By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Pata Nala, Raja Bazar Abu Baqr states: “I cook with good indent and have always kept to the path shown by Allah and his Prophets. I cook the food, Allah adds taste to it. This business earned its fame because of my father Mohammad Idrees and Allah’s will. I am but a seeker of skill, […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Chowk Just before independence in 1947, two brothers from Unnao Ram Adhar and Shiv Adhar started the business of thandai near the Gol Darwaza. Ashish Tripathi who runs the enterprise today addresses both of them as ‘grandfather.’ Ashish’s father was set to work in the shop when he was 16. Tall and powerfully built, he […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Gol Darwza, Chowk We met up with a long-standing customer, Amit at 6 AM on a chilly winter morning. “I wonder why people have taken to calling the Nimish as makkhan malai. This is a dish that was invnted in Claude Martin’s times. Sharar’s book ‘Bygone Lucknow: the last example of eastern culture’ mentions that […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Near Koneshwar Temple, Chowk Saroj Awasthi’s grandfather started this business in 1973, selling milk, curds, lassi and kachchi malai (also known as balai in Lucknow). It still operates from the same location adjacent to the doorway of the Koneshwar temple and is counted as one of the established shops of the locality. They are famous […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Having served the nation as a paramilitary soldier in the Border Security Force in his youth, Vishwanath Dikshit retired in 1956 to set up this shop. He had an eye for the betel leaf and the raw catechua that goes into making paan. Connoisseurs took no time to recognize the talents of the new establishment. […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Gol Darwaza “Our home is on the Gudiya Ghat—Sahebdeen and Radheshyam Gupta were the only two people who used to sell khasta from a box. Of these two pioneers who introduced the people of Lucknow to this style, Radheshyam was my grandfather. We set up the box by 6 AM, filled with khasta, dry curried […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Chowk Vikas Gupta tells us—“My great-grandfather Tika Ram set up shop in the phool wali gali near the Gol Darwaza. At the time, Manna Manohar used to run a shop that attracted so much custom, that he would have to disappoint many customers. He used to sell only kachauris. My great grandfather got his blessings […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Gol Darwaza In 1805, when the Chhattar Manzil was newly built and the Qaiserbagh palaces were not even thought of, Ram Asrey set up a sweet shop. He began with peda and flavoured sugar candy. Ram Asrey had the technical prowess to crystallize aromatic khas, cardamom and saffron with cane sugar. He then invented the […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Opposite Irfaniya Madarsa, Sarkata Nala, Akbari Gate About 50-60 years ago, Imtiyaz Rasul moved from Bahraich to Lucknow as a child. He began operating a stall near Akbari Gate to sell gur patti (toffee), gazak and laddoos in the winter and besan papri, nuqti namkeen and namakpara during the summer. As times improved, he got […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Katra, Chowk Monu Singh relates, “Our shop has seen three generations. It was started by my grandfather, Mool Chand (Mullu). After him, my father Vishwanath (Bisso) took over, and now I am carrying the tradition forward. I never saw my grandfather. He had passed away before I was born. My father had started helping at […]