I went to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India, for the first time in 1994. I was fascinated by the Bhool Bhulaiya in Bara Imambara. I got lost in its seemingly endless, interconnected labyrinth of tunnels and enjoyed discovering all the nooks and crannies, with their little windows that looked out to streets teeming with rickshaws and ice-cream vendors. I also especially enjoyed the famous kulfi at Prakash Kulfi in the busy streets of Animabad, a stone’s throw away from Hazratgunj, a shopper’s paradise and the capital and largest city of India’s Uttar Pradesh. 

Thereafter, Lucknow meant a life-sized puzzle and kulfi by the plateful and that is perhaps how my parents lured me there year after year. They had both gone to college in Lucknow and would revisit friends almost every year. After a while though, I had had enough and vowed never to go to Lucknow. I felt like I had seen everything I had to see and knew all the alleys like the back of my hands. I would argue with my father, who seems to have left a little bit of himself back in the busy, noisy city, every time he’d suggest visiting Lucknow. But I ended up in Lucknow many times later in life and each time, I discovered something that would sort of lure me back again. 

It’s a city that has everything, from beautiful historical sights to wonderful eateries and shopping options. I like the Rumi Darwaza, and go there every time I’m in Lucknow. The gateway, built in 1784, is 60 feet tall and is located between the Bara Imambara and the Chota Imambara. Earlier it used to mark the entrance to Old Lucknow but now it’s just a nice spot to take in the surroundings. 

Shopping at Aminabad is another highlight of Lucknow. It’s a busy area with many roadside eateries, random stalls, and vendors selling everything from sunglasses and kitchen wares to leather bags and belts. Clothes with chikankari work, a type of hand embroidery done on sheer fabrics like muslin and georgette, is the speciality of this market. It’s also a good place to get home decor items like rugs, cushion covers, bedsheets, etc. at reasonable prices.

The good thing about Lucknow is that it makes for a quick escape. You can reach Lucknow from the border town of Rupaidiha near Nepalgunj. You can fly to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu and take a rickshaw or taxi to the border and then hire a private vehicle there to take you to Lucknow. The fare is around InRs 3,000 and you will reach Lucknow in around four hours. The road is smooth, making the trip hassle free. 

You will have to go through a rigorous checking at the border point. The authorities stationed there are sometimes downright hostile and handle your baggage roughly, poking and probing through your things. The best thing to do is to keep quiet and let them do their jobs. I’ve seen people argue with them and they have been held back. But in the last few years, their behavior has gotten better. They only seem to check your bags if something looks suspicious. The last few times, we have been allowed to pass without having to open our luggages. But everything is totally dependent on their moods so you actually never know. 

However, this is the only annoying aspect of the journey. Everything else is smooth, easy, and economical. You can also take a taxi to Ayodhya directly from Rupaidiha. The journey takes around four hours too. This time, we went to Ayodhya from Rupaidiha and then took another taxi from Ayodhya to Lucknow after spending three days in Ayodhya. The fares were cheaper on inDrive compared to randomly booking a taxi or asking the hotel for the service. Ayodhya to Lucknow is roughly around a two-hour drive. But if you are planning to go to Ayodhya any time soon, I’d recommend you wait a couple of years. 

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Ayodhya is a city that’s being built. Think Kathmandu during the Melamchi project. Everything is under construction so the city has a dusty aura. Even the famous Ram Mandir is being built and only a small section is accessible at the moment. There are restaurants and hotels being constructed as well. Every hotel has a few rooms up and running while the rest is being made. No matter where you stay, you’re going to be up till late and up early because of noisy construction. I would have enjoyed my trip a lot more had I gone a few years down the line.

Having said that, Ayodhya wasn’t disappointing. There’s not much to do yet except temple visits but I guess that’s the whole point of the city anyway. We visited the Ram Janmabhoomi that many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. It gets crowded during the day so make sure you go early or in the evenings. We went around 9:30 am and we came out of the temple premises a little over an hour later when it was just starting to get busy. 

Though this temple was the reason we went to Ayodhya in the first place, the other temples were far more interesting. We met a local who told us if we didn’t go to Kanak Bhawan our trip to Ayodhya would be incomplete. “We believe this is the place where God comes to rest,” he said. And indeed, the vibe at Kanak Bhawan and other temples like the Hanuman Garhi Mandir was calming and spiritual. We even sat through a bhajan session at Kanak Bhawan and it was a meditative experience unlike any other. 

There are many vegetarian eateries that open early for breakfast in the temple area. The food is fresh and delicious. We had our fill of idlis and dosas. Every place would be packed and we would have to struggle to find a table but our order came quickly and the food was worth the hassle. There are a lot of stalls and stores selling clothes and curios but make sure you haggle if you shop at these places. Most of the vendors will give you what you want for half the quoted price. 

Another thing you must do in Ayodhya is visit the Lata Mangeshkar chowk. It’s a hard to miss place since you might have to pass through it to get to the temples but make sure you get off there and stroll around. A huge sculpture of a sitar takes center stage at the chowk and it’s surrounded by murals of various scenes of the Ramayana. You can easily spend a few hours just looking at all the fabulous art. 

All in all, Ayodhya and Lucknow make for good short trips that you might want to consider when you don’t have the luxury of a long holiday but still want to go somewhere exciting. If you want to go to both these places then you should plan a week long trip. But if you want to visit only one place at a time, three days for Ayodhya and four days for Lucknow should be enough.