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Siege of Lucknow
Part of Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Relief of Lucknow, by Thomas Jones Barker
Date 30 May – 27 November 1857 Location Lucknow, British India Result British relief and withdrawal
Belligerents
British East India Company	Oudh
Commanders and leaders
Sir Henry Lawrence† Brigadier John Inglis Sir Henry Havelock† Sir James Outram Sir Colin Campbell James George Smith Neill †	Various commanders including: Begum Hazrat Mahal Birjis Qadra
Strength
1,729 troops, rising to approx. 8,000	5,000 men, rising to approx. 30,000
Casualties and losses
2,500 killed, wounded, missing	unknown

The Siege of Lucknow (Hindi: लखनऊ की घेराबंदी; Urdu: لکھنؤ کا محاصرہ) was the prolonged defence of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.

Lucknow was the capital of the former state of Awadh. The prolonged defence there by the British proved to be one of the key episodes in the unsuccessful rebellion. Mainly there were issues of prestige and morale involved,^{[citation needed]} but Lucknow also became the point at which the main forces of both the British and rebels were concentrated.

Background to the siege[link]

The state of Oudh/Awadh had been annexed by the British East India Company and the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Kolkatta the year before the rebellion broke out. This high-handed action by the East India Company was greatly resented within the state, and elsewhere in India. The first British Commissioner (in effect, Governor) appointed to the newly acquired territory behaved tactlessly, and Sir Henry Lawrence, a very experienced administrator, took up the appointment only six weeks before the rebellion broke out.

The sepoys (Indian soldiers) of the East India Company's Bengal Presidency Army had become increasingly troubled over the preceding years, feeling that their religion and customs were under threat from the rationalising and evangelising activities of the Company. Lawrence was well aware of the rebellious state of the Indian troops under his command (which included several units of Oudh Irregulars, recruited from among the former army of the state of Oudh). On 18 April, he warned the Governor General, Lord Canning, of some manifestations of discontent, and asked permission to transfer certain rebellious corps to another province.

The flashpoint of the rebellion was the introduction of the Enfield rifle. The cartridges for this weapon were believed to be greased with a mixture of beef and pork fat, which would defile both Hindu and Muslim Indian soldiers. On 1 May, the 7th Oudh Irregular Infantry refused to bite the cartridge and on 3 May they were disarmed by other regiments.

On 10 May, the Indian soldiers at Meerut broke into open rebellion, and marched on Delhi. When news of this reached Lucknow, Lawrence recognised the gravity of the crisis and summoned from their homes two bodies of pensioners, one of sepoys and one of artillerymen, to whose loyalty, and to that of the Sikh and some Hindu sepoys, the successful defence of the Residency was largely due.

Rebellion begins[link]

Beginning on 23 May, Lawrence began fortifying the Residency and laying in supplies for a siege. Large numbers of British civilians made their way to the Residency from outlying districts. On 30 May (the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr), most of the Oudh and Bengal troops at Lucknow broke into open rebellion. In addition to his locally recruited pensioners, Lawrence also had the bulk of the British 32nd Regiment of Foot available, and they were able to drive the rebels away from the city.

On 4 June there was a rebellion at Sitapur, a large and important station 51 miles (82 km) from Lucknow. This was followed by another at Faizabad, one of the most important cities in the province, and outbreaks at Daryabad, Sultanpur and Salon. Thus in the course of ten days British authority in Oudh practically vanished.

On 30 June, Lawrence learned that the rebels were gathering north of Lucknow and ordered a reconnaissance in force, despite the available intelligence being of poor quality. Although he had comparatively little military experience, Lawrence led the expedition himself. The expedition was not very well organised. The troops were forced to march without food or adequate water during the hottest part of the day at the height of summer, and at Chinhat they met a well-organised rebel force, with cavalry and dug-in artillery. Some of Lawrence's sepoys and Indian artillerymen defected to the rebels, and his exhausted British soldiers retreated in disorder. Some of the fugitives died of heatstroke within sight of the Residency.

Lieutenant William George Cubitt, 13th Native Infantry, was awarded the Victoria Cross several years later, for his act of saving the lives of three men of the 32nd Regiment of Foot during the retreat. His was not a unique action; sepoys loyal to the British, especially those of the 13th Native Infantry, saved many British soldiers, even at the cost of abandoning their own wounded men who had been hacked to pieces by Indian sepoys.

Initial attacks[link]

Lawrence fell back into the Residency, where the siege now began. The Residency was the centre of the defences. The actual defended line was based on six detached smaller buildings and four entrenched batteries. The position covered some 60 acres (240,000 m²) of ground, and the garrison (855 British officers and soldiers, 712 Indians, 153 civilian volunteers, with 1,280 non-combatants, including hundreds of women and children) was too small to defend it effectively against a properly prepared and supported attack. Also, the Residency lay in the middle of several palaces, mosques and administrative buildings, as Lucknow had been the royal capital of Oudh for many years. Lawrence initially refused permission for these to be demolished, urging his engineers to "spare the holy places", and during the siege they provided good vantage points and cover for rebel sharpshooters and artillery.

One of the first bombardments following the beginning of the siege, on 30 June, caused a civilian to be trapped by a falling roof. The successful attempt to save him, under intense musket and cannon fire, resulted in the award of the Victoria Cross to Corporal William Oxenham of the 32nd Foot. The first attack was repulsed on 1 July, when the separate position of the Machchhi Bhawan palace to the east of the Residency was evacuated, and blown up. (Large amounts of powder and ammunition had been stored in it). The next day, Sir Henry Lawrence was fatally wounded by a shell, and he died on 4 July. Colonel John Inglis of the 32nd Regiment took military command of the garrison. Major John Banks was appointed the acting Civil Commissioner by the dying Lawrence. When Banks was killed by a sniper a short time later, Inglis assumed overall command.

About 8,000 sepoys who had joined the rebellion and several hundred retainers of local landowners surrounded the Residency. They had some modern guns with them, and also some older pieces which fired all sorts of improvised missiles. There were several determined attempts to storm the defences during the first weeks of the siege, but the rebels lacked a unified command able to coordinate all the besieging forces.

The defenders, their number constantly reduced by military action as well as disease, were able to resist all attempts made by the rebels to overwhelm them. In addition they mounted several sorties, attempting to reduce the effectiveness of the most dangerous positions held by the besiegers, and to silence some of their guns. The Victoria Cross was awarded to several participants in these sorties: Captain Samuel Hill Lawrence and Private William Dowling of the 32nd Foot and Capt Robert Hope Moncrieff Aitken of the 13th Native Infantry.

First relief attempt[link]

Crossing the Ganges into Oudh

"Attack of the Mutineers on the Redan Battery at Lucknow, July 30th, 1857,

On 16 July, a force under Major General Henry Havelock had recaptured Cawnpore, 48 miles (77 km) from Lucknow. On 20 July, he decided to attempt to relieve Lucknow, but it took six days to ferry his force of 1500 men across the Ganges River. On 29 July, Havelock won a battle at Unao, but casualties, disease and heatstroke reduced his force to 850 effectives, and he fell back.

There followed a sharp exchange of letters between Havelock and the insolent Brigadier James Neill who was left in charge at Cawnpore. Havelock eventually received 257 reinforcements and some more guns, and tried again to advance. He won another victory near Unao on 4 August, but was once again too weak to continue the advance, and retired.

Havelock intended to remain on the north bank of the Ganges, inside Oudh, and thereby prevent the large force of rebels which had been facing him from joining the siege of the Residency, but on 11 August, Neill reported that Cawnpore was threatened. To allow himself to retreat without being attacked from behind, Havelock marched again to Unao and won a third victory there. He then fell back across the Ganges, and destroyed the newly completed bridge. On 16 August, he defeated a rebel force at Bithur, disposing of the threat to Cawnpore.

Havelock's retreat was tactically necessary, but caused the rebellion in Oudh to become a national revolt, as previously uncommitted landowners joined the rebels.

First relief of Lucknow[link]

Havelock had been superseded in command by Major General Sir James Outram. Before Outram arrived at Cawnpore, Havelock made preparations for another relief attempt. He had earlier sent a letter to Inglis in the Residency, suggesting he cut his way out and make for Cawnpore. Inglis replied that he had too few effective troops and too many sick, wounded and non-combatants to make such an attempt. He also pleaded for urgent assistance. The rebels meanwhile continued to shell the garrison in the Residency, and also dug mines beneath the defences, which destroyed several posts. Although the garrison kept the rebels at a distance with sorties and counter-attacks, they were becoming weaker and food was running short.

Outram arrived at Cawnpore with reinforcements on 15 September. He allowed Havelock to command the relief force, accompanying it nominally as a volunteer until Lucknow was reached. The force numbered 3,179 and was composed of six British and one Sikh infantry battalions, with three artillery batteries, but only 168 volunteer cavalry. They were divided into two brigades, under Neill and Colonel Hamilton of the 78th Highlanders.

The advance resumed on 18 September. This time, the rebels did not make any serious stand in the open country, even failing to destroy some vital bridges. On 23 September, Havelock's force drove the rebels from the Alambagh, a walled park four miles south of the Residency. Leaving the baggage with a small force in the Alambagh, he began the final advance on 25 September. Because of the monsoon rains, much of the open ground around the city was flooded or waterlogged, preventing the British making any outflanking moves and forcing them to make a direct advance through part of the city.

The force met heavy resistance trying to cross the Charbagh canal, but succeeded after nine out of ten men of a forlorn hope were killed storming a bridge. They then turned to their right, following the west bank of the canal. The 78th Highlanders took a wrong turning, but were able to capture a rebel battery near the Qaisarbagh palace, before finding their way back to the main force. After further heavy fighting, by nightfall the force had reached the Machchhi Bhawan. Outram proposed to halt, and gain touch with the defenders of the Residency by tunnelling and mining through the intervening buildings, but Havelock insisted on an immediate advance. (He feared that the defenders of the Residency were so weakened that they might still be overwhelmed by a last-minute rebel attack). The advance was made through heavily defended narrow lanes. Neill was one of those killed by the rebels' musket fire. In all, the relief force lost 535 men out of 2000, incurred mainly in this last rush.

By the time of the relief, the defenders of the Residency had endured a siege of 87 days, and were reduced to 982 fighting personnel.

Second siege[link]

Originally, Outram had intended to evacuate the Residency, but the heavy casualties incurred during the final advance made it impossible to remove all the sick and wounded and non-combatants. Another factor which influenced Outram's decision to remain in Lucknow was the discovery of a large stock of supplies beneath the Residency, sufficient to maintain the garrison for two months. Lawrence had laid in the stores but died before he had informed any of his subordinates. (Inglis had feared that starvation was imminent).

Instead, the defended area was enlarged. Under Outram's overall command, Inglis took charge of the original Residency area, and Havelock occupied and defended the palaces (the Farhat Baksh and Chuttur Munzil) and other buildings east of it. Outram had hoped that the relief would also demoralise the rebels, but was disappointed. For the next six weeks, the rebels continued to bombard the defenders with musket and artillery fire, and dig a series of mines beneath them. The defenders replied with sorties, as before, and dug counter-mines.

The defenders were able to send messengers to and from the Alambagh, from where in turn messengers could reach Cawnpore. (Later, a semaphore system made the risky business of sending messengers between the Residency and the Alambagh unnecessary). A volunteer civil servant, Thomas Henry Kavanagh, the son of a British soldier, disguised himself as a sepoy and ventured from the Residency aided by a local man named Kananji Lal. He and his scout crossed the entrenchments east of the city and reached the Alambagh to act as a guide to the next relief attempt. For this action, he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Preparations for second relief[link]

The rebellion had involved a very wide stretch of territory in Northern India. Large numbers of rebels had flocked to Delhi, where they proclaimed the restoration of the Mughal Empire under Bahadur Shah II. A British army besieged the city from the first week in June. On 10 September, they launched a storming attempt, and by 21 September they had captured the city. On 24 September, a column of 2,790 British, Sikh and Punjabi troops under Colonel Greathed of the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot marched through the Lahore Gate to restore British rule from Delhi to Cawnpore. On 9 October, Greathed received urgent calls for help from a British garrison in the Red Fort at Agra. He diverted his force to Agra, to find the rebels had apparently retreated. While his force rested, they were surprised and attacked by the rebel force which had been close by. Nevertheless they rallied, defeated and dispersed the rebel force. This Battle of Agra cleared all organised rebel forces from the area between Delhi and Cawnpore, although guerrilla bands remained.

Shortly afterwards, Greathed received reinforcements from Delhi, and was superseded in command by Major General James Hope Grant. Grant reached Cawnpore late in October, where he received orders from the new commander-in-chief in India, Sir Colin Campbell, to proceed to the Alambagh, and transport the sick and wounded to Cawnpore. He was also strictly enjoined not to commit himself to any relief of Lucknow until Campbell himself arrived.

Campbell was 65 years old when he left England in July 1857 to assume command of the Bengal Army. By mid-August, he was in Calcutta preparing his departure upcountry. It was late October before all preparations were completed. Fighting his way up the Grand Trunk Road, Campbell arrived in Cawnpore on 3 November. The rebels held effective control of large parts of the countryside. Campbell considered, but rejected, securing the countryside before launching his relief of Lucknow. The massacre of British women and children following the capitulation of Cawnpore was still in recent memory. In British eyes Lucknow had become a symbol of its resolve. Accordingly, Campbell left 1,100 troops in Cawnpore for its defence, leading 600 cavalry, 3,500 infantry and 42 guns to the Alambagh in what Samuel Smiles described as an example of the "women and children first" protocol being applied.^[1].

The strength of the rebels investing Lucknow has been widely estimated from 30,000 to 60,000. They were amply equipped,the sepoy regiments among them were well trained, and they had improved their defences in response to Havelock's and Outram's first Relief of the Residency. The Charbagh Bridge used by Havelock and Outram just north of the Alambagh had been fortified. The Charbagh Canal from the Dilkusha Bridge to the Charbagh Bridge was dammed and flooded to prevent troops or heavy guns fording it. Cannon emplaced in entrenchments north of the Gumti River not only daily bombarded the besieged Residency but also enfiladed the only viable relief path. However, the lack of a unified command structure among the sepoys diminished the value of their superior numbers and strategic positions.

Second relief[link]

At daybreak on the morning of 14 November, Campbell commenced his relief of Lucknow. Campbell made his plans on the basis of Kavanagh's information, and the heavy loss of life experienced by the first Lucknow relief column. Rather than crossing the Charbagh Bridge and fighting through the tortuous, narrow streets of Lucknow, Campbell opted to make a flank march to the east and proceed to Dilkusha Park. He would then advance to La Martiniere (a school for British and Anglo-Indian boys) and cross the canal as close to the River Gumti as possible. As he advanced, he would secure each position to protect his communications and supply train back to the Alambagh. He would then secure a walled enclosure known as the Secundrabagh and link up with the Residency whose outer perimeter had been extended by Havelock and Outram to the Chuttur Munzil.

For three miles as the column moved to the east of the Alambagh, no opposition was encountered. When the relief column reached the Dilkusha park wall, the quiet ended with an outburst of musket fire. British cavalry and artillery quickly pushed through the park wall and the sepoys were driven from the Dilkusha park. The column then advanced to La Martiniere. By noon, the Dilkusha and La Martiniere were in British hands. The defending sepoys vigorously attacked the British left flank from the Bank’s House but the British counter-attacked and drove them back into Lucknow.

The rapid advance of Campbell’s column placed it far ahead of its supply caravan. The advance paused until the required stores of food, ammunition and medical equipment were brought forward. The request for additional ammunition from the Alambagh further delayed the relief column's march. On the evening of 15 November, the Residency was signalled by semaphore, “Advance tomorrow.”

The next day the relief column advanced from La Martiniere to the northern point where the canal meets the Gumti River. By the fate of war, the damming of the canal to flood the area beneath the Dilkuska Bridge left the canal dry at the crossing point. The column and guns advanced forward and then turned sharp left to Secundra Bagh.

Storming of Secundra Bagh[link]

Main article: Secundra Bagh

The Secundra Bagh is a high walled garden approximately 120 yards square with parapets at each corner and a main entry gate arch on the southern wall. Campbell’s column approached along a road that ran parallel to the eastern wall of the garden. The advancing column of infantry, cavalry and artillery had difficulty manoeuvering in the cramped village streets. They were afforded some protection from the intense fire raining down on them by a high road embankment that faced the garden. Musket fire came from loopholes in the Secundra Bagh and nearby fortified cottages, and cannon shot from the distant Kaisarbagh (the former King of Oudh's palace). Campbell positioned artillery to suppress this incoming fire. Heavy 18-pounder artillery was also hauled by rope and hand over the steep road embankment and placed within sixty yards of the enclosure. Although significant British casualties were sustained in these manoeuvres, the cannon fire breached the southeastern wall.

The interior of the Secundra Bagh, several months after its storming during the second relief. Albumen silver print by Felice Beato.

Elements of the Scottish 93rd Highlanders and 4th Punjab Infantry Regiment rushed forward. Finding the breach too small to accommodate the mass of troops, the Punjab Infantry moved to the left and overran the defences at the main garden gateway. Once inside, the Punjabis, many of whom were Sikhs, emptied their muskets and resorted to the bayonet. Sepoys responded with counter-attacks. Highlanders pouring in by the breach shouted, “Remember Cawnpore!” Gradually the din of battle waned. The dwindling force of defenders moved northward until retreat was no longer possible. The earth was wet with dark red blood. The British numbered the sepoy dead at nearly 2000.

Storming of the Shah Najaf[link]

By late noon a detachment of the relief column led by Adrian Hope disengaged from the Secundra Bagh and moved towards the Shah Najaf. The Shah Najaf, a walled mosque, is the mausoleum of Ghazi-ud-Din Haider, the first King of Oudh in 1814. The defenders had heavily fortified this multi-story position. When the full force of the British column was brought to bear on the Shah Najaf, the sepoys responded with unrelenting musketry, cannon grape shot and supporting cannon fire from the Kaisarbagh as well as oblique cannon fire from secured batteries north of the Gumti River. From heavily exposed positions, for three hours the British poured a strong cannon fire on the stout walls of the Shah Najaf. The walls remained unscathed, the sepoy fire was unrelenting and British losses mounted. Additional British assaults failed with heavy losses.

Retiring from their exposed positions was deemed equally dangerous by the British command. Gathering up 50 Highlanders, the party was dispatched to seek an alternate access route to the Shah Najaf. Discovering a breach in the wall on the opposite side of the fighting, sappers were brought forward to widen the breach. The small advance party pushed through the opening, crossed the courtyard and opened the main gates. Seeing the long sought opening, their comrades rushed forth into the Shah Najaf. Campbell made his headquarters in the Shah Najaf by nightfall.

Ruins of Residency, Lucknow- Circa 1880

Residency reached[link]

Within the besieged Residency, Havelock and Outram completed their preparations to link up with Campbell’s column. Positioned in the Chuttur Munzil they executed their plan to blow open the outer walls of the garden once they could see that the Secundra Bagh was in Campbell’s hands.

The Moti Mahal, the last major position that separated the two British forces, was cleared by charges from Campbell’s column. Only an open space of 450 yards (410 m) now separated the two forces. Outram, Havelock and some other officers ran across the space to confer with Campbell, before returning. Stubborn resistance continued as the sepoys defended their remaining positions, but repeated efforts by the British cleared these last pockets of resistance. The second relief column had reached the Residency.

The evacuation[link]

This sketch of Lucknow's Alam Bagh was made by Lt CH Mecham on 25 December 1857 while fierce fighting raged on. In a note at the bottom of the sketch, the artist wishes "my future readers many happy returns of this festive season".

Although Outram and Havelock both recommended storming the Kaisarbagh palace to secure the British position, Campbell knew that other rebel forces were threatening Cawnpore and other cities held by the British, and he ordered Lucknow to be abandoned. The evacuation began on 19 November. While Campbell's artillery bombarded the Kaisarbagh to deceive the rebels that an assault on it was imminent, canvas screens were erected to shield the open space from the rebels' view. The women, children and sick and wounded made their way to the Dilkusha Park under cover of these screens, some in a variety of carriages or on litters, others on foot. Over the next two days, Outram spiked his guns and withdrew after them.

At the Dilkusha Park, Havelock died (of a sudden attack of dysentery) on 24 November. The entire army and convoy now moved to the Alambagh. Campbell left Outram with 4,000 men to defend the Alambagh while he himself moved with 3,000 men and most of the civilians to Cawnpore on 27 November.

The first siege had lasted 87 days, the second siege a further 61. The largest number of Victoria Crosses awarded in a single day was the 24 earned on 16 November during the second relief,^[2] the bulk of these being for the assault on the Secundrabagh.

The rebels were left in control of Lucknow over the following winter, but were prevented from undertaking any other operations by their own disunity and by Outram's hold on the easily defended Alambagh. Lucknow was retaken by Campbell on 21 March 1858.

Representation in fiction[link]

• The siege, with significant differences, was fictionalised in J.G. Farrell's The Siege of Krishnapur. He made extensive use of memoirs and journals of survivors of the Siege, such as those of Mrs Julia Inglis and Mrs Maria Germon.
• Maxwell Gray's 1891 In the Heart of the Storm is set partially in Lucknow during the siege.
• G. A. Henty's In Times of Peril and George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman in the Great Game also contain lengthy scenes set in the Residency during the siege.
• Mark Twain's Following the Equator devotes an entire chapter to the rebellion, quoting extensively from Sir G. O. Trevelyan.
• M. M. Kaye's Shadow of the Moon(copyright 1956/1979) is a fictional account of the last days of the British Raj in India with many scenes set in Lucknow and environs. Most of the latter part of the book is set in Lucknow during the Siege.
• Anurag Kumar's Recalcitrance is mostly based on the part played by commoners during the siege. It describes the siege as well as the final relief. It is almost entirely based on the events in Lucknow. It also describes the part played by Raja Jailal Singh a commander of revolutionary forces whose contributions were highlighted for he first time by the author through newspaper articles. His contributions caused a memorial park to be built around the place where this mysterious revolutionary soldier was hanged at the end of the Great Uprising of 1857. The novel was first published in 2008 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Great Uprising of 1857.
• The plot of Philip Pullman's Ruby in the Smoke relies heavily on fictional events that supposedly occurred during the siege.
• Dion Boucicault's Jessie Brown or the Relief of Lucknow was a play written immediately after the events and was very popular in the theatre, playing for twenty years.

Notes[link]

References[link]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• Battles of the Indian Mutiny, Michael Edwardes, Pan, 1963, ISBN 0-330-02524-4
• The Great Mutiny, Christopher Hibbert, Penguin, 1978, ISBN 0-14-004752-2
• A History of the Indian Mutiny Volumes 1–3, G. W. Forrest, William Black and Son, Ediburgh and London 1904, reprinted 2006, ISBN 81-206-1999-4 and ISBN 81-206-2006-1
• Story of a Soldier's Life Volume 1, Field Marshal Viscount Wolseley, Westminster Archibald Constable & Company 1903

Further reading[link]

First person accounts:

• Bartrum, Katherine Mary. A Widow's Reminiscences of the Siege of Lucknow., London: James Nisbet & Co., 1858. Online at A Celebration of Women Writers.
• Inglis, Julia Selina, Lady, 1833–1904, The Siege of Lucknow: a Diary, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co., 1892. Online at A Celebration of Women Writers.
• Rees, L. E. Ruutz. A personal narrative of the siege of Lucknow, Oxford University Press, 1858. Digital copy on Google Books.

External links[link]

• British Army
• Pakistan Defence Journal
• Private Tour Operators Website – specialises in Indian Mutiny & British History in India

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Lucknow लखनऊ لکھنؤ
The City of Nawabs, Golden City of East, Constantinople of India
—  metro city  —
From top: Vidhan Sabha, Bada Imambara, Ambedkar Park
Lucknow Location of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and India
Coordinates	26°50′N 80°58′E / 26.84°N 80.96°E / 26.84; 80.96Coordinates: 26°50′N 80°58′E / 26.84°N 80.96°E / 26.84; 80.96
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
District(s)	Lucknow
Mayor	Dinesh Sharma(BJP)
Population • Density • Metro • Urban	2,815,601[1] (12th) (2011[update]) • 2,011 /km2 (5,208 /sq mi)[2] • 2,901,474[3] (12th) • 63.62
Sex ratio	871 ♂/♀
Official languages	Hindi, Urdu
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	310.1 square kilometres (119.7 sq mi)[2] • 128 metres (420 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 226 xxx • Telephone • +91-522 • UN/LOCODE • INLKO • Vehicle • UP-32
Footnotes General Data:[4] Longitude-Latitude:[5] population_District(extrapolation):[6] population_total(interpolation):[7]
Website	lucknow.nic.in

Lucknow /ˈlʌknaʊ/ (Hindi: लखनऊ, Urdu: لکھنؤ, Lakhnaū, IPA: [ˈləkʰnəu] ( listen)) is a city in India and capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh.^[8] Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division. Located in what was originally known as the Awadh (Oudh) region, Lucknow has always been known as a multicultural city, and flourished as a cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries. Courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronised by the Shia Nawabs of Iranian origin,^[9][10] are well known amongst Indians and students of South Asian culture and history.^[11] Lucknow is popularly known as The City of Nawabs. It is also known as the "Golden City of the East," "Shiraz-i-Hind" and "The Constantinople of India."^[12]

History[link]

Nawab Asaf-Ud-Dowlah (1775–1797)^[13]

The ancient history of Lucknow is mired in mystries and folk sayings. It is popularly believed that Lucknow (लखनऊ) derives its name from Lakshman (लक्ष्मण) (also known as Lakhan (लखन)), younger brother of Lord Rama, greatest hero of Suryawanshi kshatriya clan of India. Ram ordered Lakshman to establish a new town near Ayodhya, the capital of Rama. Lakshman came and built a strong fort. The present Lakshman Teela (लक्ष्मण टीला) in Lucknow is believed to be the site of ancient city of Lakhanpur built by Lakshman.

Since 1350 AD Lucknow and parts of the Awadh region were ruled by the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Nawabs of Awadh, East India Company and the British Raj. Lucknow was one of the major centres of Indian rebellion of 1857, participated actively in India's Independence movement, and 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^[14] near Lucknow.

Awadh, known as the granary of India, was important strategically for the control of the fertile plain between the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers known as the Doab. 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 the fugitive Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim. He was comprehensively defeated in the Battle of Buxar by the East India Company, which forced him 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, however, disinclined to capture Awadh outright and be brought face to face with the Marathas and the remnants of the Mughal Empire.

Many independent kingdoms, such as Awadh, were established when the Mughal empire disintegrated. Awadh’s capital, Lucknow rose to prominence when Asaf-ud-Daula, the fourth nawab, shifted his court here from Faizabad in 1775. The city was also North India’s cultural capital, and its nawabs, best remembered for their refined and extravagnt lifestyles, were patrons of the arts. Under them music and dance flourished, and many monuments were erected.^[15] Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chhota Imambara, and the Rumi 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.

Gates of the Palace at Lucknow by W. Daniell, 1801

Nawab Saadat Khan II

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 favour 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 nationally 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.

Wajid Ali Shah (1847–1856)^[13]

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 Qadra 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.

This sketch of Lucknow's Alam Bagh was made by Late CH Mecham on 25 December 1857 while fierce fighting raged on, as that time the Revolt of 1857 was going on. In a note at the bottom of the sketch, the artist wishes "my future readers many happy returns of this festive season".

The province of Awadh (anglicised to Oudh) was annexed by the East India Company in 1856 under the Doctrine of Lapse 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.

Because of its historical importance, commercial activity, and cultural activity, Lucknow has frequently been a center of political activity, prominent in the independence movement. The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was negotiated there, between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League to support pressuring the Raj for greater autonomy, a marked shift for the Muslim League.

The Khilafat Movement had an active base of support in Lucknow, creating 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 remaining 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.^[16] 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.

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was formed at the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress in 11 April 1936 with the legendary nationalist Swami Sahajanand Saraswati elected as its first President,^[17] in order to mobilise peasant grievances against the zamindari attacks on their occupancy rights, and thus sparking the Farmers' movement in India.^[18][19]

Geography[link]

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.^[20]

Climate[link]

Lucknow has a warm humid 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 896.2 millimetres (35.28 in) from the south-west monsoon winds, and occasionally frontal rainfall will occur in January. In winter the maximum temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) and the minimum is in the 2 to 3 degrees Celsius range. Fog is quite common from late December to late January. Summers are extremely hot with temperatures rising to the 40 to 45 degree Celsius range, the average highs being in the high 30s.

Pollution[link]

According to the World Bank's survey in 2004, Lucknow ranks 7th in the world regarding air pollution, three other Indian cities precede it, they are Delhi at second position, Kolkata at third position and Kanpur at sixth position.^[22]

Demographics[link]

The majority of Lucknow's population comprises people from Central and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. However, Bengalis, Punjabis and Anglo-Indians have also settled in large numbers. Hindus comprise about 71% and Muslims about 26%.Rest 3% are small groups of Sikhs, Jains, Christians and Buddhists. As per 2001 census literacy rate of Lucknow is 69.39% (61.22% for females and 76.63% for males).^[24]

Government[link]

Civic administration[link]

Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha

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). Lucknow has two lok sabha Constituencies named Lucknow & Mohanlalganj and 9 Vidhan Sabha constituencies. The Chief Minister of the state for the 2012 Vidhan Sabha is currently Shri Akhilesh Yadav.

The city is under the jurisdiction of a District Magistrate, 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, who is an administrative officer. The corporation comprises elected members (corporators elected from the wards directly by the people) with City Mayor as its head. An Assistant Municipal Commissioner oversees each ward for administrative purposes.

The Lucknow Police is headed by a Deputy 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 elections of 2009.

Federal government[link]

The Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety of India, the National Agency under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has its head office in the Northeast Railway Compound in Lucknow.^[25]

Economy[link]

This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (March 2012)

Ranked 6th among all the cities in India for fastest job-creation,^[26] 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.

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[link]

Among the bigger manufacturing units, Lucknow has:

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited^{[citation needed]},
• Tata Motors,
• Eveready Industries and
• Scooters India Ltd.

Omax Auto

The city's small-scale and medium-scale industrial units are located in the industrial enclaves of

• Chinhat,
• Aishbagh,
• Talkatora,
• Amausi.

Real Estate[link]

Real estate is one of the many booming sectors of the Lucknow's economy.Lucknow has one of the fastest growing property rates in almost all the areas due to redevelopment of several areas (like Gomtinagar and Alambagh) by the present government. There are several malls like:

• SaharaGanj Mall,
• Fun Republic Mall,
• Riverside Mall,
• Phoenix United Mall,
• Westend Mall
• Singapore Mall,
• Felix Square Mall,
• City Mall,
• Gardens Galleria,

Traditional trade[link]

• 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 Edward Dyer to set up a unit based on molasses in the city. Dyer Breweries was incorporated in 1855 and was Asia's first commercial brewery.The company name was changed to Mohan Meakin Brewery in 1967 (the word "Breweries" was dropped in the eighties as the company diversified into other industries).^[27]

• 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.^{[citation needed]}It is very popular in Indian markets and have very high demand.

• During the period of the Nawabs, kite-making reached a high level of artistry,^[28] 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[link]

This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (April 2012)

• Lucknow, with its excellent education^{[citation needed]}, commercial, banking and legal infrastructure^{[citation needed]}, is witnessing rapid growth in information technology^{[citation needed]}, banking, retailing, construction and other service sectors^{[citation needed]}.
• Commercial property,
• SEZs,
• Business centres,
• Multiplexes,
• Clubs,
• Banks,
• Food courts,
• Entertainment centres,
• Finance institutions.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology set up Software Technology Parks of India^[29] in 2001. .Currently, biotechnology and information technology are the two focus areas to promote economic development in and around the city^{[citation needed]}. The Ministry of Science and Technology is setting up a biotech park^[30] in the city. Lucknow is also one of the selected cities for the Smart City project of STPI^{[citation needed]} .

Cityscape[link]

Ambedkar Memorial

Gateway to Bara Imambara

• The Asafi Imambara (popularly known as Bara Imambara) which includes Bhool Bhulaiya (Labyrinth) and Bouli,
• The Chhota Imambara,
• The British Residency (also includes Shaheed Samarak),
• 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 Khanqah e Kakori,
• The Picture Gallery,
• Constantia (La Martiniere Boys School),
• Colvin Taluqdars' College,
• State Museum / Lucknow Zoo,
• Ambedkar Memorial,
• Kanshi Ram Memorial,
• The Clock Tower
• Ram Krishna Math.
• All Saints Garrison Church (Church of North India), Lucknow Cantt.

The British-built architectural sights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assembly), 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.

Lucknow has several well-kept parks.

The bigger parks are:

• Ambedkar Memorial,
• Lohia Park,
• Swarn Jayanti Park,
• Aurobindo Park in Indiranagar,
• Dilkusha Park,
• Begum Hazrat Mahal Park,
• Globe Park, Mukherjee Phuhaar,
• Haathi Park,
• Buddha park,
• Neebu Park.

There is a sprawling National Botanical Garden at Sikandarbagh on the banks of Gomti river.

The city also has a Reserve Forest, Kukrail Reserve Forest (a picnic spot and Gharial rehabilitation centre).^[31] 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[link]

• Aminabad is situated in the heart of the city. It is a large shopping centre.

The Hazratganj area is a shopping market with colonial- style buildings. 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.

• The first shopping mall-cum-multiplex to open in Lucknow was the East End Mall in Gomti Nagar.

Now Lucknow has numerous Mall-cum-multiplexes and famous among them are:

• Saharaganj (PVR Cinemas),
• Fun Republic Zee Mall (Fun Cinemas),
• Riverside Mall (Inox),
• East End Mall (Wave Cinemas),
• Phoenix United Mall (PVR Cinemas),etc.

Hazratganj, the main commercial area of Lucknow has completed its 200 years in 2010^{[citation needed]}. On this occasion the district administration had given a facelift to Hazratganj. It is renovated on the lines of Connaught Place in Delhi, and done as per the recommendations of the famous architect Naseer Munji.^[32] Pebbled pathways, piazzaz, green areas, fountains, rows of cast-iron lamp-posts now add to the Victorian style of Hazratganj.^[33]

Localities[link]

The urban area is spread equally on both sides of the Gomti River^{[citation needed]}.

The commercial and residential areas on Cis-Gomti side are:Hazratganj, L.D.A. Colony,Alambagh,

• RDSO Colony (Research Design and Standard Organisation), Charbagh, Aishbagh, Qaiserbagh, Aminabad, Husainganj, Model Houses, Lal Bagh,Golaganj, Wazirganj, Rajendra Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Tikait Ganj, Aishbagh, Rajajipuram, Haiderganj, Thakurganj, Chowk, Nakkhas, Husainabad, Dargah Hazrat Abbas,Muftiganj, Turia Ganj, Mansoor Nagar, Hasanpuria, Victoria Street, Campbell Road, Asharfabad, Kashmiri Mohalla, Akbari Gate and Saadatganj.

• The residential settlements in the Trans-Gomti area are Vasundhara Vihar(Bio-Tech Square), Nirala Nagar, Aliganj, kalyanpur, 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, South City and Vrindavan Awas (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.

Southcity, Eldeco, Omaxe city are coming up as the newly inhabited places of Lucknow. It has Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute, Sardar Patel Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow and Ambedkar University nearby.

Ambedkar Park

Culture[link]

A small part of Lucknow's society still possesses much etiquette. This sublime cultural richness 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. The Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad, popularly known as Suleiman Mian, is a living example of all the great traditions of this region and has been written about by authors like V.S. Naipaul, William Dalrymple and many others.

Urdu literature[link]

The City Homed the Great legends of Urdu poetry, especially in Marsiya Nigari like Mir Anees and Mirza Dabeer.

• Marsiya is elegy composed in aspects of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husaain(as) grandson of Prophet Muhammed in Kerbala Iraq in 61ah.
• Mir Anees and Mirza Dabeer composed most of the renowned marsiya in the history of Urdu language and are still being recited during Muharram in various Majalis and other Azadari events.

Lucknow is famous for Azadari because of its history of Shia Kingdom of Nawabs of Oudh who promoted Muharram and its religious events on very high regards. The culture of Urdu poetry is still popular, especially in Muharram and other occasions related with Islamic lunar calendar.

Lucknow hosts the most number of poetic events in India, and poets from various parts of the world come to participate in these events. Some of the famous poets of recent times are

• Kazim Jarwali,
• Sarwar Nawab Sarwar,
• Arif Lucknowi
• Nawab Baqar Ali Khan "Ravish Lakhnavi"
• Nayyar Majidi
• Surror Lucknowi
• Shauq Lucknowi
• Sharib Kausar Alavi "Sharib Kakorwi"

• People, especially Muslims, of Lucknow are known for their excellent Urdu and their Tehzeeb^{[disambiguation needed ]}. Lucknow is famous for its Urdu literature and shayari.

Language and poetry[link]

Lucknow is one of the world's great cities for Muslim culture^{[citation needed]}. Two poets, Mir Anis and Mirza Dabeer, became legendary exponents of a unique genre of Muslim 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 city. The great revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, who was hanged by the British at Gorakhpur jail, was largely influenced by the culture of Lucknow and remembered its name in his poetry.^[34] The surrounding towns like Kakori, Daryabad, Tehseel Fatehpur, Barabanki, Rudauli and Malihabad produced many eminent poets and littérateurs 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[link]

The Awadh region has its own distinct Nawabi style cuisine, the most famous cuisine of Awadhi Region is Tunday Kabab with various kinds of biryanis, kebabs and breads. Kebabs are also of different types – Kakori Kebabs, Galawati Kebabs, Shami Kebabs, Boti Kababs, Patili-ke-Kababs, Ghutwa Kababs and Seekh Kababs are among the known varieties.^[35]

The city has a range of fine restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets.

Tundey Kebabs, named after the one-armed chef Haji Murad Ali,^[36] and 'Kakori kebabs' are very popular with food lovers. Among sweets lucknow's rewadi is famous all over India.

• 

  Biryani

• 

  Uttar Pradeshi thali with naan, sultani dal, raita, and shahi paneer.

• 

  Kebabs are an important part of Uttar Pradesh's cuisine. Lucknow is known for its galawat ke kawab

• 

  Naan is one of the staple breads of Uttar Pradesh.

• 

  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

Muharram[link]

Shiite Muslims take out a Muharram procession in Lucknow, Jan, 2007.

Lucknow is known as a seat of Shi'ism and the epitome of Shia culture in India. It is famous for Muharram and associated azadari movement. All the communities including Hindus, observe the Moharram on the 10th of Moharram in the memory of Imam Husain (the grandson of the prophet Muhammad). Fourteen hundred years back in Karbala Iraq Yazid's forces killed Immam Hussain and his family on the day of Ashura and imprisoned remaining family.

The processions of Muharram in Lucknow have a special significance. They were started during the reign of the Awadh Nawabs. The Majalises, processions and other rituals that are observed by the Shia community to commemorate the sacrifice of Husain are known as Azadari.

The processions like Shahi Zarih, Jaloos-e-Mehndi, Alam-e-Ashura and that of Chup Tazia have special significance for Shia community, which are taken out with great religious zeal and fervour. These processions which started during the reign of the Awadh Nawabs continued till the year 1977 when Government of Uttar Pradesh banned the Azadari processions in public. For next twenty years processions and gatherings were carried in private or community space like, Talkatora karbala, Imambara Asifi(Bara Imambara), Imambara Husainabad(Chhota Imambara), Dargah Hazrat Abbas, Shah Najaf, Ghufra'ma'ab etc. Ban was partially lifted in 1997 and Shias were successful in taking out the first Azadari procession in January 1998 (21st of Ramzan). Today the Shias have been given nine processions out of nine hundred that are registered in the festival register of the Shias.

Dance, drama and music[link]

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 Institute University at Lucknow is named after the great musician Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. People from Sri Lanka, Nepal and other countries come to Bhatkhande to study music or dance.

Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts (BNA), also known as Bhartendu Natya Academy, a Theatre Training institute situated at Gomti Nagar in vikas khand-1, is deemed university and an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, set up in 1975 by the Sangeet Natak Akademy (Government of Uttar Pradesh), and became an independent Drama school in 1977. Official Website of The BNA

Lucknow has given music stars like Naushad Ali, Talat Mehmood, Anup Jalota and Baba Sehgal to the entertainment industry. It is also the birthplace of British pop star Sir Cliff Richard.

Sports[link]

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.

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, Anurag Singh, Suresh Raina, Gyanendra Pandey, Praveen Kumar 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. There has been a proposal by the Indian Olympic Association to make joint bid from Lucknow – Delhi for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Stadiums[link]

K. D. Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow

The main sports hub is the K. D. Singh Babu Stadium which also has a world-class swimming pool and indoor games complex. The other stadiums are at Babu Banarsi Das Engineering College, Charbagh, Mahanagar, Chowk and Sports College and at Integral University.

The Lucknow Golf Club, on the sprawling greens of La Martinière College, is a famous golf course.

An inspiration for films[link]

Lucknow has been a major influence on the Hindi film industry of India. Many script writers and lyricists hailing from Awadh like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Javed Akhtar Ikram Akhtar (Writer of Films Like Ready, Thank you No problem And many more)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, K. P. Saxena and music famous music director Naushad Ali (Urdu: نوشاد علی, Hindi: नौशाद अली) (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) have enriched Indian Cinema. Veteran Bollywood and Bengali film actor Pahadi Sanyal also hailed from Lucknow.

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.

In the movie Gadar: Ek Prem Katha Lucknow has been used to depict Pakistan. Movie Anwar (2007) written and directed by Manish Jha, starring Siddharth Koirala And Manisha Koirala was shot in Lucknow and surrounded areas like Kakori and Bakhshi ka Talab. Places like Lal Pul, Taj Hotel, Roomi Darwaza (or Roman Gate) has been used in Tanu Weds Manu.

Education and research[link]

IIM Lucknow

IET Lucknow

EUPHORIA performing at SPPGIDMS

Lucknow is a hub of education and research and many premier institutions are located in and around city. City has many universities, Engineering Colleges, Management Institutes, Research Institutes and Schools.

There are few old and reputed schools affiliated with State or Central Boards like:

• Montfort Inter College (formerly Mahanagar Boys' Inter College)
• St.Mary's Day Inter College,Sadar
• Cathedral Sn. Sec. School, Hazaratganj
• H.A.L School,
• R.L.B School,
• Lucknow Public School
• St. Francis' College,
• Colvin Taluqdars' College,
• Central Schools
• La Martiniere College,
• Loreto Convent Intermediate College,
• Lucknow Cristian College,
• City Convent School and Inter College,
• Raj Kumar Academy,
• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
• Modern School,
• Jaipuria School,

៛ St.Dominic Savio College,Lucknow,

• City Montessori School,
• Mother Teresa Montessori School,
• St. Dominic Savio College
• Army Public School. Sainik School Lucknow located in the outskirts.

Most prominent university is Lucknow University; others being Gautam Buddh Technical University (GBTU), Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Medical University (formerly King George Medical College/University).

Prominent institutes of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) like:

• Central Drug Research Institute,
• Indian Institute of Toxicology Research,
• National Botanical Research Institute,
• Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants are located here.

Other important institutes are:

• IIM Lucknow
• Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science (SGPGI)
• Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental & Medical Sciences (SPPGIDMS) www.sppgidms.org
• Institute of Engineering and Technology
• Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET)
• Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts
• Lucknow College of Architecture
• National.P.G.College
• Institute of Management Sciences
• Jaipuria Institute of Management.
• Integral University
• Amity University, Lucknow Campus
• B.B.D University,Lucknow Campus

Transport[link]

Road transport[link]

From Hazratganj intersection in Lucknow city, four Indian National Highways originate, viz, NH-24 to Delhi, NH-25 to Shivpuri, Jhansi (M.P. Border), NH-56 to Varanasi and NH-28 to Mokama (Bihar).The available multiple modes of public transport in the city are taxis, city buses, cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws and CNG Low Floor AC or Non AC Buses. CNG has been introduced recently as an auto fuel to keep the air pollution in control.

City bus service[link]

Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (JNNURM of UPSRTC). It has a fleet of 300 buses. All are CNG.Off them

• 20 are A/C Low floor,
• 90 are non A/C Low floor,
• 60 are semi low floor,
• 120 are mini buses.

At present there are around 35 routes in the city. Terminals for city buses are Gudamba, Virajkhand, Alambagh, Scooter India, Engineering college, B.B.D., Pasi qila, Charbagh, Andhe ki chowki, Budheshwar choraha. There are 4 bus depots for city bus that are Gomti nagar, Charbagh, Amausi, Dubagga.

Suburban bus service[link]

The suburban bus service is run by Lucknow upnagariya parivahan sewa. Its fleet is around 120 buses. These buses cater the need of suburban towns and tehsils in Lucknow and neighbouring districts. Suburban services is from Charbagh and Kaiserbagh. Towns connected by Charbagh are Barabanki city, Nigohan, Nayi jail, Nagram, Mohanlalganj, Subeha, Bachhrawan.Towns connected by Kaiserbagh are Malihabad, Itaunja, Mahmudabad, Amaniganj, Haidergarh, nayi jail. It is a division of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation.

Inter-state bus service[link]

One of Lucknow's major bus terminals is Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar bus station at Alambagh. It has very modern facilities and is the main inter- and intrastate terminal in Lucknow. Another important bus station is at Qaiserbagh. Earlier, another bus terminal operated at Charbagh, directly in front of the main railway station, but this has now been reestablished as a City bus depot. The move was taken to remove congestion in front of the railway station. Kanpur Lucknow Roadways Service is a very important service for commuters.Swanky VOLVO named Royal cruiser AC bus service is run by UPSRTC for many cities.Buses being very comfortble are very much in demand nowadays. Main cities they serve are Jaipur, agra, delhi, gorakhpur.Bus service to inter state cities is also very good. All the Main and important cities of north India is connected by bus. The cities outside Uttar Pradesh that are covered by bus service are Jaipur, New Delhi, Gwalior, Bharatpur, Singrauli, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Dausa, Ajmer, Dehradun, Haridwar.

Rail transport[link]

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 such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur and many more. Lucknow has a further thirteen railway stations viz. Alamnagar, Malhaur, Utretia, Transport Nagar^{[disambiguation needed ]}, 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.Many stations are covered by Lucknow-Kanpur Suburban Railway. It serves daily commuters. Some of the trains are operated from Barabanki city.

Air transport[link]

The Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Amausi 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, Bangalore,Patna, Kolkata, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Oman Air, FlyDubai, Buddha Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Indian Airlines and IndigoAir and many more international airlines that are operating international flights from Lucknow^{[citation needed]}. International destinations include Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah, Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh and Kathmandu (Nepal)^{[citation needed]}. During Haj special flights are also operated from Lucknow^{[citation needed]}.

Metro/Mono Rail service[link]

Plans for high capacity mass transit system, The Lucknow Metro and Mono rail Services have been finalised^{[citation needed]}. Delhi Metro rail (DMRC) is preparing plans for its constructions^{[citation needed]}.

Media[link]

Local channels[link]

There are numerous local channels in Lucknow. Most of them show movies throughout the day and then news and educational programs in evening.There are many Muslim TV channels exclusively for Muslim population in the city. All the channels are run by local cable operarors.

Press[link]

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 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 and Urdu are published in the city. Among the Hindi papers are Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Dainik Hindustan, Rashtriya Sahara, Jansatta, I Next and Swatantra Bharat. The main Urdu papers are Rozanama Rashtriya Sahara, Sahafat, Avadhnama, Qaumi Khabrein, Aag,Roznama Urdu, "Subahnama Urdu" and Jayeza Daily,.

The Press Trust of India and United News of India have their offices in the city and all major Indian newspapers have correspondents and stringers in Lucknow.

Radio[link]

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.^[37]

• Radio City 91.1 MHz
• Red FM 93.5 MHz
• Radio Mirchi 98.3 MHz
• AIR FM Rainbow 100.7 MHz
• Gyan Vani 105.6 MHz (Educational)
• CMS FM 90.4 MHz (Educational)

Internet[link]

The city has broadband internet connectivity and video conferencing facilities. Major companies like BSNL, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Tata Communications & STPI, have a wide infrastructure to provide broadband Internet Bandwidth.

Notable people from Lucknow[link]

• Mirza Hameedullah Beg, Indian jurist
• Saleem Kidwai, Professor and author
• Cliff Richard, British pop singer

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Rosie Llewellyn-Jones. City of Illusion. Prestel Verlag, 2006, 295pp. ISBN 3-7913-3130-2. ISBN 978-3-7913-3130-0.
• Rosie Llewellyn-Jones. Lucknow Then and Now. Marg Publications, India, 2003. ISBN 81-85026-61-0. ISBN 978-81-85026-61-9.
• Anurag Kumar. Recalcitrance- a historical novel on events of Great Uprising of 1857 AIP Books, India, 2008.
• Madan Lal Verma 'Krant' Krantikari Bismil Aur Unki Shayri (Urdu/Hindi), 2009, 1/1148A Subhash Park Extension, Naveen Shahdara Delhi 110032, Prakhar Prakashan

External links[link]

Uttar Pradesh portal

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