Lucknow Mahotsav: Lakshman to replace nawabi theme

The Nawabi theme that has been a part and parcel of the Lucknow Mahotsav will be missing this year.

The Lucknow administration has decided theme of Uttar Pradesh capital's annual fest -'Lucknow Mahotsav 2017'- will be based on Lakshman, younger brother of Lord Ram.

Lucknow Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Shatrughan Singh said, "This year theme of 'Lucknow Mahotsav will be based on Lakshman, who founded Lakshmanpura, which is now known as Lucknow."

After the Mughal era, Lucknow is also known as the 'City of Nawabs'.

Nawab is an honorific title ratified and bestowed by the Mughal emperors to semi-autonomous Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. The primary duty of a nawab was to uphold the sovereignty of the Mughal emperor along with the administration of a certain province.

However, the nawabs are not happy with the government's decision.

A miffed Nawab Mir Jafar said, "We don't have any objection if the statue of Lord Ram is installed in Ayodhya, but Lucknow is known for its nawabs and if that is removed from Lucknow Mahotsav then it is not wrong. Instead of doing away with the nawabi theme, the administration should have publicised nawabi era more.