LUCKNOW, Sept. 7 -- A day after his appointment as the lieutenant governor (L-G) of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was announced, former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma became emotional while recalling his association with Lucknow at a cultural gathering in the city on Sunday. He said initiatives celebrating the state capital's history, literature, cuisine and culture help people understand its character better. Speaking at the 'Mehfil-e-Tikait Rai', organised by 'Wah Lucknow' at Vistar Club in Gomti Nagar, the Rajya Sabha MP and former Lucknow mayor said such gatherings were an important tradition. "Such a tradition is a good thing. It gives us an opportunity to understand Lucknow better," Dinesh Sharma said on the occasion. Referring to his new constitutional assignment, he also said he would have to resign from the BJP before taking oath as the lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The gathering brought together writers, historians and cultural commentators to discuss Lucknow's heritage, its changing social landscape and the traditions that have shaped the city. Author Abhishek Dutta's book 'Hanuman Ramayan Se Pehle' was launched at the event in the presence of Sharma, Kanak Rekha Chauhan, Rai Ravi Bali and Rajiv Srivastava. The discussion on the book was conducted by Umashankar Dubey. Writer Ashutosh Shukla's story Phonebook was subsequently presented by radio jockey Prateek. A special session on celebrated writer Abdul Halim Sharar focused on his writings and his portrayal of Lucknow's social and cultural life. Sharar's birth anniversary fell on September 4. Writer Himanshu Bajpai discussed the manner in which Sharar documented the city and its traditions through his works. The gathering also remembered literary figure Kunwar Narayan, whose birth anniversary falls on September 22. In a distinctly 'Lakhnavi' session, participants discussed the city's much-loved bhatoora, sharing anecdotes about old markets, eateries, flavours and memories associated with the dish. Sudhir Mishra and others joined the conversation. Umashankar Dubey said the objective of the 'Mehfil-e-Tikait Rai' was to look at Lucknow not merely as a geographical entity but through its tehzeeb, language, literature, cuisine, history and collective memories. He said such conversations were also aimed at introducing younger generations to the city's cultural heritage and ensuring that its traditions remained part of contemporary discourse....