Impression of the City of Nawabs

Perhaps everyone know about The City of Nawabs but some may not. Let me unveil the name of the city; it’s Lucknow. My journey started from Nepalgunj. It was five in the dawn when my alarm clock waked me up. I am always in rush especially in travels. So this time was also the same. Crossed the Nepali-India border of mid- western region of Nepal and reached Rupaidiha.

 Now the real journey started. It was about six and there were two options either to take the bus to Bairaich and then to Lucknow now or take bus direct to Lucknow after an hour. Why waiting and wasting an hour! So took bus to Bairaich. Bairaich is some 52 kms from Rupaidiha. Reached there in some one and half hours. Some refreshments in Bairaich and then enquired about the timing of bus to Lucknow. One funny thing about Bairaich was I was searching for washroom in the bus park. After some struggle I got a point where there was an arrow showing to small room (ladies washroom) and another arrow towards field for men’s. Lucknow is some 142 kms from Bairaich. Everything was moving smooth just before I bought mazaa at Ram nagar street vender (75 kms before Lucknow). They had stopped bus for some time may be for lunch. I went to take mazza and bus moved with such a furious speed that it wasn’t in sight within seconds. Oh my god! This had never happened with me. And it was a challenging moment. What to do? My bag is in the bus. Some people laughed, joked while some helped us. I called one of my brother who studies in Lucknow for help.

 I took another bus to reach Lucknow which was about 30 minutes late than the one which had left us. I didn’t know the system these Indian Government Transport Officers sorry conductors and drivers follow. They must have asked if anyone is missing or the people sitting beside should have informed. India such a huge country of 100 million people. If people started caring for strangers than what would happen perhaps a paradise.  In this case our Nepal is best. My brother reached Kesarbagh (Bus Station) to take our bag and also the cash which was left to pay. Nothing was precious in the bag. It had just my brush, paste and few medicines. Still property is property.

By the time I had seen some parts of Lucknow through the window near Gomti River called as Gomtinagar. Constructions were huge, broadened roads, statues of martyrs etc.  This was the modern part of Lucknow. Really the magnificence couldn’t be illuminated in words. For once I thought why these developments don’t happen in our country. SAHARA, FUN and MEGA were the largest malls of the city in descending order. So after reaching Kesarbaag we went directly to Immambada which is commonly known as BHULBHULAIYA. It had marvelous architecture but people engaged in the monitoring the visitors and tourists were not respectable. Their behavior was decent just for them who followed there instructions. Taking guide, submitting ones shoes under protection just for money were some of their instructions. They cautioned us if you leave your shoes without any responsibility it may not be there when you come back. So we had to follow all the instructions except one and that was taking guide. I desired to discover the BHULBHULAIYA on my own. Me and my brother for some time were lost in the building. But after seeing a family taking guide we followed them and finally exit. BHULBHULAIYA was the place where NAWABS lived. There is a saying “Banaras ki subha aur Awadh ki saam”. Nawabs decorated the city with lots of light and bouquet in the evening. Their use to be dances in different parts. These all made the night splendid as the saying. But Nawabs are in no condition today. They all have disappeared.

People in India are really amazing. All busy in something. When I came down I saw a man from the top saying “Aap ko paper ki awaz aa rahii hee?” he was shaking the papers so why wouldn’t people listen the sound? After lots of clicks we entered another part of IMAMBADA. There is a well where it is believed that a key is lost. It is said that many have tried to search but failed. The key is the only way to open the TIGORI in the main IMAMBADA. Well they are believes I am not sure about it. Exploring the BHULBHULAIYA was the best part and getting lost in some mid-way was challenging.

After this we went to JANPAT and HAZARATGANJ. These places constructed by Britishers during their rule. HAZARATGANJ was something like KATHMANDU’S DARBAR MARG. Everything branded. We had samosas in JANPAT. They were great. I think TIP TOP was nothing before them. We had spent some two to three hours there. After that we reached VIDAN BHAWAN. I could see people talking of politics. Some talking of Mayawati’s job to change the map of Lucknow. Some rikshawala cursing her. One of them said how did she do? She sucked our blood and erected huge buildings and parks. But we are starving. These parks and buildings are good for foreigners not for us. She did nothing for us; farmers. The other party gave each farmer a cow and some cash. CM Aklesh Kumars party won the election and is presently running the state. He has a good education background as well as political background. So people believe that he will do well for the people.

I was passing through the LUKNOW HIGH COURT. Amazed with the number of people. And many wearing the advocates dress. I had never seen advocates wearing that dress in Nepal and the mass it had in Nepali courts. Are Nepali advocates always informal? Also I could see advocates advertising themselves. I could see large boards on top of each shop advertising an advocate.

It was about 5 pm. We needed some refreshments. So we went to SAHARA mall. It was huge. Had coffee and garden-fresh air. Then we went to KFC. Since it was the time of NAVRATRI I could only take veg items.

It was time for some shopping. We went to AMINABAD. It was like a vegetable market. I saw a person asking for NCERT R.D SHARMA in stationery. And the assistant asking me “ ARE BHAI USKO SAMJHAU!” Overall I had seen almost all parts of Lucknow in just a day. There was no option to stay; any how I had to be present in my hometown the next morning. I reached bus park at 8 pm. If I take bus early then I would reach border at 3 am. And had to wait for local transport. So it was better to take another bus which was to move at 10 am and reach at 5. The two hours of exploration in the bus park started. Some running to catch buses, some sleeping on the floor mostly the Nepalese from rural part who had come for medical treatment. I also found a Nepali waiter in the restaurant where I had my dinner. He was from ROLPA. He also explained me how they were treated here.     

Overall the journey was fantastic with some challenging instants!