The tourist's guide to Lucknow (1899)/Chapter 4
CHAPTER IV.
BUILDINGS OF INTEREST AT LUCKNOW.
(Noted on the map.)
To enable the reader to identify the edifices described below, it will be necessary to begin from the extreme south-east side and proceed thence, without any deviation, in a westward direction.
1.—BIBIAPUR KOTHIE.
This chateau is situated on the right bank of the Gumti, about a mile to the east of the Dilkusha Palace, from which a metalled road leads direct to the building, which is two-storied and English in style, General Claude Martine being its reputed architect. It was built by Nawab Asuf-ud-daula (1775-1797) who resorted thither for the chase, of which he was passionately fond.
Whenever a change of Residents took place, the incoming Ambassador, on first arrival, used to take up his abode here. Having fixed the auspicious day, the King would come with a procession and conduct the new arrival to the Residency, in great pomp, riding with him on the same elephant.[1] As the pageant moved along, it attracted crowds of peeple who thronged the roads to Witness this grand and imposing spectacle of richly caparisoned elephants and horses bedecked with gold and silver trappings.
When it was decided to depose Vazier Ali (see page 117), the reputed son of Asuf-ud-daula, in favour of Sadat Ali Khan, it was in this chateau that the Governor-General, Sir John Shore, held a Durbar (levee) of all the Lucknow nobles and communicated the order of his deposition to Vazier Ali, who was afterwards deported to Benares.
The building and extensive grounds are now exclusively appropriated for all the purposes of the Government Dairy Farm for the troops in Cantonments, in proximity to which it is conveniently situated. 2—WILAITI BAGH.
The Wilaiti Bagh was laid out by Nasir-ud-din Haidar (1827-1837) and planted with different exotics, hence its name. In the time of Wajid Ali Shah, this garden was in a very flourishing condition and formed a pleasant retreat for the ladies of the seraglio, who were entirely screened from observation by the high masonry walls that enclosed it on three sides, the fourth, facing the river Gumti, which flows past it, being left open.
The garden is contiguous to the Dilkusha Palace, but there is nothing left to convey the faintest idea of its pristine beauty. It contains the ruins of a summer house, but besides this and the graves of a few soldiers who fell in the relief, or capture, of Lucknow, nothing is to be seen.
3.—DILKUSHA PALACE.
The Dilkusha Palace (heart’s delight) stands on an elevated piece of ground south of La Martiniere. The approach to it was through an avenue of mighty trees, bordering a drive which led to a gateway in the wall, arched over, and ornamented by pilasters. It was built by Sadat Ali Khan (1798-1814) as a hunting box and country residence, around which he laid out an extensive park and stocked it with deer and other game. In 1830 a balloon ascent was made from this place, by an Englishman, in the presence of King, Nasir-ud-din Haidar, and a vast assemblage of the King's nobles. It was also a favorite resort for the ladies of the harem, who used frequently to reside here.
“A country seat where Kings of Oudh of yore
Fled city heat with their barbaric Court,
Encircled by a park where Eastern dames
Screened from strange eyes indulged in listless sport.”
During the investment of the Residency this position was held in force by the rebels; on Sir Colin Campbell’s advance to the relief it was captured (see para. 102).
After the mutiny the building was, for many years, occupied by the General Commanding the Oudh Division, but, subsequently, the structure, being considered unsafe, was partially demolished, and no idea can be formed of its original grandeur from its dilapidated condition. Its gloomy appearance is in a great measure relieved by the surrounding grounds. tastefully laid out as a flower garden. On the south of the ruins there are a few tombs of Officers and men who fell in the capture of Lucknow. It was here that Sir Henry Havelock died on 24th November, 1857 (see para. 114). 4.—LA MARTINIERE COLLEGE.
On approaching Lucknow, via Fyzabad, this imposing edifice is the first to attract the attention of the traveller, as the Oudh and Rohilkhund Railway train passes over the Gumti Bridge, which was opened for traiffc in 1872.
In the distance appear other buildings, but none can vie, in majestic grandeur, with La Martiniere, which forcibly reminds the traveller that he is entering the renowned “City of Palaces and gardens.”
In front of the building is an artificial lake of considerable depth, in the centre of which stands a lofty fluted masonry column,[2] said to be not unlike the monument to the Duke of York, 123 feet high.
The wings on either side of the mansion, now used as class-rooms and dormitories, were constructed after the death of the General. They are built in a semi-circular form on either side of the central platform, each Wing consisting of two stories.
The main building, which faces east, stands on an elevated basement forming a platform partly paved with stone in front of the entrance-hall and approached by a broad flight of steps.[3] The superstructure is surmounted with life-size figures of men and women and the several faces are flanked with circular towers whose crenalated tops are raised between rampant lions. The summit of the grand central tower is fitted with a staff on which is displayed the Union Jack on Sundays and on other special occasions. The interior of the building is elaborately ornamented with arabesque decorations and the ceilings of the halls with bas-reliefs illustrative of classical subjects.
La Martiniere, also known as Constantia, (from the College motto “Labore et constantia”), was built, in the time of King Asuf-ud-daula, by General Claude Martin, who was apparently his own architect. When the building was under construction, the King, seeing the elaborateness of the design, expressed a wish to purchase the palace, and offered a million sterling for it. The King’s death occurring shortly after put an end to the negotiations; and the General dying before the building was finished, directed Mr. Joseph Quieros, the Executor of his Will, to complete it out of the funds be left to endow a College there. This gentleman accordingly took in hand the completion of the three upper stories of Constantia which were left unfinished at the time of the General‘s death, 13th September, 1800.[4]
The College was opened in 1840, and is entirely supported out of funds bequeathed by the founder, who is buried in a Vaulted chamber in the basement, eighteen feet below the central tower.
His tomb is a sarcophagus standing on the floor of the vault and originally had, at each angle, the life size figure of a soldier, in uniform, standing with musket reversed in an attitude of grief.
During the Mutiny these figures were destroyed by the rebels, who also dug up the tomb and scattered the bones, which were afterwards, however, restored to their original resting-place.
In the central vault is to be seen the great bell (see para 23), cast by the General in 1786.
Diameter of bell, 3 feet.
Circumference of the rim. 9 feet.
Height from crown to rim, 212 feet.
In the garden on the west side of the main building is a bronze cannon having the words “The Lord Cornwallis" inscribed on it. This gun was cast in the year 1786 in General Martin‘s foundry and lent to the British Government, Lord Cornwallis using it at the storming of Seringapatam, in the third Mysore war, (A. D. 1792), against Tippu Sultan. During the year 1872, by permission of His Excellency Lord Northbrook, Governor-General of India, this cannon was set up in the College garden as a Memorial of the founder.
To the south, on the roadside, are the tombs of Captain Da Costa, of the Ferozepore Sikhs, and Major Hodson,[5] of Hudson's Horse (captor of the King and Princes of Delhi,) who was mortally wounded on the 11th March, 1858, at the storming of the Begum Kothi, (now the Post Office) and was carried thence to Hayat-bakhsh Kothi, the present Government House, where he expired the next day. “Parliament demanded Hodson’s trial for the death of the Mogul Princes, but the bold spirit had already gone before a higher tribunal. As long as the traditions of our race last the dauntless Hodson will hold a place in the Valhalla. of heroes of English blood."
5.—GAZI-UD-DIN HAIDAR‘S CANAL.
Originated with Raja Bakhtwar Singh. He persuaded King Gazi-ud-din Haidar, in whose reign it was begun, that it would be beneficial to the country to bring the water of the Ganges, by means of this channel, within the reach of the local agriculturists The King was thus induced to launch out into a costly enterprise which proved abortive in the end, as the bed of the canal is always dry except in the monsoons, when it serves merely as a sewer to carry off the rain water. The only persons who really benefited by the undertaking were a number of rapacious contractors to whom the work was given of excavating the canal, which commences at Alumnagar and extends for a distance of about seven miles in an easterly direction, until it joins the Gumti at a point east of the Wingfield Park.[6] This canal was used by the rebels during the siege of Lucknow, as their first line of defence.
6.—HAYAT-BAKHSH KOTHI.
The Hayat-bakhsh (life-giving) Kothi was built in the time of Nawab sadat Ali Khan (1798-1814). It was originally used by General Martin as his powder magazine. The building is also known as Banks House, as it was, after the annexation of the Province, occupied by Major Banks, Commissioner of Lucknow, who was killed in the Residency; after him also the public road on the south of this house is named. It was Within the walls of this building that Major Hodson, of Hodson's Horse, expired. This position was captured on the 18th March, 1858, by General Sir Edward Lugard. The building is two-storied, and is now the Lucknow residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces and Chief Commissioner of Oudh.
On the advance of Sir Colin Campbell to the relief of the Residency, this house was captured by Brigadier Russell and was held during the remainder of the operations by 50 men of the 2nd Punjab Infantry, under Lieutenant F. Keen.
7.—DARUL SHAFFA KOTHI.
Was originally constructed and owned by Mr. Joseph Quieros. After his death in 1822, it was sold by his heirs to King Nasir-ud-din Haidar, who established a hospital there, hence the name Darul Shaffa, or place of curing. The hospital was subsequently removed to the city and the building remained unoccupied for many years. In 1844, King Amjud Ali presented it to his wife, Malka Ahad, who owned the Begum Kothi in Hazratganj. since 1858, or immediately after the Mutiny, the Darul Shaffa has been the residence of the Secretaries to the Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Commissioner during their stay at Lucknow.
8.—BEGAM KOTHI.
This edifice, the residence of. Malka Ahad, Queen of Amjud Ali Shah, was erected in 1844. It was the scene of a great battle at the final capture of Lucknow, and is the building in which the gallant Major Hodson was mortally wounded. Within two hours from the time the assault on this position began, over eight hundred of the rebels were killed in the inner court. It is now the General Post Office.
9.—KUNKER-WALI KOTHI.
This building is so named from its walls being decorated outside with kunker (a quarry rubble used for road metalling). The Kothi was built by Nawab Sadat Ali Khan, who gave it to his son, Jafer Ali Khan, for his residence. It is now the abode of the City Magistrate.
10.—MAKBARAH[7] OF AMJAD ALI SHAH.
This rectangular enclosure, situated opposite the Delhi and London Bank, contains the Mausoleum of the fourth King of Oudh, and is commonly known by the name of Chtota Imambara. The Makbarah was originally furnished with costly fitings, all of which were plundered during the Mutiny. The structure has no architectural pretensions, and after the storming of the Begum Kothi, this was the next position that was captured by Sir Colin Campbell, on 14th March, 1858, after a severe struggle. On the re-occupation of the Province by the British and until the completion, in 1860, of Christ Church,[8] the Services of the Church of England were held in this building. The Rev. W. W. Phelps was Chaplain.
On Lord Canning’s second visit to Lucknow, he attended Sunday Service in this building.
11—NUR-BAKHSH KOTHI.
Nur-bakhsh (light-giving) Kothi was built by Aga Mir, the Prime Minister of King Gazi-ud-din Haidar. Aga Mir having incurred the displeasure of King Nasir-ud-din Haidar, who succeeded Gazi-ud-din, was forced to leave Lucknow, and his immoveable property, consisting of several palatial buildings, was confiscated (see page 122). When Mahomed Ali Shah came to the throne (1837) he presented the house to his son, Mirza Rafi-us-Shan, who lived in it up to the time of the Mutiny. It was from the top of this house that Sir Henry Havelock, in his advance to the relief, overlooked the enemy’s third line of defence and planned his way into the Residency. The building is now, and has been for many years, the residence of the Deputy Commissioner.
12.—MEMORIAL OF THE MASSACRE OF EUROPEAN CAPTIVES.
The space in front of the north-east gate of Kaiser Bagh is fraught with melancholy and solemn recollections. On this spot two separate parties of Europeans, one consisting of those sent in by the Dhowrera Raja (Miss Jackson,Mrs. Green, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Carew, and Mr. J. Sulivan), on the 24th September, 1857, with the addition of some persons captured in the town, deserters from the Baillie Guard; and the other consisting of victims of the Mithowlie Raja’s gratitude and hospitality (Sir Mountstuart Jackson, Captain Patrick Orr, Lieutenant Burns. and Sergeant-Major Morton), on the 16th November, 1857, completed the tale of sickness, imprisonment and indignity,by suffering a cruel martyrdom. The Memorial has been erected to commemorate those massacres on the spot where they occurred. Both of them were chiefly owing to the fury of the defeated sepoys when they could no longer resist the advance of General Havelock and the Commander-in-Chief, but both were also instigated and encouraged by the leaders of the rebellion. One of these leaders, Raja. Jailal Singh, a man of large territorial possessions in Oudh and of great influence with the mutineers, followed the first party of prisoners to the fatal scene, and mounted one of the gates (since demolished) of the Kaiser Bagh, in order the better to feast his eyes on their dying agonies, and to applaud the prowess of his sepoys. Two years had elapsed since that time, he had been received into favour; his rebellion had been condoned under the amnesty, and he persuaded himself that the memory of that deed had faded away, that even he might hope to die a natural death. But justice, though slowly, was following surely in the criminal’s track, and overtook him when he least expected it from the quarter where he thought himself safest. His own confidential servants turned against him; link after link a wonderful chain of circumstantial evidence developed itself and heaped the guilt with deadly certainty on his head. On the first day of October, 1859, on the very spot where his crime was committed, he paid the extreme penalty of the law, and I witnessed the execution. This was followed, on the 12th idem, by the execution of Bande Husain and Fatteh Ali, who had hunted down and brought into Lucknow some of the poor captives massacred here.
A more particular account of this tragedy is given in page 378 of Gubbins' Mutinies in Oudh.
13.—TOMB OF KING SADAT ALI KHAN.
On the north-east of the Canning College,[9] which is situated within the enclosure of the Kaiser Bagh, stand the two tombs of Sadat Ali Khan, and of his wife Khursheid Zadi. Both these tombs were built by their son, Gazi-ud-din Haidar. On the spot on which Sadat Ali‘s tomb now stands, formerly stood the house in which Gazi-ud-din Haidar lived during his father’s reign; and it is reported that when he came to the throne and occupied sadat Ali’s place, he remarked that as he had now taken his father’s house, it was nothing but right that he should give up his own to his father. Accordingly he gave orders to destroy his former abode, and raise, on the site, the tomb of Sadat Ali Khan.
When Havelock’s relieving army was fighting its way to the Residency, it was greatly harassed at this point by the destructive fire from the enemy who held the position in great force. The firing from the top of the tombs was particularly heavy. 14.—THE KAISER[10] BAGH PALACE.
Wajid Ali Shah, the last King of Oudh, bears the (Whole opprobrium for the erection of the Kaiser Bagh, the largest, and most debased of all the Lucknow palaces. It was commenced in 1848, and finished in 1850, at a cost, including furniture and decorations, of Rs. 80 lacs (£ 800,000). Entering by the north-east gateway, which faces the open space in front of the Observatory, or Tarawallie Kothie, the visitor passed through a court to a gate known as the Jilaukhana, (since demolished) whence the royal procession used to start, and through which the captives, mentioned in para. 86, were conducted to their prison. Turning to the right, through a screened gateway, he arrived at the Chini Bagh, so called from the China vessels which formerly decorated the gardens. A portal, flanked by green mermaids in the worst European taste of the last century, led next to the Hasrat Bagh. On the right hand lie the Chandiwali Baradari (once paved with silver) and the Khas Mukam, as well as the Badshah Manzil, the special residence of the King, erected by Sadat Ali Khan, but included by Wajid Ali in the plan of his new palace. His Vazier (Minister), Nawab Ali Naki Khan, used to reside above the mermaid gateway in order that he might be close at hand to attend any summons from the King. On the left stands a large confused pile of buildings, called the Chaulakhi, built by Azim-ul-lah Khan,the King’s barber, and sold by him to the King for four lacs of rupees, hence its name. It formed the residence of the Queen and the chief concubines. In this building the robel Begum (see foot note at page 65) held her court while the British prisoners lay, for weeks, in one of the adjacent stables. The roadway proceeds past a large mulberry tree (since felled), which was paved round the roots with marble. Under its shade the King, Wajid Ali, used to sit, dressed in the yellow robes of a Fakir[11], on the occasion of a great fair, called the Jogia Mela, held in August within the Kaiser Bagh square, to which all wearing the garb of a Fakir were admitted. The eastern Lakhi gate, so called from its having cost a lac of rupees, gives access to a magnificent open square, known pre-eminently as the Kaiser Bagh, the buildings surrounding which provided quarters for the Begums.
Proceeding past the Stone Baradari[12] (which is situated in the centre of the quadrangle, and is now the property of the Maharani of Balrampur) and under the western Lakhi gate, which corresponds to the eastern one abovementioned, there is on the left, the building known as the Kaiser Pasund or Roshan-ud-daula Kothi (now the Treasury, Police and Deputy Commissioner’s Offices). This palace was erected by Roshan-ud-daula, Prime Minister of Nasir-ud-din Haider; but Wajid Ali Shah confiscated it, and gave it as a residence to his favorite concubine, Mushuk-ul-Sultan. In the under stories of this building was confined the Dhowrera party of European captives, who were killed on the spot marked by the Memorial in front of the north-east gate of Kaiser Bagh. Finally, on the right, was a second Jilaukhana corresponding to the eastern one, by which the visitor entered; and turning down it in a northerly direction, he found himself Outside the palace and opposite the Sher Durwaza, or Neill's Gateway, adjacent to which has lately been erected a masonry pillar bearing a stone slab which marks the spot Where General Neill fell (vide page 79), Whose remains were interred in the Residency Cemetery.
The buildings forming the quadrangle of the Kaiser Bagh have been made over to the Talukdars (landed proprietors), or Barons of Oudh, who occupy them on the occasion of their periodical visits to Lucknow. It is here that fetes take place in honour of the arrival of any new Lieutenant-Governor, Viceroy, or other exalted personage, whose visit to the capital is blazoned throughout the land by a grand illumination and a great pyrotechnic display, which the public are permitted to Witness. Admission, however, to the Baradari[13], where refreshments are provided, is given by tickets issued to the elite, for whom the place is reserved.
THE CHUTTER MUNZIL PALACES.
Are situated on the banks of the Gumti and are generally known as the block of buildings comprising the United Service Club and Library, the Small Cause Court and the adjacent two buildings to the south, besides the Lal Baradari or throne room) including the General‘s and Tehree Kothies. This architectural group, of which the side buildings are destroyed, extended from opposite the Government Telegraph Office up to the Baillie Guard. It included several other buildings, besides those mentioned above, which have since been razed.
The Tehree Kothi is now the residence of the Judicial Commissioner, who holds his Court in the General's Kothi.[14]
Chutter Mnnzil is a term properly applied to those buildings surmounted with a “Chutter,” or gilt umbrella: of these there are two; the greater is well-known as the United Service Club, which recently removed its Library, containing several thousand volumes of books, into the adjoining building, on the northwest side, lately vacated by the Union Club, for subordinates of the Uncovenanted Service, and known as the Furhat Buksh (built by General Martin) while the lesser is occupied by the Small Cause Court, Registration Office, and Office of the Department of Email Records and. Agriculture, N.-W. Provinces and Oudh.
This block of buildings is separately described below.
15.—GREATER CHUTTER MUNZIL.[15]
Occupied by the United Service Club for Officers of the Military and Covenanted Civil Services, is a three storied building having tykhanas, or underground rooms. It was built by Nasir-ud-din Haidar as a residence for the ladies of the harem, he himself occupying the adjoining palace called the Furhat Buksh. Between the two Chutter Munzils was a very pretty garden, with a beautiful marble tank, in the centre of which was an island covered with a pavilion. To convey to the reader an idea of the beauty of this place, the following description of it by the Honorable Miss Eden may not be uninteresting:—
“Such a place! the only residence I have coveted in India. Don’t you remember reading, in the Arabian Nights, Zobeide bets her Garden of Delight amidst the Caliph’s Palace of Pictures! I am sure this was the Garden of Delight.
“There are four small places in it fitted up in the eastern way with velvet, gold, and marble; with arabesque ceilings, orange trees and roses in all directions, and with numerous wild paroquets of bright colours flitting about. And, in one place, there was an immense hummam, or Turkish bath, of white marble, the arches intersecting each other in all directions, and the marble inlaid with carnelian and bloodstone; and, in every corner of the place, there were little fountains; even during the hot winds, they say, it is cool from the quantity of water in the fountains playing; and in the verandah there were fifty trays of fruits and flowers laid out for us.
* * * It was really a very pretty sight.” 
Gulistan-i-Eram. Lesser Chutter Munzil. Darshanbilas.
16.—FARHAT BUKSH PALACE.
Until Wajid Ali Shah built the Kaiser Bagh, the Farhat Buksh (i. e., giver of delight) together with the adjoining buildings, formed the principal residence of the Oudh Sovereigns from the time of Sadat Ali Khan, who made great additions and improvements to the building. It originally formed the residence of General Claude Martin, by whom the Palace was built and subsequently sold to Nawab Asuf-ud-daula.
17.—LESSER CHUTTER MUNZIL.
Is a two-storied building surmounted by a dome with a gilt umbrella, and is, at present, occupied by the Small Cause Court, Registration Office and Office of the Department of Land Records and Agriculture, N. -W. P. and Oudh. The two buildings immediately behind it, facing the road leading to the Residency, are the Gulistan-i-Eram[16] (heavenly garden) and Darshanbilas[17] (pleasing to the sight); the former is part of the Museum and Office of the Curator, and the latter the Offices of the Inspector of Schools and Executive Engineer, P. W. Department.
18.—THE LAL BARADARI.
This building, the great throne room, or Coronation Hall, was built by Sadat Ali Khan and set apart for Royal Durbars. On the accession of a new King it was the custom for the Resident to place him on the throne and present him with a Nazar (offering) in token that the British authority confirmed his assumption of the Government. After the death of Nasir-ud-din Haidar, the attempt on the throne by the Padshah Begum and Momma Jan, took place here, which is recorded by Sir W. Sleeman in the second volume of his journey through Oudh; and it was in pursuance of this custom that the insurgents attempted to force the Resident, Colonel Low, to present an offering to Moonna Jan, as he sat on the throne, thinking thus to confirm the usurper’s authority (vide page 122).The Resident was nearly killed in this place for setting aside the doubtful claim of Moonna Jan to the throne in favor of Mahomed Ali Shah, the uncle of Nasir-ud-din Haidar. The gates of the palace were forced, the new Sovereign, with all the English Officers who were there, were seized by the insurgents, headed by the Queen in her palanquin, and the young prince was formally installed But the party of Mahomed Ali Shah triumphed in the end, and he remained King of Oudh under British protection.
The Lal Baradari is so named from its being washed with red ochre.
This building is now occupied by the Museum, and through the kindness of Mr. E. W. Smith, the Curator, I am enabled to give the following information in as concise a form as possible.
The Museum is contained in two buildings known as the Lal Baradari and the Gulistan-i-Eram.
In the Lal Baradari block the following sections are located :—
(1) On the ground floor: Epigraphical, Archæological, Mineralogical, Palæontological, Agricultural, Conchological. The Model of the Residency as it was at the time of the Mutiny.
(2) On the first floor, the Art Section, Ethnological, Skeleton, Reptiles, Butterflies, Birds, Fishes, Mammals, Plaster Casts, Models, Brocades, &c.
In the Gulistan-i-Eram block the following departments are found:—
(1) On the ground floor, Art ware Sale Depot, Economic Section, Coin Collection, Medal Collection.
(2) On the first floor, the Library.
(3) On the second floor. the Picture Gallery.
The Library contains a fine collection of books, on Natural History, Indian History, Archæology, Architecture, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Mohammedan religions, Voyages and Travels, &c., &c.
There is an Art-ware Sale Depot in connection with the Museum, where articles of Benares brass work, Moradabad metal-ware, Lucknow copper, brass and bidri ware, pottery and clay figures, Agra marble and soapstone were can be purchased.
Publications to be had at the Museum.
Works by the Archæological Department, comprising the Department‘s illustrated Reports. The Technical Art Series, the Mogul Architecture of Fatehpur Sikri, by Mr. E. W. Smith. These are all of interest to the public. There are also some interesting Photographs of Lucknow, taken immediately after the Mutiny. The Art-ware Sale Depot is an excellent thing, as it enables artizans to disposel of their goods to the best advantage. In addition to which there is a Library and Picture Gallery.
For the restoration and maintenance of a higher standard in the art-wares and manufactures of the province, the Committee of Management has prepared a list of such specimens as are in the Museum; and information regarding the art manufactures of these Provinces can be had from the Curator.
The Museum is open throughout the year (with the exception of Fridays and one week in the rainy season) from 7-30 A. M. to 3-30 P. M., during the months of November, December, January, and February; and from 6-30 A. M. to 3-30 P. M. during the remainder of the year.
The afternoon of the 15th of each month is specially set apart for Pardanishins. During the visit of the women in parda the male servants are made to retire from the building to allow the pardanishins and their female attendants to have free access to the place, a privilege which is much appreciated.
The Museum is visited by people from all parts of India and the crowds who come on holidays go away filled with delight and evidently consider every section of it most interesting. Every effort is made to make the place a centre of instruction as well as recreation.
19.—THE RESIDENCY.
The Residency is far too famous a place and too generally known to require a very detailed description. It was originally a very extensive and beautiful brick building, with lofty rooms, fine verandahs, and splendid porticoes. Besides having a ground floor and two upper stories, it had a tykhana, or cellar of splendid apartments, as lofty and well arranged as any in the house.
It was built in 1800, by Nawab Sadat Ali Khan, for the British Resident at his Court; and such was the commodiousness of the house, that, during the seige, it afforded accommodation for many.
The building stands on an elevated spot not far from the Chutter Munzil. It was connected by a covered passage to a building on the south side having a tykhana, or underground rooms, which were resorted to by the Resident during the summer. These rooms, owing to their immunity from shot and shell, were occupied, during the investment of the place in 1857, by the women and children of H. M.'s 32nd Foot. A room in the Residency, lately renewed, contains a model showing the defences, &c.. being a facsimile of one in the Museum prepared from the design by the Revel. T. Moore, formerly Civil Chaplain of Lucknow.
For a detailed description of the intrenched position, see Chapter V.
20.—THE IRON BRIDGE.[18]
This graceful structure consists of three cast-iron arches, supported on piers and abutments of brick masonry, the centre arch having a span of ninety and a rise of seven feet, while the two side arches have spans of eighty feet and a rise of six feet. The iron-work was received from, England in 1798, during the reign of Nawab sadat Ali Khan, only twenty years after the erection of the first iron bridge in England, General Martin, who was then living at Lucknow, having, it is supposed, suggested the idea to the Nawab. The bridge was designed by Rennie, being very similar to one erected by that famous Engineer over the Witham, at Boston, in Lincolnshire. The iron-work remained unused at Lucknow more than forty years,when the bridge was at length erected by Colonel Fraser, Bengal Engineers, between the years 1841-44; the cost of the masonry and erection having been Rs. 1,80,000; the cost of the iron-work is not known. The foundations are sunk on wells in the usual way. The width of road-way is thirty feet, and its height above water-mark at the centre is thirty-five feet.—Professional Papers on Indian Engineering.
21.—THE STONE BRIDGE.
The Gumti as it passes through Lucknow is crossed by six bridges. The stone bridge, as it is commonly called, situate near the Machhi Bawan, is not built of stone, but of pacca brickwork. The construction of this bridge was commenced by Nawab Munsur Ali Khan and completed by his grandson, Nawab Asuf-ud-daula, in the year 1780. The bridge, being considered unsafe, is now closed against wheel traffic.
22.—MACHHI BAWAN.
The Machhi Bawan[19] fort (now demolished) comprised a much larger area than that which was contained within the limits of the old fort of that name and which was surrounded by high walls, the side facing the river having the appearance of a castle. Towards the river front the fortifications commanded the stone and iron bridges; to the south and west had been one of the most populous parts of the town, which was partially levelled at the time of the Mutiny; towards the east. the position commanded the Residency and overlooked some much frequented thoroughfares.
The Palace within the Machhi Bawan faced the Gumti. It contained six principal courts, or quadrangles, surrounded by pavilion-like buildings. In the first of these were two lofty gateways. On the outer, there was a handsome chamber, called the Naubat Khana, or Music-room, forming an orchestra upon a splendid scale.[20] The second court, encompassed by state apartments, was laid out as a garden, having a well, or bouli. in the centre, round which were two pavilions, opening to the water, and intended to afford a cool retreat during the hot weather; the air was refreshed by the constant dripping of the fountains; and the piazzas and arcaded chambers beyond, within the influence of its luxurious atmosphere, were well adapted as sleeping apartments in the sultry nights of summer.
The high ground, on the river side, crowned by the Musjid, or Mosque, built by Aurungzeb of Delhi, is Lukshmun Tila, the site of the original Lukshmunpur. Behind the Machhi Bawan itself, in a southerly direction, is an open space, once a depot for ordnance stores, that marks the site of the Panch Mahalla (now demolished), the oldest house in Lucknow, built by the family of Sheikhs who formerly owned territory here.
When Sadat Khan, the first member of the late reigning family, came here as Subahdar, or Governor of Oudh, in 1732 A. D., he hired the house from the owners at a monthly rental of Rs. 565; the money was paid at first, but his successors claimed the house as State property and confiscated it.
Shortly before the investment of the Residency, the fortification was strengthened and guns were planted, at different points, on the ramparts, but though to all appearance the place seemed impregnable, It was really not so, as it was afterwards condemned by the Engineers and had to be abandoned (see para 43).
On the 2nd of July, 1857, this fort was blown up by the garrison who retreated to the Residency (vide para. 60).
After the re-occupation of Lucknow by the British, the Machhi Bawan was rebuilt and strongly fortified, but at the time of the great assemblage at Delhi, when the Queen was declared Empress of India, the fortification was completely demolished and the Great Imambara and its adjoining Mosque, made over to the Mahommedan community. The concession was carried out in the year 1883.
23.—THE GREAT IMAMBARA.[21]
Within the precincts of the Machhi Bhawan is the Great Imambara or Mausoleum of Nawab Asuf-ud-daula, which is said to have cost a million sterling (one crore of rupees), This superb edifice was started as a relief work during the terrible famine of 1784. As the great ornament of the north-western quarter of the city, it forms an architectural view pleasing from its variety of detail, as well as from the proportions and general good taste of its principal features: excepting the galleries in the interior, no wood-work has been used in its construction, and the principal apartment is said to be the largest vaulted hall in the world. The dimensions of the rooms are as follows:—
| Length within | ... | ... | 163 | feet.side |
| Breadth of room | ... | ... | 53 | ,, |
| Height | ... | ... | 4912 | ,, |
| Thickness of walls | ... | ... | 16 | ,, |
| Octagonal Room East | Square Room West | |||||
| Circumference | 216 | feet. | | | Square | 54 | feet. |
| Hight | 53 | ,, | | | Hight | 53 | ,, |
| Thickness of wall | 16 | ,, | | | Thickness of wall | 16 | ,, |
In front of the Imambara are two courts rising with a steep ascent one above the other, and containing a splendid mosque flanked by two minarets, from the summit of which a magnificent view is obtained of the city and surrounding country.
The following is a description of the decorations of the Imambura, at the time when Bishop Heber visited Lucknow in 1824:
"This tabernacle or chandeliers was hung with immense lustres of silver and gold, prismatic crystals, and coloured glass; and any that were too heavy to be hung, they rose in radiant piles from the floor. In the midst of them were temples of silver filagree, eight or ten feet high and studded with precious stones. There were ancient banners of the Nawábs of Oudh, with sentences from the Koran embroidered on cloth of gold: gigantic bands of silver covered with talismanic words; sacred shields studded with the name of God; swords of Khorasan steel, lances, and halberds; the turbans of renowned Commanders; and several pulpits of peculiar sanctity."
During the Moharrum[22] festival the Imambara illuminated, and one night, the sixth of the new moon, is epecially set apart for European visitors as at the Shah Najaf and Husainabad.
24.—RUMI DARWAZA
The Rumi Darwaza, or Turkish gate, is supposed to be a facsimile of one of the gates of Constantinople, but persons who have visited Constantinople declare that there is no gate standing there now which at all corresonds with this one, and the only inference to be drawn that the Nawáb-Vazier, Asuf-ud-daulá, was probably the victim of a deception. This gate is a structure of massive proportions, faced on both sides, with some imitation of leaves which rise from the base and radiate above the spring line forming a pointed arch. The archway is surmounted by a turret which completes the design Both the Rumi Darwaza and the Great Imambara were begun in a year of tremendous famine, and were partly undertaken in order to provide the starving population with bread.
25.—THE HUSAINABAD CLOCK TOWER.[23]
This tower, which is of recent date (1881), is fully detailed below:—
At the suggestion, and through the influence of the Deputy Commissioner. Lieutenant-Colonel Norman T. Horsford, Bengal Staff Corps, the Trustees of the Husainabad Endowment, who administer the fortune of 36 lacs of rupees bequeathed by Mahomed Ali Shah, the third King of Oudh, have erected a stately tower, 221 feet high and 20 feet square, from the design of Mr. R. R. Bayne, of Calcutta, for the reception of a clock of great size and power, made by Mr. J. W. Benson, Ludgate Hill, London.
“The following is a brief description of the clock movement. The bed, or frame, is horizontal, which allows any part to be removed for cleaning or repair, without disturbing the rest, whereas in the upright frame, to gain access to a particular part, the whole machine has to be more or less taken to pieces. It consists of two wrought-iron sides, having a massive pillar of the same material bolted between them at each end. The length is 6 feet and the width 3 feet. All the train wheels are of gun-metal well-hammered, the teeth being divided, cut, and polished by power, thereby insuring an accuracy impossible in hand-made work. The main wheel is 24 inches in diameter and 112 inches thick, and the other wheels are of proportionate size. In one of the designs for the great clock at Westminster, the main wheel was 18 inches in diameter, which, although considered too small, will show, by comparison, the size of the present clock. The pinions are of hardened steel, cut from the solid, made and finished in the same manner as the wheels.
"There are three trains of wheels, one in the centre to record the time on the dials, called 'the going part,' to the right of which is the quarter chiming train, and to the left the hour striking train. The barrels work in plummer-blocks, and the uprights, which carry the trains, are bolted on in such a manner as to be easily removable. All the bearings, which are of the best gun-metal, are screwed instead of being riveted into their respective places, as is usually done. The barrels for carrying the weights, and the spindles on which they are mounted, are of wrought iron, the drums being 12 inches in diameter, fitted between caps and ratchets, by means of which the weights are wound without interrupting the motion of the great wheel. The weights are suspended by steel cords, which being much less bulky than rope, permit the barrels and frame to be greatly reduced in size, and render the general arrangement more compact.
"During the act of winding, which takes the motive power off the great wheel, it is obvious that the clock would stop unless some means were provided to continue the action.
"This substitute, technically known as 'the maintaining power,' has been especially designed by the firm, and its working is as follows:—To gain access to the winding square, the attendant must first raise a lever, one end of which gears into the teeth of the great wheel, and the other being weighted, supplies the motion. The winding completed, the lever gradually drops with the revolution of the wheel into its old position. The escapement is Graham's deadbeat, the advantages of which are that, being so simple and made on such true principles, it is not easily deranged, and in the unlikely event of its becoming so, a man of ordinary capacity can rectify it, which is not the case with complicated gravity escapements. This is an important consideration for clocks in remote places, especially in the present instance, Lucknow being 678 miles 'up country.'
"The pendulum is 14 feet long, and has a bob of 3 cwt. It is compensated with zinc and iron tubes to counteract the variations of temperature.
"The rate of the new clock, which has been thoroughly tested in the factory, is reported to be a losing one of two seconds per week, so that it will give the standard time for the city and district.
"Time is shown on four dials, each 13 feet in diameter, at an elevation of 120 feet. Each dial consists of twelve openings in the brickwork, 2 feet in diameter, glazed with white opal glass, on which the numerals are marked in black enamel. The centre circle is also of the same material, and measures 5 feet 9 inches in diameter. The hands are of copper, and counterpoised on inside of tower. The minute hand is 6 feet, and the hour hand 4 feet 6 inches long.
"As it is impossible, owing to the large surface of brick-work which divides the circles, to illuminate the dials from behind, a special method has been devised for the purpose. On the bell-chamber floor above the clock-room are eight copper lanterns, two for each dial, having plate-glass fronts and silver-plated holophotal reflectors. From these reflectors a powerful stream of light is thrown upon an exterior reflector placed at such an angle as will project the light on the centre of the dial. The outside reflectors are movable, all four being extended, or withdrawn, at the same time, by an arrangement of wheels and cogs worked by the attendant.
"This system of lighting, which has been thoroughly tested before adoption, is the best under the somewhat difficult conditions in which the clock has to be illuminated, and its advantages are that the lanterns being within the building, they can be of larger size than if suspended on the outside, whilst the light being better protected from wind and rain, will be steadier and more effective.
"The striking part is made with all recent improvements, the hammer being raised by the great wheel, by which means a heavier blow and more sound are obtained than from the corresponding mechanism of the old construction. The system used is the rack repeating work, which is the easiest in its action, safest in its lockings and the most modern; whereas the old style of locking plate or count wheel, was unreliable, being apt to run past its lockings and strike the wrong hours. The clock will chime the Cambridge quarters, the beauty of which is universally acknowledged, being attributed to no less a musician than Handel.
"Immediately above the dials is the bell-chamber, where, upon a teak frame, the bells are so mounted as to produce the greatest volume of sound. These five bells have been specially cast for this clock, are of the finest bell-metal, and their tones are extremely clear and musical. The hammers are mounted in frames and fitted with steel counter-springs to prevent 'chattering.'
"The following are tho weights and notes of the bells:—
| Cwt. | qr. | lb | Note. | |||||
| Hour bell | ... | ... | 20 | 2 | 0 | ... | Eb | |
| Fourth | quarter | ... | ... | 8 | 3 | 11 | ... | Bb |
| Third | ,, | ... | ... | 8 | 0 | 12 | ... | E |
| Second | ,, | ... | ... | 6 | 0 | 12 | ... | F |
| First | ,, | ... | ... | 5 | 3 | 0 | ... | G |
"This is by far the largest clock in India."
Reprinted from the Engineering.
26.—HUSAINABAD TANK.
Along with the Husainabad Imambara, Mahomed Ali Shah built this magnificent pucca tank which is contiguous to the Clock Tower. The tank is well stocked with fish and is said to have been connected with the river by an under-ground passage.
27.—SAT KHUNDA.
West of the Husainabad Tank may be seen an unfinished structure called the Sat Khunda, or seven-storied tower, having been originally designed as such. It was commenced simultaneously with the Husainabad Imambara by Mahomed Ali Shah, as a watch-tower, from whence he might survey the extent and magnificence of his palatial domain, but the tower only reached its fourth story when the king died and the work remained unfinished.
28.—DAULAT KHANA.[24]
Proceeding westward from the Rumi Darwaza, we have, on our right, the Daulat Khana, or old palace of Nawab Asuf-ud-daula, which is north of the Clock Tower, and to which you gain access through the gateway on the right of the Baradari facing the tank. Under this name (Daulat Khaua) is included a number of large houses, irregularly placed, which formed the residence of Asuf-ud-daula and his Court when he transferred the seat of Government from Fyzabad to Lucknow. The principal house, the Asfee Kothi, was named after him. Sadat Ali Khan, his successor, however, relinquished this place for the Furhat Buksh. The Daulat Khana is now occupied by two wealthy Nawabs, Baker Ali and Jafar Ali.
The Baradari facing the tank was erected by Mahomed Ali Shah, and has recently been repaired and improved at a great cost. This building is now used as a place of conference for the native nobility and also as a picture gallery, or repository for the portraits of all the Kings of Oudh, which were formerly kept in one of the side rooms of the Husainabad Imambara.
29.—HUSAINABAD IMAMBARA.
(The Palace of Lights)
The Husainabad Imambara is the only architectura work completed by Mahomed Ali Shah, the third King of Oudh; and though inferior in grandeur to some of the works of his successors, it is the rival of many of them in beauty of detail. It contains the tomb of this monarch and his mother. The garden, which occupies the quadrangle, is somewhat disfigured by being crowded with a bad model of the Taj of Agra on the west, (in which is buried the King's daughter) and, on the east, there is a building of similar dimensions. On the right of the Taj is a small Mosque for the exclusive use of the surviving heirs and successors of departed royalty. The Husainabad presents a very grand appearance when illuminated, and in the time of the native rulers it formed the chief attraction during the Mohurrum.
It is munificently endowed by Mahomed All Shah, who left a very large sum to keep up the splendour of the Imambara, which is grandly illuminated on the anniversary of the King's death and for several nights during the Mohurrum festival. By the courtesy of the authorities of the Imambara, one night, the sixth of the moon, is specially set apart for European visitors, who are admitted to all parts of the building to see the illumination up to midnight, after which the native public are allowed access to the place.
About one mile North-West of Husainabad (see map) is the intake pumping station of the Lucknow Water Works, situated at a spot above the city on the right bank of the Gumti.[25]
30.—JAMA MASJID.
The Jama Masjid, or 'Cathedral Mosque,' is used chiefly on Friday as the place of worship by the Mahomedans. This mosque lies due west of the Husainabad Imambara and can easily be identified by the two lofty minarets and three cupolas constructed thereon. It was commenced by Mahomed Ali Shah and intended to excel, in grandeur, the Mosque of Asuf-ud-daula in the Machhi Bawan, but the King did not live to complete it. Subsequently the work was resumed and completed by Begum Mulka Jehan, a surviving member of the Royal family, who is now dead.
The edifice stands on an elevated basement with an open platform in front, fitted with Iavatories for the use of the worshippers. The walls are beautifully ornamented and the arches colored in stucco.
31.—MOOSA BAGH.
Far beyond the Husainabad, in a northerly direction, is the Moosa Bagh, which was laid out as a garden by Asuf-ud-daula, but the house was built by Sadat Ali Khan, who made it his favorite country residence. In his reign wild beast fights used to take place there on the opposite bank of the Gumti. The building is in the English style, and is said to have been designed and constructed by General Martin. This was the last position held, in force, by the rebels of the city, and was captured by General Outram on the 19th March, 1858. The place is now in ruins.
Within the garden is the tomb of Captain T. Wale, who commanded the 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry, killed in action on 21st March, 1858, when in pursuit of the flying enemy.
32.—BADSHAH BAGH.
The road over Bruce's Brigde, east of the Chutter Munzil, leads into the Badshah Bagh, which was a Royal Garden laid out by King Nasir-ud-din Haidar. In the centre of this walled enclosure is a substantial stone edifice having an open arcaded hall, well adapted for festive gatherings (such as picnics, &c.), allowed to be held here by the kind permission of His Highness, the Maharaja of Kapurthala, to whom the property now belongs. On the left of the garden, and within the enclosure, is a large building which was sacred to the ladies of the King's harem; and it is here that Kunwar Harnam Singh, Ahluwalia, C.I.E., Manager of the Kapurthala Estates in Oudh, and President and Secretary, British Indian Association, resides during his visits to Lucknow. The garden now partakes more of the nature of an orchard, but it is not altogether destitute of flowers.
The annual distributions oi prizes to children of the Sunday Schools are generally held here during Christmas week. On such occasions the garden presents a very animated scene. The prizes are generally distributed towards the close of the day's entertainment, which consists of outdoor games by the children, for whom refreshments are abundantly provided. This garden was captured by General Outram on the 8th March, 1858.
33.—MOTI MAHAL PALACE.
The Moti Mahal, or Pearl Palace, so called from the fancied resemblance of one of its domes (since destroyed) to the shape of a pearl, is situated on the right bank of the Gumti, a little above the Shah Najaf. It includes three separately named and distinct buildings, now the property of the Maharani of Bulrampur. The Moti Mahal properly so called, was built by Sadat Ali Khan (1798-1814) and forms the northern part of the enclosure, which contains the Mobaruk Munzil and Shah Munzil, or royal halls, built along the river face by Gazi-ud-din Haidar. It was the prettiest building of the kind in Lucknow.
The Shah Munzil was the scene of the celebrated wild beast fights to the smaller animals, and tho combats between tigers, &c., was also held within the enclosure of this building. But the encounter between the elephant and rhinoceros, which required to be viewed at a safe distance, took place across the river on the ground in front of the Hazri Bagh.[26] the building now occupied by the Oudh Ice Company, the King and his court watching it from the upper storey of the Shah Munzil.
It was in the court-yard of the Moti Mahal that Doctor Bartram and Brigadier Cooper, of the Artillery, were killed on the 26th of September, and it was here that Colonel Campbell, of H.M.'s 90th, was mortally wounded. At the gateway one of General Havelock's 24-pounders stuck, but was withdrawn by the skilful exertions of Captain Olpherts. In assisting this operation a very distinguished officer of the Madras Artillery, Captain Crump, was killed. This was the advanced position taken by Sir Colin Campbell's relieving army; and it was here that the rear guard and heavy guns and wounded men of General Havelock's force halted on the night of the 25th September, 1857, (vide page 83).
34.—KHURSHAID MUNZIL.[27]
The name of this building means "House of the Sun." It was commenced by Sadat Ali Khan and completed by his son, Gazi-nd-din Haidar. The Khurshaid Munzil is built in the form of a castle. It is surrounded by a moat 12 feet broad, over which there was formerly a drawbridge, but this has since been replaced by a masonry bridge (or bridges since there are now four entrances), by which access is gained to the building. It was not devoted to any particular purpose during the time of the Kings of Oudh, but, after the annexation, it was used as the Mess-House of the Officers of the 32nd Regiment.
This handsome and commodious double storied building is now the property of Lucknow La Martiniere authorities, to whom it was made over, on 27th November, 1876, as a free gift from Government, for the use of La Martiniere Girls' High School. Extensive additions and improvements have been made to the building at a cost of more than one lac of rupees from La Martiniere "Female Education Fund," and it is now admirably suited to the requirements of a Boarding School. The situation is one of the healthiest in Lucknow, and the school grounds are extensive, affording the pupils ample scope for exercise and recreation. The instruction is in accordance with the new Code for the education of European children in India; and pupils are prepared for the Government High, or Final Standard Examination.
The building was stormed and taken on the 17th November,1857. Shortly after its capture, it was here that Generals Outram and Havelock had their memorable meeting with Sir Colin Campbell,[28] (see para. 106).
35.—TARAWALI KOTHI.
The Tarawali Kothi, or Observatory (now occupied by the Bank of Bengal) was built in the reign of Nasir-ud-din Haidar, under the supervision Lt Colonel Wilcox, Astronomer Royal, who had it fitted with the necessary astronomical instruments.
The Colonel died in 1847, and Wajid Ali Shah dismissed the establishment. The instruments were put by, but they were all destroyed in the Mutiny. The Fyzabad Moulvie, Ahmed-ul-lah Shah, better known as Dunka Shah, from his always having a drum beaten before him when he went out, made this place his head-quarters during the rebellion; and the rebel leaders held their meetings here, (see para. 107).
36.—SHAH NAJAF.
The Shah Najaf, or Najaf Ashraf, is situated on the right bank of the Gumti close to the Horticultural Gardens. It was built by Gazi-ud-din Haidar, the first King of Oudh, as a Mausoleum, and contains the remains of this King, his wife, and other members of the royal family. It derives its name "Najaf" from the hill on which the tomb of Ali, the. son-in-law of Mahomed, is built, of which this tomb is a copy. It has been largely endowed by the King for the maintenance of an establishment to look after it, and to defray the expenses of the illumination which takes place there twice a year, once during the Mohurrum festival, and again on the anniversary of the King's death, a night being set apart, during the Mohurrum, especially for European visitors, who are admitted to the building to see the illumination up to midnight, after which the native public are allowed access to the place. (see para. 105).
37.—KADAM RASUL.
The Kadam Rasul, or "Prophet's foot-print," was a Mahomedan place of worship built in the time of King Nasir-ud-din Haidar (1827-1837) on an artificial mound of earth to the east of the Shah Najaf. It contained a stone bearing the impress of a foot, supposed to be that of the Prophet, which was brought from Arabia, by a pilgrim, as a sacred relic. During the Mutiny this stone was carried off and the place was still used by the Mutineers as a powder magazine, but the powder had been conveyed from it into the Shah Najaf,when the latter was converted into a place of defence to bar the advance of Sir Colin Campbell on the Residency.
The Mosque is no longer a place of veneration and is a mere crumbling ruin.
38.—SAKANDER BAGH.
This garden was built by Wajid Ali Shah, who gave it to one of his Begums, Sakander Mahal, from whom it derives its name. It is a high walled enclosure of 120 yards square, carefully loopholed all round, with turrets at the angles, and originally contained a garden prettily laid out with a summer house in the centre, which is still standing. Intrinsically there is nothing now in the place deserving of notice; its fame arises from the severe retribution which here overtook the rebels at the final relief of the Residency on 16th November, 1857. (see para-s. 103 and 104).
39.—LAWRENCE TERRACE.
Also known as Choupar Stables, being originally built, in the form of a cross. The building was erected by King Sadat Ali Khan, (1796-1814), and in it were kept the choicest of the King's horses, but, after the annexation, it was converted into barracks for the 32nd Regiment, (see para. 11). The arms east and west were demolished after the Mutiny, and those now existing were converted into apartments and let out at moderate rents. The south end rooms are occupied by the Union Club, which is principally supported by members of the Uncovenanted Service. This place was captured by Sir Colin Campbell on the 16th November, 1857.
The road to the east of the building, leading to the Sikander Bagh, was the route taken by the first relieving force on their advance to the Residency, hence named Outram Road; whilst its continuation along the west side of Government House and the Canal is named after Havelock.
40.—CHOUK.
The Chouk[29] was built in Asaf-ud-daula's time, but of the two gates at each end of it, the southern one is said to belong to ah earlier date. It is called the Akbari Darwaza and was, probably, built by one of the Subahdars of Oudh, who named it after Akbar Shah, the founder of this Subah.
Immediately opposite the North gate of the Chouk, is the Victoria Park. The land was granted to the Husainabad Trustees by the Government in 1890, on the understanding that it was to be converted into a Park and pleasure ground for the people of the city. The bronze statue of Her Majesty Queen Empress was erected by the Municipal Board of Lucknow, in commembration of Her Majesty's Jubilee, and was unveiled by His Honour, Sir Auckland Colvin, on the evening of the 23rd November, 1892.
41.—KAZMAINE AND DARGAH OF HUZRAT ABBAS.
Proceeding westward from the Chouk we come to two singular Dargahs, or Mahomedan shrines, one the Kazmaine, built by Shurf-ud-daula and said to be a copy of the tomb of two Imams, Moosa Kazim and Raza Kazim, of Khorasan; and the other built by Dian-nd-daula on the model of the tomb of the Imam Husain at Karbala. But, except when these places are illuminated during the Mohurrum festival, there is nothing to repay a visit.
The Darguh of Huzrat Abbas, which is also in the city, is another place of sanctity and resort, wherein the banner of Abbas, a relative of Ali, who was killed in the battle of Karbala, is deposited. The Lucknow Mahomedans believe that they have the metal crest of the banner of Abbas, brought here by a pilgrim from the west, and the relic is regarded as peculiarly sacred. The building in which it is contained is called the Dargah and thither the banners used in the Mohurrum are brought by thronging multitudes, with great display, upon the fifth day of the festival. The banners are borne through the Dargah. presented to the sacred crest, and touched, and then taken out again at the opposite door to make room for others. Innumerable banners are so hallowed in the course of the day.
It was here that Nawab Sadat Ali Khan is said to have received a sudden awakening which converted him from a wild and vicious youth to the sober, practical statesman he became (see page 119).
ALAMBAGH.
Is situated on the Cawnpore road about two miles south-west of the Railway station. The building in the centre of the garden was constructed by one of the Begums of Wajid Ali Shah, the ex-King of Oudh. It was captured by General Havelock on the 23rd September, 1857, and the wounded and sick, with spare stores, were left here on the General's advance to the relief of the Residency (see para. 97). The detachment that was left in Alambagh in charge of the baggage was closely invested by the enemy during the two months that elapsed until relieved by Sir Colin Campbell on 12th November, 1857. When the Commander-in-Chief returned to Alambagh, after extricating the Residency garrison, General Outram was left here with a strong force to watch the rebels and to avoid the appearance of having abandoned Oudh (see para. 116).
It was on the turret of this building that the Semaphore telegraph was erected, by means of which Sir Colin Campbell communicated with General Outram in the Residency (see para. 101).
General Havelock is buried within the enclosure, on the north side of the building, which is, at the present time, in a state of disrepair. An obelisk marks the spot where repose the remains of Major General Sir Henry Havelock. To this monument an addition has just been made of a tablet in memory of Sir Henry Havelock Allan, who was killed by the Afridis on 30th of December, 1597.
"Here in this park his sacred ashes lie,
No more a sweet and pleasant sylvan glade.
But now a waste of weeds and filthy wreck
Where starveling cattle browse a scanty blade,
Where foul and fetid odours taint the air,
Here on his battle ground he lies forgot.
A weeping widow, not his country, raised
The simple monument that marks the spot. "
Joseph B. S. Boyle.
- ↑ The golden howdah and the elephant play little part now-a-days in Viceregal pageantry: but let it not be supposed the magnificence of the office has departed. The Viceroy rushes across his vast dominions in a private train, which is nothing more or less than a sumptuously appointed palace.
- ↑ The question is at times asked. whether or no there are steps leading up through this column to the summit. While the monument was under repair, Mr. T.G. Sykes, the present Principal of the College, took the opportunity of ascending the scaffolding, 16th November, 1885, and satisfied himself that the column is solid, with no internal means of ascent. Mr. Sykes is believed to be the only European gentleman who has been to the top.
- ↑ During the abnormal rise of the river Gumti, on 13th September, 1894, which was as unexpected as it was unprecedented, the water rose to a level with the top of the sixth step leading to the platform in front of the main building, and was 4 feet 212 inches deep in the class-rooms and Sergeant Superintendent's quarters when the flood was at its greatest height, the highest ever recorded during the memory of the oldest inhabitant.
- ↑ General Martin died at the Farhat Buksh Place, now the Station Library, which was built by him, and which was originallv his residence, but according to previous instructions, his body was removed and interred in Constantia (La Martiniere College) as a precaution against probable confiscation of the building by nativ rulers.
- ↑ William Stephen Raikes Hodson. Captain and Brevet-Major 1st E. B. Fusiliers, and Commandant, Hodson‘s Horse, third son of the Venerable George Hudson, Archdeacon of Stafford and Canon of Lichfield, was born at Maisemore Court, near Gloucester, on 19th March, 1821.
- ↑ This public garden owes its origin to Sir George Campbell, the then Judicial Commissioner, who laid it out and named it after Sir Charles Wingfield, who was Chief Commissioner of Oudh in 1860.
- ↑ Makbarah is a Mausoleum.
- ↑ Christ Church was built from the design of General Hutchinson.
- ↑ The Canning College was established in 1864, and is principally intended for the education of the sons of the native nobility, by Whom the institution is mainly supported. It is governed by a Committee, under the Presidentship of the Commissioner of Lucknow. The Foundation Stone was laid by Sir John Lawrence in 1867 and the building completed in 1878.
- ↑ Kaiser is equivalent to Cæsar, a title adopted by the Kings of Oudh and used by them on the Royal seal.
- ↑ An Oriental ascetic or begging monk.
- ↑ Baradari is an open arcaded pavilion, also a building with twelve doors.
- ↑ The Baradari, a stone edifice of picturesque design, is now generally used for public meetings, festive parties, &c. In the centre hall is an oil painting of the Prince of Wales, which was presented by His Royal Highness to the Taluqdars of Oudh during his visit to Lucknow in 1876.
- ↑ This was the residence of the “General Saheb." the ex-King’s brother, Prince Mirza Sekunder Hashmat Bahadur. who at the time of the Mutiny was with the Queen-Mother in England (vide page 10).
- ↑ On 13th September, 1894, when the flood, mentioned in foot note on page 128, was at its greatest height, the water inside the Club rooms was 14 inches deep. This abnormal rise of the Gumti surpassed all other floods of which there is any record.
- ↑ King Nasir-ud-din Haidar is said to have been poisoned in the underground rooms of this palace, vide page l22.
- ↑ This building is also known as the Chowrukhee Kothi, a designation it derives from each of its four sides representing the facade of four different edifices, as. for example, that towards the west, is an imitation of the facade of the Dilkusha Palace.
- ↑ The Kookrail Bridge, on the Fyzabad Road, is exactly 2 miles and 6 furlongs from the Iron Bridge. The village of lsmailgunj 5 miles and the town of Chinhut 612 miles (see page 37).
- ↑ The buildings in the Machhi Bawan (Machhi. 'Fish' from the device over the gateway—and Bawan. Sanscrit for 'House' belonged to Nawab Yehya Ali Khan, from whom they were purchased by sir Henry Lawrence for Rs. 50,000.
- ↑ Much cannot be said in praise of the native music. Their orchestra is composed of small drums, called tom-toms, long shrill pipes, and a kind of cymbals: it is dreadfully loud and by no means harmonious, Like all the Eastern music, it is exceedingly monotonous to an ear accustomed to the cadences and varied harmony of our music. The natives, however, are passionately fond of it as it is, and will sit and listen for hours to the hunting of tom-toms and the screaming of pipes.
- ↑ Imumbura is a building in which the festival of the Mohurrum is celebrated and service held in commemoration of the death of Ali and his sons Hasan and Husain. Sometimes it is used as a Makbara or Mausoleum.
- ↑ Moharrum signifies most sacred, and is applied to a fast and solemn mourning which is observed chiefly by the Shiahs, one of the two great sects of Mahomedans, the other being the Sunnies, so called from their belief in Sunna, or traditions of Mahomed, as a supplement to the Korán (Mahomedan Bible), and almost of equal authority, which the latter accept whilst the Shiahs reject it. This fast is kept for 10 days and is called Ashra from the Arabic signifying ten, to commemorate the death of Husain, younger son of Ali and grandson of the prophet Mahomed. Husain was murdered at Karbala in Turkish Arabia.
- ↑ On 13th September, 1894, when the flood was at its greatest height, the water rose above the stone platform which forms the base of the tower.
- ↑ Daulat Khaua literally means the residence of a Nobleman.
- ↑ The foundation stone of the Lucknow Water Works was laid by Sir Auckland Colrin, Lieutenant-Governor of the N.-W. Provinces and Chief Commissioner of Oudh, on the evening of the 8th November, 1892, and was opened by Sir Charles Crosthwaite, his successor, on the evening of the 21st July, 1894. "The water is obtained from the Gumti and pumped through at 20 inch rising main three miles long to the three settling tanks at Aish Bugh. From the settling tanks the water is conducted through four filters to an underground clear water reservoir having a capacity of 1,630,000 gallons. The water is then pumped into the mains of the distributing system, which contains some 34 miles of pipes and 300 standposts. The scheme cost about 155 lacs of rupees, and the annunl maintenance charges (including interest on capital and sinking fund) amount to about Rs. 1.30,000." - Morning Post.
- ↑ It was here that the Kings of Oudh generally entertained their European guests to breakfast, hence the name.
- ↑ Struck by lightning on the evening of 12th March. 1801, without injury to life or property.
- ↑ A masonry pillar, with a tablet marks the spot where the Generals met.
- ↑ Chouk is the principal street of the city where the wealthy native tradesmen reside and transact business in Person or by agents.