Editing Awadh (section)

== Culture ==

The region of Awadh is considered to be the center of [[Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb|Ganga-Jamuni culture]].<ref name="ref44qicar">{{Citation | title=The foundations of the composite culture in India | author=Malika Mohammada | publisher=Aakar Books, 2007 | isbn=978-81-89833-18-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dwzbYvQszf4C | quote=...&nbsp;developed in Awadh as a genre of composite creativity. ... of multiple Indian cultural traditions and provided glimpses of the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of north India with Lucknow as its centre ... | year=2007 | access-date=1 October 2016 | archive-date=10 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310054947/https://books.google.com/books?id=dwzbYvQszf4C | url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Sham-e-Awadh ===
Sham-e-Awadh is a popularised term referring to the "glorious evenings" in the Awadh capitals of Faizabad and later (and even today and to a greater extent) Lucknow.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Awadh was established in 1722. with Faizabad as its capital. [[Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula]]'s son [[Nawab]] [[Asaf-ud-Daula]], the fourth [[Nawab of Awadh]], shifted the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow; this led to the decline of Faizabad and rise of Lucknow.

Just as Banares ([[Varanasi]]) is known for its mornings, so Lucknow is for its evenings.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Many of its well-known buildings were erected on the banks of the [[Gomti River]] in the time of Nawabs. The Nawabs used to take in a view of the river Gomti and its architecture in the evening hours, giving rise to Sham-e-Awadh's romantic reputation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lucknow.me/Shaam-e-Awadh.html|title=Lucnow revisited again|publisher=lucknowrevisited.blogspot.com Monday, 26 February 2007|access-date=11 January 2012|archive-date=11 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611165244/http://lucknow.me/Shaam-e-Awadh.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

There is a saying:'Subah-e-Benares', 'Sham-e-Awadh', 'Shab-e-Malwa'  meaning mornings of the Benares, evenings of the Awadh and nights of Malwa.

=== Awadhi cuisine ===
{{main|Awadhi cuisine}}
[[File:Galawati Kebabs.JPG|thumb|left|Kebabs are an important part of Awadhi cuisine]]
'''Awadhi Cuisine''' is primarily from the city of Lucknow and its environs. The cooking patterns of the city are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and [[Northern India]] as well. The cuisine consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Awadh has been greatly influenced by [[Mughlai cuisine|Mughal cooking techniques]], and the cuisine of Lucknow bears similarities to those of [[Kashmir]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]] and [[Hyderabad, Sindh|Hyderabad]]; and the city is famous for its [[Nawab]]i foods.

The ''{{transliteration|hi|[[Chef|bawarchi]]s}}'' and ''{{transliteration|hi|rakabdars}}'' of Awadh gave birth to the [[Dum Pukht|dum style of cooking]] or the art of cooking over a slow fire, which has become synonymous with Lucknow today.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030713/spectrum/main2.htm The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum – Lead Article] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614192620/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030713/spectrum/main2.htm |date=14 June 2013 }}. Tribuneindia.com (13 July 2003). Retrieved on 18 July 2013.</ref> Their spread would consist of elaborate dishes like [[kebabs]], [[korma]]s, [[biryani]], kaliya, [[Kulcha|nahari-kulchas]], zarda, sheermal, Taftan, {{transliteration|hi|[[Roti|roomali rotis]]}} and {{transliteration|hi|[[Paratha|warqi parathas]]}}. The richness of Awadh cuisine lies not only in the variety of cuisine but also in the ingredients used like [[mutton]], [[paneer]], and rich spices including [[cardamom]] and [[saffron]].

===In popular culture===
The events surrounding the 1856 overthrow of Wajid Ali Shah and the annexation of Awadh by the British are depicted in the 1977 film ''[[Shatranj Ke Khilari|The Chess Players]]'' by the acclaimed Indian director [[Satyajit Ray]]. This film is based on famous [[Urdu]] story [[Shatranj Ke Khilari]] by the great Hindi-Urdu novelist writer [[Munshi Premchand]].

The 1961 film ''[[Gunga Jumna]]'' is portrayed in Awadh and was noted for its use of the [[Awadhi language|Awadhi]] dialect in [[Bollywood|mainstream Hindi cinema]].

The novel ''[[Umrao Jaan Ada]]'' as well as the subsequent [[Umrao Jaan (disambiguation)|films]] are based on two cultural cities of Awadh, [[Lucknow]] and [[Faizabad]].

The region has been in the center of various period films of Bollywood and modern films like ''[[Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh]]'' and ''[[Paa (film)|Paa]]'' to name a few. It has also been shot in various songs of [[Bollywood]].