26°50N 81°00E, pop (2000e) 1 869 000. Capital of Uttar Pradesh, NC India; 410 km/255 mi SE of New Delhi, on R Gomati; capital of the Kingdom of Oudh, 17751856; capital of the United Provinces, 1877; British garrison besieged for five months during the Indian Mutiny (1857); focal point of the movement for an independent Pakistan; airfield; railway; university (1921); paper, chemicals, railway engineering, carpets, electrical products; Imamabara Mausoleum (1784), British Residency (1800), palaces, royal tombs.
For the village in Canada, see Lucknow, Ontario.|
Lucknow लखनऊ لكهنو |
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Lucknow लखनऊ لكهنو |
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State - District(s) |
Uttar Pradesh - Lucknow |
| Coordinates | 26.50° N 80.50° E |
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Area - Elevation |
3204 km² - 123 m |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
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Population (2006) - Density |
2,541,101 - 331/km² |
| Mayor | Dinesh Sharma |
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Codes - Postal - Telephone - Vehicle |
- 226 001 - +0522 - UP-32 |
Lucknow pronunciation (help·info) (Hindi: लखनऊ; Lucknow is also the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division.
Origin of name
In ancient times, Lucknow was part of the Kosala kingdom (modern Ayodhya) ruled by the Ikshvaku dynasty to which Lord Rama belonged. Therefore, the original name of Lucknow was Lakshmanpur, popularly known as Lakhanpur or Lachmanpur.
Other stories mention that Lucknow was named after a very influential person called 'Lakhan Ahir' who built the fort 'Qila Lakhan'.
History
Lucknow's medieval history begins with its elevation to a capital city under the Nawabs of Awadh. In the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as First War of Indian Independence), 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 events. For the valour that they displayed, La Martiniere College at Lucknow was awarded the battle honours of the British Empire.
Geography
Situated in the heart of Uttar Pradesh, 500 km south-east of New Delhi, Lucknow is surrounded on the eastern side by Barabanki District, on the western side by Unnao District, on the southern side by Raebareli District and on the northern side by the Sitapur and Hardoi districts.
Lucknow has a warm subtropical climate with a cool dry winter from December to February and a dry, hot summer from April to June. Mean monthly temperatures January: 14.7 °C June: 32.9 °C
Lucknow city is located in the seismic zone III with majority of the city construction not being earthquake resistant .
Economy
Biotechnology and IT are the two focus areas to promote economic development in and around the city. Lucknow is one of the selected cities of the Smart City project of STPI, where IT is being used to promote economic development.
See also: List of companies in Lucknow
Government and politics
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the MP for the Lucknow constituency. There are four major political parties in Lucknow: Bharatiya Janta Party, Indian National Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Samajwadi Party.
Transport
The major local mode of transport is Bus, cycle rickshaw or Auto rickshaw and Tata Sumo. Buses in the city are run by Lucknow Mahanagar Parivahan Sewa a division of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC).
Lucknow is accessible from the rest of India through air, rail and road. Lucknow's amausi airport is an international airport and is the 13th online station for Air India.
Demographics
Both Hindi and Urdu are spoken in Lucknow, but Urdu has been the lingua franca for centuries. many of the residents of Lucknow are no longer able to read the rich literary tradition or historical artifacts found in the museums and archives.
In and around the city
The architectural delights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Parliament) and the main railway station, Charbagh Railway Station, with its yellow domes and pillars. One of the oldest schools in the world is also situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere, founded by the bequest of the immensely successful colonial entrepreneur Claude Martin (1735-1800).
Locations of interest in and around Lucknow include Kukrail (a picnic spot and crocodile sanctuary), Malihabad (home of the famed Dashahri mangoes), Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Mirzapur.
Aminabad, a quaint bazaar quite like Delhi's Chandni Chowk, is situated in the heart of the city and is a large shopping centre, catering to a wide variety of consumers.
The Asafi Imambara (popularly called Bada Imambara), the Chhota Imambara, Dilkusha Garden, The Residency, Shah Najaf, La Martiniere, Ram Krishan Math (Nirala Nagar) are some famous monuments at Lucknow. Lucknow is the city of gardens;
Lucknow is also famous for culinary delights, including makkhan malai (flavoured whipped cream) and Tundey Kababs and kakori kebabs.
Culture
Lucknow, the 'golden city of the east', is struggling to retain the old world charm that still exists in the old quarters of the city, close to the Chowk area. Regarded as one of the finest cities of India, Lucknow represents a culture that combines emotional warmth, a high degree of sophistication, courtesy and a love for gracious living.
Many of the cultural traits and customs peculiar to Lucknow have become living legends today.
Old Lucknow's Chowk area is the location where the maximum number of Chikan factories and shops can be found.
Lucknow is also city of eminent Ghazal Singer Begum Akhtar who was resident of Havelock Road, near Vidhan Sabha.
Lucknow gave music legends like Naushad Ali, Talat Mehmood and Anup Jalota to the entertainment industry.
Several famous Hindi movies used Lucknow as their backdrop such as Shashi Kapoor's "Junoon", Muzaffar Ali's "Umrao Jaan", Satyajit Ray's "Shatranj Ke Khiladi" and many more.
Education
Schools and educational institutions in Lucknow are either run by the UP government or by private organistaions. Private schools in Lucknow typically use English, Hindi or Urdu as the medium of instruction and are affiliated to either the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) or the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE).
Lucknow is home to the reputed University of Lucknow.
Lucknow is also home to several CSIR India research institues, medical colleges and management and engineering institutes. Lucknow also houses one of the 6 branches of the world renowned Indian Institute of Management.
See also: List of educational institutes in LucknowMedia
Several daily newspapers in Hindi, Urdu and English are in circulation in the city. FM radio transmission started in Lucknow in 2003, and the city has 4 radio stations.
Sports
Several sport venues are present in Lucknow. The Lucknow Golf Club is also one of the famous golf courses in India.
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