Lucknow is not the name of just any other city on this planet. Someone has said... Lucknow ek ehsaas hai jise junoon wale hi mehsoos ker sakte hain (Lucknow is a deep-felt feeling, which only passionate people can experience).
One of my friends from Delhi has grasped this essence of Lucknow. He comes and visits me once in four-five years just to enjoy the leisurely life. He insists on getting a Tonga ride and finds it amazing that shops in Hazratganj (the most modern and happening shopping place of the city) open only about noon time.
What made him fall in love with this city was his first ride in an auto rickshaw in the city. The auto met with an accident with a motorbike and the bikers, to his surprise instead of picking up a fight, said to the auto driver, ``bhaiya itni bedardi se brake na lagaya karo'' (brother, don't apply brake so heartlessly). ``What a place where people show their anger in such gentle and romantic language!'' His reflection.
According to him the kind of sukoon (peace) and itminan (complacency) he finds in beggars' and rickshaw pullers' eyes in Lucknow, is rare. ``They are happy in whatever they have - no rush to get more... this is a feeling, which people in the other parts of the civilised world can't even imagine''. His comment. Unfortunately, this time he could not find the same Lucknow what he experienced 24 years back. He was devastated to see the mall culture overpowering the Mughal heritage.
He was right! Lucknow is fast changing into any other growing mega city.
A bunch of evolved people from this unique city, who are in love with this Indian city and who are also concerned about its growing urbanisation, increasing population but deteriorating culture, have come together to find ways to bring back the glorious past of this legendary city of India.
The bunch includes noted film maker Muzaffar Ali, his designer wife Meera Ali, retired Indian Revenue Officer Parveen Talha, Chairman Confederation of Indian Industries State Council Jayant Krishna, General Manager of Taj Hotel Shekhar Walavalkar, known heart specialist Dr Mansoor Hasan, writer Ravi Bhatt, historian Yogesh Praveen, ace photographer Ravi Kapoor, and many more alike.
A few of their concerns are :
The city is getting less and less tourists with every passing year.
The arts and crafts, such as chikankari (fine hand embroidery), Awadhi cuisines, fine silver foil making, which is used to decorate desserts, antiques etc. etc. are dying a slow death.
The generation Y from the city is not aware of their rich heritage.
The majestic Mughal monuments are suffering from constant encroachment.
The narrow lanes of the old and traditional city are threatened to lose their existence due to sheer neglect.
The concerned minds have come up with several suggestions, like Muzaffar Ali says tourism can be promoted only when people have a passion to share. They can share their food, their buildings, their crafts, their arts and so on. Now, it is up to people to decide what they want to share individually or collectively.
Very well said indeed, as the Taj General Manager Mr Walavalkar pointed out that Goa is a big tourist hub not because it has some of the world's best beaches as it does not have even the best beaches of India, but in Goa tourism has flourished because of its people, who have a passion to share their surroundings, their culture and their heritage with the rest of the world.
The suggestion came with a warning; ``please do not give the tourism related work into unprofessional hands, rather involve the best talented professionals from any part of the world for the simple reason that when you invite people from worldwide, you should give them the world class infrastructure and services as well''. Mr Ali explains.
Also, while doing all this keep a pace with the world, use internet for wide publicity and easy access, make CDs of the monuments and cultural heritage so that the tourist gets authentic information and is also not fleeced and fooled by the uninformed guide.
One very important thing that draws unanimous concern from the like minded people, is the identity of Lucknow airport, which was known as Amausi Airport but was recently renamed as Chowdhary Charan Singh Airport.
The name does not coincide with Lucknow and does not denote the city's character in anyways whereas an airport is the gateway to a city and it should reflect the city's essence and character and should spark the imagination of the visitor.
Unfortunately, this name can't be changed but there is hope as a new building for the international airport is soon to come up next to the existing airport building. Now all those who love Lucknow even a bit need to lobby for naming of this new building as either Begum Hazrat Mahal Airport, Lucknow or Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Airport, Lucknow.
The time is perfect for such lobbying as Hazratganj is all set to celebrate its 200th year of existence and lot of work is already underway to make the event a memorable one. The shopping area is getting a face lift to transcend people to the `ganjing' era (when people used to come to Hazratganj to just take a stroll or to have coffee and pastries). A series of festivities have been planned in December.
This year the railways too, are starting a Maharaja Express on the pattern of Palace on Wheels, which marketed Rajasthan very well. This Maharaja Express aiming to market the Awadh region is the most expensive train ever (costing US$800 per day) and it promises its guests a real royal experience.
So, there are people who have the inkling and the time too is appropriate to bring back the lost glory of Lucknow. But, this would require lot of hard work on the ground as mere conferences, talks and seminars will not change the face of this new Lucknow we are living in.
Let's begin with hope and let each one of us take up our share of responsibilities.
Decide not to litter our roads and surroundings and check others doing the same to keep the city clean.
Take a vow not to use or use as little as inevitable, the horns in our vehicles to minimise noise pollution in the city. Those who do not drive themselves should check their drivers for the same.
Try parking your vehicle in the parking even if you are a bureaucrat or a politician. Learn to follow traffic rules to minimise chaos on the city roads.
Try to form a queue wherever there are plenty of people to show the world that we belong to a civilised world.
Have a regard and respect for elders at home and also on the road, whether they are driving or walking.
A bit of consideration and courtesy in our daily lives can bring the change and make Lucknow the Lucknow.
So best wishes to us and to Lucknow!
6 comments:
Well said! But can you have a Lucknow now with those ugly blue elephantine statues (both animal and human varieties!!)
Hai, ek zamana guzar gaya :)
those statues are now part of the city - like or not... and they are so massive that only a fool would try to demolish them as that would require more money than what has been spent on erecting them...
it is sad but true.
I jst luvd it...espcly wen u hv said dat lucknowhites show their anger also in a romantic way....nw wen evr i l go outsyd,i wud luv to share ur anecdote.....keep it up!
thanks so much Tina for the appreciation.
Your friend felt that Lucknow has completely changed . I felt the same when I was back home after one year . When I was at the entrance of Charbagh station , the usually prominent green color(trees) was taken over by blue .Young school/college couples who believe in publicly displaying their love making in tourist places like Kukrail and Residency are now shifting their base to Diners and Pubs embarassing people even more . Roads were dirty , most of the places water logged with no proper drainage .
One differnce from Chennai which I don't know whether I admired or felt bad is that I wasn't scared of cops at all . Driving all over Hazratganj,Indira nagar and Aliganj with a half broken number plate and beer in one hand . I mean they don't even bother to stop a person in a car because that person could be a relative of some bribe thirsty minister,govt official or a senior cop . That person just need to make a call to relative of his and give that phone to the policewala and say " Lijiye baat kar lijiye " .
Stealing neighbour's bricks to construct drain of their house , neighbour argues she gets kicked and bad words . Her relatives come and thrash the bricks thief . Lodges police complaint everyone goes to jail except the thief because he is the son of a Custom officer . Kids of the lady in 6th and 7th standard were jailed and awaited their bail . They spent 5 days in special jail for kids . What would have they gone through during this peiod I can imagine .
Seen it all during my one week stay in LUCKNOW .Grow up people . Make our city a better place .
When Lucknow is mentioned, the image of UP also emerges side by side. With my best wishes to all the well wishers of the city, I am doubtful if planning, talking and doing things for Lucknow in a compartment would help the cause too much. The state must improve its image as a whole as a place worth visiting to improve the lot of its capital city. Having said that, I doubt my wisdom. After all Banaras in the same State attracts visitors from outside the country. I feel Lucknow has never been marketed to its potential. After Mumbai, Lucknow has inspired the citycentric books the most (I may be factually wrong). The interest factor has always been there. I have never been to Lucknow (well, almost never). But when the city is referred to, besides all the things like Pahle aap,pahle aap and all that ("Chaat" included) the images of the politicians of all hue also come as wrapping paper. That spoils the excitement of opening the gift. One must look for ways to delink Lucknow the historical city from Lucknow the political hub of UP.
You presented the case of a city very well. The resolutions you suggest towards the end go for any place in India. I wish all of us resolve to do that.
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