The Lucknow Album/The City
THE
LUCKNOW ALBUM.
THE CITY.
The city of Lucknow was, for a long time, renowned for its riches and flourishing trade. The city proper is said to occupy the site of the debris of some threescore villages, the names of many of which are perpetuated in the several Mohullas which are called after them, but of themselves not the slightest trace remains. It is built on irregular, undulating ground, intersected by watercourses, nullahs and ravines. Its antiquity is questionable, but only about ninety years have elapsed since, from its ancient rival, Fyzabad, it usurped the title and dignity of " Capital of Oudh," and it is not a little remarkable that, in so comparatively short a period, it should have assumed such proportions as to extend, with its suburbs, over an area of twenty square miles.
There is a tradition that Fyzabad or Ajoodia, and Lucknow, the distance between the two being some seventy odd miles, were once united by a series of small towns, formming one continuous and gigantic city ; another tradition asserts that the two cities were formerly connected by a secret subterranean passage, known only to the Kings of Oudh. These traditions are only worth mentioning, as showing the singular credulity for which the natives of Oudh are remarkable. The stories are of course thoroughly fabulous.
Prior to the annexation of the kingdom of Oudh, Lucknow consisted mostly of strong masonry built houses in the usual fantastic mixture of Italian and Mahomedan architecture, two or three stories high, forming narrow, but picturesque, streets: the bazars were abundantly stocked, the population was literally "teeming," so that it was impossible to ride, or drive, in the streets, save at a walk; the people generally were cleanly dressed, betokening that they were living under a regime, which placed the common necessaries of life reasonably within the reach of all classes; but the melancholy and memorable events of 1857-58 have reduced the number of handsome houses by one half, whilst the trade and manufactures, for which, in all their riches and variety, Lucknow was once so famous, have all but disappeared. Nevertheless, to compensate for this apparent deterioration, there are now many fine broad streets, many excellent market-places, improved ventilation, good drainage; and seemingly a more equable and healthy air of prosperity may well be hoped for, especially when the traffic becomes developed by the completion of the Oudh and Rohilkund network of railways, The traveller may then bid farewell to the crumbling mosque, the deserted garden, the ruined fountain, the remains of palaces, seraglios and all the marks of the reigns of the kings of Oudh. Lucknow will gradually assume its former prosperity as the veritable capital.