This day, that year…

Lucknow to me is still peculiar!!! 

The gentle, laid-back Tehzib, so reminiscent of the city of Nawabs has given way to the fast-lane junky-funky style of the GenX and I fall in love with Lucknow again this year, as nostalgia takes over and I rewind the transitional journey of this incredible city.. 

I guess this is a fundamental wiring fault in my brain that I keep pondering a lot, over issues which might be of very little importance to all others, but to me they become a subject of vehemence. Somebody once told me “a writer’s expertise lies in seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, and then producing one piece of literature that becomes a rarity!!!” Huh! As if it is so easy! I said to myself, today, as I sat by myself and reclined on my favorite wooden chair to allow sunlight kiss my being. (The only cool thing about winters is the sunlight!) And as I was thinking about the nuances of the world around me, with closed eyes and an “enlightened Buddha” smile on my face, something that shook me off my near-to-attaining-enlightenment-stage was a thought about my city, my Lucknow! 

Yes! Surprisingly, Lucknow is the only city in contradiction with itself. In fact, it would be deluding, on my part, to call it "a city". Picturesque and mostly peaceful, Lucknow, in spite of bursting at its seams with an ever-overflowing populace and being perpetually clamorous, still retains an old-world spaciousness and a disarming laidback demeanor. Situated on the banks of the river Gomti, a tributary of the mighty Ganges, Lucknow has an "atmosphere" all of its own - one which appeals to the romantic in each one of us. The river lazily meanders along as its snakes its way through the city, bisecting it into two turbulent halves…and each half unfolds its own interesting tale to me! 

Straddling both banks of the Gomti River, the crowded canvas of Lucknow limns vast contrasting features which easily blend with each other. From 'Paan' to Pastas, 'maqbaras' to malls, 'chatpati chat' to candid coffees... Lucknow is one place whose every facet is at its zenith, and I just love it. While Lucknow can be proud of huge tempting malls on one hand, the elegance and grace of 'hamara purana Lucknow' is no less bewitching to me on the other. "The 'nafaasat' and 'nazakat' have still held back their grandeur and appeal till date. 'Adaab' is the very first word reverberated when I see people greet their loved ones, besides exchanging warm love laden hugs. And what’s extremely exciting to me is recalling one of those rainy days when I hung out with my gang of girls, and went nuts clicking photographs of all that came our way under the sun! Or no! For that day I would say “under-the-rain”. And in that moment of ecstasy I looked around and found that even on such rainy days satisfying appetite at the road side 'dhabaas' still remains a fashion incorrigible for all the devotees of simplicity, and the likes of me !!!. ;-) 

All through 2012, when I had ample time on my hands to sneak peek into the real Lucknow and see it as a city from an observer’s eye, I realized the most unmistakable aspect of Lucknow is its people. Primarily because they are everywhere - hanging out of buses, queued in front of cinemas, jostling on the sidewalks - they are just all over the place. "Lucknow is an old style shopper's paradise. The city is fit for all those who still believe that the art of shopping is a divine gifted quality that can only be mastered upon in the congested alleys of old bazaars of Aminabad and Nakhass and Chowk, and not in some air-conditioned malls located in a plush locality. Blended in history, these shopping places also are frequently used as the popular means of passing time and lazy strolling. This does not come as a surprise for a city that is not only famous for its lethargy but also has a sense of pride over it, isn’t it! 

And today when the rest of the world is uprooting itself from its ethical codes and adhering to extreme urbanization, crime rates are soaring doubly high, and women are getting increasingly unsafe, Lucknow stands as an exceptional example of a city which symbolizes grace without losing out on its pace. SANTROs and i-10s might be flooding the roads of innovative Lucknow, but there are still lovers of the 'Tonga' ride! Exchanging greetings at the 'nukkad wala' tea stall and then indulging into crispy gossip with friends while going on a long 'tanga savaari' still fascinates the oldies! Besides, another mesmerizing facet of this city of Nawaabs is the enchanting sweetness and divinity that flows from the language of Urdu. The 'Qawwalis' and the 'Mushaira' séance in the serpentine lanes of Old Lucknow are just the thing to satiate all buffs of Sufism and romanticism respectively, and they transport me to a different world altogether! 

However, nevertheless, the mall culture and retail boom are re-inventing the face of Lucknow making it an urban utopia. With the opening of several swanky new malls, and several others in the pipeline, Lucknow is boasting of designer labels, hypermarkets – all under one roof. Shopping has never been a more pleasurable experience for Lucknowites. And it’s amazing to see how fast Lucknow is changing. Previously I would head for the metros for my favorite brands but today everything’s a square kilometer away. One of my aunt, who always has an opinion on everything under the sun, and who couldn't miss going to “The” Lucknow Mahotsav this year as well, said, “What is interesting in the Mahotsav is depiction of the city itself which is so synonymous with its culinary like Lucknow's famous, the 'Tunda Kavabi', 'Kulcha-Nihari', Biryani, Paya and Halim. Ye to cheap and best hai ji”, she said in a voice soaked in enthusiasm and honey. Never mind I thought, aunts are all always the same!!! 

And the urban Lucknowites, like my aunt, also know how to let their hair down and party if the Page-3 parties in the city are anything to go by. With themes ranging from Caribbean Nights to Indian Weddings, at swanky lounges and prominent hotels, apna Lucknowites are party-hearties! From Teej celebrations to a recently held wine fest which boasted of everything from cocktails, cakes and chocolates to wine Pani Puris, I see people really don't need a reason to party anymore! Don't you feel everything is happening! I think the theme song "Hum Lukhnavi zabardast," of a recently launched FM radio station, aptly describes modern Lucknow, what say!!! 

And yes! Some might say that Lucknow has moved miles away from the graceful Tehzib of the 'Pehle aap' generation, to the step-aside, grab-it-all fast lane – the jazzy cars and snazzy styles, the change hasn’t been significant enough to lessen my love for my city! 

Perhaps only time will tell what's our loss and what's our gain!