WEAVER'S WORLD / LUCKNOW/ PLACES TO VISIT - 2

WEAVER'S WORLD / LUCKNOW/ PLACES TO VISIT - 2

St. Joseph’s Cathedral is in the midst of Hazratganj, a very calm and peaceful area. This place has a church which is open to all and is also a school. Weddings take place here regularly. It has a lovely entrance with a large statue of Jesus Christ greeting you with a lot of steps to climb. The way the entrance is made separates it from the main street very well.

From the main Hazratganj market you can see the cathedral. It is easy to locate and well maintained. It is open to all for offering prayers, be it Christian or or some other. It is a landmark of Lucknow.

Right in the centre of Lucknow, with a cross on top it can be seen from a great distance and with a huge statue of Christ over the door, one could be forgiven for thinking that Lucknow is the most Catholic of cities and that India's a bastion of the Church. This is just another typical example of how India embraces every religious faith and makes it its own. The church compound is fascinating. The cathedral school is presided over by this almost geometrically perfect modern design of a cathedral. Inside, it is most traditional looking and there are various rooms in the church, including, a church hall. But it's the outside appearance that's most impressive. It is also very peaceful and awe inspiring with a good choir. There used to be a large banner hung from the ceiling - "For all that has been, thank you. For all that will be, Amen"

Chowk represents Old Lucknow. With a local from that place one to accompany one can take in the place for its delicacies and spicy fare of the street food as well as well as make purchases worth the while and cheap. Tunde ke kabab, biryani, pani puri, etc. are the taste-bud tinglers of the place. All forms of chikan fabrics are available in this place and the range is varied and wide. It only needs the experienced eye to get the right material for the right price.

The Parijaat tree in Kintoor, near Ramnagar, Barabanki is known for its wish fulfilling qualities. 56 Kms away from Lucknow, it is said to be standing at that place since the time of Mahabharat, the flower of the tree is a rare sight, and it does not bear any fruit or seed.

The ancient tree is a splendid sight for its immenseness. A small temple is built here with a priest attending to it and people are not allowed to touch it or the leaves. August to December is the time when the tree is green and flowers bloom. There are a lot of interesting facts and stories linked to this tree.

The trip is best clubbed with Lodheshwar Mahadev Temple which is also a sacred place near to this.

This temple is an old temple built on the banks of the river Gomti, about 25 Km from Lucknow. Good place to visit as a religious place. It has a very fascinating idol of Maa Chandrika Devi. Adjacent you have the Shiv Linga and the statue of Nandi, the bull. The exit leads to the Kali temple. There is a lot of greenery on the road leading to this place. The priests conduct rituals very austerely at this temple.

Small shops, heavy crowds is what describes the bazaar at Aminabad. Known for its exquisite chikankari or chikan work shops for kurtis and sarees, the rates are surprisingly very reasonable. as an antithesis you also have the famous Lucknavi Prakaash kulfi. Small shops cater to clothes, foodstuffs and a variety of personal and non-personal goods at bargain prices. It is a fusion market that caters to the trite and the costly, the cheap and the pricey, all for a price that can easily be bargained for. It also showcases the cultural vibes of the City of Nawabs.