lucknow: the synonym of cultureejsit.org/journal3/dec11.pdf · here, this historical city of the...
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SIT Journal of Management Vol. 3. No. 2: December 2013, Pp.134-146
Sharma ISSN: 2278-9111
Lucknow: The Synonym of Culture
Dr. Preeti Madan Sharma*
Abstract
Lucknow, a city so profound in its cultural heritage, that, it takes your breath away, yet so lost in
the mist of politics and indifference that it hardly leaves an impression on the tourist map. It is a
city which has seen it all whether it was the Mughals, the Nawabs or the Britishers. A City which
held on to its turf during the first war of independence in 1857 and still keeps the Ganga-Jamuni
tehzeeb close to its bosom as a mother keeps her most beloved child.
For Lucknow, culture is not just in its architecture but in its every nook and corner. It is in the
language, attire, food, folklore, music and the life of its people. This culture comes across
significantly whenever given a chance. But the unfortunate reality is that it has never been given
even half a chance. The city carries on with the same image of just being the capital city of Uttar
Pradesh with a couple of significant Imambaras to its credit.
Keywords: Heritage, Culture, Branding, Positioning, Integration.
*Dr. Preeti Madan Sharma, Faculty, Manyawar Kanshiram Institute of Tourism Management,
Gomtinagar, Lucknow. (U.P.)-226010, M:+91-9936322003, Email:[email protected]
SIT Journal of Management Vol. 3. No. 2: December 2013, Pp.134-146
Sharma ISSN: 2278-9111
Introduction
It is time to revamp the city not only literally but also in the minds of people in general and
potential visitors in particular. This needs to be achieved through various synchronized efforts
which include stepping up the infrastructure level, rebranding and positioning the city favorably
through promotional campaigns, creating a heritage zone which offers a complete experience to
the visitors and makes them linger for more.
The cultural heritage of the city can be brought to the forefront through a step by step model
which is practical, involves the stakeholders and is commercially viable.
The Concept of the Study
The concept being put forward here is that Lucknow can be positioned as an intellectual
destination. The city is known as the Constantinople of the east and the similarity does not end
here, this historical city of the Oudh region is also a fascinating sangam of cultures, customs, art
and architecture. This unprecedented union is popularly known as the ganga-jamuni tehzeeb.
The intrinsic qualities of the city hold a magnetism that not only attract the layman but also
tingle the cerebral cells of the intellectuals
Objectives
The aim of the paper is to develop a model which would put forward the tangible and
intangible attributes of Lucknow city.
The paper includes evolving a method to highlight the arts and artists of Lucknow and
convert it into a product which is at once attractive, profitable and rejuvenates a cultural
product which is almost lost in time.
Research Methodology
Questionnaires were prepared so that maximal information could be collected as efficiently as
possible. The questionnaires were different for various universes. They contained some close
ended and some open ended questions.
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Sharma ISSN: 2278-9111
The tourists, tourism administrators, artists, handicraftsmen and intellectuals in the field of
tourism, marketing and branding comprised the various universes. Apart from the primary data
collected, accurate and authentic secondary data was also used to support the research.
Literature Review
Branding: The central concern of brand building literature experienced a dramatic shift in the
last decade. Branding and the role of brands, as traditionally understood, were subject to constant
review and redefinition. A traditional definition of a brand was: “the name, associated with one
or more items in the product line, which is used to identify the source of character of the item(s)”
(Kotler, 2000). The American Marketing Association (AMA) definition of a brand is “a name,
term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and
services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors”.
Positioning: In marketing terms, there is no such thing as a product or service which exists by
itself in space, independent of the consumer. For a product to exist, it must find a place in an
individual consumer's perception of the world of products around him or her. And this
perception is subjective, governed by the individual consumer's values, beliefs, needs,
experience and environment. (The spatial distance between the points in that consumer's mind
reflects the subject's perception of similarity or dissimilarity between products and brands.The
everyday phrase, 'poles apart', is a simple example of how consumers position products in their
mind
Tourism Market: Travel and tourism is a dynamic market with a continuous increase in its size
and its importance to people (Affolter, 1998). Its growth is influenced by the increasing number
of people who can afford to travel, and the changing pattern of demands. (Kumar, 1998)
observes the changing pattern of demands within an exploding demand from across the globe;
global reach to destination across the globe; customer variety in age, interest, health, and pocket-
book; trip variety in non-traditional purpose and multi-purpose trips; travel information
requirements; mass individualization of “travel experience”, cost competitiveness and service
quality; and expectation in the speed of response to “fickle” customers.
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Sharma ISSN: 2278-9111
Cultural Heritage: As tourists are becoming more sophisticated, their need to recapture the past
has been increasing. Tourists have been visiting cultural/heritage sites more frequently.
Cultural/heritage tourism offers several benefits to tourists and residents, as well as governments.
First of all, cultural/heritage tourism protects historic, cultural, and natural resources in
communities, towns, and cities. People become involved in their community when they can
relate to their personal, family, community, regional, or national heritage. This connection
motivates residents to safeguard their shared resources and practice good stewardship. Second,
cultural/heritage tourism educates residents and tourists about local/regional history and
traditions. Through the research about and development of heritage/cultural destinations,
residents will become better informed about local/regional history and traditions which can be
shared with tourists. Third, cultural/heritage tourism builds closer, stronger communities.
Knowledge of heritage provides continuity and context for communities, which instills respect in
their residents, strengthens citizenship values, builds community pride, and improves quality of
life. Fourth, cultural/heritage tourism promotes the economic and civic vitality of a community
or region. Economic benefits include: the creation of new jobs in the travel industry, at cultural
attractions, and in travel-related establishments; economic diversification in the service industry
(restaurants, hotels/motel, bed-and-breakfasts, tour guide services), manufacturing (arts and
crafts, souvenirs, publications), and agriculture (specialty gardens or farmers’ markets);
encouragement of local ownership of small businesses; higher property values; increased retail
sales; and substantial tax revenues.
Lucknow: The Making of the Awadh Culture (Trivedi, 2010) explores Nawabi Awadh (c. 1722–
1856) which produced rich and complex cultures during its semi-independent period of transition
between Mughal and British imperial rule. Professor Madhu Trivedi has thoroughly compiled the
major sources in Persian, Urdu and English that describe an array of Awadh’s urban arts—
theological, representational and material. Taking each genre in turn, she details and celebrates
its main features, high-lighting virtually all of them as a creative syntheses of Mughal, Iranian,
European and indigenous north Indian artistic traditions. Her stated goals to accord the long
neglected and disparaged ‘culture of Awadh ... its due place in history’.
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Sharma ISSN: 2278-9111
Lucknow: The Historic City, (Siddiqi, 2000) starts by going into time and states that mythology
dates Lucknow back to the satyug period of Ramayana when Laxman the younger brother of
Ram formed a settlement of Lakshamanavati or Laxshmanpur. Archaeological excavations
indicate presence of prehistoric and historic (AD 40-900) settlements. The historic city of
Lucknow was once the seat of Indo-Muslim civilisation- the legacy of the Nawabs of Awadh.
Lucknow is also important for its role in the 1857 War of Independence, an event that largely
transformed the morphology of the city and was the cause of destruction of much of its historic
fabric. This book traces the urban history of the city with reference to its art, architecture and
sophisticated composite culture, which is unique and is remembered with nostalgia. Based on
historical facts, the book covers the important monuments of Lucknow with brief descriptions of
their salient features.
Lucknowi Heritage
“The Constantinople of India, the City of the Nawabs, Shiraz-e-Hind, the Golden City of the
East, Choti Kashi. Lucknow is a city known by many a name and yet the city remains undefined,
unexplored and mystic.
From the very beginning of Nawabi era, which was started by Nawab Asafuddaulah in 1775,
Lucknow has seen the days of luxury and flamboyance with every Nawab who came to rule the
city. Be it the heavily ornamented gateway Rumi Darwaza or the extravagant beauty of Bara
Imambara, Nawabs of Lucknow established a new statement of architecture at that time. Their
active participation in the socio cultural activities gave Lucknow a new name 'City of Tehzeeb'
(Etiquette and Manner) which you encounter with every person you meet in the city.
The architectural genius of the Nawabs reflects not only through the buildings and monuments
like the Imambaras, Baulies, Gardens, Mansions, Hawelis, Mausoleums, Palaces et al. but also in
its poetry, dastan goi, cock fights, kite flying, kathak, tabla, sitar, soz, theatre, cuisine, attire,
language, courtesy and etiquettes.
The immense effluence and love the Nawabs had for art, created new horizons for dance, music
and literature in India. This was the time when Urdu poets flourished the most and mesmerized
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the world with their excellent poetry under the wise patronage of the Nawabs. Since then, Indian
literature has never been the same as before. The admiration for the art and music of the Nawabs
encouraged and inspired the practice of Kathak dance and Hindustani Classical music thus
making it an immensely popular form of art in India at that time.
In almost all forms of art and entertainment, Lucknow developed its own variety, be it poetry,
music, dance, storytelling, fashion, animal combats and gastronomy. The Dastarkhans of the
Lucknow courts are still proverbial. In fact the master chefs excelled in their talents to such a
great extent that they are believed to have received salaries more than that of the Prime Minister
himself.
During the rule of British, the city served as the administrative capital. The region of Oudh was
of extreme importance and therefore the British too tried to stamp the region. The influence can
be seen and felt throughout the city. The clock tower, Victoria Memorial, Charbagh Railway
Station, Lucknow University and Lucknow Medical College are just a few of the examples.
Lucknow has never ever lost its relevance in the Indian history and culture. The city inspires
manner in a way that people who have not experienced it, yearn for it. Lucknow has always ruled
as one of the most important centers of Muslim cultural influence in South Asia along with
Delhi, Lahore and Hyderabad. Courtly manners, Charbagh, Qauwwali, Chikankari embroidery,
Kababs and the contributions of poets patronized by Lucknow Nawabs are well known all over.
(Praveen, 2005).
Today, Lucknow is a vibrant city that is witnessing an economic boom and is among the top ten
fastest growing non-major-metropolitan cities of India. It is the second largest city in Uttar
Pradesh state. The unique combination of its cultured grace and newly acquired pace is its most
promising feature that augurs well for the future.
Urban Tourism
Urban tourism refers to the consumption of city spectacles (such as architecture, monuments, and
parks) and cultural amenities (such as museums, restaurants, and performances) by visitors
(Lloyd, 2007).
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Sharma ISSN: 2278-9111
(Law, 1996) argued that urban tourism is a chaotic concept given the wide range of context so
difficult to define. In this paper, urban tourism is defined simply as tourism activities that are
conducted in city or urban context. Adopting (Page, 1995) typology of urban forms of tourism,
Lucknow is an urban tourism destination in a mix of forms between capital city, cultural capital,
and large historic city.
Benefits of Heritage Tourism
Visitors have fulfilling experiences
Resources get needed maintenance attention
Hosts receive meaningful economic return
Historic past is preserved
Underutilized historic resources are developed
Ways are found to make attractions out of archaeological traditional values
Historic and cultural sites attract visitors and rehabilitation of existing buildings is often
cheaper than building a new structure
The Dynamic Interaction between Tourism and Cultural Heritage
Domestic and international tourism continues to be among the foremost vehicles for cultural
exchange, providing a personal experience, not only of that which has survived from the past, but
of the contemporary life and society of others. It is increasingly appreciated as a positive force
for natural and cultural conservation. Tourism can capture the economic characteristics of the
heritage and harness these for conservation by generating funding, educating the community and
influencing policy. It is an essential part of many national and regional economies and can be an
important factor in development, when managed successfully. Tourism should bring benefits to
host communities and provide an important means and motivation for them to care for and
maintain their heritage and cultural practices. The involvement and co-operation of local and/or
indigenous community representatives, conservationists, tourism operators, property owners,
policy makers, those preparing national development plans and site managers is necessary to
achieve a sustainable tourism industry and enhance the protection of heritage resources for future
generations.
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Critical Success Factors
Critical success factors in developing a successful brand are:
A good understanding of the destination’s core market segments.
Qualitative consumer research to understand people’s deep motivation for
travel and their feelings and attitudes towards the destination, not just their
likes and dislikes.
A clear understanding of the destination’s competitive position, its relative
strengths and weaknesses.
SWOT Analysis of Lucknow
Strengths
Glorious Past
The city has a glorious past, the ganga-jamuni tehzeeb, which has the
connotations of the Hindu, Nawabi and British culture which would enhance its
chances to be developed as a heritage city.
Historical Buildings
The buildings have a story of their own to tell. Each monument is a historical
milestone and conjures a tale which is fascinating and ties us to our past with a
special bond.
Art, culture and literature
The uniqueness of the city’s art, culture and literature is another side of its
undeniable heritage. With its magnificent chikankari, beautiful poetry, remarkable
story telling and much more is like a bottomless Pandora’s Box full of exclusive
treasures.
Capital City
Lucknow being the capital city enjoys special attention and privileges which
could have positive implications for the development of tourism.
Weaknesses
Lack of appropriate infrastructure
The city lacks appropriate infrastructure for tourism development whether it is no.
of beds, air connectivity, cleanliness, parking, drinking water etc.
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Weak Branding
Brand Lucknow is not well marketed and promoted, neither in the domestic
market nor in the international market.
Lack of public awareness
There is a huge gap in the aspirations of the department of tourism and the
awareness of the public about these aspirations.
Lack of local participation
The tourism development programme does not encourage local participation. The
policies have minimum local participation and job avenues to encourage the local
community.
Opportunities
Strengthen hotel industry
There is huge scope for the accommodation industry to flourish for all budget
categories.
Use of media for promotion
The publicity and the promotion of the city can be handled professionally through
all the mediums of publicity written, audio or visual.
Revival of art and artisans
It could be a great opportunity to revive the lost, almost lost arts of the region and
to encourage the low spirits of the artisans who not only desire financial stability
but also public recognition for their talents.
Enhancement of accessibility
The city already enjoys a respectable accessibility through air, road and rail. It has
the capacity to build on its existing infrastructure if the future demands for it for
tourism development.
Threats
Political willpower
The political willpower is a very critical question and the answer needs to be in
favor of tourism development. Political instability and disfavour are crucial
factors in progress or digress of tourism of a region.
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Lack of funds for maintaining heritage buildings
Our tangible, intangible and monument heritage needs to be maintained as these
are the very basis for attracting the tourists. Our heritage needs to be preserved
and protected not only for the purpose of tourism but also because they are the
chapters in our book of who we are.
Image of Lucknow as a non-tourism destination
One of the major drawback of Lucknow as a tourist destination is that it has never
been seriously promoted as a tourist destination and is neither well projected on
the tourist map of India.
Challenges
The challenge would be to co-ordinate and convince the artists.
To maintain the quality of the event and performances.
To develop appropriate remuneration packages for the artisans and organizers.
To develop various locations for showcasing the history and culture of the city.
To calculate the carrying capacity of the region and develop a sustainable
development plan.
To promote the city with its culture as the focal point.
To develop the accommodation sector for all budget categories.
To develop the infrastructure of the city. This must include cleanliness, drinking
water, parking, roads, local infrastructure, maintenance etc.
Suggestions
The paper suggests that not only the architecture and adab of the city should be
promoted but the literary treasures and classical arts of the city should also be
showcased. They are as much a part of this culture as its world famous courtesy,
hospitality, architecture and cuisine. The performing arts of Lucknow are so
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varied in their style and flair that their amalgamation will produce an effect that
will be unparalleled.
The proposed showcase would include Urdu Poetry, Urdu Prose, Dastan Goi (the
art of storytelling), Calligraphy, Hindustani Sangeet (north Indian music), light
classical and instrumental music (tabla and sitar), Kathak, Nautanki, Theater, Soz
(The Chanting of Dirges), ghazal, quwwali and much more.
The paper proposes to identify areas for show casing these arts. The area should
have aesthetic value that would increase the potency of the performances. The
backdrop of architecturally prominent buildings such as the Imambaras, the
Roomi Darwaza, Dilkusha, Moti Mahal etc. will be an ideal setting for such an
ambitious effort. A conscious effort would be made to synergies this combination
of tangible and intangible so that the result thus produced is a powerful package
with Made In Lucknow stamped all over it.
It is essential for the package to be exclusive as that will be the defining factor of
this Tourism Product. The tourist who is pulled by culture as a motivator would
be targeted. The product would be developed so as to establish Lucknow as a
cultural seat. The emphasis would be laid on bringing together an event which is
so potent in its cultural value that the visitor would feel one with the destination.
The performances would be chronologically synchronized and directed into a
cultural extravaganza which would prove to be one of the deciding factors in the
choice of cultural destination and will position Lucknow as a coveted destination.
The performances and demonstrations will be a complete product in itself and the
architecture, cuisine, heritage walks, shopping and various old time sports would
compliment this extravaganza.
Conclusion
The basis of the paper is to develop a theme which showcases the past glory of the city. It would
essentially include the performing arts of the region and would also encompass other tourism
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products of the region. The promotion of our products will be an integral part of the efforts made
to market Lucknow as a strong tourism destination. The synchronized effort has to be nurtured in
the soil of public-private partnership as it is the only way for the all-round development of the
destination. The infrastructure, the essential amenities, building up of the super-structure, the
accommodation sector and the accessibility links all require government initiative as well as
private cooperation.
Another critical angel of development is the inclusion of local participation and awareness. It
includes making the local community aware of the steps the government is taking for the benefit
of tourism development, opening job avenues for the locals and training them so that they are
competent in the jobs they are doing.
As the focal point of the concept is promotion of tourism in Lucknow through its arts and crafts,
therefore it is very important to extend a warm and humble and encouraging invitation to the
artists as they are the basis of the whole concept. This will not only give a new lease of life to
many arts but will also bring back the much deserved respectability for the artisans along with
financial wellness.
The city needs to be strategically divided into well thought-of heritage zones. The heritage areas
will be developed into pollution free zones where artists would perform on stage. This would be
developed as an all year round activity. This would require careful planning and sustainable
development. The schedules should be entertaining and well balanced and very importantly the
remuneration appropriate.
The concept is elaborate and requires a lot of consideration. But most importantly it requires an
honest and unbiased effort.
References
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G.I. (2003). The Competitive Destination: A Sustainable Tourism Perspective,
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15) Primary Data Collected
by locals, tourists and tourism industry personnel through pre-designed questionnaires.
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16) Background data and
Comparative data collected from Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, Lucknow.