Lucknow travel diaries.

Love travelling?  We have just the place for your next visit. Camouflageoflife recently got an opportunity to visit the most culturally vibrant city of India, “Lucknow”.

The rich history, mouth-watering food and colourful arts had us hooked throughout our tour all thanks to our generous hosts, ‘The Rastogi Family’.

The Rastogis hail from Lucknow and like a pro they knew every nook, cranny, shop, food guy, where to find what, and how to reach where. It was like reading a personalized map to the city. 

They welcomed us in their homes warmly and we could not have asked for better hosts. After stuffing our mouths with a lavish breakfast of makhan malai, puri and jalebis in the dining hall of their home we set out to explore.

The city has so much to offer that it was a difficult decision where to start. So we did what we had to. We went shopping!!!

The famous chikan work of Lucknow have attracted people from all over the world. The intricate designs with vibrant colors not only look elegant but stylish. 

It is a traditional embroidery style from Lucknow, India. Literally translated, the word means embroidery, and it is one of Lucknow's best known textile decoration styles. The market for local chikan is mainly in Chowk, Lucknow.

If you are in Lucknow, don’t forget to stock yourselves with all the varieties of chikan work that you can. You don’t want to miss this. After buying half of the store we went to visit the famous Imambaras. 

The first destination was “The chota Imambara also known as Imambara Hussainabad Mubarak.

Built by Muhammad Ali Shah, the Nawab of Awadh in 1838, it serves as a mausoleum for himself and his mother, who is buried beside him.  The other members of his family are also inside the imambara in the two replicas of the Taj Mahal opposite the main structure, built as the tombs of Muhammad Ali Shah's daughter, Princess Zinat Asiya and her husband.

To experience its rich history and beauty you need to see it for yourself. It has much to offer than we can ever write here.


Moving along we reached to the famous ‘Rumi Darwaza’ which connects the roads of Chota Imamabara and Bada Imambara.

An example of Awadhi architecture, the Rumi Darwaza stands sixty feet tall and was modelled in 1784 after the Sublime Porte Bab-iHümayun in Istanbul. 

The roads around it are wide and is a great spot for hanging out with your friends on a breezy afternoon. You can also try on the street food here and munch your day away.

Just adjacent to Rumi Darwaza you will find the Husainabad Clock Tower. the tallest among all the clock towers in India. it was built as a replica to the Big Ben clock tower of London. It is the tallest among all the clock towers in India and was built as a replica to the Big Ben clock tower of London.

Just a little ahead you find the Bara Imambara, also known as Asfi Mosque. The building includes the large Asfi mosque, the Bhul-bhulaiya (the labyrinth), and Bowli, a step well with running water. Two imposing gateways lead to the main hall. It is said that there are 1024 ways to reach the terrace but only two to come back first gate or the last gate. Check it out yourself but try not to forget your way.

If you are in Lucknow and love your non-vegetarian cuisines, the famous dastarkhwan is just the place for you. There is a long line awaiting for you when you reach there and the staff is quick on their feet. The seating area is inside and across the road for anyone who wishes to sit and enjoy their food. 

But don’t fret if you are a vegetarian, the city has so much to offer you might as well return heavier than before. To name a few, we had a lavish fill on street food, vegetarian kebabs, rumali rotis, jalebis, makhan bada and makhan malai (yes, they are different).

If you think you had too much to eat, you can walk it off in one of the many parks that the city has to offer. Our favorite was the Globe Park which literally had a Globe structure that took a full round in a day just like our Mother Earth.

It was a fun filled trip to the city and we cannot wait to go back. And while you are in Lucknow don’t forget the famous line “Muskuraiye, Aap Lucknow me hain”.

If you have been to Lucknow, hail from there or are planning to visit the city soon, share your experience in the comment section below.