Lost Imambaras of Hindu Azadars in Lucknow

Lost Imambaras of Hindu Azadars in Lucknow

By Prof.Mazhar Naqvi

Lucknow, the heart of Muharram ceremonies in India, once contained imposing imambaras commissioned by the high-ranking Hindu officials of the Awadh Nawabs. After annexation of Awadh by East India Company, most of these Imambaras initially lost their grandeur with the financial decline of their builders and their descendants and finally fell prey to vagaries of weather, lack of repair, apathy of archeological department and hunger of land sharks. The historical accounts only now record their existence with details of their builders.

The first among the Hindu courtiers to erect an Imambara was Raja Tikait Rai during the reign of Nawab Asaf- Ud- Daula. He was an influential minister in the court of Asaf Ud Daula and headed the revenue department of the kingdom. Pleased with his sincerity and devotion to the duty, Nawab Asaf- Ud- Daula had conferred upon him the titles of ‘Mutmudaula’ and ‘Mushir- Ul- Mulk’. Nawab Asaf- Ud- Daula has great affection for ‘Ahle-Bait’ and Bara Imambara built by him in Lucknow stands as a symbol of his love for martyrs of Karbala. His affection for ‘Masoomeen’ had also influenced his courtiers to understand the philosophy and message of Imam Husain. They began revering Imam Husain after realizing that he had sacrificed himself not for the sake of Islam only but for the protection of humanity. This realization led to active participation of non-Muslims in Muharram rituals and those blessed with wealth also erected Imambaras and other shrines in memory of Imam Husain and his companions.

Raja Tikait Rai was not a devotee of Imam Husain in his early career. It is indicated by the absence of any trace of an imambara being part of his mansion in Raja Bazaar. His mansion contained a Deewankhana ( place to attend visitors), Tehkhana ( Basement),a large well and Ghulam Gardish(servants’ Quarters) but he has not earmarked any specific place for Muharram rituals. But he constructed an Imambara when he moved from Raja Bazar to Nishat Bagh. His affection towards Imams earned him the fish insignia of Mahi-Ba-Maratib and Naubat. It may here be noted that Madariya Fakirs also carry the fish Insignia as a token of their reverence to Panjatan. Tikait Rai also built a tank( Talab) near Haiderganj so that people should not suffer thirst like Imam Husain who was martyred without water and food at Karbala in 680 AD. While his tank and a temple built by him are still in existence, there is no trace of his Imambara today. Even civic records and old maps of Lucknow shed no light on his Imambara, its design and grandeur.

There is no mention of any Imambara erected by any Hindu devotee during the rule of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. It may be due to the lack of patronage given to Muharram ceremonies by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan as compared to Nawab Asaf- Ud- Daula. As Saadat Ali had inherited an empty treasure, he devoted his maximum time to save money and consolidation of his leftover k9ingdom.Thje net outcome was reduction in the scale of azadari and its grandeur witnessed during the period of Asaf- Ud- Daula.

But two Hindus built Imambaras after Badshah Ghazi Uddin Haider ascended the throne. They were Jhunnu Lal Dilgeer and Natthu Lal. Jhunnu Lal was brother of Raja Jhau Lal and Dilgeer was his pen name. He composed marsiyas of highest quality and his grave is revered as Shaeed Mard in Nakhas locality. His residence has been mentioned near Tiraha of Nakhas by historian Agha Mehndi but no information about the location of his Imambara is available.

Natthu Lal was a contractor during the regime of Ghazi Uddin Haider. He had erected Rauza Jannat-Ul-Baqi and an Imambara near Talkatora area. The Imambara had a large dome and its exteriors were decorated with Quaranic verses and names of Panjatan. It also contained two metallic beautiful ‘Zaris’ and precious relics like ‘Panjas of Alams’( Palm like relic fixed to the top of a standard to represent Panjatan).The Imambara was so popular that Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is believed to have recited his own newly composed marsiya there. After the death of Natthu lal his grandson sold off all the precious relics of the Imambara and left for Mumbai. He also handed over the land attached to imambara for cultivation to one Mata deen from whose possession it was taken by Nawab Zaki Husain Khan Bahadur in 1897.The family of Nawab Zaki managed the affairs of imambara after his death and then an Anjuman took care of it but later on it fell into a state neglect and a house stands where the Imambara once existed.

Another Hindu courtier to erect a grand Imambara was Maharaja Mewa Ram. He was Deewan of King Naseer Uddin Haider and used to spend almost three lakhs every year during Muharram. He was titled Afzal Ul Mulk, Iftikhar Uddaulah and his zeal and fervor for Azadari has been praised in the work of Tamanna. He also built an Imambara the exact location of which is unavailable now. But it is historically proved that Mirza Zameer and Mirza Dabeer used to recite their marsiyas there. Due to popularity of Maharaja Mewa Ram, several other courtiers became envious of him. They informed the king that maharaja wished to visit Karbala out of his love for Ahle- Bait and was hesitant in expressing his desire due to royal duties. The king gladly granted him permission to proceed to Iraq. Maharaja at this juncture also exhibited his love for Imam Husain. Instead of bringing the truth to knowledge of the king, he quietly left for Karbala, considering it as a blessing in disguise to have the Ziarat of Rauza-E-Husain. He also did not return to Lucknow and died in Karbala in July 1867.Maharaja lies buried near the shrine of Imam Husain as a return gift from Mazloom Imam for being his ardent lover.

A wealthy merchant Nandu Ji Kayastha had also built an Imambara in Mansur Nagar in the time of last king of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah. History records about the demolition of the imambara but no reason has been given. Most probably it was also destroyed by the British after the recapture of Lucknow like several other Imambaras of prominence to give a blow to Imamia followers who had dared to challenge the rule of East India Company under the leadership of Begum Hazrat Mahal. 

The disappearance of Imambaras erected by influential Hindus is not only tragic but also calls for research for ascertaining their exact location. Efforts are also required to find their photographs, the architecture and details about the relics kept there. The history of their builders also needs to be written with the help of appropriate literary or other resources as their contribution to Azadari is a symbol of communal harmony and deserves exposure before the modern generation which at times seems to be carried away by the ulterior motives of fanatics.( Reference available on request).