In a forgotten stretch of Karimganj in Lucknow, beneath the open sky and beside her beloved mother, Begum Akhtar now rests… just as she wished. Her Mazaar, once neglected and forgotten, has been transformed into a place of grace: crimson and ivory walls, white pillars, and vines that whisper of memory. Here, history is not behind glass — it sings, breathes, and welcomes you in.

Note: A mazaar is a tomb or shrine built over the grave of a revered figure.

One of India’s most celebrated classical singers, Begum Akhtar — the Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazal)— gave the world music soaked in emotion, fragility, and fire. Yet, the space where she was laid to rest had long been forgotten — a crumbling site, slowly vanishing from public memory.

That changed when a group of people decided her legacy deserved better. Today, her mazaar stands restored. It doesn’t look like a museum piece. It feels lived in. Loved. It feels like someone remembered.

This isn’t just restoration — it’s resurrection. It’s what Lucknow Bioscope — part museum, part movement — is doing across the city. From lost landmarks to overlooked legends, it’s working to preserve what makes Lucknow Lucknow — not just in bricks and craft but in people, poetry, and memory.

As you walk through the giant red-coloured Lakhi Gate of Qaiserbagh in Lucknow to reach the intricate white building of the ‘Lucknow Bioscope’ museum, constructed in the 1950s, you feel a sudden detachment from the daily chaos. You step into the chapter of history books that was never read aloud, but makes Lucknow what it is today — a place of tangible and intangible experiences.

‘Lucknow Bioscope’ is more than just a museum. It is a lively space designed to celebrate what truly makes Lucknow special — its unique blend of cultures, seen through its history, music, literature, architecture, craft, and cuisine. Think of a weekend to soak yourself in the storied lanes or learn the centuries-old craft like Chikankari — Lucknow Bioscope is the answer.

‘The city’s soul is too big for just five days’

The idea of Lucknow........

© The Better India