Monuments in Lucknow
After the conquest of Kannauj by the
Afghans at the end of the twelth century, Awadh submitted to the
Sultan of Ghazni and became a part of the Delhi empire and
subsequently a subah (or province) of the Mughal empire. In 1526,
Lucknow was temporarily occupied by the Mughal prince Humayun. In
1540, he lost the throne to his Afghan rival, Sher Shah, who occupied
Lucknow where he established a copper mint.
During the Mughal reign, Lucknow became a major centre of commerce,
which persuaded a French merchant to settle here. He reaped enough
profits to build four splendid houses in the very first year, but was
not given permission to stay further. His persistence resulted in the
confiscation of his property, which came to be known as the Firangi
Mahal.
¤ The Legendary Tale
History has very little to say about the founders or the first
settlers of Lucknow. According to a popular legend, Lord Ramchandra of
Ayodhya, the hero of the famous epic Ramayana, gifted the territory of
Lucknow to his devoted brother Lakshman after his victory over the
demon king Ravana. The original name of Lucknow is thus believed to be
Lakshmanpur or Lakhanpur. Yet another story suggests that this city
was a gift to the holy sages of this region by Lord Yudhishtar’s
grandson.
The story of Lucknow, as we know today, begins in 1732 when Saadat
Khan, a Persian adventurer, originally from Khurasan in Persia, was
honoured by the Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Shah, and was made Nizam or
governor of the province of Avadh and later the Nawab. In 1740, the
Nawab was called Wazir, which means Chief Minister – hence he was
given the title Nawab Wazir. In practice from Saadat Khan onwards,
titles have been hereditary, inheritors of which were responsible for
shaping the history of Lucknow.
¤ Lucknow Flourished Under The Regime of Asaf-ud-Daulah
Nawab Saadat Khan was succeeded by his nephew and son-in-law, Safdar
Jung in 1814. It was his grandson Asaf-ud-Daulah, the fourth Nawab,
who transferred the seat of the Awadh government to Lucknow in 1775,
to distance himself from his imperious mother in Faizabad. Thereon
ushered a new era.
In the eight intense decades that followed (i.e.1775 –1856),
Lucknow prospered and grew into a sophisticated and picturesque city
with parks, palaces, gardens and imposing architectural monuments. The
Nawab’s patronage of music and arts attracted poets, artists, and
musicians to Lucknow in large numbers. During these eventful years,
Lucknow became one of the most celebrated centers of opulence, dance,
poetry and scholarship.
¤ Bara Imambara
Asaf-ud-Daulah was also an inveterate builder of monuments. Driven
with an ambition to discover the glory of the past and present and
surpass them in magnificence and splendor, the numerous buildings
built by Asaf-ud-Duala, like the Bara Imambara built in 1784, the
testify to his architectural zeal.
This is indeed a monumental feat considering the fact that it once
boasted the largest vaulted hall in the world, with a 50 feet high
roof, spanning an area of 162 feet and a height 53 feet in the absence
of a single beam! After all, as per the Nawab’s directive, his
architecture was to be original in conception with no influence of any
existing structure or design.
The galleries and corridors within the great Imambara form a
complicated and intricate labyrinth (bhool-bhuliya) through which at
times it is difficult to find your way. Its terrace provides a fine
view of the Lucknow city. During one of his visits to the site, the
pleasing aroma of food being cooked in giant ovens attracted the
Nawab. It is here when he discovered the Dum process of cooking,
wherein the food is cooked slowly in its own steam, which lends a
unique aroma and flavor to the food. Impressed with the process, he
ordered the royal kitchen to practice the same method of cooking.
¤ Rumi Darwaza or The Turkish Gate
Towards the west of the Imambara is the Rumi Darwaza or the Turkish
Gate built by Asaf-ud-Duala between the years 1784 to 1786. The 60
feet high gateway stands as an equally grand entrance to the great
hall. During the Nawabi era, a huge lantern placed atop the Rumi
Darwaza would light up the pathway, while jets of water gushed from
the numerous fountains created on the rim of the gateway.
 While
on one hand the Nawabs had achieved a certain degree of independence
from the Moghuls in Delhi, they surrendered their hold over the years
as allies to the British who were there in the form of the East India
Company based in Calcutta. Asaf-ud-Duala’s son, Wazir Ali took
over the throne after his father’s death in 1798. After four
months of misrule and bad behavior, the British removed Wajid Ali from
the throne in 1798, who had by then acquired enough powers to
manipulate the events of Awadh. Sadat Ali Khan, Asaf-ud-Daula’s
brother, was offered the throne, who during his 16 years of reign,
earned himself a reputation of being an able administrator and the
most sagacious Nawab that Lucknow had ever known.
¤ British Residency
Unlike his predecessor, Sadat Ali proved to be a great builder who
introduced a large number of architectural styles. One of his
best-known monuments is the Residency, which was built in 1800 for the
British Resident.
Today it stands desolate as a mute witness to the Mutiny of 1857 when
it was almost completely destroyed. Despite its numerous scars, this
monument retains till today its original charm that almost recreates
the history associated with it and is a stark reminder of the numerous
sieges during the Mutiny. Among the long list of grand palaces
commissioned by Sadat Ali the Moti Mahal, Dilkusha Palace, Hayat
Baksh, Chattar Manzil, Khusheed Manzil and Lal Baradari, deserves a
visit.
The Nawab Wazirs of Lucknow, dissatisfied with their present titles,
wanted to be called Kings, which at the time only the Emperors of
Delhi were entitled to have. In 1819, Gazi-ud-Din, son and successor
of Sadat Ali was made the fist king.
Gazi-ud-Din was a generous ruler, a good monarch who paid due
attention to administration and justice. He was responsible for
building and public works of all kinds. His buildings include the
Mubarak Mahal, Shah Manzil and the Hazari Bagh, in which he introduced
to the society of Lucknow, the sport of animal combats for the first
time.
¤ Shah Najaf Imambara
Gazi-ud-Din’s most outstanding building is the Shah Najaf
Imambara where he is entombed together with his three wives. The
Imambara is a huge masonry structure with a large dome. The wise Nawab
gave the British a large sum of money for its embellishment and
maintenance. Under the terms of agreement, this mausoleum is well
cared for and is in excellent condition even today.
¤ Tarunvali Kothi
Ironically, the proclamation of kingship coincided with a period of
almost complete dependence on the British. The title of King neither
improved the administrative capabilities of the rulers nor their
morale. The second King Nasir-ud-Din Haider, son and successor of
Gazi-ud-Din, was so effeminate that he often spoke and dressed like a
female. His only contribution in the field of architecture was the
construction of Tarunvali Kothi, an archeological center, which was
equipped with sophisticated instruments and entrusted to the care of a
British astronomer.
¤ Muhammad Ali's Imambara
The British crowned the third king of Awadh, Muhammad Ali who was the
second son of Nawab Wazir Sadat Ali, in 1837 at a ripe old age of 63.
Muhammad Ali was just and popular ruler under whom Lucknow once again
regained its splendor for a brief spell. Interested in building
activities, he built his own Imambara as well as the Juma Masjid. The
Imambara, left incomplete by Muhammad Ali, was later completed by
Begum Mallika Jehan of the Royal family. Between the Imambara and the
gateway is a large courtyard with a rectangular raised tank spanned by
a bridge.
Within the Imambara is the burial place of the king while his
daughter and son-in-law are buried on one side of the courtyard. The
Imambara is noted for its golden dome, exquisite chandeliers, huge
mirrors, silver mimbar, colourful interiors and delicate calligraphy
on its arched entrance.
¤ Juma Masjid
The Juma Masjid, with its two minarets and three domes is yet another
delightful place to visit in Lucknow. An interesting building built by
Muhammed Ali Shah is the Baradari, also known as the Picture Gallery,
which houses the portraits of the erstwhile, Nawabs and Kings of
Awadh.
Here one can admire the marvelous costumes and jewellery that the
nobles a adorned themselves with. A patient of chronic rheumatism,
Muhammad Ali died in 1842 and left behind a number of incomplete
monuments, which would have honored him as the greatest builders
amongst all Awadh Kings.
The Sat Khanda (or seven slices) was an edifice planned to resemble
the minaret of Babylon with each of its storeys superimposed on the
other -the top of which was to provide one of the finest views of
Lucknow. Not far from the picture gallery is yet another marvel, the
Clock Tower which is said to be the largest in India. This was however
completed in seven years at the cost of more than a lakh of rupees- an
enormous amount at the time!
¤ Qaiser Bagh Palace
Muhammed Ali was succeeded by his son, Wajid Ali Shah in 1837 who was
also the last of the rulers to ascend the throne. A poet, singer and a
great patron of arts, his pursuit of personal pleasure left little
time for looking into administrative responsibilities. This led to the
British annexation of Awadh. Wajid Ali Shah’s single contribution
to Lucknow was the Qaiser Bagh Palace built in 1850, which he wanted
to be promoted as the eighth wonder of the world!
¤ La Martiniere-A Funerary Monument
The architectural skyline of Lucknow remains incomplete without the
mention of La Martiniere-a funerary monument. Built at the end of the
18th century, it is said be the largest in Asia and houses the coffin
of its builder, French Major General Claude Martim. Martim had
come to India as a penniless soldier but gradually his luck and labor
fetched him a fortune big enough to lend a princely amount of 250,000
pounds to the Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah! La Martiniere is today a school of
great repute.
¤ Lucknow’s Cultural History Remains Unrivaled
In almost all forms of art and entertainment, Lucknow developed its
own variety, be it poetry, music, dance, story telling, fashion,
animal combats and gastronomy. The Dastarkhans of the Lucknow courts
are still proverbial. In fact the master chefs excelled in their
talents to such a great extent that they are believed to have received
salaries more than that of the Prime Minister himself!
In this period alone, there were more poets that in any other part of
the country. Subsequently the Mughal monarchy was battling for its
survival and in their sinking empire, had no time for patronising
creative talent. This led to the influx of several artists to Lucknow
where they received considerable patronage. Cultural refinement was
thus, not just confined to the courts but thrived even on the streets
and by-lanes of this ancient and historical city. |
