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 Lucknow,
city, northern India, capital of Uttar Pradesh State. Local
industries include the manufacture of gold and silver
brocade, muslins and other light fabrics, glass, shawls, and
jewelry. Chemicals, cigarettes, and cotton cloth are also
manufactured. The chief architectural features are the fort
and a mausoleum. Many handsome mosques, including the Pearl
Mosque and the Great Mosque, are in the city. An educational
and cultural center, Lucknow is the seat of Lucknow
University (1921). From 1775 Lucknow was the capital of the
kingdom of Oudh until the annexation by the British in 1856.
At Lucknow, during the Sepoy Rebellion (1857-1859), a
British force was besieged for 12 weeks until reinforcements
arrived. Population (1991) 1,619,115.
The city is still famous for its cultivated manners and
refined urbane culture.It remains the home of
light-classical North Indian music and the Kathak school of
dance. Each February, the two-week Lucknow festival
continues thetraditions of music and dance made famous by
the Oudh court.
Lucknow is the principal Shi'ite Muslim centre in India and
the city celebrates holidays and festivals morecommon to
Iran than the other, mostly Sunni, Muslim communities.
Although never an industrial centre—Kanpur, 79 kilometres
(49 miles) to the southwest, is the great factory town of
Uttar Pradesh—Lucknow hastraditionally produced silver and
bidri work (gun-metal inlaid with silver) and tradedin
copper, brass and cotton. Lucknow is an important rail
junction and has excellent connections with most of northern
India. The Charbagh RailwayStation in the south of the city
is an impressive sight and a good place to begina tour of
the city. The architecture reflects both Mughal and
Europeaninfluences. The royal emblem of the nawabs, a pair
of fish, still decorates many ofthe buildings.
The places
of interest in Lucknow are - Bara Imambara, Chhota
Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, Hussainibad picture gallery, Clock
Tower, Jama Masjid, Shah Najaf Imambara, Maqbara Saadat Ali
Khan and Khurshidzadi, Chhatar Manzil, Qaiserbagh Palace
complex, Moti Mahal, Qadam Rasul, Sikandar Bagh, Dilkusha
Palace, Bibiyapur Kothi, La Martiniere, Lucknow Residency,
Lucknow zoo etc.
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