Lucknow - The City of Nawab's and Kebab's

Deepak Sharma, Inhale Trips Writer, November 20, 2021

In the 18th Century, the city was ruled by Nawabs. The exility, sophistication and the Nawabi culture is well sustained in every nook and corner of the city. History has left it's remarkable masterpieces here. You will be astonished by the architectural marvels in the Lucknow city. People in Lucknow are very helpful and amazing, and will always regard you with "You first" no matter you are younger or older. Natives will call each and every person “Aap” whether you are a vendor or a rickshaw puller. 

For a travel enthusiast or travelers who want to witness the best architectural cities on a low budget, Lucknow is the best for you. And if you are a non vegetarian😊, then it's like icing on the cake. Uncountable monuments beautify the evening of Lucknow and that's why it's called 'Shaam-e-Awadh' (Evening of Awadh). 

How To Reach Lucknow

Lucknow is already a famous city. So, railways and flights are well connected from major Indian cities. The Indian Railway is the cheapest way to reach there. Lucknow Junction Station is the main station and among the biggest railway stations of India. And Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is for people who are looking for flight options.

Where To Stay

Hotels are available near the Charbagh Railway Station. As it is always advisable first check the room's cleaning. Pricing around Rs. 400-500 for Non AC rooms and Rs. 800-1000 for AC rooms.

Believe it or not this is Lucknow Railway Station. So, You will witness the first architectural marvel the moment you set your foot 👣 on this land.

So, now let's explore other attractions in the city:

1.Lucknow State Museum: 

I started my day with breakfast at a random tea stall near the railway station market. And headed to my first spot, the Lucknow State Museum. Bike rentals options are not easily available and to be honest, I couldn't even find a single bike rental shop. So I took a shared auto rickshaw which cost only Rs. 20/-. When I reached the destination, I found out that the Museum is situated inside the 'Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden'. So the thing is, you will HAVE TO buy a zoo ticket first whether you are interested or not in visiting the zoo. Which cost you Rs. 80/-. So, I bought the ticket because the Museum is worth visiting for history lovers and something exciting was inside the museum which I knew😊.  And after that you will have to buy another ticket for the Museum at Museum's ticket counter which is around Rs. 20.  I was before time. Because Museum opens at 10 am. So I spent some time in the zoo watching animals but not many animals in this zoo. And at 10 am I got the ticket for the Museum. And the journey to the past begins. There are many things to watch out for Including old coins, medals, Buddha sculptures and other Hindu historical and mythical sculptures available. An interesting thing is the Egyptian gallery. You can witness almost the full history of Egyptians. A mummy is also wrapped in cloth according to their rituals. In one word it was worth visiting. 

2.Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden: 

As mentioned in the above point. It's not worth visiting but you will have to visit here just because if you want to visit the Lucknow State Museum.

3.Indira Gandhi Planetarium: 

Building structure is a perfect example of modern architecture. But as the name says, it's a Planetarium so this is basically for school students😉. So I didn't visit here. But if you want to, it's show time is only between 1 pm to 5 pm and closed on Monday. And the ticket costs you around Rs. 25/- for Indians.

4. St. Joseph's Cathedral: 

St. Joseph's Cathedral situated in Lucknow's busiest market, Hazratganj. It is one of Lucknow's most modern and beautiful structures. 

5.Rumi Darwaza:

And now be ready to witness the architectural miracles of history. As I approach the road which connects Chhota Imambara and Bara Imambara. On my left, the road is heading to Chhota Imambara and on the right side there is Bara Imambara. But Wait.. Here it is a 60 feet tall architectural marvel called Rumi Darwaza(door). Actually it is just a door through which traffic passes. But this is something which will force you to click pictures before going to Bara Imambara. 

6. Bara Imambara: 

Bara means big. Bara Imambara is the second largest Imambara after Nizamat Imambara. Before entering the premises. First look 360° around everywhere is something architectural to mesmerize your eye. Tickets are Rs. 25 per Indian and Rs. 300 for foreigners. Inside the building, there is a mosque, Bhul- Bhulaiya (the labyrinth) and a step-well. And it closes on Friday afternoon and opens after 3 pm.

7. Lucknow Clock Tower: 

Now heading to exactly opposite where we came from, crossed Rumi Darwaza and around the midway of both the Imambaras, on the Roadside, 219 feet skyscraping Clock Tower will catch your eyes. And it is like the Eiffel Tower on this Road😉. As you walk on the road, you can see this from everywhere.

8. Chhota Imambara:

This is the best architectural structure situated in Lucknow according to me. Entry ticket is just Rs. 20/- for Indians. From the entry gate, the tomb is in front. You can witness architectural work on the tomb's walls. From the center of the premises, have a 360° view for eye soothing building structures. There is a mosque inside and many more to see. Inside the tomb, there are uncountable chandeliers. 

9. Ambedkar Memorial Park:

This is good for evening. It's dedicated to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Pratibimb Sthal is the main entrance to the memorial guarded by statues of 62 elephants on either side. There's a bronze statue of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar inside. Evening lighting is the main reason for attraction.

Overall Lucknow is worth visiting for people interested in history and Architectural enthusiasts. And also good for people who love to meet new people as the Lucknow people are among the warmest and courteous people in India. 

This article was originally published in February 2022 and updated in _______.