Heritage lovers get a taste of history, culture and ‘kababs’!
Participants visit monuments as old as 250 years, get a ‘qawwali’ treat
LUCKNOW: Kakori, a small but historically important town on the outskirts of Lucknow, just 23 kilometres from the district headquarters, is renowned for two things — the ‘Kakori Conspiracy’ of 1925, which went on to become a milestone in the Independence movement, and the irresistible ‘Kakori Kababs’.
On Sunday, members of Citizens for Lucknow organised a heritage walk here. As many as 36 heritage lovers assembled near the Mayfair Crossing in Hazratganj early in the morning and set out for Kakori Shareef. They visited monuments as old as 250 years, including the tombs of Sufi stalwarts Shah Muhammad Kazim Qalandar and Shah Turab Ali Qalandar of the famous Takiya Shareef Kazmiya shrine, which has a huge following of devotees (‘murids’).
“The walkers came back enriched with the experience of exploring this oasis of peace and beauty -- a world frozen in time. Not only did we learn about the history of the place but also savoured its famous ‘kababs’,” Mona Dutta, a member of Citizens for Lucknow wrote in her facebook post.
Blogger and writer Tazeen Husain, who also participated in the walk, said, “I have always lived in Lucknow. Yet, I had no clue that just an hour’s drive from the state capital, there was this hidden gem -- this place with beautiful ‘havelis’ (mansions)! The idea behind the walk was to raise awareness among people about this place and its structures. We also relished mouth-watering ‘kababs’, with many walkers buying extra to take home!”
Jayant Krishna, head, Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH), UP, said, “What impressed me the most were the pristine shrines of Qadiriya Qalandari Sufi
› Kakori has been a hub of Urdu poets, literati and spiritual masters too, who once flourished here JAYANT KRISHNA, head, Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH), UP
order. They have been kept in a surprisingly clean and tranquil environment. It is full of a mystic aura -- truly a soulful place apt for promoting Sufi heritage tourism.”
“Kakori has been a hub of Urdu poets, literati and spiritual masters too, who once flourished here. A Sufi ‘qawaal’ sang to us on the occasion. The ‘Kakori kababs’, which we were fortunate enough to relish, were originally created by the ‘rakabdars’ (cooks) of Nawab Syed Mohammad Haider Kazmi for a senior British officer who is believed to have wanted a refined, softer and more succulent version of ‘seekh kababs’,” said Krishna.