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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.
Bara Imambara
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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! |
