LE PRESS · HAZRATGANJ, LUCKNOW
An old press.
A living Lucknow story.
The Newal Kishore Press legacy finds a contemporary expression in Le Press: a heritage destination for art, craft, conversation and community in Hazratganj.
The Newal Kishore Press.
A legacy since 1858.
Le Press occupies the restored Newal Kishore Press campus in Hazratganj, Lucknow. Established in 1858, the printing house became an important centre of publishing and cultural exchange. Its legacy connects the printed word with the movement of ideas across languages and communities.
Today, shops, cafés, dining spaces and cultural gatherings give the campus another everyday life. The restoration keeps a place of memory in use: visitors encounter its architecture while meeting a friend, discovering a maker or coming to an event.
Explore the historical publishing collection through FID4SA’s digital text collections and McGill Library’s account of the Naval Kishore Press.
Why “Le Press”?
Le Press celebrates Lucknow’s Excellency Press. “Press” recalls the printing house and its role in sharing ideas; the French inflection expresses the cosmopolitan spirit of the present-day destination. The intention is a modern meeting place for cultures, crafts and people.
Lucknow’s broader architectural story includes the influence of Claude Martin and his Constantia, now associated with La Martiniere. That context is part of the city’s layered cultural identity. It is distinct from the later Newal Kishore Press story, whose chapter begins in 1858.
International art.
Encountered on a walk.
Murals by international artists give visitors another reason to look closely at the campus. Works by Charles Foussard and Olivier Kesadi bring contemporary visual voices into conversation with Le Press’s historic setting.
Make the murals part of your own walk between stores and courtyards. Discover photographs and artist links in the Le Press mural gallery, alongside the everyday life that surrounds these painted spaces.
Craft and the city.
The link between culture and commerce continues through the makers and design houses at Le Press. Lucknow’s Chikankari, Banaras handwoven sarees and hand-block-printed textiles each hold skills passed between people and generations.
Visit the shopping and craft guide to explore Nandini Agarwal Chikankari, Kaushyam, Kilol and the wider partner community. Speak to stores about the work, materials and care behind the pieces that interest you.
Gardens, gathering
and a sense of belonging.
Hanging bougainvillea, manicured gardens and courtyards soften the rhythm of a day in Hazratganj. Indoor venues and outdoor spaces let different kinds of visits unfold on the same campus, from a quiet coffee to a cultural gathering.
Le Press’s event stories include Spring Soiree, Noël Christmas celebrations, qawwali nights, rock shows and DJ nights. These are part of our archive; follow current event announcements for confirmed dates and arrangements, including updates on Metaphor Lucknow.
The CFCPD manifesto.
A place worth caring for.
Gaurav Vatsa’s CFCPD manifesto connects Culture, Finance, Community, Planet and Digital. At Le Press, these ideas guide the continuing life of a historic place. Giving existing buildings a continued purpose, bringing makers into view and creating space for community are central to that outlook.
Sustainability begins with choices that can be seen and discussed: adaptive reuse, care for materials, a closer relationship with craft and opportunities to gather. Explore the CFCPD manifesto and the community invitation for ways to connect with Le Press around a creative idea, reading, pop-up or performance.
The next chapter: a Newal Kishore museum
A museum dedicated to the Newal Kishore Press legacy is planned. It is an upcoming project, not an attraction currently open for museum visits. Follow the museum story and Le Press announcements for future developments.
YOUR NEXT LUCKNOW STORY