Lucknow, the cultural heart of Uttar Pradesh, has been recognised by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Explore its rich Nawabi culinary heritage, historic traditions, and enduring cultural legacy.
Lucknow declared by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy
By Justice Markandey Katju
Lucknow has been a great cultural centre of India where Urdu poetry, Kathak dance, thumri music etc thrived, and where its Nawabs built magnificent structures like the Bada Imambada, Dilkhusha Gardens, etc
But Lucknow is also renowned for its marvellous cuisine.
In this connection a video has been made and sent to me by my old friend Tariq Khan who is a resident of Lucknow. It gives an excellent account of Lucknow's out-of-the-world cuisine, many dishes coming down from the times of the Nawabs of Avadh.
My own connection with Lucknow is that I was born there in 1946, though I grew up in Allahabad. However, I often used to go to Lucknow and know the city well, and have many friends there.
I often quote the sher of my late friend the great Urdu poet Munawwar Rana ( who was a resident of Lucknow much of his life ) about the lament of muhajirs who had migrated from Lucknow to Pakistan in 1947
"Muharram mein hamaara Lucknow Iran lagta tha
Madad maula Husainabad rota chhod aaye hain "
My appeal to all is to watch this video. It will be both entertaining and educative
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of the Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
