DAY 15 : INDIA : Lucknow

Weather : hot, hazy, 37o

 

Lucknow waking up and street cleaners out early.

 

Today we had a day in Lucknow. Our guide started his spiel by saying that Lucknow is known for culture, cuisine and craft - C3. The culture mainly through the wealth of the nawabs - Persians who were rewarded for service to the Moghul kings and given states to govern, which became their own dynasties. The cuisine - fabulous kebabs and sweets. The craft - Chikan embroidery.

 

 

Despite the fact that Lucknow is mainly Hindu, its Muslim past is very much in evidence.

Here is a mausoleum to Saadat Ali Khan, one of the nawabs.It is set in beautiful parkland and shows the distinctive Avadh architecture of this area and was built in 1823.

 

 

Local boys playing cricket in the grounds.

 

 

As the East India Company grew, moving much of its operations north, the Nawab in Lucknow, trying to placate the company gave them land where British residents could live. A beautiful enclave was developed from 1780 -1800  with post office, church,school, homes and a glamorous residence set in attractive grounds. It was known as the Residency.

 

 

The partnership soured with the British who tried to take over more and more states, particularly of those nawabs, who had no heirs. Tension was brewing and in 1857 the Indian states rebelled and tried to oust the British. The Residency enclave was under seige from June - September, 1857 with 3,500 members of families inside. Only 979 survived. None of the buildings are still intact - they were either burnt or demolished with cannon ball fire.

 

 

 

While we were looking around the site we ran into an international school, Woodstock School from Mussoorie from the hill district. They have been studying a novel, The Flight of Pigeons, based on the 1857 mutiny, and had come to Lucknow for an excursion. One of the teachers gave me a copy. How lucky for these kids to have such wonderful first hand experience of history.

 

 

This is the Bara Imambara, a meeting place for Shia Muslims.

In 1784, during a severe famine, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah, commissioned this building to provide employment for his impoverished subjects. Apparently at night the Nawab ordered his staff to demolish some of the day's construction, so that the subjects would have more work to do for a longer period and thus it took 6 years to build.

 

This Imambara (Islamic meeting place) is dedicated to Mohammed's grandson (of M's second wife), Hussein ibn Ali, the patron of the Shi'a sect. He died in 680 A.D. in the Battle of Karbala in an attempt to be  Mohammed's successor . The victors were the Sunnis - championed by Mohammed's first wife, Aisha, and 4 caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. Now at Muharram, a special season in the Islamic calendar, the Shia's mourn Hussein's death (like it was yesterday) but the Sunnis celebrate the victory.

 

 

 

Unfortunately much of the lavish decoration and lighting was plundered by the British during the Mutiny.

 

 

Children playing the gardens.

 

 

Chhotta Imambara, in an another mosque complex, was built by Nawab Mohammed Ali Shah (1837-42). It is in its  original very ornate condition.

 

 

Chandeliers have been donated by countries all over the world.

 

 

We visited a Chikan embroidery factory. Definitely not chicken as I first thought.

I had another dilemma today as the guide kept talking about the 'wagina' - bit rude I thought - until I realised he was talking about the 'designer'.

 

 

 

Fabric is cut, block printed, then made up into dresses, saris etc. Then representatives from peasant communites come and take the clothes and hand sew the designs over the block printing. The clothes come back stitched but in a shabby state.

 

 

The clothes are then sent down to the Dhobi Ghats along the river, where Muslim washermen methodically clean the clothes in several stages.

 

 

The washing is hung out to dry on long lines extending down the River Gomti.

 

 

The items are returned the factory in pristine condition, ready for further decoration and tagging.

 

 

Walter Burley Griffin's grave in the Christian cemetery in Lucknow.

He was working in Lucknow, after completing work in Australia, dying in 1937

 

 

Another important figure in Lucknow's history is the Frenchman, Claude Martin.

He was employed by the French East India Company in the 18th century, when he retired he stayed in Lucknow buying large plots of land and building residences for foreigners. He became a very wealthy man.

 

 

His main legacy was a mansion he constructed by the river. It was the largest and finest example of European funerary. Unfortunately he died soon after its completion and he bequeathed it to the state. It is now a very boys' exclusive school, La Martiniere, and his personal wealth still funds the school.

 

 

We decided to put our lives on the line again today and took another bicycle rickshaw to

the Hotel Clarks, where we read there was a top floor restaurant with a view, Falaknuma.

It had a good atmosphere but nothing can compare to the food at the Royal Cafe - where we dined last night and lunch time today for Chicken Tikka Kebabs to die for!

 

 

It's the official wedding season so we were pleased to see a large marquee set up in one of the city's parks with a lot of activity on a glorious starlit evening as we were pedalled past.

 

 

 

 

M&M

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au