Lucknow in last thirty years

LUCKNOW: It was the summer of 1981 when we finally landed in Lucknow - this time to remain here for some time. Thirty two years later when I look back, I realise what Lucknow has undergone in all these years. We lived in a house owned by one of the most famous families of Lucknow - Chhangamal - in Thakurganj, around one kilometre from Chowk. No tempos used to ply on that route. The city has undergone enormous changes in the last three decades; some good, some bad and some ugly. In early 80s the stretch of Lucknow was from Singarnagar to Raidas Mandit on one side and from Chowk to Nishatganj on the other. These were connected by city busses and tempos. Beyond these was the unknown or newly emerging areas. Indiranagar or Ram Sagar Mishra Nagar was emerging gradually and Aliganj was also emerging on the Lucknow horizon.It was a laid back city with traditions overpowering modern facilities. Rickshaw, tonga, tempos and city buses provided transport facilities. Walks were common mode of moving around with fewer vehicles on the roads. Even the University looked far away; but full of activities.Now, things seem to have changed a lot. One, population of Lucknow has multiplied at least three times. Expansion of the city has crossed all imagination. It is rich in infrastructure today, but has gone poorer in culture. I feel happy to see the revival of Hazratganj into a beautiful Victorian zone but miss the pleasure of the famous walk - the ganjing.Malls have cropped up on the scene, shopping is now everywhere but fun of shopping in Aminabad and Alambagh or Chowk is gone. The city which had only one university till 80s has now more than 10. CMS has now captured the entire horizon of Lucknow and is a Guinness Book Awardee. We used to walk in Raj Bhawan and Secretariat for pleasure and fun; these are out of bound today. Madam Mayawati gave some of the most imposing monuments after Nawabs but it took away some of the history. The proud city of park is now city of stones and statues. We used to have streets in the name of those who had something to do with Lucknow - like Chakbast, Jagat Narain and so on; today we seem to have become national in character. Lucknowites have lost scope now.In these years I have also seen the demolition of some of the historic buildings like Pioneer Building, Lucknow Jail, Burlington Hotel and so on but at the same time have witnessed coming up of the Taj Hotel. With entire Gomtinagar coming to existence in these years, Lucknow has emerged on a big time scale. The traditional eating joints are still there but dozens have come up in recent decades to fill the appetite of Lucknow walas. Tradition and modern joints fortunately still work together.I live in Lucknow; I love Lucknow but I miss it more than ever. Ab iskee galiyon mein farishton ke patey shayad nahin milte... Yet Long live Lucknow.