105 Chapter-5 L U C K N 0 W a Study in Resort Personality Physical
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105 Chapter-5 L U C K N 0 W A Study in Resort Personality Physical Setting : The cultural city of Lucknow - on - Gomati is a paramount urban agglomeration in the otherwise economically depressed rural Awadh. Lucknow »was founded on the mound, strategically located on the southern banks of the river Gomati. River frontages are not mere localizable attractions for city facades but they also have a secret hand in determining the morphological aspects of townships particularly in their early stages of development. It is situated at 26*^52' N Latitude and 80^ 56'E longitude. Presently, Lucknow dominates as the capital of Uttar Pradesh. This city, of about over one and half million people ranks among the ten big metropolis of India. Lie of the Land : Considering the notoriety of the Gomati for frequent rising in spates, the high mound-popularly known as the Lakshman Tila- was an ideal location for a human settlement, insuring safety and security against flood hazards. The rest of the land undulates very gradually, almost imperceptibly, towards the south and south east. Now known as Lakshman Tila. 106 TAMING OF THE GOMATI I MILE LUCKNOW: FLOODS SUBMERGED AREA BUND LINE The. Gomati ka^ bzen notoxiou^ {jox h.z>i ' {,ioujn-;>'. Shz tkizatzmd the <sett£ement in 1915 and 1923, bat tkz city e-icaped hex Miath. In 1960 6m Mueiizd in angzi vohzn thz piannzx^ qioomzd toivn^hip to i/te north.. Both thz bank'}, oVzi^towzd : the. watzx in Haziat Canj :uai kme.-dezp, i^akanagax oiaA maioomd and the {,(.ood struck the. innocent zoo-cnmate}) nK^ztabty. The {,uiy o{, tht Kvei tc»a<!i ignored and the unle.a^hed-dangex repeated iti> pexdormance in 1971. There -.oat) uproar in the coanciC. hou';:,e and ^txict mea^axe'i were taken ["iot taming the river Thfi taming oxoce6 6 ha6 not only been 6loM bat it i6 devoid o{;H ae^thettd. The big dam-ujait i6 bizaxxe anxomantic and umnipinng. Neither ha6 it been dre^^ed properly With gxeen6 nor care hat been taken to create "Gomati Uiew-i". The band- Une beyond Harding Bridge lie*, horizontal ; macn ha6 to be done in the City-Ea^t (Source - The Awadh Geographer, p.57) Figure 16 107 The average height of the urban landscape is about 122.83m above the sea level. Thus the choice of the 1 Tila 1 verifies the fact that the city founders had a keen geographic sense besides having a perfect design and purpose for the future city they had selected for their domicile. "The situation", as Smailes observes { 1953), "governs the growth". As long as the city contained itself to the south, it remained safe from the mercurial moods of the river, prone to periodic floods. However, urban expansion in the first half of the twentieth century, took it to the low-lying areas in the north, north east and north west with the Gomati untamed, resulting in flood havocs that struck the city in 1915, 1923, 1960, 1971, 1985 and 1990, severly damaging I ife and property. Some of the damages were irreparable . For example, Lucknow's Zoological garden still misses some of the rare species that succumbed to week-long marooning of the vulnerable habitat. This amply exemplifies that geographic facts can only be ignored on exorbitant costs. Climate : Lucknow, in the past, enjoyed "pleasant climate'' (Fazal, 1876), which has undergone considerable changes that has been attributed to global warming effect. Three major seasons: summers, winters and rains have expressed irratic behaviour. Nonetheless, winters are generally warm, comforting and sunny - a virtual tourist merchandise. Mercury seldom touches discomforting low, except 108 when western anticyclones overtake the entire northern plain. Lucknow, during December and January experiences occasional spells of 'cold- waves' which bring the temperature down to almost 4 c-5 c. This is followed by fog and strong winds, making most of the Lucknowites home birds - seeking fireside. But as the sun shines they can be seen sun-basking in the open parks and greens. During this time the zoological garden (Zoo) fills to its capacity. The summer months dissuade tourist traffic due to climatic inclemencies. The scorching sun and the hot dry winds, locally called 'loo', persuades the well-to-do class to seek climatic comforts over the Himalayan resorts. The temperature varies from 39 c to 46 c, often touching the highest in the state . Rains come as a blessing, bringing relief to the land and its people. The sky remains overcast while the average humidity increases to 81.5% in August. July and August are full of thunder showers and storms. During this period rainfall measures between llimm to 301 mm . Heavy rains come as a barrier to human mobility. 1. Statistical Diary, Uttar Pradesh, 1988 (p. 101) 2. District Gazetteer - Lucknow, Allahabad. 109 Vegetation : Vegetation is the visual expression of the dual effect of climate and soil and sometimes they form a trinity (Soil-Climate-Vegetation). The soil of the Indo-Cangetic Plain facilitates the growth of all types of trees and grasses. Prior to the urban settlements, the city and its environs were covered with forests of mixed variety. City's natural growth, coupled with people's pressure has disturbed the eco-balance, and thus necessitating more green cover. The city of gardens has, of late, shed off much of its green character, while mango orchards still remain the essential ingredient of Lucknow's milieu, particularly on the fringes where pastoral sights, fields and farms are fast turning into built environment - the city's unkind assault. The turbulent Gomati is an important aspect of the city's personality. Being in the plains, its meanders are highly pronounced in Lucknow district. The river swells during the monsoons causing the waters to spill over its banks- marooning the newer localities. In response to the previous flood devastations, embankments have been raised to leash the boisterious Gomati. But in doing so the river has been 'veiled and walled from the common gaze'(Singh, T.V., 1975). the Kukrail Nala and the Sai are perennial streams that join the Gomati on its left bank. On the outskirts of this agglomeration, the 'Khusela Jhll' and the 'Moti Jhll* punctuate the landscape. 110 The picturesque lake before the La Martiniere building, a one time favourite haunt of the Lucknowites, has now been reduced to a sordid depression. The guttering Chazi-ud-din Haider Canal, that embraces the southern parts of the city, was no less an attractive scene of yester-years. This now carries the city's refuse and grabage, but its interruption still has some scenic appeal particulary to the east of the city. THROUGH THE ACES : Lucknow's 'leisure setting' is born out of the forces of history, culture and religion. All these factors combined have lent the 'inner city' a distinctive personality. It got the name 'Shiraz of Oudh'. The historic growth of its urban environment owes allegiance to its rulers of the 18th and the 19th centuries. Although the town had a history much earlier than this era, yet its chronological development is authentically traceable from the reign of Emperor Akbar. Infact, Lucknow received considerable patronage from the Mughals who liked the town . It would thus be instructive to divide the growth process into four well defined periods - (i) Pre Nawabian (ii) Nawabian (iii) Post Nawabian (iv) Post independence. 1. Ain-i-Akbari, Translated by Francis Gladwin 1897, p. 326 in The Pre Nawabian Period : The origin of Lucknow has not been adequately documented. Nonetheless, legends, lores and oral history relate to remote antiquity . Much like the genesis of most Indian towns, Lucknow, too, has grown from a rural background having its genius in religion and mythology. Popular folk lores indicate that its birth can be traced from the epic times when Lord Rama had gifted this area to his younger brother, Lakshman. Since then, a hamlet had sprung up- what has been called "Lakshmanpuri". The Tila (mound) has been attributed to the growth point of this settlement. In due course of time, it emerged as a small rural cluster, which was inhabited by ascetics and some local tribes. However, history remains mute on the subsequent centuries following this acecdote. But there is an evidence indicating that in all these years, Lucknow seems to have established itself as a commercial centre. European travellers to India have commented on Lucknow as a 'great centre for trade', even in the early seventeenth century (Sharar, 1989). Lucknow remained a bone of contention among the various immigrants who came to settle here. Among them were the Sheikhs of Bijnor (U.P.), who eventually brought the area under their control. 1. European authorities place the erection of the fort about 5000 B.C., claiming Lucknow to be of greater antiquity than Indraprastha. However, recent excavations date the fort as far back as 07 century B.C. (Lucknow Masterplan, TCP. Deptt., U.P. 1958 p.1). 2. There are references of Rajputs, the Sheikhs and the Pathans who settled down here around 1250 A.D. (Sleenran, 1858). 112 When Akbar reorganised his empire in 1590, Lucknow was made the capital of the Awadh Province, and Sheikh Abdur Rahim was deputed as the first subedar of the province. A small fort was erected near the Lakshman Tila for effective administration. It was named 'Garhi Macchi Bhawan' (Fort Macchi Bhawan) as it was said to have had twenty six arches all over it and a pair * of fishes engraved over each arch. The fort is also said to have been called 'Qila Lakhna' as one Ahir (cowherd) named Lakhna, Is said to have designed the structure.