Revamping Lucknow

Before you begin, bear in mind that this is more in the nature of a request and a teensy-weensy attempt to plant a seed in your mind,some tiny particle of thought that embodies a remnant of our inimitable culture. 

To,

The natives and non-natives alike,

X,Y,Z colony,street,pin code.

Lucknow.

Dear friends,
First off, hope you're doing well and even if you're not , I assure you of better times ahead.I sense you don't have much time in hand so allow me to hit the nail on the head.Of late, a lot of incidents have been occurring in the city . Incidents that shake you to the roots if you've been a part of the pristine Lucknow culture at any point of time . Incidents that push you to rethink  certain ideologies and theories . Incidents that besmirch the city's reputation as well as of its inhabitants. Incidents that finally make you think.I might sound jingoistic to some but really that will only be the case if your love for the city is any less than mine.Everyone is well aware of the context so without feeling the need to cite examples, I shall straight off jump to the point. If I sit down counting flaws and problems, there will be many so I'd rather frame an umbrella solution instead. Listen up, natives: Please don't turn down anybody's request for help and please  step off this edge of mistrust and suspicion.Where exactly do you think this vicious cycle of abhorrence will lead you? If it's evident that someone , especially if it's a non-native ,needs any help ,reach out to them before they approach you. Where's our " pehle aap" culture? Where did it disappear and when did it go out of sight for the senior citizens?Mother tells me how a few decades back nobody would even dare to glance at women for more than a fleeting second ,here in Lucknow, out of respect .I used the word glance, if you read closely and the phrase  'out-of-respect' just in case you think I'm being a hard-line traditionalist or anything. Contrasting and upsetting, when you see the scenario now. Barring Old Lucknow , people elsewhere seem to have lost touch with our roots.Where's the "nazaakat and nafaasat " that we're known for? Ever wondered why exactly in movies whenever a character from Lucknow comes into picture,the whole air of the room shifts? Mull it over . Please be as warm and  welcoming  as possible to the non-natives irrespective of everything else.If we could welcome and trust the EIC with wide open arms, I don't see any reason why you should be hesitant with them.Intermingling has had consequences for the language of Lucknow but I believe that's how cultures grow and evolve.There's no swifter route to the corruption of thought than through the corruption of language so please watch your words when you speak. You will be the face of Lucknow  wherever you go and I'm sure none of you would want to hashtag your way into social media for slapping a humble cab driver so much so that you end up in the Limca Book of highest insults recorded till date. . Every single person has a role to play in the making of a culture. To the non-natives now-Firstly, welcome to Lucknow, however late that might have reached you. You may have born somewhere else, but since you are here currently,you constitute as important a part of Lucknow as anyone else. Most important, to correct myself. Wherever you go next,you leave with a part of Lucknow. Some seed planted deep in the mind. This also endows you with certain responsibilities.Since you're at par with the natives, you owe as much to the culture as anybody else. Please contribute positively towards this culture that we so dearly hold . Believe me, nobody would want a  culture of suspicion and resentment to plague the city and the country. That's about it. A little bit of softness after all, doesn't harm anyone, isn't it? So, let's all be on our best behaviours in the interest of the city's immune system,lest it may try getting rid of us very soon.Now smile,while I sign off.
Toodles.
Love and respect,
Another fellow citizen.

P.S.- I really tried to not make this write-up sound like a rant but if it does,sincere apologies.