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Published in the 1-15 Dec 2003 print edition of MG;send me the print editionMonumental neglect in LucknowBy Rizvi Syed Haider AbbasLucknow hum par fida aur hum fida-e-Lucknow would perhaps be thebest acronym for May Kay Judy whois a conservation architect with aMaster of Science degree in HistoricPreservation from ColumbiaUniversity. USA. What made youcome to Lucknow? I asked. "I havecome to the city of Nawabs for thethird time since 2000 and I am verymuch concerned about the measurestaken to preserve the historicalmonuments of Lucknow some ofwhich are now almost on crutches," she answered.Royal Family of Avadh [RFA], an organization since 1905, but, which recentlyshot to fame by organizing seminars, discussions and award giving ceremonies

gave a public reception to Mary Kay Judy and Dr. Neeta Das. Das obtainedher Masters in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati USA. She isengaged as an architect in the Institute of Integral technology, Lucknow. Dashas been very instrumental in running an awareness campaign for the

preservation of all the monuments which have made Lucknow an overall-heritage centre.

The occasion was a great learning experience as writers, professors, architects,litterateurs, archeologists and conservationists all had gathered in the Trustee-hall 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 inorder to preserve the crumbling edifice of Imambara Mughal Sahiba.

Can you please enlighten us on itshistoricity? "The Imambara appears

to be built around the middle ofnineteenth century. The builder,Mughal Sahiba, was the daughter ofKing Mohammad Shah [1837-1842].She was named Amatus Sughra,Fakhr-un-Nisa Begum but wasaddressed as Mughal Sahiba. Her

Entrance of Mughal Saheba Imambara

Mughal Saheba Imambara

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husband had a very handsome personality. He had a long trail of titles asMujahid-ud-Daula, Zain-ul-Abideen Khan, Saif-ul- Mulk... He appears to be afearless man as he proposed to fight the British on their proposition to thereigning king Wajid Ali Shah to sign his decree of abdication in their favour, inFeb 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 toKarbala. Mughal Saheba expired, after being widowed on December 8, 1893and was buried in the Imambara she had built," said Anwar Abbas, the authorof Wailing Beauty The Perishing Art of Nawabi Lucknow.

Another dignitary whom every one waited forwas Prof. Satish Chandra who has been inSweden for quite some time and isassociated with Institute of EnvironmentalScience and Conservation, He was rightly thechief guest, and he elaborated at length asto how even the air, water and humidityoften are the causes which prove to be fatalfor the survival of ancient monuments. Hecautioned the authorities about a thin blacklayer which often covers the monuments[Bara Imambara, Dilkusha and Residency areits victims] and this black layer is not mossbut a group of plants called lichens whichdamage. the surface on which they grow.These lichens are alkaline in nature and can

be controlled by an application of dilutedsolution of ammonia.

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

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 makethem 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 dozenarchitectural science students sat glued to their seats all through the function.

Stucco Work at Mughal SahebaImambara

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ASI director RS Fonia too aired his views and before recommending aresolution he sportingly offered funds for conservation and praised IndianNational Trust for Art and Culture Heritage [INTACH] for sponsoring the reportand lauded the labour put into it by Dr. Das and her students. He gave anassurance 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 conductedthe programme.

What was the real purpose of todays assembly? "The objective was to sit downand put together heads and chalk a strategy to some how protect our heritage,and, fortunately we have unanimously decided that a co-ordination committeewould be formulated and Chief Secretary to Chief Minister be made itsChairman," announced Shikoh Azad, the general secretary of RFA.

Mughal Saheba Imambara is situated in the vicinity [one kilometers] of DargahHazrat Abbas in a locality called Wazir Bagh. It is basically known for its strikingstucco art and surely the art lovers would be happy to know that the same arthas qualified itself to become the emblem of Lucknawi chickan work, thedresses of which are known for their beauty and innovation.

The solitary pillar of the gateway of Imambara which still exists contains one ofthe best specimens of stucco art and attached to this gateway is an octagonalstructure crowned with a large dome, the sides of which have a chequeredarrangement 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 hasminarets having the crown embossed in relief a feature not seen in othermosques.

Mohammad Ali Shah is credited with having built a Babylon in Lucknow letssee how long it will take the present generation to preserve one of the finest

specimens of that era from crumbling down. Subscribe Now: MG needs your support

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