A brick clock tower rises over the Lal Imli woollen mill, and in Jajmau the tanneries keep turning hides into leather. Then the road reaches the Ganga and the noise drops away, with people sitting on the ghat steps as the light goes gold. Kanpur lives in both moods, factory town and river town, often in the same afternoon.
Beyond the first sights, cricket fans pack Green Park and Parade Road lines up for Thaggu ke Laddu. Upriver, Bithoor keeps its temples and bathing steps. Summers are fierce, the monsoon arrives in late June and winter days turn cool and clear. A Local Friend knows when to reach the river early and when to linger over one more sweet.
