CBSE · Class 10 · Hindi · Kshitij Prose: Lakhnavi AndaazHow does the author Yashpal satirize the hollow traditions and false prestige of the declining feudal class through this story?

In the story 'Lakhnavi Andaaz', author Yashpal brilliantly satirizes the hollow pretentions, snobbery, and false prestige of the declining feudal or aristocratic class. The Nawabs of Lucknow were historically known for their extreme refinement, luxury, and extravagant lifestyles, but with the changing times and loss of royal patronage, their actual wealth and power had vanished. However, their psychological arrogance and obsession with showing off their superior status remained completely intact. The central character, the Nawab, demonstrates this absurd behavior by refusing to eat the cucumbers normally. Instead, he meticulously cuts them, spices them up, smells them with profound satisfaction, and then throws them out of the window one by one. By doing so, he tries to maintain the illusion that he is too noble to consume a common man's snack directly, thereby satisfying his ego without actually eating. Yashpal uses this ironic incident to critique how people living in the remnants of feudal societies cling to useless, artificial customs and hollow pride, ignoring practical reality and indulging in self-deception.