2 days ago
Unesco's Creative City of Gastronomy: Lucknow is India's nominee to claim title of foodie haven
If all goes to plan, the world will soon know what we - Lucknowites - have always believed: our beloved city serves some of the most mouth-watering delicacies from both sides of the veg-non-veg divide.
The proposal for Creative City Lucknow under the category Gastronomy for Awadhi Cuisine has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre.
Just like Lucknow Chikankari and Banarasi sarees have been awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, efforts along similar lines are on to get a Unesco tag for Lucknow's sumptuous dishes.
'Lucknow has been nominated from India for Unesco Creative City for Gastronomy. We have to provide some more data by June end, following which Unesco authorities may visit to verify our claims.
'The state capital is famous for a wide range of Awadhi delicacies and food buffs both from India and abroad have been talking about it for a long time now. The city's food scene is an endless treasure of delicious dishes that will tantalise your taste buds,' said divisional commissioner (Lucknow) Roshan Jacob.
'The Uttar Pradesh government's department of culture and tourism has been tasked to apply for the same at Unesco. Lucknow is famous for Chikankari, which the entire world knows. The city's Tunday Kebabi is world famous and so is its khasta, jalebi, kachauri and kulfi. Our aim is to earn a name for Lucknow as a city in the non-veg category because we have a wide range of mutton and chicken kebabs, different types of biryani, mutton and chicken recipes and a lot more,' said Mukesh Meshram, principal secretary, tourism and culture.
And if you thought the state capital was a non-veg haven, led by Tunday and Kakori kebabs, vegetarian ware like Durga Ke khaste and Bajpai ki Puri, among others, can leave you wanting more. Even Lucknow's famous sweets like Motichur ke Laddu, Malai Paan, jalebi and imarti are loved by one and all, an official aware of the development said.
Special secretary, tourism, Eesha Priya said, 'The department of tourism and culture, UP, roped in a Mumbai-based consultant, Abha Narain Lambah, who prepared a detailed dossier and the entire work is being looked at by the ministry of culture, government of India. It was Abha's team which has done data collection and prepared a blueprint,' said Eesha Priya.
Lambah said, 'Nestled by the Gomti, Lucknow's gastronomic heritage was enriched by the royal kitchens of Awadh. The city's many communities, Baniyas, Brahmins, Kayasthas, Khattris and working classes contribute to its varied flavours. Lucknow is a major hub of tourism with 480 million annual tourists and its food courts are a huge hit with those visiting the state capital.
'If you're a foodie, then you need to visit Lucknow. The city's food scene is a true culinary paradise, with something to offer everyone. The recently held G20 Summit, Def Expo, UP Investors Summit and groundbreaking ceremonies have only given a much needed impetus in achieving this milestone as scores of international global leaders visited the state capital and spent a few days there,' an official said.
Decoding Lucknow, Special Issue on Food, which was brought out in association with the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, has a preface penned by Prof Devi Singh, the then director of the institute.
The book says: 'The unique thing about the culinary tastes of Lucknow is that while it can savour the finest of its traditional food, it can also appreciate the widest variety of new food. This unique combination of richness and versatility in taste is reflected in the food offerings of Lucknow, which makes for a perfect blend of sophistication, intricate craftsmanship, and diversity. And this taste is not static, backward looking. In fact, like the character of Lucknow, it is evolving, dynamic and forward looking. The average Lucknowite has surely been affected by the new changes that have come in.'
