The charming hustle bustle of Kanpur
Once an architect, always….
For the first time since I have been associated with the city, I had the chance to get out and roam the streets of Kanpur and I was charmed by it. Living in the heart of the city meant that in any direction I went, I saw glimpses of its history. Monuments of Islamic, colonial and industrial architecture are strewn across this area, lending it a unique character and the crowds add to its bustling yet relaxed feel. Most of these pictures are taken from cars and cycle rikshas as we were in transit running various errands as part of the wedding mood.
The highlight of the visit was the trip to the famous Shivala that I had heard of from various family members over the years but never actually experienced. The site of an ancient Shiv temple. the area is better known for being a paradise for buying items of shringaar like bangles, costume jewelry, bindis, make up, slippers and jootis, etc. I could think of many many friends and cousins who would have lost their mind shopping here!
The trip had piqued my interest in this less known and even less appreciated city, once the Manchester of North India and major industrial hub, where some of the most prosperous families in Uttar Pradesh still reside. How little we value this sort of heritage, I kept thinking through the trip and grand visions of adaptive re-use of some of these absolutely stunning pieces of architecture kept swimming through my head!
Jewels of colonial architecture dot Kanpur city
The sprawling compound of the Lal Imli textile mills, once a hub of industry, now defunct…
Getting close to Shivalay
An old well and ruins in the middle of a crazy market
Reading the morning papers as the customers begin to pour into the market!
The pro bangle seller, a master of his craft! Only my lighter purse is testimony to his skill!
Snapshots on the riksha ride back home…wonderful streets, still retain their old flavor
A typical Kanpuria scene, haggling with the riskhawalla!
Love the relaxed hustle bustle of small town India. Of course, that is a misnomer considering Kanpur has over 3 million people!
Old institutions, towering structures
And suddenly this…the contrasts are fascinating
And the crowds!
Posted on December 2, 2013, in Travel & Experiences and tagged city, colonial, heritage, industrial architecture, Kanpur, streets, urban. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
ramblinginthecity 
There is still use of cycle rickshaws and Horse carts.. It is not that common in this part of the nation.
Mukta, U caught the spirit of Kanpur well in the pictures and the captions… It once was a city with great potential… lazy people, bad governance and even worse politics ruined the city… The city with business potential and some really rich guys with a lot of lobbying power couldn’t get an airport of its own… the city has good school but lousy the higher education institutes, has so many great places to eat, old galis, heritage sites but all wasted… ok I shall stop I got emotional ha ha 🙂
no it’s true. many of our cities with a rich past have fallen into bad times because the right people didn’t care enough.