LUCKNOW NAWABI GLORY Life Style : The Luxurious Living Lucknow Nawabs Nawabi Splendor : Depicted in Royal Havelis, Bada Immambara, The Residency Famous For : Their Courteous Behaviors, Politeness and Love For Poetry Creators of Awadhi Cuisine : Murg Joshina and Variety

Nawabi Splendor of Lucknow

A Potrait of Nawab of Awadh Shah Ud Daula

Cuisine Taj Residency Hotel Towns And Cities

People & Lifestyle Capital City of Lucknow

Agra Taj Mahal

Located on the banks of river Gomti, Lucknow is the most beautiful city with the charming culture and traditions. With its palaces, gardens, mansions and imposing architecture you can see the grandeur of the city and imagine what it would have been at the time of Nawabs. Lucknow has never let its traditions go wayward and even today is known as the center of culture in Northern India. The city has patronized artists from the fields of music and dance and Delhi was only its rival at that time. Lucknow is also associated with the legendary hospitality, leisurely moods, etiquette's and mannerism and most of all its Awadhi cuisine. All these dimensions of the city flourished during the golden era of Nawabs.

Nawabi Splendor of Lucknow

The Nawabs where actually the governors appointed by the Mughals for Lucknow. Later the Nawabs declared there independence and became the rulers of the city. It was only during this era that the city flourished in culture and traditions, economically and politically. The monuments of the city are testimony to the fact that whatever royalty is left in the city it belongs to the Nawabs. Be it the Bada Imambara or the Awadhi cuisines, the impression of Nawabs is engraved deep inside the heart of the city. The Rumi Darwaaza, The Residency, Chota Immambara are the masterpieces to be seen by one and all when visiting to Lucknow. The lavish lifestyle of the Nawabs is well mirrored by the huge havelis and kothis where they lived the life of royalty. When most of the havelis are turned to ruins, few have managed to preserve their grandeur. Dilkusha or heart's delight, Bibipur Kothi haveli recently turned to Carlton hotel and Chattar Manzil are some of the pleasure palaces of Nawabs where the luxury amidst the sprawling wealth was the lifestyle of Nawabs.

Arts And Crafts - Gift of Nawabs

When Mughals where suffering the wreath from Britishers, the city of Lucknow was flourishing with the peace and prosperity under the governance of Nawabs. The musicians and dancers from the other parts of the country are said to have flocked in the city to get the Nawabi patronage. It was the time when the music and dance revived in the state and found its strong base in the city. At this time art forms like Kathak, khayal, thumri, natak, qawali and dadra where at there apex. There were frequent cultural and musical gatherings in these affluent classes of Nawabs known as (Mushyra Mafils) - the cultural evenings that use to spread over the night, smoking the traditional Hookahs - a part of the Nawabs life. The grace of these mafils was not less then any royal court event, where participants in their best glittering silk attires, tying jasmine bracelet around their wrist accompanied with some of their latest creations, where ladies of the house set behind veiled windows with their musical laughs echoing in the air and the aroma of Nawabi delicacy rightly setting the mood for the night, what a treat for eyes!

A Portrait of the Nawab of Audh's Mahfil

The Urdu was the spoken language of Nawabs and even today Lucknowi Urdu is considered to be the purest form of Urdu spoken anywhere in India. The language flourished during the bygone era of Nawabs in their patronage and Urdu poets where on the zenith of success. It is a great joy to listen the two persons speaking in chaste Urdu.

The exquisite delicacy of the chikan embroidery work is breathtakingly beautiful. Originally, the work was done on the fine white fabric to create delicately textured figure of the thin muslin. The Nawabs where famous for laying stress on the minute details of their dressing, apparel and jewelery. Their Sherwani and the caps are still in vogue in the city. Whenever there is any party people go for the Nawabi attire and it is the dress code of the city.

Nawabi Delicacies - Awadhi Cuisine

Awadhi Cuisine

Awadhi cuisine have been the pride of Lucknow. When we talk about the Nawabs, culinary is the important ingredient, which found the full support from the Nawabs. The dinner of the Nawabs was usually laid down with 25 to 30 dishes and when there used to be a special occasion hundreds of dishes where prepared. The Nawabs himself had experimented to prepare new dishes, it is one reason when we talk about Awadhi cuisine, the glory of Nawabs is remembered. The vegetarian dishes included the Dum Pukht, Dum Aloo and the non - vegetarian Murg Mussalam, tall-e-shabnam, murg joshina and variety of kababs includig shami kabab, kakori kabab, galawat ke kabab, pathar ke kabab, nargisi kabab and seek kabab. The aroma of these dishes makes the taste buds tickle. Thus the Nawabs era witnessed the culinary skills reaching to the heights of excellence and passing from on generation to generation.

Royal Sports of Nawabs

Royal Hunting

Similarly, the Nawabi sports where unique, they liked kite flying, rooster fight, pigeons flying and used to spend their entire day in these leisurely activities. These games evoke the passionate involvement among the fliers as well as the spectators. The Nawabs used to have full-fledged staff to train, feed and taking care of these birds. The other prestigious sport of the Nawabs was hunting, it was a gratifying hobby which was quite mandatory to every royal born. Usually on their hunting trips Nawabs set camp-fires, a perfect ambience for their another passion, listening to ghazals Baiyat, Bazi (shair-o- shairi). With the time, many leisurely activities became uncommon but people still enjoy the kite flying and pigeon flying.

Back to The Future

Plan a trip to the city of Mushaira where you will find even the shopkeepers reciting the couplets of famous Urdu poets and chewing the Paan (beetle leaves). The aroma of the local delicacies spiced with the legendary hospitality (Adab and tehzeeb) invites every one to taste the Awadhi cuisine and watch out the architectural ingenuity and musical legacy of Nawabs. Visit once and enchant the lifetime memories.