Published in the 1-15 Dec 2003 print edition of MG; send me the print edition

Monumental neglect in Lucknow

By Rizvi Syed Haider Abbas Lucknow hum par fida aur hum fidae-Lucknow would perhaps be the best acronym for May Kay Judy who is a conservation architect with a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University. USA. What made you come to Lucknow? I asked. "I have come to the city of Nawabs for the third time since 2000 and I am very much concerned about the measures Entrance of Mughal Saheba Imambara taken to preserve the historical monuments of Lucknow some of which are now almost on crutches," she answered. Royal Family of Avadh [RFA], an organization since 1905, but, which recently shot to fame by organizing seminars, discussions and award giving ceremonies gave a public reception to Mary Kay Judy and Dr. Neeta Das. Das obtained her Masters in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati USA. She is engaged as an architect in the Institute of Integral technology, Lucknow. Das has been very instrumental in running an awareness campaign for the preservation of all the monuments which have made Lucknow an overallheritage centre. The occasion was a great learning experience as writers, professors, architects, litterateurs, archeologists and conservationists all had gathered in the Trusteehall of the enormous and palatial Chota Imambara, built by the third king of Avadh, Mohammad Ali Shah in 1840. The reason: to formulate a strategy in order to preserve the crumbling edifice of Imambara Mughal Sahiba. Can you please enlighten us on its historicity? "The Imambara appears to be built around the middle of nineteenth century. The builder, Mughal Sahiba, was the daughter of King Mohammad Shah [1837-1842]. She was named Amatus Sughra, Fakhr-un-Nisa Begum but was addressed as Mughal Sahiba. Her

Mughal Saheba Imambara

husband had a very handsome personality. He had a long trail of titles as Mujahid-ud-Daula, Zain-ul-Abideen Khan, Saif-ul- Mulk... He appears to be a fearless man as he proposed to fight the British on their proposition to the reigning king Wajid Ali Shah to sign his decree of abdication in their favour, in Feb 1856. He later joined the exiled King at Calcutta on his own will and left the country with an excuse of going to Karbala, and, he expired on the way to Karbala. Mughal Saheba expired, after being widowed on December 8, 1893 and was buried in the Imambara she had built," said Anwar Abbas, the author of Wailing Beauty The Perishing Art of Nawabi Lucknow. Another dignitary whom every one waited for was Prof. Satish Chandra who has been in Sweden for quite some time and is associated with Institute of Environmental Science and Conservation, He was rightly the chief guest, and he elaborated at length as to how even the air, water and humidity often are the causes which prove to be fatal for the survival of ancient monuments. He cautioned the authorities about a thin black layer which often covers the monuments [Bara Imambara, Dilkusha and Residency are its victims] and this black layer is not moss but a group of plants called lichens which damage. the surface on which they grow. These lichens are alkaline in nature and can be controlled by an application of diluted solution of ammonia.

Dr. Neeta Das who has also written two books based on architecture of Imambaras and monuments of Lucknow [The Architecture of Imambaras, 1991 and Problems in Interpretation of 18th & 19th Century Architecture , 1998] presented a report to the Husainabad Trust [which covers Imambara Mughal Saheba] and Archeological Survey of India (ASI).

Stucco Work at Mughal Saheba Imambara

The submitted project report shows eleven lakh fifty thousand rupees to be the expected cost for preserving and helping to conserve the Imambara. "My students have all been involved in making this report and I have to make them learn the old techniques of architecture in which instead of iron and steel, sheera, urad ki dal and surkhi were used," she said. About two dozen architectural science students sat glued to their seats all through the function.

ASI director RS Fonia too aired his views and before recommending a resolution he sportingly offered funds for conservation and praised Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage [INTACH] for sponsoring the report and lauded the labour put into it by Dr. Das and her students. He gave an assurance to include the Imambara into ASI protected monuments list. ASI protects 166 sites in Lucknow. Nawab Jafar Mir Abdullah in his chaste Urdu and anglicised manners conducted the programme. What was the real purpose of todays assembly? "The objective was to sit down and put together heads and chalk a strategy to some how protect our heritage, and, fortunately we have unanimously decided that a co-ordination committee would be formulated and Chief Secretary to Chief Minister be made its Chairman," announced Shikoh Azad, the general secretary of RFA. Mughal Saheba Imambara is situated in the vicinity [one kilometers] of Dargah Hazrat Abbas in a locality called Wazir Bagh. It is basically known for its striking stucco art and surely the art lovers would be happy to know that the same art has qualified itself to become the emblem of Lucknawi chickan work, the dresses of which are known for their beauty and innovation. The solitary pillar of the gateway of Imambara which still exists contains one of the best specimens of stucco art and attached to this gateway is an octagonal structure crowned with a large dome, the sides of which have a chequered arrangement of real and false doorways. The gateway is tall and contains the Nawabi insignia of a pair of fish. It also has a medium-size mosque which has minarets having the crown embossed in relief a feature not seen in other mosques. Mohammad Ali Shah is credited with having built a Babylon in Lucknow lets see how long it will take the present generation to preserve one of the finest specimens of that era from crumbling down.
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