Moti Mahal palace , shaheed smarak . In the morning around 7 am I left for the city tour and first I reached toward the British Residency where in the time of nawabs ruled awadh , british representative live there . In the time of army mutini in 1857 Indian freedom fighter captured the building and there was a heavy shelling between two party and the building was heavily damaged . This house is made of brick.
After visiting there I reached to the State museum Lucknow where you can see the different weapons used by the nabab of Awadh . They is also preserved different items , used by them and the rich history of lucknow has been told by the different models . There is also collection of different coins in this museum . After visiting some other monuments I reached the most famous and oldesh sweet shop Ram Ashray .
This sweet shop is from the time of 1805 , having the legacy for 200 yr . The shop is in a small street but one of the famous sweet shop in Lucknow . There I tasted some pan sweet then ghewar , kaju barfi , mango sweet , rosogolla , gulabjamun , rosomalai and much more . After visiting there I reached to the makhan malai shops in Chowk area . Here you will find lots of shops selling this items . This items only available in the northern indian cities in the winter times . This is a creamy items which is decorated by the nuts , kaju , kishmish and pista . Mostly it is colored yellow like kesar . It is delicious and have a different taste . You can say it a indian version of icecream but not frozen . It is a unique item which just vanished in your mouth which is very light like foam .
After that I went back to my hostel and taken back my bag and went toward the Airport . From the Husan ganj metro I travel towards the Airport . It takes around 30 minutes to reach to the airport stop and there is direct link between the metro and the Airport gate . Just after coming out from the metro comes the Airport . My flight was around 4 pm and I reached Kolkata before the sun set . Thanking you for reading and meeting you in another travel stories .
