Pandit in Ashiyana, Lucknow

Lucknow is the capital of Awadh and one of the busiest cities for household puja work in Uttar Pradesh. Old neighbourhoods like Chowk, Aminabad and Daliganj have families who have used the same purohit for generations, while Gomti Nagar, Jankipuram and Sushant Golf City are full of government officers, professionals and families who moved in from across the state.

The city has a festival of its own in Bada Mangal, the Tuesdays of Jyeshtha, when Hanuman temples like Aliganj's Purana Hanuman Mandir and Hanuman Setu draw huge crowds and bhandaras line the roads. Sundarkand Path and Akhand Ramayan Path are booked throughout the year, Chandrika Devi is a favourite for Navratri and Mundan, and Sawan brings Rudrabhishek at Mankameshwar and in homes.