Walking through the by-lanes of History
Lucknow is infectious. Steeped in checkered history, the best way to get acquainted with its rich Nawabi history, culture and tehzeeb (etiquette) that it is renowned for, is to set out on an informative heritage walk through the old quarters of the city. The heart of the old city or chowk (intersection) is the quintessential “small town India” with its maze of narrow alleys that sell everything under the sun, bicycles and motorbikes vying for space with humans, monkeys jumping on rooftops; women haggling with shopkeepers for a good deal and the distracting yet, mouthwatering smells from the local food stalls. It reminds the seasoned traveller of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi albeit, a less intense version of it. In fact, the first thing that assaults your senses as you set foot here is the whiff of spices and the aroma of freshly cooked kebabs. It’s quite a task to stop oneself from following the rich aromas.
A visit to this part of town is incomplete without a peek into the bustling textile businesses that flourished here during the reign of the Nawabs of Awadh. You’ll see small karkhanas (workshops) hidden in the by-lanes of the street. These workshops continue to practice the age-old crafts of zardozi (intricate gold embroidery) and chikan work (delicate traditional embroidery), a skill that has been passed down many generations. Watch ardently as the craftsmen go ‘thud thud thud’ with their blocks and create beautiful designs on the cloth. Further along, you will find other master craftsmen deeply engaged in embroidering these block-printed designs in chikan or zari embroidery. The joy of walking these streets lies in knowing that they exist and keeping a watchful eye to find them.
Then there’s the kothas (chambers) – erstwhile centers of culture where the Nawabs and other wealthy men went to learn the famous tehzeeb and also get familiar with the courtesans. Kathak, a popular Indian classical dance form is said to have originated here. Walking past the kothas and hearing all about the courtesans, you can literally picture the courtesans rehearsing their graceful dance performances and the by-lanes reverberating with their melodious voices. You’ve heard of the geishas of Japan, haven’t you? Well, the courtesans of Lucknow were similar to the geishas of Japan.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, there is an ancient temple with an interesting tale behind its inception. Also, of particular mention is the age-old Unani dawakhana (dispensary). First introduced in India by the Mughals, Unani is a traditional practice of healing. The local people in the area still visit this dispensary and rely on Unani medicines to treat their ailments. If you’re lucky maybe you might just spot the hakim (physician) with his bag of herbal medicines that are believed to treat a range of illnesses. Also, don’t miss the odd hookah seller in the lanes. He has hookahs in every colour, size and price!
After exploring the by-lanes of the old quarter, head straight to the tiny restaurants and gormandize on the famous melt in the mouth tunday kebabi and nalli nihari that Lucknow is renowned for. As we always say – sampling the local delicacies is the best way to get up close and personal with the love affair of an Indian and his/her’s famous street food. There’s more to Lucknow’s street food than its non-vegetarian delicacies, we promise, the vegetarians will have their fill too.
