Changing colour with time
It’s just the seventh month of the new dispensation in office and Lucknow’s seat of governance seems to be already draped in a saffron hue. Right from CM’s chair to roadways buses, it’s saffron all the way. Now the trail has reached the secretariat building. While the exterior is painted in saffron, the white motifs on the outer boundary wall too have got a saffron dash. Lucknow Secretariat too changed the colour matching the political hue of the government it hosts. It had the original quintessential historical look which was changed to an all white during blue brigade’s 2007 regime.
Rare accolade for Lucknow cops
Lucknow traffic police received bouquets this week for rolling out green corridors which enabled smooth passages of Unchahar NTPC boiler blast victims lodged in different hospitals to Chaudhary Charan Singh airport. As many as two ASPs, a CO and over 100 cops deployed all across the three corridors made the shift possible. The move didn’t go unnoticed, and the police finally made the headlines for a good cause; unlike most other occasions where they are censured for failing to inculcate traffic sense among city residents.
‘Salam-e-karbalawalon’ and processions of faith
The city witnesses over 900 religious processions throughout the year taken out by Shias as part of their tribute to the martyrs of Karbala. I ensure to witness the ‘matam’ (mourning) every year and so did I the last Thursday. Every time I observe these processions, my curiosity takes me to a world soaked in religious fervour where azadaars mourn the sacrifice of Imam Hussain by walking on singeing cinders. ...and the procession goes on amidst the chants of ‘Salam-e-karbalawalon’ .
Tribute to Kundan Shah and many more
As Lucknow’s autumn sky wears a pink hue, it will, in the next few days, come alive with a number of events, film and lit fests. On Tuesday, the red carpet will be rolled out for a 4-day film festival dedicated to Kundan Shah where 437 films from 45 countries will be screened. It will closely be followed by ‘Lucknow Expressions’ — the Lit Fest hosting Divya Dutta’s Me and Maa, Kanhaiaya Kumar’s Bihar to Tihar and Shatrughan Sinha’s Anything but Kamosh.