Lucknow

For other uses, see Lucknow (disambiguation).

Lucknow लखनऊ لکھنؤ
Metropolis
From top to bottom, left to right: Bara Imambara, Chota Imambara main gate, Chota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, Interior Mosque of Husainabad, Kashiram Smarak, Tomb of Raja Saadat Ali, La Martiniere College and Ambedkar Park. From top to bottom, left to right: Bara Imambara, Chota Imambara main gate, Chota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, Interior Mosque of Husainabad, Kashiram Smarak, Tomb of Raja Saadat Ali, La Martiniere College and Ambedkar Park.
Nickname(s):  The City of Nawabs, The Golden City of India, Constantinople of East, Shiraz-i-Hind
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
District	Lucknow
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
• Body	Lucknow Municipal Corporation
• Mayor	Dinesh Sharma (BJP)
• Municipal Commissioner	R.K. Singh
• MP	Hon. Home Minister of India Mr.Rajnath Singh (BJP)
Area
• District	2,528 km2 (976 sq mi)
Elevation	128 m (420 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Rank	11th
• Urban	2,815,601
• Metro	2,901,474
Demonym	Lucknowite
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	2260xx / 2270xx
Telephone code	+91-522
Vehicle registration	UP 32
GDP	$22 billion
Sex ratio	915 ♀/♂
Website	lucknow.nic.in

Lucknow /ˈlʌknaʊ/ (Hindi: लखनऊ, Urdu: لکھنؤ, Lakhna'ū) is the capital city of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. A major metropolitan city of India, Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous District and Division. It is the eleventh most populous city of India and the most populous in Uttar Pradesh, making the latter the most populous state in India. Lucknow has always been known as a multicultural city that flourished as a North Indian cultural and artistic hub and seat of Nawab power in the 18th and 19th centuries. It continues to be an important centre of government, education, commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, culture, tourism, music and poetry.

The city stands at an elevation of approximately 123 metres (404 ft) above sea level and covers an area of 2,528 square kilometres (976 sq mi). Bounded on the east by the Barabanki District, on the west by Unnao District, on the south by Raebareli and in the north by Sitapur and Hardoi, Lucknow sits on the northwestern shore of the Gomti River. Hindi is the main language of the city and Urdu is also widely spoken. It is accessible from every part of India by air, rail and road.

Historically the capital of Awadh and controlled by the Delhi Sultanate under Mughal rule, it was later transferred to the Nawabs of Awadh. After Lord Clive's defeat of the Bengal, Awadh and Mughal Nawabs it fell under the rule of the East India Company with control transferred to the British Raj in 1857. Along with the rest of India, Lucknow became independent from Britain on 15 August 1947

Origin of name

In ancient times, the city was established by Lakshmana, the younger brother of Rama worshipped by Hindus as the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Rama was the king of Ayodhya, capital of the ancient Hindu kingdom of Kosala, which more recently became Awadh. As a result Lakshmana founded a city nearby and named it Lakshmanpuri. Over the years the city's name changed several times: from Lakshmanpuri to Lakhanpur then to Lakhnau, after which it was anglicised to Lucknow.

The subah of Awadh, known as the granary of India, was strategically important for control of the fertile plain between the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers, known as the Doab. It was a wealthy kingdom able to maintain its independence against threats from the Marathas, the British and the Afghans.

History

Further information: Awadh and Oudh State

Lucknow towards Cawnpore c1860

From 1350 CE onwards, Lucknow and parts of the Awadh region were ruled by the Delhi Sultanate, Sharqi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Nawabs of Awadh, the British East India Company (EIC) and the British Raj. Lucknow was one of the major centres of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and participated actively in India's independence movement, emerging as a strategically important North Indian city. Until 1719, the subah of Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by a Governor appointed by the Emperor. Persian adventurer Saadat Khan, also called Burhan-ul-Mulk, was appointed nizam of Awadh in 1722 and established his court in Faizabad, near Lucknow.

For about eighty-four years (from 1394 to 1478), Awadh was part of the Sharqi Sultanate of Jaunpur. Emperor Humayun made it a part of the Mughal Empire around 1555. During Emperor Jahangir's rule, he granted an estate in Awadh to nobleman, Sheikh Abdul Rahim, who had won his favour. Sheikh Abdul Rahim later built Machchi Bhawan on this estate, which later became the seat of power from where his descendants, the Sheikhzadas, controlled the region.

The Nawabs of Lucknow, in reality the Nawabs of Awadh, acquired the name after the reign of the third Nawab when Lucknow became their capital. The city became North India's cultural capital, and its nawabs, best remembered for their refined and extravagant lifestyles, were patrons of the arts. Under their dominion, music and dance flourished, and construction of numerous monuments took place. Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chota Imambara, and the Rumi Darwaza are notable examples. One of the lasting contributions by the Nawabs is the region's syncretic Hindu–Muslim culture that has come to be known as the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.

Gates of the Palace at Lucknow by W. Daniell, 1801

Many independent kingdoms, such as Awadh, were established when the Mughal Empire disintegrated. The third Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula, fell out with the British after aiding the fugitive Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim. He was roundly defeated at the Battle of Buxar by the EIC, which forced him to pay heavy penalties and surrender parts of his territory. Awadh's capital, Lucknow rose to prominence when Asaf-ud-Daula, the fourth nawab, shifted his court to the city from Faizabad in 1775. The British appointed a resident in 1773 and over time gained control of more territory and authority in the state. They were, however, disinclined to capture Awadh outright and come face to face with the Marathas and the remnants of the Mughal Empire. In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Khan alienated both his people and the British, and was forced to abdicate. The British then helped Saadat Ali Khan take the the throne. He became a puppet king, and in a treaty of 1801, yielded half of Awadh to the EIC while also agreeing to disband his own troops in favor of a hugely expensive, British-controlled army. This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh a vassal of the EIC, although it continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name until 1819. The treaty of 1801 proved a beneficial arrangement for the EIC as they gained access to Awadh's vast treasuries, repeatedly digging into them for loans at reduced rates. In addition, the revenues from running Awadh's armed forces brought them useful returns while the territory acted as a buffer state. The Nawabs were ceremonial kings, busy with pomp and show but with little influence over matters of state. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the British had grown impatient with the arrangement and demanded direct control over Awadh.

The ruins of Residency at Lucknow shows the gunfire it took during the rebellion

In 1856 the EIC first moved its troops to the border, then annexed the state under the Doctrine of lapse. Awadh was placed under a chief commissioner – Sir Henry Lawrence. Wajid Ali Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned then exiled by the EIC to Calcutta. In the subsequent Indian Rebellion of 1857, his 14-year-old son Birjis Qadra, whose mother was Begum Hazrat Mahal, was crowned ruler but later killed by Sir Henry Lawrence. Following the rebellion's defeat, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other rebel leaders sought asylum in Nepal.

During the Rebellion (also known as the First War of Indian Independence and the Indian Mutiny), the majority of the EIC's troops were recruited from both the people and nobility of Awadh. The rebels took control of the state, and it took the British 18 months to reconquer the region. During that period, the garrison based at the Residency in Lucknow was besieged by rebel forces during the Siege of Lucknow. The siege was relieved first by forces under the command of Sir Henry Havelock and Sir James Outram, followed by a stronger force under Sir Colin Campbell. Today, the ruins of the Residency and the Shaheed Smarak offer an insight into Lucknow's role in the events of 1857.

With the rebellion over, Oudh returned to British goverance under a chief commissioner. In 1877 the offices of lieutenant-governor of the North-Western Provinces and chief commissioner of Oudh were combined; then in 1902, the title of chief commissioner was dropped with the formation of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, although Oudh still retained some marks of its former independence.

The Khilafat Movement had an active base of support in Lucknow, creating united opposition to British rule. In 1901, after remaining the capital of Oudh since 1775, Lucknow, with a population of 264,049, was merged into the newly formed United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. In 1920 the provincial seat of government moved from Allahabad to Lucknow. Upon Indian independence in 1947, the United Provinces were reorganised into the state of Uttar Pradesh, and Lucknow remained its capital.

Geography and climate

Map of Lucknow city

Gomti River at Lucknow, major water source of the city

The Gomti River, Lucknow's chief geographical feature, meanders through the city and divides it into the Trans-Gomti and Cis-Gomti regions. Situated in the middle of the Indus-Gangetic Plain, the city is surrounded by rural towns and villages: the orchard town of Malihabad, Kakori, Mohanlal ganj, Gosainganj, Chinhat, and Itaunja. To the east lies Barabanki District, to the west Unnao District, to the south Raebareli District, while to the north lie the Sitapur and Hardoi Districts. Lucknow city is located in a seismic zone III.

Lucknow has a warm humid subtropical climate with cool, dry winters from December to February and dry, hot summers from April to June. The rainy season is from July to mid-September, when the city gets an average rainfall of 896.2 millimetres (35.28 in) from the south-west monsoon winds, and occasionally frontal rainfall will occur in January. In winter the maximum temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) and the minimum is in the 3 °C (37 °F) to 7 °C (45 °F) range. Fog is quite common from late December to late January. Summers are extremely hot with temperatures rising into the 40 °C (104 °F) to 45 °C (113 °F) range, the average highs being in the high of 30s (degree Celsius). On 9 January 2013, Lucknow recorded a temperature of −0.7 °C (31 °F), its lowest in 49 years.

Climate data for Lucknow (Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	22.5 (72.5)	25.8 (78.4)	32.0 (89.6)	38.0 (100.4)	40.0 (104.0)	38.4 (101.1)	33.9 (93.0)	33.2 (91.8)	33.1 (91.6)	32.8 (91.0)	29.2 (84.6)	24.6 (76.3)	32.0 (89.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)	14.7 (58.5)	17.6 (63.7)	23.2 (73.8)	29.3 (84.7)	32.6 (90.7)	32.9 (91.2)	29.8 (85.6)	29.0 (84.2)	28.6 (83.5)	25.7 (78.3)	20.3 (68.5)	15.7 (60.3)	24.9 (76.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	7.5 (45.5)	9.8 (49.6)	14.5 (58.1)	20.5 (68.9)	24.6 (76.3)	26.7 (80.1)	26.0 (78.8)	25.6 (78.1)	24.1 (75.4)	19.1 (66.4)	12.8 (55.0)	8.4 (47.1)	18.3 (64.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	20.2 (0.80)	16.0 (0.63)	10.0 (0.39)	5.0 (0.20)	18.4 (0.72)	122.9 (4.84)	269.9 (10.63)	255.3 (10.05)	211.5 (8.33)	40.9 (1.61)	7.4 (0.29)	12.6 (0.50)	990.1 (38.98)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm)	1.5	1.5	1.0	0.6	1.6	5.4	12.0	11.6	8.6	1.7	0.5	0.8	46.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours	203.4	217.5	248.7	271.0	283.5	198.0	167.4	166.7	219.0	269.7	246.0	217.0	2,707.9
Source: Meterological Department of India

Flora and fauna

Lucknow is known for its Dusshehri mangoes, which are exported to many countries

Baby elephant at Lucknow Zoo

Lucknow has a total of only 4.66 percent of forest, which is much less than the state average of around 7 percent. shisham, dhak, mahuamm, babul, neem, peepal, ashok, khajur, mango and gular trees are all grown here.

Different varieties of mangoes, especially Dasheri, are grown in the Malihabad block of the district for export. The main crops are wheat, paddy, sugarcane, mustard, potatoes, and vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, and brinjals are grown here. Similarly, sunflowers, roses, and marigolds are cultivated over a fairly extesive area. Many medicinal and herbal plants are also grown here while common Indian Monkeys are found in patches in and around city forests such as Musa Bagh.

The Lucknow Zoo, one of the oldest in the country, was established in 1921. It houses a rich collection of animals from Asia and other continents. The city also has a botanical garden, which is a zone of wide plant diversity.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Lucknow

Tata Consultancy Services Campus at TCS Awadh Park in Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar

The major industries in the Lucknow Urban Agglomeration include aeronautics, machine tools, distillery chemicals, furniture and Chikan embroidery.

Lucknow is also a major centre for research and development as home to the prominent R&D centres of the National Milk Grid of the National Dairy Development Board, the Central Institute of Medical and Aromatic Plants, the National Handloom Development Corporation and U.P. Export Corporation.

Ranked sixth in a list of the ten fastest growing job-creating cities in India according to a study conducted by Assocham Placement Pattern, Lucknow's economy was formerly based on the tertiary sector and the majority of the workforce were employed as government servants. Large-scale industrial establishments are few compared to other north Indian state capitals like New Delhi. Currently the economy is growing with contributions from the fields of IT, manufacturing and processing and medical/bio-technology. Business-promoting institutions such as the CII and EDII have set up their service centers in the city.

Lucknow is a growing IT hub with various software and IT companies resident in the city. Tata Consultancy Services is one of the major companies with its campus in Gomti Nagar, which also is the second largest such establishment in Uttar Pradesh. There are many local open source technology companies such as Medma Infomatix. The city is also home to a number of important national and state level headquarters for companies including Sony Corporation and Reliance Retail. A sprawling 100 acres (40 ha) IT city is planned by the state government at the Chak Ganjaria farms site on the road to Sultanpur and they have already approved SEZ status to the project, which is expected to create thousands of job opportunities in the state.

The city has enormous potential in the handicrafts sector and accounts for 60% of total exports from the state. Major export items are marble products, handicrafts, art pieces, gems, jewellery, textiles, electronics, software products, computers, hardware products, apparel, brass products, silk, leather goods, glass items and chemicals. Lucknow has promoted public‐private partnerships in a major way in sectors such as electricity supply, roads, expressways, and educational ventures.

To promote the textile industry in the city, the Indian Government has allocated Rs.200 crore ($2000 million) rupees to set up a textile business cluster in the city.

Government and politics

Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha

As the seat of the government of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is the site of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, the Allahabad High Court and numerous government departments and agencies.

Since 1 May 1963, Lucknow has been the headquarters of the Central Command of the Indian Army, before which it was the headquarters of Eastern Command.

The city spans an area stretching from the Mohanlalganj (Lok Sabha constituency) in the south to Bakshi Ka Talab in the north and Kakori in the east. Lucknow Urban Agglomeration (LUA) includes Lucknow Municipal Corporation and Lucknow Cantonment with executive power vested in the municipal commissioner of Lucknow, who is an administrative officer. The corporation comprises elected members (corporators elected from the wards directly by the people) with the city mayor as its head. An assistant municipal commissioner oversees each ward for administrative purposes. The city elects members to the Lok Sabha as well as the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha (State Assembly). As of 2008, there were 110 wards in the city. Morphologically, three clear demarcations exist; the Central business district, which is a fully built up area, comprises Hazratganj, Aminabad and Chowk A middle zone surrounds the inner zone with cement houses while the outer zone consists of slums. Lucknow has two Lok Sabha Constituencies Lucknow and Mohanlalganj and nine Vidhan Sabha constituencies. The current chief minister of the state for the 2012 Vidhan Sabha is Shri Akhilesh Yadav.

Lucknow falls under the jurisdiction of a district collector, who is an IAS officer. Collectors are in charge of property records and revenue collection for the central government, and oversee the national elections held in the city. The collector is also responsible for maintaining law and order in the city.

The police are headed by a deputy inspector general, who is an IPS officer, and come under the authority of the state Home Ministry. Each of the several police zones and traffic police zones is headed by a deputy inspector general of police. The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Lucknow Police while the Lucknow Fire Brigade department is headed by the Chief Fire Officer, who is assisted by a Deputy Chief Fire Officers and Divisional Officers. Former Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee was a member of Parliament for the Lucknow Parliamentary constituency until 2009, when he was replaced by Lalji Tandon. Rajnath Singh replaced Tandon in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014.

The Commission of Railway Safety of India, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has its head office in the Northeast Railway Compound in Lucknow.

Transport

Roads

View of National Highway 24

Four Indian National Highways originate at Lucknow's Hazratganj intersection: NH-24 to Delhi, NH-24B to Allahabad, NH-25 to Shivpuri via Jhansi, NH-56 to Varanasi and NH-28 to Barauni. Multiple modes of public transport are available such as taxis, city buses, cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws and compressed natural gas (CNG) low floor buses with and without air conditioning. CNG was introduced as an auto fuel to keep air pollution under control. Radio Taxis are operated by two companies: Flashcab and MyCab. They can be arranged by phone or at taxi stands.

City buses

See also: Lucknow Mahanagar Parivahan Sewa

An AC Tata Marcopolo bus

Lucknow city's bus service is operated by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), a public sector passenger road transport corporation headquartered in MG road. It has 300 CNG buses operating in the city out of an overall fleet of 9500. There are around 35 routes in the city. Terminals for city buses are located in Gudamba, Virajkhand, Alambagh, Scooter India, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Babu Banarasi Das University, Pasi qila, Charbagh, Andhe Ki Chowki and the Budheshwar Intersection. There are four bus depots in Gomti Nagar, Charbagh, Amausi, and Dubagga.

Inter-state buses

See also: Kanpur Lucknow Roadways Service

The major Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Inter-state Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Alambagh provides the main inter and intra-state bus lines in Lucknow. Located on National Highway 25, it provides adequate services to ongoing and incoming customers. There is a smaller bus station at Qaiserbagh. The bus terminal formally operated at Charbagh, in front of the main railway station, has now been re-established as a city bus depot. This decision was taken by the state government and UPSRTC to decongest traffic in the railway station area. Kanpur Lucknow Roadways Service is a key service for daily commuters who travel back and forth to the city for business and educational purposes. Air conditioned "Royal Cruiser" buses manufactured by Volvo are operated by UPSRTC for inter state bus services. Main cities served by the UPSRTC intrastate bus service are Allahabad, Varanasi, Jaipur, Agra, Delhi, Gorakhpur. The cities outside Uttar Pradesh that are covered by inter-state bus services are Jaipur, New Delhi, Gwalior, Bharatpur, Singrauli, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Dausa, Ajmer, Dehradun and Haridwar.

Railways

See also: Lucknow–Kanpur Suburban Railway and Barabanki-Lucknow Suburban Railway

Charbagh Railway Station in Lucknow, zonal headquarters of the Northern Railway

Lucknow is served by several railway stations in different parts of the city. The main long-distance railway station is Lucknow Railway Station located at Charbagh. It has an imposing structure built in 1923 and acts as the divisional headquarters of the Northern Railway division. Its neighbouring and second major long-distance railway station is Lucknow Junction railway station operated by the North Eastern Railway. The city is an important junction with links to all major cities of the state and country such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jammu, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur and Siwan. The city has a total of fourteen railway stations with meter gauge services originating at Aishbagh and connecting to Lucknow city, Daliganj and Mohibullapur. Except for Mohibullapur, all stations are connected to broad gauge and metre gauge railways. All stations lie within the city limits and are well interconnected by bus services and other public road transport. Suburban stations include Bakshi Ka Talab and Kakori. The Lucknow–Kanpur Suburban Railway was started in 1867 to cater for the needs of commuters travelling between Lucknow and Kanpur. Trains running on this service also stop at numerous stations at different locations in the city forming a suburban rail network.

Air transport

Terminal-2 of CCS International Airport, Lucknow.

Direct air connections are available in Lucknow to New Delhi, Patna, Calcutta, Mumbai, Varanasi, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, and other major cities via CCS International airport. The airport is suitable for all-weather operations and provides parking facilities up to 50 aircraft. At present, Air India, Air India Express, Jetlite, Jet Air, GoAir, IndiGo, Saudi Airlines, Flydubai, Oman Air and SpiceJet operate domestic and international flights to and from Lucknow. Covering 1,187 acres (480 ha) with Terminal-1 for international flights and Terminal-2 for domestic flights, the airport can handle Boeing 767 to Boeing 747-400 aircraft allowing significant passenger and cargo traffic. International destinations include Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah, Dammam, Jeddah.

Metro

Construction plans for a mass rapid transit system, the Lucknow Metro and Monorail Service were finalised in December 2013 by Delhi Metro Rail (DMRC). Collection of soil samples for metro construction began on 5 August 2009 and was completed in September the same year. The report concluded that the soil condition was feasible for metro rail. The decision to go ahead with the project was taken in the Uttar Pradesh state budget debate for 2013–14. In February, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav gave approval to set up a metro rail system for the state capital. It is divided into two corridors with the North-South corridor connecting Munshipulia to CCS International Airport and the East-West corridor connecting Charbagh Railway Station to Vasant Kunj. This will be the most expensive public transport system in the state, but will provide a rapid means of mass transport to decongest traffic on city roads. Construction of the first phase will be completed by 2016–17.

Demographics

Old Lucknow, one of the most densely populated areas in Lucknow city

Religions in Lucknow
Religion			Percent
Hindus			78.2%
Muslims			20.52%
Christians			0.34%
Others†			2.16%
Distribution of religions †Includes Sikhs (0.2%), Buddhists (<0.2%).

The population of Lucknow Urban Agglomeration (LUA) rose above one million in 1981 while the 2001 census estimated it had risen to 2.24 million. This included about 60,000 people in the Lucknow Cantonment and the 21.8 million in Lucknow city and represented an increase of 34.53 percent over the 1991 figure.

As reported by the Census of India 2011 Lucknow city had a population of 2,815,601 of which 1,470,133 were men and 1,345,468 women This was an increase of 25.36 percent compared to the 2001 figures.

Between 1991 and 2001 the district population registered growth of 32.03 percent, significantly lower than the 37.14 percent which was registered between 1981 and 1991. The initial provisional data for the district suggests a population density of 1,815 per km² in 2011 compared to 1,443 in 2001. Although the total area covered by the Lucknow district is only about 2,528 square kilometres (976 sq mi), the population density was much above that of the 690 persons per  km² recorded at state level. The Scheduled Caste population of the state represented 21.3 percent of the total population, a figure higher that the state average of 21.15 percent.

Over 36.37 percent of the total population reside in rural areas leaving barely around 63.3 percent composed of urbanites. These were, however, high figures when compared to the state as whole, where urban population only constituted around 21% of the total population. The sex ratio in Lucknow city stood at 915 females per 1000 males in 2011 compared to 2001 census figure of 888. The average national sex ratio in India is 940 according to the Census 2011 Directorate.

The city also boasts a total literacy level of 84.72% compared to 56.3% for Uttar Pradesh as a whole. Average literacy rate for the Lucknow district in 2011 was 77.29% compared to 68.71% in 2001 with male and female rates at 87.81% and 81.36% respectively. For the district as a whole, the rate was 82.56% for males and 71.54% for females. The same figures stood at 75.98% and 60.47% in 2001. In Lucknow city the total literate population totalled 2,147,564 people of which 1,161,250 were male and 986,314 female. There has been a marked improvement in the literacy rate in the district as compared to 1991. Despite the fact that the overall work participation rate in the district (32.24%) is higher than the state average (23.7%), the rate among females in Lucknow is very low at only 5.6 percent and shows a decline from the 1991 figure of 5.9 percent.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Lucknow

Cityscape

Lucknow skyline at night as seen from Ambedkar Memorial park in Gomti Nagar

Bada Imambara

Chhota Imambara

Jama Masjid near Hussainabad, Lucknow

Lucknow's buildings show different styles of architecture with the majority built during British or Mughal rule. More than half of these buildings lie in the old part of the city. The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department organizes a "Heritage Walk" for tourists covering the popular monuments. Among the extant architecture there are religious buildings such as Imambaras, mosques and other Islamic shrines as well as secular structures such as enclosed gardens, baradaris, and palace complexes.

Bara Imambara in Hussainabad is a colossal edifice built in 1784 by the then Nawab of Lucknow, Asaf-ud-Daula. It was originally built to provide assistance to people affected by the deadly famine, which struck the whole of Uttar Pradesh in the same year. It is the largest hall in Asia without any external support from wood, iron or stone beams. The monument required approximately 22,000 labourers duing construction.

The 60 feet (18 m) tall Rumi Darwaza, built by Nawab Asaf-ud-daula (r. 1775-1797) in 1784, served as the entrance to the city of Lucknow. It is also known as the Turkish Gateway, as it was erroneously thought to be identical to the gateway at Constantinople. The edifice provides the west entrance to the Great Imambara and is embellished with lavish decorations.

Styles of architectures from various cultures can be seen in the historical places of Lucknow. The University of Lucknow shows a huge inspiration from the European style while Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture is prominently present in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha building and Charbagh Railway station. Dilkusha Kothi is the remains of a palace constructed by the British resident Major Gore Ouseley around 1800 and showcases an example of English Baroque architecture. It served as a hunting lodge for the Nawab of Awadhs and as a summer resort.

The Chattar Manzil, which served as the palace for the rulers of Awadh and their wives is topped by an umbrella-like dome and so named on account of Chattar being the Hindi word for "umbrella".

Lal Baradari

Opposite Chattar Manzil stands the 'Lal Baradari' built by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan I between 1789 and 1814. It functioned as a throne room at coronations for the royal courts. The building is now used as a museum and contains delicately executed portraits of men who played major roles in the administration of the kingdom of Oudh.

Another example of mixed architectural styles is La Martiniere College, which shows a fusion of Indian and European ideas. It was built by Major-General Claude Martin who was born in Lyon and died in Lucknow on 13 September 1800. Originally named "Constantia", the ceilings of the building are domed with no wooden beams used for construction. Glimpses of Gothic architecture can also be seen in the college building.

Lucknow's Asafi Imambara exhibits vaulted halls as its architectural speciality.

Sculpture of a lion in the La Martiniere College building.

The Bara Imambara, Chhota Imambara and Rumi Darwaza stand in testament to the city's Nawabi mixture of Mughlai and Turkish style of architecture while La Martiniere college bears witness to the Indo-European style. Even the new buildings are fashioned using characteristic domes and pillars, and at night these illuminated monuments become the city's main attractions.

Around Hazratganj, the city's main market, there is a fusion of old and modern architecture. It has a multi-level parking lot in place of an old and dilapidated police station making way for extending the corridors into well-aligned pebbled pathways, adorned with piazzas, green areas and wrought-iron Tall, beautifully crafted cast-iron lamp-posts, reminiscent of the Victorian era, flank both sides of the street.

Culture

See also: Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb

In common with other metropolitan cities across India, Lucknow is multicultural and home to people who use different dialects and languages. Many of the cultural traits and customs peculiar to Lucknow have become living legends today. The credit for this goes to the secular and syncretic traditions of the Nawabs of Awadh, who took a keen interest in every walk of life, and encouraged these traditions to attain a rare degree of sophistication. Modern day Lucknowites are known for their polite and polished way of speaking which is noticed by visitors. The residents of Lucknow call themselves Lucknowites or Lakhnavi.

Language and poetry

Although the city's primary official language is Hindi, the most commonly spoken language is colloquial Hindustani. Indian English is also well understood and is widely used for business and administrative purposes, as a result of India's British heritage and Commonwealth tradition, as well as globalisation. The Urdu language is also a part of Lucknowi culture and heritage. It is mostly used by wealthier families, the remaining members of the royal family as well as in Urdu poetry and on public signs. The government has taken many innovative steps to promote Urdu. Awadhi, a dialect of the Hindi dialect continuum, has played an important role in Lucknow's history and is still used in the city's rural areas and by the urban population on the streets.

Historically, Lucknow was considered one of the great centres of Muslim culture. Two poets, Mir Babar Ali Anis and Mirza Dabeer, became legendary exponents of a unique genre of Muslim elegiacal poetry called marsiya centred on Imam Husain's supreme sacrifice in the Battle of Karbala, which is commemorated during the annual observance of Muharram.

The revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, who was hanged by the British at Gorakhpur jail, was largely influenced by the culture of Lucknow and remembered its name in his poetry. Surrounding towns such as Kakori, Daryabad, Fatehpur, Barabanki, Rudauli and Malihabad produced many eminent Urdu poets and litterateurs including Mohsin Kakorvi, Majaz, Khumar Barabankvi and Josh Malihabadi.

Cuisine

Main articles: Awadhi cuisine, Mughlai cuisine, and Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh

Kebabs are an important part of Uttar Pradesh's cuisine. Lucknow is known for its galawat ke kawab

The Awadh region has its own distinct "Nawabi" style cuisine. The best known dishes of this area consist of various kinds of biryanis, kebabs and breads. Kebabs are served in a variety of styles – kakori, galawati , shami, boti, patili-ke, ghutwa and seekh are among the available varieties. The Tunde ke kabab restaurant has operated for more than a century and is the most popular source of kebabs. The acclaim of Lucknow's kebabs is not limited to the local population and the dish attracts people not only from other cities but also from other countries.

Festivals

Common Indian Festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Durga Puja, Vijayadashami are celebrated with great pomp and show in the city. Some of the other festivals or processions are as follows:

• Lucknow Mahotsav

Muharram procession in Lucknow, January 2007

Lucknow Mahotsava (Lucknow Festival) is organised every year to showcase Uttar Pradesh art and culture and to promote tourism. With 1975–76 designated South Asian Tourism Year, Lucknow took the opportunity to promote the city's art, culture and tourism to national and international tourists. The first Lucknow Festival was staged as a part of this promotion and ever since, with some exceptions, Lucknow Mahotsava has taken place annually.

• Muharram

Main article: Azadari in Lucknow

Lucknow is known as a seat of Shia Islam and the epitome of Shia culture in India. All communities including the Hindus, observe Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar and on Ashura (the 10th day of the month) celebrate the memory of Imam Husain, grandson of the prophet Muhammad who sacrificed his life to uphold the principles of humanity in face of tyranny.

Muharram processions in Lucknow have a special significance and began during the reign of the Awadh Nawabs.

Processions such as Shahi Zarih, Jaloos-e-Mehndi, Alam-e-Ashura and Chup Tazia had special significance for the Shia community and were effected with great religious zeal and fervour until in 1977 the government of Uttar Pradesh banned public Azadari processions. For the following twenty years, processions and gatherings took place in private or community spaces including Talkatora karbala, Bara Imambara (Imambara Asifi), Chota Imambara (Imambara Husainabad), Dargah Hazrat Abbas, Shah Najaf and Imambara Ghufran Ma'ab. The ban was partially lifted in 1997 and Shias were successful in taking out the first Azadari procession in January 1998 on the 21st of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month. The Shias are authorised to stage nine processions out of the nine hundred that are listed in the festival register of the Shias.

• Chup Tazia

The Chup Tazia procession originated in Lucknow before spreading to other parts of South Asia. Dating back to the era of the Nawabs, it was started by Nawab Ahmed Ali Khan Sahukat Yar Jung a descendent of Bahu Begum. It has become one of the most important Azadari processions in Lucknow and one of the nine permitted by the government. This last mourning procession takes place on the morning of the 8th of Rabi' al-awwal, the third Muslim month and includes alam (flags), zari^{[needs translation]} and a ta'zieh (an imitation of the mausolems of Karbala). It originates at the Imambara Nazim Saheb in Victoria Street then moves in complete silence through Patanala until it terminates at the Karbala Kazmain, where the colossal black ta'zieh is buried.

Dance, drama and music

A dancer posing during a kathak dance sequence. The dance has its origins in Northern India and especially Lucknow

The classical Indian dance form Kathak took shape in Lucknow. Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was a great patron and a passionate champion of Kathak. Lachhu Maharaj, Acchchan Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj and Birju Maharaj have kept this tradition alive.

Lucknow is also the home city of the eminent ghazal singer Begum Akhtar. A pioneer of the style, "Ae Mohabbat Tere anjaam pe rona aaya" is one of her best known musical renditions. Bhatkande Music Institute University at Lucknow is named after the musician Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts (BNA), also known as Bhartendu Natya Academy, is a theatre training institute situated at Gomti Nagar. It is a deemed university and an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh. It was set up in 1975 by the Sangeet Natak Akademy (Government of Uttar Pradesh), and became an independent drama school in 1977. Apart from government institutes, there are many private theatre groups including IPTA, Theatre Arts Workshop (TAW), Darpan, Manchkriti and the largest youth theatre group, Josh. This is a group for young people to experience theatre activities, workshops and training.

Lucknow is also the birthplace of musicians including Naushad, Talat Mahmood, Anup Jalota and Baba Sehgal as well as British pop celebrity Sir Cliff Richard.

Lucknow Chikan

Lucknow is known for embroidery works including chikankari, zari, zardozi, kamdani, and gota making (goldlace weaving).

Chikankari is a popular embroidery work well known all over India. This 400-year-old art in its present form was developed in Lucknow and it remains the only location where the skill is practised today. Chikankari constitutes 'shadow work' and is a very delicate and artistic hand embroidery done using white thread on fine white cotton cloth such as fine muslin or chiffon. Yellowish muga silk is sometimes used in addition to the white thread. The work is done on caps, kurtas, saris, scarfs and other vestments.

The chikan industry, almost unknown under the Nawabs, has not only survived but is flourishing. About 2,500 entrepreneurs are engaged in manufacturing chikan for sale in local, national and international markets with Lucknow the largest exporter of chikan embroidered garments.

As a sign of recognition, in December 2008, the Indian Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) accorded Geographical Indication (GI) status for chikankari, recognising Lucknow as the exclusive hub for its manufacture.

Education

See also: List of educational institutions in Lucknow

Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow

La Martiniere College

Central Drug Research Institute

Lucknow is home to a number of educational and research organisations including IIM Lucknow, Central Drug Research Institute, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, National Botanical Research Institute, IET Lucknow, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences and King George's Medical University.

Educational institutions in the city include seven universities, a Central University, a technical university and a large number of polytechnics, engineering institutes and industrial training institutes. Other research organisations in the state include the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, established in 1996, is a central university in India.

Lucknow is home to IIM Lucknow, an autonomous public business school established by Government of India and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, one of India's National Law Schools. Some of Uttar Pradesh's major schools are located in Lucknow including Mount Carmel College, Colvin Taluqdars' College, St. Francis' College, Loreto Convent Lucknow, La Martiniere Lucknow, Bal Vidya Mandir, Lucknow, Lucknow Public School and City Montessori School, the only school in the world to hold a Guinness World Record and have been awarded a UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.

The prestigious National P.G. College, affiliated to the University of Lucknow is ranked as the second best college imparting formal education in the country by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

Media

Entertainment and films

Lucknow has had an influence on the Hindi film industry as the birthplace of poet, dialogue writer and script writer K. P. Saxena along with veteran Bollywood and Bengali film actor Pahari Sanyal, who came from the city's well known Sanyal family. Several movies have used Lucknow as their backdrop including Shashi Kapoor's Junoon, Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan and Gaman, Satyajit Ray's Shatranj ke khiladi. Ismail Merchant's Shakespeare Wallah and PAA.

In Gadar: Ek Prem Katha Lucknow was used to depict Pakistan, with locations including Lal Pul, the Taj Hotel and the Rumi Darwaza used in Tanu Weds Manu. Some parts of Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, Bullett Raja, Ishaqzaade Ya Rab and Dabangg 2 were shot in Lucknow or at other sites nearby. A major section of the Bollywood movie, Daawat-e-Ishq starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Parineeti Chopra was shot in the city as was Baawre, an Indian TV drama, airing on the Life OK channel.

Press

The Pioneer newspaper, headquartered in Lucknow and started in 1865, is the second oldest English language newspaper in India still in production. The country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru founded The National Herald in the city prior to World War II with Manikonda Chalapathi Rau as its editor.

Prominent English language dailies are The Times of India, North India Times, Hindustan Times, The Pioneer and The Indian Express. Several newspapers in Hindi and Urdu are also published daily. Hindi papers include Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Dainik Hindustan, Rashtriya Sahara, Jansatta, I Next and Swatantra Bharat while the main Urdu papers are The Inquilab, Rozanama Rashtriya Sahara, Sahafat, Avadhnama, Qaumi Khabrein, Aag" Roznama Urdu and Subahnama Urdu

The Press Trust of India and United News of India have offices in the city and all major Indian newspapers have correspondents and stringers based locally.

Radio

Logo of 93.5 Red FM

One of the earliest All India Radio stations has been operational in Lucknow since 1938

FM radio transmission started in Lucknow in 2000. The city has the following FM radio stations:

• Radio City 91.1 MHz
• Red FM 93.5 MHz
• Radio Mirchi 98.3 MHz
• AIR FM Rainbow 100.7 MHz
• Gyan Vani 105.6 MHz (Educational)
• CMS FM 90.4 MHz (Educational)

Internet

The city has broadband internet connectivity and video conferencing facilities. Major companies such as Sify, BSNL, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Tata Communications, Aircel, Vodafone, uninor, Idea, Tikona, Hathway and STPI have created a wide infrastructure to provide such services.

Sports

K. D. Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow

File:Uttar Pradesh Wizards Logo.jpg

Logo of Uttar Pradesh Wizards

For decades Lucknow hosted the prestigious Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament. Today cricket, association football, badminton, golf and hockey are among the most popular sports in the city.

With a good record in modern sports, the city has produced several national and world-class sporting personalities. Lucknow sports hostel has produced international-level cricketers such as Mohammad Kaif, Piyush Chawla, Anurag Singh, Suresh Raina, Gyanendra Pandey, Praveen Kumar and R. P. Singh. Other notable sports personalities include hockey Olympians K. D. Singh, Jaman Lal Sharma, Mohammed Shahid and Ghaus Mohammad, the tennis player who became the first Indian to reach the quarter finals at Wimbledon.

Lucknow Race Course in Lucknow Cantonment is spread over 70.22 acres (28.42 ha); the course's 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) long race track is the longest in India.

The main sports hub is the K. D. Singh Babu Stadium, which also has a world-class swimming pool and indoor games complex. The other stadiums are Dhyan Chand Astroturf Stadium, Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta Stadium at Northern India Engineering College, Babu Banarsi Das UP Badminton Academy, Charbagh, Mahanagar, Chowk and the Sports College near the Integral University.

Lucknow Golf Club, on the sprawling greens of La Martinière College, is a well-known golf course while an international-level cricket stadium and academy project in the city is under construction in Gomti Nagar.

City-based clubs

Club	Sport	League	Stadium	Founded
Awadhe Warriors	Badminton	Indian Badminton League	Babu Banarasi Das U.P. Badminton Academy	2013
Uttar Pradesh Wizards	Field hockey	Hockey India League	Dhyan Chand Astroturf Stadium	2012

Parks and recreation

• 
  Pratibimb Sthal
• 
  Ambedkar Stupa Night view
• 
  Way to the Elephant Gallery
• 
  Ambedkar Udyaan Lucknow Left Dome
• 
  Night View of the Ambedkar Memorial at Lucknow
• 
  Kanshiram smarak Lucknow
• 
  Bhimrao Ambedkar Park

The city has various parks and recreation areas managed by the Lucknow Development Authority. These include Kukrail Reserve Forest and the surrounding picnic area, Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, Gautam Buddha Park, Qaisar Bagh, Rumi Park, Nimbu Park, Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel Park, Dream Valley Resort, Swarn Jayanti Smriti Vihar Park, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Park, the Ambedkar Memorial and Janeshwar Mishra park.

• Ambedkar Memorial is a park in the Gomti Nagar area and a memorial to Jyotiba Phule, Narayan Guru, Shahuji Maharaj, Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram. It was constructed by Mayawati, the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh during the regime of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The entire memorial was built using red sandstone brought from Rajasthan at an estimated cost of seven billion rupees. It is located in Gomti Nagar, which is the largest planned residential colony in India.
• Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Park is a jogging park and recreational spot in Gomti Nagar. The park has a long track for jogging and a boating facility on its artificial lake. Between six and seven in the morning, recitals of vocal and instrumental music take place in the park, which also offers a free fitness zone covering an area of over 300 square metres (3,200 sq ft) for daily joggers.
• Swarn Jayanti Smriti Vihar Park is a jogging and recreational park located in Indira Nagar near the Khurram Nagar intersection on the Ring Road. The park houses a jogging track more than 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length as well as various swings for children.

Shopping and shopping-centres

Hazratganj is an upmarket shopping area in Lucknow city.

Janpath Market Street in the city

Lucknow features a large number of shopping-centres and markets/bazaars. Hazratganj is a major shopping area situated in the heart of the city, which is home to bazaars, retail complexes, restaurants, hotels, theatres and offices.
Major shopping markets are also found in Yahiyaganj, Aminabad, Kapoorthala, Janpath, Chowk, Bhootnath and Gomti Nagar.

Shopping mall in various parts of the city include:

Name	Location	Year	Size (Gross Leasable Area)	Source
Walmart Best Price Store	Sushant Golf City, Amar Shaheed Path		600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2)
Phoenix United Mall	NH 25, LDA Colony	2010	600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2)
Fun Republic	Gomti Nagar	2007	970,000 sq ft (90,000 m2)
Wave Mall	Gomti Nagar	2004	314,500 sq ft (29,220 m2)
Riverside mall	Gomti Nagar	2008	300,000 sq ft (28,000 m2)
Sahara Ganj Mall	Hazratganj	2005	900,000 sq ft (84,000 m2)
Gardens Galleria Mall	Rae Bareli Road, South City	2012	500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2)
Ratan Square	LalBagh	2011	200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2)
Shopping Square	Sushant Golf City	2012
Essar Mall	Rajajipuram	2011
City Mall	Gomti Nagar

Lucknow is also famous for its jewellery and ornament shops.

Notable Individuals

See also: List of people from Lucknow

• Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, Param Vir Chakra winner during the Kargil War
• Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, Nobel Prize winner (2007)
• Neelesh Misra, radio storyteller and award winning journalist
• Kushal Tandon, actor
• Anup Jalota, Indian classical singer and musician
• Manoj Bhargava, US based entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Kalbe Jawad, Shia leader
• Intezar Ahmed Abidi, Shia leader and former minister, Uttar Pradesh
• Mirza Hameedullah Beg, Indian jurist
• Saleem Kidwai, professor and author
• Cliff Richard, British pop singer
• Muzaffar Ali, film maker
• Dinesh Patel, former MLB pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Rinku Singh, former MLB pitcher, signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Abbas Khan, TV actor
• Subrata Roy, founder and chairman of conglomerate Sahara India Pariwar
• Javed Akhtar, lyricist and scriptwriter
• Wajahat Mirza, screen writer, dialogue writer and director
• Naushad, composer and music director
• Naresh Trehan, cardiologist
• Talat Mahmood, ghazal singer
• Birju Maharaj, kathak dancer
• Nadira Babbar, dramatist
• Mir Taqi Mir, poet
• Baba Sehgal, singer and actor
• Talat Mahmood, playback singer
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India who represented Lucknow in the Indian Parliament
• Kaifi Azmi, Urdu poet
• Raj Bisaria, founder of the Hindi Theatre Movement and founder-director of Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts

List of historical places

• Bara Imambara
• Chhota Imambara
• Imambara Ghufran Ma'ab
• La Martiniere Lucknow
• Qaisar Bagh
• Rumi Darwaza
• Shah Najaf Imambara
• Dargah of Hazrat Abbas
• Dilkusha Kothi
• Karbala of Dayanat-ud-Daulah
• Mir Babar Ali Anis ka maqbara
• Imambara Sibtainabad (Maqbara of Amjad Ali Shah)
• Rauza Kazmain
• Residency
• Talkatora Karbala

See also

• List of twin towns and sister cities in India

• List of tallest buildings in Lucknow

External links

• Media related to Lucknow at Wikimedia Commons
• Lucknow travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Lucknow at Curlie
• Official Site of Lucknow
• The India of the Nawabs, The New York Times, Published: 25 February 1990
• Local News of Lucknow
• History Of Lucknow
• Lucknow History and Origin

Further reading

• Poorno Chunder Mookherji (1883). The Pictorial Lucknow. P.C. Mookherji.
• Veena Talwar Oldenburg (1984). The Making of Colonial Lucknow, 1856–1877. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-06590-8.
• Violette Graff (November 13, 1997). Lucknow : Memories of a City. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-563790-8.
• Amaresh Misra (1998). Lucknow, Fire of Grace: The Story of its Renaissance, Revolution and the Aftermath. HarperCollins Publishers India. ISBN 978-81-7223-288-7.
• Rosie Llewellyn-Jones; Ravi Kapoor (2003). Lucknow, Then and Now. Marg Publications. ISBN 978-81-85026-61-9.
• Rosie Llewellyn-Jones (2006). Lucknow: City of Illusion. Prestel Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7913-3130-0.