About Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh,
the most populous state of India. Lucknow had a
population of 4,589,838 in 2011. Lucknow is also the administrative
headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow
Division. According to Government of India, the
Lucknow district is one of the ninety Minority
Concentrated Districts in India, shown by 2011
census data on population, socio-economic
indicators and basic amenities indicators.
Located in what was historically known as the
Awadh region, Lucknow has always been a
multicultural city. Courtly manners, beautiful
gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine
patronized by the Persian-loving Shia Nawabs of
the city are well known amongst Indians and
students of South Asian culture and history.
Lucknow is popularly known as the The City of
Nawabs. It is also known as the Golden City of
the East, Shiraz-i-Hind and The Constantinople
of India.
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was formed
at the Lucknow session of the Indian National
Congress in April 11, 1936 with the legendary
nationalist Swami Sahajanand Saraswati elected
as its first President,[2] in order to mobilise
peasant grievances against the zamindari attacks
on their occupancy rights, and thus sparking the
Farmers' movement in India.
Today, Lucknow is a vibrant city that is
witnessing an economic boom and is among the top
ten fastest growing metro cities of India and is
the second largest city of east, north & central
India after Delhi. Straddling across the river
Gomti, modern Lucknow is a bustling metropolis.
The current spate of activity witnessed in the
city is It is a centre of Hindi and Urdu
literature .
History
After 1350 AD the Lucknow and parts of Awadh
region have been under the rule of the Delhi
Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, the Nawabs of
Awadh, the East India Company and the British
Raj. Lucknow has been one of the major centers
of First War of Independence, participated
actively in India's Independence movement, and
after Independence has emerged as an important
city of North India.
Until 1719, subah of Awadh was a province of
the Mughal Empire administered by a Governor
appointed by the Emperor. Saadat Khan also
called Burhan-ul-Mulk a Persian adventurer was
appointed the Nazim of Awadh in 1722 and he
established his court in Faizabad [7] near
Lucknow.
Awadh was known as the granary of India and
was important strategically for the control of
the Doab, the fertile plain between the Ganga
and the Yamuna rivers. It was a wealthy kingdom,
able to maintain its independence against
threats from the Marathas, the British and the
Afghans. The third Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula fell
out with the British after aiding Mir Qasim, the
fugitive Nawab of Bengal. He was comprehensively
defeated in the Battle of Buxar by the East
India Company, after which he was forced to pay
heavy penalties and cede parts of his territory.
The British appointed a resident in 1773, and
over time gained control of more territory and
authority in the state. They were disinclined to
capture Awadh outright, because that would bring
them face to face with the Marathas and the
remnants of the Mughal Empire.
Lucknow's rise to growth and fame begins with
its elevation as capital of Awadh by Nawab
Asaf-Ud-Dowlah. He was a great philanthropist
and gave Lucknow a unique and enduring legacy.
The architectural contributions of these Awadh
rulers include several imposing monuments. Of
the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara,
the Chhota Imambara, and the Roomi Darwaza are
notable examples. One of the more lasting
contributions by the Nawabs is the syncretic
composite culture that has come to be known as
the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.
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 to the throne. Saadat Ali Khan
was a puppet king, who in the treaty of 1801
ceded half of Awadh to the British East India
Company and also agreed to disband his troops in
favor of a hugely expensive, British-run army.
This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh
a vassal to the British East India Company,
though it notionally continued to be part of the
Mughal Empire in name until 1819.
The treaty of 1801 formed an arrangement that
was very beneficial to the Company. They were
able to use 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 revenues while
it 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
wanted direct control of Awadh.
In 1856 the East India Company first moved
its troops to the border, then annexed the
state, which was placed under a chief
commissioner - Sir Henry Lawrence. Wajid Ali
Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned, and then
exiled by the Company to Calcutta. In the
subsequent Revolt of 1857 his 14-year old son
Birjis Qadr son of Begum Hazrat Mahal was
crowned ruler, and Sir Henry Lawrence killed in
the hostilities. Following the rebellion's
defeat, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other rebel
leaders obtained asylum in Nepal.
Those company troops who were recruited from
the state, along with some of the nobility of
the state, were major players in the events of
1857. The rebels took control of Awadh, and it
took the British 18 months to reconquer the
region, months which included the famous Siege
of Lucknow. Oudh was placed back under a chief
commissioner, and was governed as a British
province. In 1877 the offices of
lieutenant-governor of the North-Western
Provinces and chief commissioner of Oudh were
combined in the same person; and in 1902, when
the new name of United Provinces of Agra and
Oudh was introduced, the title of chief
commissioner was dropped, though Oudh still
retained some marks of its former independence.
The province of Awadh (anglicized to Oudh)
was annexed by the East India Company in 1856
and placed under the control of a chief
commissioner. In the Indian Rebellion of 1857
(also known as the First War of Indian
Independence and the Indian Mutiny), the
garrison based at the Residency in Lucknow was
besieged by rebel forces. The famous Siege of
Lucknow 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
stirring events of 1857.
The city played an important role in both the
First War of Independence and the modern Indian
freedom struggle. Whether it was the Lucknow
Pact of 1916 or the Khilafat Movement, it
brought the citizens on a united platform
against the British rule. In the Khilafat
Movement Maulana Abdul Bari of Firangi Mahal,
Lucknow actively participated and cooperated
with Mahatama Gandhi and Maulana Mohammad Ali.
In 1901, after staying the capital of Oudh,
since 1775, Lucknow, with a population of
264,049, was merged in the newly formed United
Provinces of Agra and Oudh.[8] However, it
became the provincial capital in 1920 when the
seat of government was moved from Allahabad.
Upon Indian independence in 1947, Lucknow became
the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the erstwhile
United Provinces.
Geography
Situated in the heart of the great Gangetic
plain, Lucknow city is surrounded by its rural
towns and villages like the orchard town of
Malihabad, historic Kakori, Mohanlal ganj,
Gosainganj, Chinhat, Itaunja. On its eastern
side lies Barabanki District, on the western
side is Unnao District, on the southern side
Raebareli District, and on the northern side the
Sitapur and Hardoi districts. The Gomti River,
the chief geographical feature, meanders through
the city, dividing it into the Trans-Gomti and
Cis-Gomti regions. Lucknow city is located in
the seismic zone III.
Climate
Lucknow has a warm subtropical climate with cool, dry
winters from December to February and dry, hot summers
from April to June. The rainy season is from mid-June to
mid-September, when Lucknow gets an average rainfall of
1010 mm (40 in) mostly from the south-west monsoon
winds. In winter the maximum temperature is around 21
degrees Celsius and the minimum is in the 3 to 4 degrees
Celsius range. Fog is quite common from late December to
late January. Summers can be quite hot with temperatures
rising to the 40 to 45 degree Celsius range, the average
highs being in the high 30's.
Demographics
The majority of Lucknow's population includes
people from Eastern Uttar Pradesh. However,
Bengalis, South Indians and Anglo-Indians have
also settled in Lucknow. Hindus comprise about
77% and Muslims about 20%. There are also small
groups of Sikhs, Jains, Christians and
Buddhists. Lucknow is one of the most educated
cities in India with a literacy rate of 82.5%
(78% for females and 89% for males).
Civic administration
Lucknow is the political and administrative
capital of Uttar Pradesh. The city elects
members to the Lok Sabha as well as the Uttar
Pradesh Vidhan Sabha (State Assembly).
The city is under the jurisdiction of a
District Collector, who is an IAS officer. The
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 city is administered by the Lucknow
Municipal Corporation with executive power
vested in the Municipal Commissioner of Lucknow
also called the City Mayor. An Assistant
Municipal Commissioner oversees each ward for
administrative purposes.
The Lucknow Police is headed by a Inspector
General, who is an IPS officer. The Lucknow
Police comes under the state Home Ministry. The
city is divided into several police zones and
traffic police zones, each headed by a Deputy
Inspector General of Police. The Traffic Police
is a semi-autonomous body under the Lucknow
Police. The Lucknow Fire Brigade department is
headed by the Chief Fire Officer, who is
assisted by Deputy Chief Fire Officers and
Divisional Officers.
Former Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayee had been
member of Parliament for the Lucknow
Parliamentary constituency until recently where
he has been replaced by Lalji Tandon in recent
elections held in 2009.
Economy
Lucknow is not only a major market & trading
city in Northern India, but is also an emerging
hub for producers of goods and services. Being
the capital of Uttar Pradesh state, the
Government departments and the public sector
undertakings are the principal employers of the
salaried middle class. Liberalization has
created many more opportunities in the business
and service sector and self-employed
professionals are burgeoning in the city.
Lucknow also provides a good catchment area
for the recruitment of quality personnel by
information technology companies for the BPO
hubs of nearby Noida and Gurgaon as well as for
Bangalore and Hyderabad.
The city is the headquarters of both the
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
and the Pradeshiya Industrial and Investment
Corporation of Uttar Pradesh (PICUP). The
Regional office of the Uttar Pradesh State
Industries Development Corporation (UPSIDC) is
also located here.
The other business-promoting institutions
that have a presence in Lucknow are the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and
Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India
(EDII).
Manufacturing and Processing
Among the bigger manufacturing units, Lucknow
has Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Motors,
Eveready Industries and Scooters India Limited.
Processing industries include milk production,
steel-rolling units and LPG bottling.
The city's small-scale and medium-scale
industrial units are located in the industrial
enclaves of Chinhat, Aishbagh, Talkatora and
Amousi.
Real estate
Real estate is one of the many booming
sectors of the economy. There are several malls,
residential complexes and business complexes
throughout the city. Real estate giants like
Parshvanath, DLF, Omaxe, Sahara, Unitech, Ansal
API are here.
Lucknow is one of the few Indian cities that
follows vertical outgrowth plan like Delhi,
Mumbai, Surat, Gazhiabad. The city boasts
handsome skylines in Gomti Nagar, Hazrat Ganj
and Kapoorthala. Few of the prominent
under-construction buildings are Sahara Hospital
which will have 25 floors followed by Metro
City, Parshvanath Planet and Omaxe Heights. The
city boasts a high property expansion rate. It
is expected that city will have a $2.5 billion
organised real estate by 2010, highest in North
India except the National Capital Region (NCR).
Traditional Trade
Traditionally, Lucknow has been a mandi town
for mangoes, melons, and grains grown in the
surrounding areas. Sugarcane-growing plantations
and sugar industries are also in close
proximity. This attracted Mohan Meakins Brewery
to set up a unit based on molasses in the city.
Meakins was incorporated in 1855 and is Asia's
first commercial brewery.
Lucknow is famous for its small scale
industries that are based on unique styles of
embroidery, namely, Chikan and Lakhnawi Zardozi,
both of which are significant foreign exchange
earners. Chikan has caught the fancy of fashion
designers in Bollywood and abroad.
During the period of the Nawabs, kite-making
reached a high level of artistry, and is still a
small-scale industry. Lucknow has also been an
industrial producer of tobacco products like 'Kivam',
edible fragrances like 'attars' and handicrafts
such as pottery, earthen toys, silver and gold
foil work, and bone carving products.
Emerging Businesses
Lucknow, with its excellent educational,
commercial, banking and legal infrastructure, is
witnessing rapid growth in information
technology, banking, retailing, construction and
other service sectors. Private coaching
institutions for preparing aspirants of
competitive exams and services is another
business that is flourishing in Lucknow.
Lucknow houses hundreds of established real
estate brands and dozens of niche and
specialised developers like High-end premium
residential projects, Malls, IT parks,
Commercial property, SEZs, Plots, Business
centres, Multiplexes, Clubs, Banks, Food courts,
Entertainment centres and Finance institutions.
All the major public and private sector banks
of India, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and
foreign banks like Citibank, Standard Chartered
Bank, ABN-AMRO and HSBC have their presence in
the city. The big oil marketing companies like
Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum,
Bharat Petroleum and Reliance have their offices
in Lucknow.
Leading IT companies like TCS and IBM are
also operating in Lucknow. The Ministry of
Communications & Information Technology has set
up Software Technology Parks of India in 2001
which is playing an important role to promote
IT/ITes Units in the region. Insurance
companies, both public and private, as well as
leading cellular phone companies are present in
the city as well.
Currently, biotechnology and information
technology are the two focus areas to promote
economic development in and around the city. The
Ministry of Science and Technology is setting up
a biotech park in the city. Lucknow is also one
of the selected cities for the Smart City
project of STPI, under which IT is being used to
promote economic development.
Cityscape
Places to see
The Asafi Imambara (popularly known as Bara
Imambara), the Chhota Imambara, Residency, and
Shah Najaf are monuments of architectural
importance at Lucknow. The famous 'Bhul
Bhulaiyan' (Labyrinth) is part of Asafi Imambara
complex. Some other places of interest are the
Picture Gallery, Chattar Manzil, State Museum /
Lucknow Zoo, Shaheed Smarak, Dilkusha, Ambedkar
Memorial, Planetarium, Baradari and Ram Krishna
Math.
The British-built architectural sights in
Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State
Legislative Assembly), the Clock Tower and the
Charbagh Railway Station, with its distinctive
domes, arches and pillars.
St Joseph's Cathedral in Lucknow is the seat
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucknow.
Some of the oldest schools in India are also
situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere Lucknow, St.
Francis College (1885), Loreto Convent Lucknow
and the Colvin Taluqdar's College.Amiruddaula
islamia Inter collge is about 100 years old.
Lucknow has several well-kept parks that
attract the citizenry in large numbers on
evenings, holidays and weekends. The bigger
parks are Ambedkar Memorial and Lohia park in
Gomti Nagar, Swarn Jayanti park and Aurobindo
Park in Indiranagar, Dilkusha Park, Begum Hazrat
Mahal Park, Globe Park, Mukherjee Phuhaar,
Haathi Park, Buddha park, and Neebu Park. The
sprawling National Botanical Garden at
Sikandarbagh on the banks of Gomti river is also
worth visiting.
The city also has a Reserve Forest, Kukrail
Crocodile Park (a picnic spot and Gharial
rehabilitation centre). Moosa Bagh and Utretia
are other popular picnic spots.
Natural attractions accessible from Lucknow
are Katarnia Ghat, Dudhwa National Park,
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary and Samaspur Bird
Sanctuary.
Shopping
Aminabad, a quaint bazaar like Delhi's
Chandni Chowk, is situated in the heart of the
city. It is a large shopping centre that caters
to a wide variety of consumers.
Chowk and Nakhhas are markets in the old
Lucknow area where you can get a feel of
traditional Lucknow. Some other important
shopping centres are Alambagh, Kapoorthala,
Indiranagar, Mahanagar and Nishatganj.
The Hazratganj area is an upscale shopping
market with colonial- style buildings.
Interestingly, a popular pastime among the
locals is window-shopping in the Hazratganj
market. It is popularly referred to in Hinglish
as Ganjing. The Janpath market, Rovers, Lovers
Lane, Mayfair building, Kwality, and Universal
book store are some popular landmarks of the
area.
Lucknowites are also experiencing the new
waves of shopping malls and multiplex culture in
India. The first shopping mall-cum-multiplex to
open in Lucknow was the East End Mall in Gomti
Nagar. Now Lucknow has many Mall-cum-multiplex
like Saharaganj (PVR Cinemas), Zee Mall (fun
republic) , Riverside Mall (Inox Theatre) and
East End Mall (Wave Cinemas).
Localities
The urban area is spread equally on both
sides of the Gomti River. The commercial and
residential areas on Cis-Gomti side are
Hazratganj, Alambagh, RDSO Colony (Research
Design and Standard Organisation), Charbagh,
Aishbagh, Kaiserbagh, Aminabad, Husainganj,
Model Houses, Lal Bagh, Golaganj, Wazirganj,
Rajendra Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Sarojini Nagar,
Aishbagh, Rajajipuram, Haiderganj, Thakurganj,
Chowk and Saadatganj.
The residential settlements in the Trans-Gomti
area are Nirala Nagar, Aliganj, Daliganj,
Mahanagar, Old & New Hyderabad, Nishatganj,
Indira Nagar, Manas Enclave(near Kukrail picnic
spot), Gomti Nagar and Gomti Nagar Extn.,
Nilmatha Cantt., Vikas Nagar, Khurram Nagar,
Janakipuram and South City (on Raibareli road).
Aminabad is the heart of the city and the
oldest traditional marketplace after Chowk. It
is one of the most crowded places of Lucknow.
Culture
Lucknow is bravely struggling to retain its
old world charm while at the same time acquiring
a modern lifestyle. Regarded as one of the
finest cities of India, Lucknow represents a
culture that combines emotional warmth, a high
degree of sophistication, courtesy, and a love
for gracious living. The Pehle-Aap (after you)
culture, popularised as a tagline for the
society of Lucknow, is waning. But a small part
of Lucknow's society still possesses such
etiquette. This sublime cultural richness famous
as Lakhnawi tehzeeb blends the cultures of two
communities living side by side for centuries,
sharing similar interests and speaking a common
language.
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 the traditions to attain a rare
degree of sophistication.
Language and poetry
Both Hindi and Urdu are spoken in Lucknow,
but Urdu has been the lingua franca of the city
for centuries. Under the rule of Nawabs, Urdu
flourished and turned into one of the most
refined languages. Hindu and Muslim poets like
Brij Narayan Chakbast, Khwaja Haidar Ali
Atish,vinay kumar saroj, Amir Meenai, Mirza Hadi
Ruswa, Nasikh, Daya Shankar Kaul Nasim, Musahafi,
Insha, Safi Lakhnavi, and the great Meer Taqi
Meer took Urdu poetry to dizzying heights and
established the Lakhnavi form of the language.
Lucknow is one of the world's great cities
for Shiite culture. Two poets, Mir Anis and
Mirza Dabeer, became legendary exponents of a
unique genre of Shia elegiacal poetry called
Marsia centred on Imam Husain's supreme
sacrifice in the Battle of Karbala which is
commemorated during the annual observance of
Muharram.
In recent years the use of Urdu has reduced
significantly. Day-to-day transactions in the
city are typically performed in Hindi or
English. Nevertheless, Lucknowites are still
known for their polite and polished way of
speaking which is noticed by visitors to this
charming[citation needed] city. The
revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, who was hanged
by the British at Kakori near Lucknow, was
largely influenced by poetry and wrote verses
under the pen name of "Bismil". The surrounding
towns like Kakori, Daryabad, Barabanki, Rudauli
and Malihabad produced many eminent poets and
litt?ateurs of Urdu like Mohsin Kakorvi, Majaz,
Khumar Barabankvi and Josh Malihabadi.
Recently in 2008 which is the 150th year of
'mutiny' of 1857 a novel has been released which
uses 1857 as a backdrop. 'Recalcitrance' is the
first English novel by a Lucknowite on the
'mutiny' of 1857.
Cuisine
The Awadh region has its own distinct Nawabi
style cuisine, with various kinds of biryanis,
kebabs and breads. Kebabs are also of different
types - Kakori Kebabs, Galawati Kebabs, Shami
Kebabs etc
The city has a range of fine restaurants
catering to all tastes and budgets.
Makkhan Malai, 'Malai Ki Gilori' of Ram Asrey
(an oldest shop of pure ghee sweets, established
in 1805) Chowk , the famous Tundey Kebabs, named
after the one-armed chef Haji Murad Ali, and 'Kakori
kebabs' are very popular with food lovers.
The Chaat in Lucknow is one of the best in
the country. There are quite a few places
serving outstanding chaat, like Shukla Chaat and
Moti Mahal in Hazratganj, Radhey Lal in Aliganj,
Chhappan Bhog in Sadar and Neel Kanth in Gomti
Nagar, and famous Jagdish Chaat House in old
lucknow Chowk.
After a delicious dinner, one can have Paan
at any of the innumerable Paan vendors.
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Biryani |
Uttar Pradeshi thali
with naan, sultani dal, raita, and shahi
paneer. |
Kebabs are an
important part of Uttar Pradesh's
cuisine. |
Naan is one of the
staple breads of Uttar Pradesh. |
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The koftah is a
popular main dish of Uttar Pradesh. |
Raita has its roots
in Uttar Pradesh as well. |
The samosa is a
popular snack from Uttar Pradesh. |
Paan Shop |
Dance and music
Kathak, the classical Indian dance form took
shape here. 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 city of eminent Ghazal
singer Begum Akhtar. She was a pioneer in Ghazal
singing and took this aspect of music to amazing
heights. "Ae Mohabbat Tere anjaam pe rona aaya"
is one of her best musical renditions of all
times.
The Bhatkande music university at Lucknow is
named after the great musician Pandit Vishnu
Narayan Bhatkhande. It is a very eminent
university. People from Sri Lanka, Nepal and
other countries come to Bhatkhande to study
music or dance.
Lucknow has given music legends like Naushad
Ali, Talat Mehmood, Anup Jalota and Baba Sehgal
to the entertainment industry. It is also
incidentally the birthplace of British pop
legend Sir Cliff Richard.
Sports
Lucknow has traditionally been a
sports-loving city. In the past pehlwani,
kabbadi, chess, kite flying, pigeon flying, and
cock fighting were popular pastimes. For decades
Lucknow hosted the prestigious Sheesh Mahal
Cricket Tournament. Today cricket, football,
badminton, golf and hockey are among the most
popular sports in the city. Gulli Danda has
become a benchmark for the youth to achieve.
The main sports hub is the K. D. Singh Babu
Stadium which also has a world-class swimming
and indoor games complex. The other stadiums are
at Charbagh, Mahanagar, Chowk and Sports
College.
The Lucknow Golf Club, on the sprawling
greens of La Martini?e College, is one of the
most famous golf courses in India.
The city has a good record in modern sports
and has produced several national and
world-class sporting personalities. Lucknow
sports hostel has produced international-level
cricketers such as Mohammed Kaif, Piyush Chawla,
Suresh Raina and R. P. Singh. Other famous
sports personalities include hockey Olympians K.
D. Singh, Mohammed Shahid and Ghaus Mohammad
Khan, the tennis player who became the first
Indian to reach the quarter finals at Wimbledon.
An inspiration for films
Lucknow has been a major influence on the
Hindi film industry of India and it would be
true to say that without the Lakhnavi touch,
Bollywood would not have been what it is today.
Many script writers and lyricists hailing from
Awadh like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Javed
Akhtar Ali Raza, Bhagwati Charan Verma, Dr.
Kumud Nagar, Dr. Achala Nagar Wajahat Mirza
(writer of Mother India and Ganga Jamuna),
Amritlal Nagar, Ali Sardar Jafri and K. P.
Saxena have enriched Indian Cinema.
Moreover, several famous movies have used
Lucknow as their backdrop, such as Shashi
Kapoor's Junoon, Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan and
Gaman, Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi.
Ismail Merchant's Shakespeare Wallah was also
partly shot in Lucknow.
Bahu Begum, Mehboob ki Mehndi, Mere Hazoor,
Mere Mehboob, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Pakeezah, Main
Meri Patni Aur Woh, Saher, Anwar and many more
films have either been shot in Lucknow or have
Lakhnavi backdrops. In the movie Gadar: Ek Prem
Katha Lucknow has been used to depict Pakistan.
The Lal Pul has been used.
Infrastructure
Education and Research
Lucknow is a hub of education and research
with many premier institutions. Schools and
higher educational institutions in Lucknow are
administered either by the Directorate of
Education, the UP government, or private
organizations.
Higher education institutions in the city
include six universities:University of Lucknow,
UPTU, RMLNLU, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar
University, Amity University and Integral
University; medical institutes like Sanjay
Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical
Sciences (SGPGIMS), Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj
Medical University (CSMMU), upcoming Sahara
Hospital, Apollo Hospital and ERA's Lucknow
Medical College; and management institutes like
IIM Lucknow and Institute of Management Science
at the University of Lucknow.Amity University is
the number one private university of India also
has a campus here.
Lucknow boasts of national importance as a
prominent place for Scientific Research,
especially in the emerging field of Modern
Biosciences. Four institutions affliated to the
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
are located here : the National Botanic Research
Institute, the Central Drug Research Institute,
Indian Institute of Toxicology Research and
Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic
Plants.
Transport
The available multiple modes of public
transport in the city are taxis, city buses,
cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws and CNG Buses.
CNG has been introduced recently as an auto fuel
to keep the air pollution in control. The city
bus service is run by Lucknow Mahanagar
Parivahan Sewa.[18] a division of Uttar Pradesh
State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC)
From Hazratganj intersection in Lucknow city,
four Indian National Highways originate, viz,
NH-24 to Delhi, NH-25 to Raksa, Jhansi(M.P.
Border), NH-56 to Varanasi and NH-28 to Mokama
(Bihar). The major bus terminus is Dr. Bhimrao
Ambedkar bus station at Alambagh. It has all
modern facilities and is the main inter and
intrastate terminal. Another important bus
station is at Kaiserbagh. Earlier, another bus
terminus operated at Charbagh, directly in front
of the main railway station, but has now been
reestablished as a city bus depot. The move was
taken to remove congestion in front of the
railway station.
Charbagh Railway Station at Lucknow
The city is served by several Railway
stations at different parts of the city. The
main railway station is Lucknow Railway Station
at Charbagh. It has an imposing structure built
in 1923. The main terminal belongs to Northern
Railway(NR) (station code: LKO) division of
Indian Railways and the second terminal is run
by the North Eastern Railway (NER) (Station
Code: LJN). Lucknow is a major junction with
links to all major cities of the state and
country. Lucknow has a further thirteen railway
stations viz. Alamnagar, Malhaur, Utretia,
Transport Nagar, Dilkhusha, Gomti Nagar,
Badshahnagar, Manak Nagar, Amausi, Aishbagh
junction, Lucknow City, Daliganj and
Mohibullapur. Now meter gauge services originate
from Aishbagh and connect to Lucknow city,
Daliganj and Mohibullapur. Except Mohibullapur
all the stations are also connected to Broad
gauge. All the stations are within city limits
and are well connected with each other via road
networks and public road transport. Other
suburban stations include Bakshi Ka Talab and
Kakori. Muniyappa, minister of state for
railways, has carried out an inspection of
Charbagh station accompanied with senior
officials of railways. The minister has promised
to take up the matter of platform extension at
Charbagh with railway minister and to also get
funds allocated to Lucknow for the
same.Currently this station has 15 platforms and
is country's busiest stationby by 2009. He also
talked about making Charbagh station the first
world class station of the country in 2009.
The Amausi International Airport serves as
the city's main airport and is located about 20
km from the city center. Lucknow is directly
connected by air with New Delhi, Patna, Kolkata,
Mumbai and other major Indian cities. Oman
Air,Cosmo Air,FlyDubai,Saudi Airlines and Indigo
Air and many more international airlines that
are successfully operating direct international
flights from Lucknow to international
destinations & vice versa. International
destinations include London, Dubai, Jeddah,
Muscat,Sharjah,Bangkok,Singapore and Hong Kong.
During Haj special flights are also operated
from Lucknow.
Plans for high capacity mass transit system,
The Lucknow Metrorail Services have been
finalised. Delhi Metro rail is preparing plans
for its constructions.
Media
Press
Lucknow has historically been a major center
of journalism. The National Herald, the
newspaper started by India's first prime
minister Jawaharlal Nehru before World War II
was published from Lucknow and edited by the
legendary Manikonda Chalapathi Rau.
The prominent English dailies of the city are
The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The
Pioneer and Indian Express. Several daily
newspapers in Hindi, Urdu, and English are
published in the city. Among the Hindi papers
are Swatantra Bharat,Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala,
Dainik Hindustan, Rashtriya Sahara, Jansatta and
I Next. The main Urdu papers are Jayeza Daily,
Rashtriya Sahara, Sahafat, Qaumi Khabrein and
Aag.
The Press Trust of India and United News of
India have their offices in the city and all
major newspapers of the country have their
correspondents and stringers in Lucknow.
Radio
One of the earliest stations of All India
Radio has been operational in Lucknow for quite
some time.
FM radio transmission started in Lucknow in
2000, and the city today has following FM radio
stations. -
* 91.1 MHz Radio City
* 93.5 MHz S FM
* 98.3 MHz Radio Mirchi
* 100.7 MHz AIR FM Rainbow
* 105.6 MHz Gyanvani-Educational
Internet
The city has broadband internet connectivity and
video conferencing facilities. Major players
like BSNL, Bharti Airtel, Reliance
Communications, Tata Communications & STPI, have
a wide infrastructure to provide broadband
Internet Bandwidth to home users, corporates etc.
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