Lucknow - the changing face

My home place- Lucknow, is not out of the race that has ubiquitously started all over the world, in the developing countries – a race to be at par with the global scenario. This is none but a very prominent effect of globalization, a policy which India adopted almost two decades back, opening its curtains to the world. By adopting this policy not only India made itself accessible to the world, but also opened for itself new horizons where it could soar high.

I originally am from a remoter town of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), called Rampur. Not only have I seen changes in the more affluent cities of my state like Lucknow, but smaller towns also are setting up a pace to be at par with their higher counterparts. From this small town Rampur, I moved to Lucknow in the later half of 1992. Since then I have seen the metamorphosis of this lovely town known for its delectable way of speaking and unpronounced mannerism. Lucknow has been land of Nawab’s, who were known for their grandiloquent lifestyle. They had a queer sense of dressing themselves, and impeccable penchant for the best of Mughlai cuisine. This is what marks Lucknow till now, but the style has changed.

When I started my life at Lucknow, it was called ‘Babuo ka Shahar’ or the city of Government employees. It was called so because of it being the capital of U.P. and all the government offices being situated here. Most of the people found here used to be middle class people, who worked 9 to 5 and spent rest of the time with their families and enjoyed their easy going lives. This place was also devoid of any kind of industries, unlike the nearby city of Kanpur. So here people only had their modest salaries pronounced by the government, which was certainly not enough to live a lavish life. There was no demand hence there was no supply too. There were only two major markets – Hazratganj and Aminabad, where one could go and buy stuff. Hazratganj was a market preferred by the so called ‘elite’, which were none but same babus whose long span in the job had made them more well-to-do. Here also there was none a word like branded stuff. The so called good shops only were shops that had been running for ages and who used to cater the Nawabs, this legacy only made them a choice of the ‘elite’. This was also a place where one could go and just roam about, the slang for which was ‘Gunjing’. One could also tingle their taste buds with spicy chaat and golgappas, which the chatwaala used to serve himself.

The second major market Aminabad was one with shops of all standards. Here along with the better-off people, the commoners also had their share. Along with the pucca shops there were temporary roadside shops also which were flocked by burkha clad ladies, bargaining over prices. The specialty of Aminabad apart from the market was Prakash’s Falooda Kulfi and Tunde ka Kabab-Parantha – vestiges of the ever comestible Mughlai cuisine.

Lucknow is also known as the ‘City of Parks’, owing to the numerous gardens and parks present in the city, initially built by the Nawabs to elate their nobility. These parks used to be the heart of the city during summer evenings and winter afternoons. People used to come here with their kids, who were much more overwhelmed to be at theses place adorned with swings and various rides. The outsides of these parks were cluttered with vendors selling balloons, toys, edibles etc. The sight of people pulling their children away denying their demands was common.

Today the scene is very different. Now Lucknow is a different place, very different. This place inhabited by government officials started its ride once it was felt by the MNC’s. Since then the modest city hasn’t got time to look back. It has started moving very fast. With the intrusion of multi-nationals the previously okay salaries seemed to be nothing. Now people working in these companies though Lucknowites by heart had set up a head of a more global human. With the increasing levels of disposable income, things which were luxury in the past and territories of the elite seemed be vulnerable now. Demand for better products increased in the city, calling for words like branded products, which was the new territory of the still better off people. Now instead of traditional shops people found it more pleasing visiting showrooms and making purchases. The next step towards getting even modern was the starting of Malls and Multiplexes. The first malls to be built up were Wave and Sahara Ganj. The branded and showroom fever had now moved to the chronic Mall fever. With more and more multi nationals dropping in people have more money to spend and infrastructure companies more malls to build up. At this point Lucknow has five malls ready and working and few in the pipe.

All this though may glorify the city in some realms but it is losing upon its base, which is very torturing to ponder over. Gunjing is still the favorite pastime of the youth here but the destination now instead of the conventional Hazratganj is Sahara Ganj – the Mall. People here still like to savor Golgappas, but today it’s not served by hand, you have to help yourself. People now don’t stand on the roadside to have tea; there are better options like Barista and Café Coffee Day. Nike and Reebok seem to impress people more than their modest counterparts.

Hazratganj is still there with all its glory, what it has lost is its alacrity which used to form its part due to the younger generation hanging out here, now dispersed to the malls which seem to them as the epitomes of modernity and globalized India. Aminabad still hustles with all the people but it’s less resounding. Falooda Kulfi, what is that. Today we know only Kwality Walls and Baskin’ Robbins. The world famous Kabab-Parantha of Tunde has not lost its taste, people have lost their taste in it. A Chicken Mc. Grill appears to be more appeasing. Now no body would wait by a shop to have a Thandaii, Chip-chocolate shake can be more refreshing.

The city of parks still has all of them but in a degraded form. Nobody visits them now. How are the revenues going to be generated for the upkeep of these once prides of the city. Leave aside elders, children today are not interested to visit them. They now are a permanent home to gamblers and smackis. Children find themselves more comfortable in Mc Donalds getting clicked next to Ronald. The age old Imambaras, or the religious apexes of the city since the Nawabs, now stand alone just for some enthusiastic tourists and ailing archeologists.

This I believe is not the story of my city alone. In a traditionally profound country as of ours, globalization is taking more than giving us. I do not simply mean that it is bad for our country; on the contrary it is essential for our growth. If we are not at pace with the world we will be laggards. But just think, can we lose upon the our great past, our culture, our ways and manners which were brewed upon for centuries for the sake of this globalized world which is just seventeen year young to a country like India. Globalization means knowing others across the globe but not forgetting what we are. Globalization if kept up to the limit of transactions is more and enough; let us not let it touch our ways.


-fahad jameel