Tryst with Chhath
Lucknow has been known for its cultural richness for centuries. Some more pearls were added and the city was seen soaked in festivities of Chhath puja as a sea of humanity descended on the banks of river Gomti to worship sun.
This swiftness to accommodate cultures imported from other parts of the country makes Lucknow different from other states. Diwali celebrations have given way to Chhath, a festival prominently celebrated by people from eastern UP and Bihar for whom Lucknow is now the home.
Enjoy the nip, with caution
After a rare ‘hot’ Diwali, the city of nawabs is finally feeling a nip in the air. The night temperatures have plummeted measurably over the last week, bringing a welcome relief to the denizens. But a huge — 18 to 20 degrees Celsius — difference between maximum and minimum temperatures, however, calls for caution in terms of health.
Protest capital
As the weather gets mild and the heat ebbs, the days of protests and dharnas are back again and so are traffic blues. First Shiksha Mitras, now Aganbadi workers. Almost all prominent routes were choc-o-bloc with unusual traffic jams, thanks to rising protests against Yogi Adityanath government. Office goers and school children have been a harried lot bearing the brunt of traffic jams and roadblocks souring festive air and the after-taste of a week-long Diwali holidays.
Let the curtains rise
As October is reaching the fag end, Lucknow is coming alive with a series of theatre and cultural events. Theatre artists, members of Indian Peoples Theatre Association (IPTA) from across the state gathered in Lucknow to give out some classic performances during the three-day IPTA Platinum Jubilee theatre festival to celebrate memories. Meri awaz hi pehachan hai gar yaad rahe.
Namita Bajpai
The author is the correspondent of the New Indian Express in Uttar Pradesh.
Email:namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com