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LucknowLucknow is the capital city of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It had a population of 2,207,340 in 2001. It has a literacy rate of 68.63%. It is the second largest urban centre in Uttar Pradesh after Kanpur. Language Lucknow is the second most important centre of Urdu. Both Hindi and Urdu are spoken in Lucknow but Urdu has been the lingua franca here for centuries. Under the rule of Nawabs, Urdu flourished and turned into one of the most refined languages. Hindu and Muslim poets like Aatish, Nasikh, Daya Shankar Naseem, Musahafi, Insha and the great Meer Taqi Meer took Urdu poetry to dizzy heights. The two great poets, Anees and Dabeer, became legendary exponents of a unique genre 'marsiya'. The great revolutionary Ram Prasad Bimsil who was hanged by the British at Kakori near Lucknow was hugely influenced with poetry and wrote versed under the pseudonym of Bismil. The towns like Kakori, Daryabad, Rudauli and Malhibad produced innumerable poets and litterateurs of Urdu like Mohsin Kakorvi, Majaz Lucknowi, Josh Malihabadi and Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi. Though after partition, the gentry that spoke Urdu migrated to Pakistan in large numbers and Hindi got the patronage of state governments, Urdu and Lucknow remain synonymous. History Lucknow's history begins with its elevation to a capital city under the Nawabs of Awadh. The architectural contributions of the Awadh rulers, many paintings of whom are maintained at the Art Gallery today, include numerous mosques and palaces. Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chhota Imambara, and the Roomi Darwaza are notable examples, although neglect by the authorities has put them in danger of turning into ruins. The province of Awadh (anglicized to Oudh) was annexed by the British rulers of India in 1856. In the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the garrison based at the Residency in Lucknow was besieged by rebel forces. 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 picturesque Shaheed Smarak offer reminiscences of Lucknow's role in the Mutiny. Other architectural delights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Parliament) and the railway station at Charbagh with its yellow domes and pillars. One of the oldest schools in the world is also situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere, founded by the bequest of the immensely successful colonial enterpreneur Claude Martin (1735 - 1800). In and around the city Lucknow's airport is located around 20 km outside the city at Amausi. Locations of interest around Lucknow include Kukrail (a picnic spot and crocodile sanctuary), Malihabad (home of the famed Dashahri mangoes), Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Mirzapur. Lucknow is also home to the Central Drug Research Institute, the King George's Medical College (now King George's Medical University), Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotony and the National Botanical Research Institute. Chikan, an embroidered handicraft which has traditionally been associated with Lucknow, and Lakhnawi Zardozi are important small-scale industries around Lucknow. Old Lucknow's Chowk area is the location where the maximum number of Chikan shops can be found. Apart from clothing, the Chowk area is also famous for its mouth watering sweets like Malai Gilauri, Badam Halwa and Ras-Malai, as well as the famed Chatpati chaat. Aminabad, a bazaar quite like Delhi's Chandni Chowk, is situated in the heart of the city and is a large shopping centre, catering to a wide variety of consumers. The Hazratganj area is another hub of activity, and a number of government and administrative buildings are located there. Kakori, 14 km from Lucknow is a unique place. It is famous for train dacoity during independence movement and the memorial of the martyrs of freedom is located here. The town has a predominantly Muslim population and in 19th century had the highest percentage of civil servants in the country compared to any other place in British India. The town that is located in Mango belt has three dozen mosques and umpteen huge havelis besides being the seat of the Qadiria Qalandaria Sufi order. The Alavis of Kakori are renowned for preserving the most refined and uncorrupted Urdu. The Kakori kebabs are a delicacy famous across the world. Dilkusha Garden, Residency and Bhul Bhulaiya (meaning labyrinth) are the famous historical monuments at Lucknow. Lucknow is famous for culinary delights, including "malai makkhan" (flavored whipped cream) and "Tundey Kababs". External links
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