From Royal Bajras to Luxury Cruises: The Gomti’s grand renaissance

Long before riverfront promenades and tourist cruises entered Lucknow’s vocabulary, the Gomti was at the heart of the city’s life. With the launch of a cruise on the Gomti, the river could see it’s good ol’ days again as the project seeks to reconnect the city with a river that has long shaped its history, culture and social life, while adding a new dimension to its tourism landscape.Prathamesh Kumar, Vice-Chairman, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), talking to us, shared that the initiative aims to strengthen the city’s long-held connection with the river. “Lucknow has always shared a deep connection with the Gomti River. The idea behind the tourist cruise was not just to promote tourism, but also to reconnect people with the Gomti River. This initiative aims to create a vibrant urban leisure experience while giving Lucknow’s riverfront and cultural identity a new dimension,” he says.Before the cruise, there was BajraThe upcoming cruise may be new, but river-based recreation on the Gomti has a long history. Earlier, Bajra, which can still be spotted sporadically on the river, was once a bustling venue for many of Lucknow’s cultural and social gatherings. “Earlier, mehfils and cultural programmes were often held along the banks of the Gomti. Decorated boats known as bajras, traditional flat-bottomed wooden boats used on North Indian rivers, were a distinctive feature of these gatherings and were used for entertainment and leisure.

In the early 1980s, near Shaheed Smarak, the Jawahar Phuhar fountain stood on the riverfront, and adjacent to it was a floating restaurant built on a bajra. People would gather there to enjoy boat rides and Lucknow’s cuisine. It remains a fond memory for me,” says Taqui. He adds, “As pollution increased, many of the cultural activities gradually disappeared. Even so, the river remains the lifeline of Lucknow.”

How ‘Ghoomti’ became GomtiRoshan Taqui, an author and historian, shares a popular folklore associated with the river’s name.

“There is a popular belief that the river was earlier called ‘Ghoomti’ kyunki woh ghoomti bahut hai, it takes many turns and curves as it flows. Over time, ‘Ghoomti’ gradually became Gomti,” he says.Water Buses That Never SailedIn 2016, European-style air-conditioned water buses were introduced under the Gomti Riverfront Development Project. However, they never became operational after a change in government.Lucknow’s First Floating Restaurant in the 80sLucknow’s first tryst with floating dining came in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Started by the State Tourism Department, it aimed to offer a unique dining experience on the Gomti River. However, it eventually shut down due to high maintenance costs and low customer footfall.

Sharing details about the upcoming cruise, which is already under construction, Mohd Imran, an official associated with the project, shares, “We expect the cruise project to be completed within the next five months.

The cruise, being developed under a public-private partnership model by a Kolkata-based firm, will run between Hanuman Setu and Gomti Barrage and accommodate around 200 passengers at a time. Ticket prices are likely to start at around `300, while hall bookings will cost approximately `1,100.

We are planning six rides a day, with some trips stopping near the riverfront.”Lucknow is also set to get a luxury fine-dining floating restaurant on the Gomti as part of the upcoming tourist cruise.

“The cruise will offer a luxury fine-dining experience on the Gomti, with the floating restaurant accommodating around 100 guests at a time. Visitors will be able to enjoy meals, family gatherings, private parties and social events while cruising along the river. Besides the restaurant, the cruise will feature live music, event spaces, a conference hall, VIP facilities, a children’s play area and a small swimming pool.

We also want it to be an educational experience where children can learn about the cruise, how it operates and other marine-related information in an engaging manner. The cruise has not been given an official name yet,” he shares.While the upcoming cruise promises a new way to experience the Gomti, the river has always been central to Lucknow’s social and cultural life. Roshan Taqui, Historian and author, speaking to us, shared about the river’s longstanding connection to the city’s social space.

“There was a time when Lucknow was once introduced through a famous sher that had the Gomti at its heart: ‘Gulshan ajab bahar ke, har qasr rashk-e-khuld, aur Gomti ghazab ki hai darya-e-Lucknow,’ he says.

The river always occupied a central place in Lucknow’s development. “The Gomti was so revered that major historical buildings such as Shish Mahal, Chattar Manzil, Kothi Dilaram, Sikandar Bagh and Dilkusha were constructed along its banks, with their facades overlooking the river,” he says.-Amina Ashraf