Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/375

LUC 367 last of the Shekhs. They had a drawn sword pendent in their gateway, the Shekhan Darwáza, to which they made all newcomers bow as token of their supremacy, and this was pulled down by the new governor, and bowed to no more. Saádat Khan built the Katras of Sayyad Husen Khan, Abú-Turáb Khan, Bágh Maha Narain in the chauk; those of Khudáyár Khan, Bizan Beg Khan, in the Saádatganj thána; of Muham- mad Ali Khan, and Saráe Máli Khan in Daulatganj; and of Ismáilganj, since demolished, to the east of the fort. Abul-Mansur Khan, his son-in-law and nephew, (A.D. 1743), the Nawab Wazír lived at Delhi, but he built the fort of Jalálabad, some three miles to the south of the city, for the intimidation of the Bais of Baiswara, and took from the Shekhs their Panch Mahla or five-storied house, giving them in exchange seven hundred acres of land in Dugawwán and re-building for himself their old stronghold, which was thenceforth called the Machchhi Bhawan fort from the Machchlii, the fish, which formed the crest of the Sábahdar. And Newal Rée, his Náib, sank the wells of the stone bridge that leads over the river by the Machchhi Bhawan fort, but he did not live to complete it. He was soon afterwards killed in the fight with Ahmad Khan Bangash, Nawab of Farukhabad, and it was not finished till the time of Asif-ud-daula. The bridge was for a long time the only one across the river, and the principal line of traffic to Sitapur, Fyzabad, and the Trans-Gumti districts. Abul-Mansár Khan also built a thatched house, a'bangla,' at Fyzabad, which became, under Shuja- ud-daula, the capital of the province, and is still often known by the name of bangla.' After the battle of Buxar, Shujá-ud-daula (A.D. 1753), son of Safdar- jang, dwelt at Fyzabad, and the city received no additions during his rule.. But Asif-ud-daula (A.D. 1775), son of Shujá-ud-darila, after bis quarrel with his mother, returned to Lucknow, and the greatness of the city dates from his time. He built the Daulatkhána along the banks of the river to the west of the fort, the Rúmi Darwáza, the fine old gateway that still leads out of the Machchhi Bhawan fort, and the great imámbára where he lies buried. This edifice was built in the year of the great famine in A. D. 1784, to give some relief to the famine-stricken people. It is said. that many of the respectable inhabitants of the city were compelled by want to place themselves amongst the workmen, and that to save their honour and keep them unknown, their names were told over, and their wages always paid at night. This building may be said to consist of one large hall of immense size and magnificence. Its dimensions are 167 feet long by 52 broad, and is said to have cost a million of money in building. The magnificent ornaments and gaudy decorations with which, as is wont with imámbáras, its walls were covered in those days are now gone; and being within the walls of the fort, it is used as an arsenal for the stores of the garrison. The architects were invited to submit their plans to a competition; Asif-ud-daula only stipulating that the building should be no copy of any other work, and that it should surpass anything of the kind ever built in beauty and magnificence. Kifayat-ulla was the name of the successful competitor, and it would be hard to say that his concep.