Prateek Hira’s interview in Times of India on Lucknow as a tourist destination
- Lucknow is a ‘Tourist Perfect’ city….
I would say Lucknow is a ‘tourist perfect’ destination with all three Cs – Culture, Craft & Cuisine required for any top of the line destination. Culture here is existent in both tangible and intangible forms with architecturally unique living monuments, performing arts, unique traditions dance forms and layers of history from pre-Nawabi to Nawabi and then further on to the British. Lucknow has unpretentious usable craft and then it has a unique array of heritage cuisine that is not only unique in taste, style of preparations but also backed by loads of stories and history to regale the diners. Even the new areas of Lucknow, particularly Gomti Nagar, which we call modern Lucknow, is no less an attraction and is now an indelible mark in its own right, as if it was not newly constructed but existed here as a part of new Lucknow.
- Lucknow promises loads of interesting experiences to any traveller….
The very mention of ‘Lucknow’ conjures one to dive into the glorious past of the Nawabi era – the mention brings alive Lucknow’s bygone era and visualization the past happens so naturally. The modern tourist is much more informed traveller and wants to experience a destination beyond its concrete structures. Stories come in handy to understand a destination more intricately and to relate to it. Lucknow promises loads of experiences for all interests and each interest is backed by many mesmerizing stories that unfold a new chapter each time. Many destinations do not have the power of stories or at times stories are not powerful enough as Lucknow’s.
- Lucknow lives in its innate image of sophistication….
Lucknow is unique in all aspects and beyond compare. The best proposition is that it is one destination that still lives to its innate image of sophistication and style. All of it still reflects in its monuments, culture and above all in its people. Lucknowites can be easily identified by their language, customs and beliefs which are very unique to them. ‘Aap-Janab’ is not a part of ‘dialect history’ but very much our daily dialect. On another thought, Lucknow is a modern neo-metropolitan that has a delicate blend of old and new and both the worlds coexist in utter harmony, not imposing on each other. Lucknow as a destination has all the capacity to hold a tourist for long stays and then attract repeat visitors as well. The more you see it, the more you want to see it and that calls for another visit.
