Awadhi Language Endures as Lucknow's Cultural Cornerstone

As Lucknow celebrates 250 years as the capital city, experts highlight the enduring legacy of the Awadhi language. Even before Lucknow became the seat of the Nawabs, Awadhi was the widely spoken tongue of the local population. Though the courtly influence of Persian and later Urdu was strong during the Nawabi era, Awadhi never lost its significance among the common people.

Awadhi's gentle sound and inherent politeness are credited with contributing immensely to Lucknow's famous Lakhnawi tehzeeb, or etiquette. The iconic gesture of humility, "pehle aap, pehle aap," is perfectly expressed through Awadhi's non-confrontational and respectful tone. Many polite phrases used in Lucknow today have their roots in this linguistic tradition.

The Nawabs themselves were not detached from the local tongue. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last ruler of Awadh, was a prolific composer who deeply embraced Awadhi. A poignant example is the thumri "Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Hi Jaaye," which the Nawab is believed to have composed and sung as he was exiled from his beloved Lucknow by the British in 1856. This timeless song became a metaphor for his painful separation from his motherland.