Lucknow: Navratri Festivities, Flood Recovery, and Political Clashes Define the Week

Lucknow enters the festive season with UP Tourism organizing cultural programmes at temples across the city for Navratri, even as municipal authorities roll up their sleeves for a large-scale cleanup after floodwaters recede in Faizullaganj. On the political front, a CJP-linked protest disrupted rail travel for thousands of UP commuters, while the state Congress unit was rocked by an internal feud that turned publicly violent.

Navratri Cultural Events Enliven Lucknow Temples

Uttar Pradesh Tourism has organized a series of cultural programmes at major temples across Lucknow as the city celebrates Navratri, the nine-day Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. The initiative, coordinated with local temple trusts, features classical dance performances, devotional music evenings, and interactive exhibitions showcasing the rich heritage of Awadh. Thousands of devotees and tourists have been attending the events, with UP Tourism deploying special shuttle services and signage at prominent mandirs across the city. This year the state government has invested significantly more in making the celebrations accessible to residents from all neighbourhoods, with events spread from early morning aratis to late-night cultural performances. Local artisans and craftspeople have been given platforms at temple forecourts to display and sell traditional goods, linking the festival with the city artisan economy. City officials say footfall at participating temples has increased by nearly thirty percent compared to last year, and heritage walks along the ghats have been added to the tourism calendar to draw domestic visitors who might otherwise overlook Lucknow during the peak festive season. [6]

LMC Launches Cleanup as Floodwaters Recede in Faizullaganj

Lucknow Municipal Corporation has mobilised sanitation teams and heavy machinery to begin a systematic cleanup of Faizullaganj and surrounding low-lying areas after floodwaters finally started receding following days of heavy rainfall. Workers are clearing silt deposits from roads and drains, disinfecting affected homes, and removing debris left behind by the inundation. The state government simultaneously highlighted its long-term flood management record, noting that 1,549 flood protection projects have been completed across Uttar Pradesh, collectively safeguarding 25.59 lakh hectares of agricultural and residential land. Officials say the Faizullaganj area suffered flooding partly due to drainage bottlenecks that pre-date recent construction, and an engineering review has been commissioned to address root causes. Residents who evacuated temporarily have begun returning to their homes, though health authorities have advised boiling all water and reporting any signs of water-borne illness to local primary health centres. The LMC has promised to complete the visible cleanup within one week, with deeper drainage repair work scheduled for the post-monsoon window beginning later this month. [3]

CJP Protest and Congress Infighting Roil Lucknow

Lucknow witnessed two distinct episodes of political turmoil this week. First, a protest linked to the Citizens for Justice and Peace movement triggered the cancellation and rescheduling of multiple train services originating from and passing through Uttar Pradesh, forcing hundreds of travellers to revise their plans at short notice. Passengers at Charbagh railway station reported long queues at reservation counters as commuters scrambled to find alternatives, and railway officials urged the public to check for real-time updates on the IRCTC portal before travelling. Separately, the Uttar Pradesh Congress unit was thrown into embarrassment when a leadership conclave at the party office in Lucknow degenerated into open clashes between factions supporting party president Ajay Rai and rival leader Mamta Chaudhary. Workers hurled shoes at each other and scuffled on the premises, with video footage rapidly spreading across social media platforms. Senior Congress leaders condemned the incident and called for party discipline, while the BJP used the episode to attack the opposition, saying the footage illustrated the Congress inability to manage its own ranks let alone govern the state. [1]

Kaushik and Rinku Guide UP to Strong Position Against Bihar

Uttar Pradesh posted a commanding total in their Ranji Trophy fixture against Bihar at Lucknow after a batsmanship masterclass from openers Kaushik and Rinku, both of whom registered centuries. Kaushik played a disciplined knock, anchoring the innings through difficult early overs before accelerating once his eye was in, while Rinku provided the more aggressive counterpoint, finding boundaries at will through the off side. Their century stand gave the middle order the platform to consolidate, and UP eventually declared at a total that put them in a strong position heading into Bihar first innings. The match has drawn a healthy crowd at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, with spectators enthused by the prospect of watching domestic talent that feeds directly into IPL squads and national selection discussions. Coaches and selectors monitoring the fixture said both batters made strong cases for higher honours, with Rinku noted for his composure under pressure. Local cricket fans have been following the scorecard closely on digital platforms, and the Lucknow cricket association opened additional stadium gates to accommodate the larger-than-expected crowd. [10]

Sources: [6] The Times of India · [3] Hindustan Times · [1] The Times of India · [10] The Times of India