File:Lucknow Album (41) - Mosque of the great Imambara of Nawab-Assuf-ood-daulah.jpg

View Nos. 41.

In the immediate vicinity of the Muchee Bhawan is the GREAT IMAMBARA OF NAWAB AUSUF-OOD-DOWLAH

Views Nos. 39 to 41.

Nawab Ausuf-ood-dowlah was the first monarch of Oudh and he it was, who made Lucknow the capital. The great Imambara was built by him ; and it is justly pronounced to be the architectural gem of the city, its minarets are the tallest and handsomest, and it is the most magnificent and massive structure in Lucknow. The central hall is supposed to be the largest in the world, but the most remarkable feature of the building is, that it contains no wood-work of any kind, being built throughout, exclusively of solid masonry. It is said to have cost a crore of rupees, or one million sterling, a doubtful tradition, unless it was originally embellished with precious stones, of which however there is now no trace. According to Elliott, the story is, that Nawab Ausuf-ood-dowlah invited architects, throughout India, to submit plans, to be subjected to competition, for an Imambara, stipulating that the building should not be a copy of any other building, and that, in beauty and magnificence, it should surpass anything of the kind that ever was in existence. The name given to the successful competition is Kifait-ool-lah and, on viewing the structure, it must be admitted that his conception has produced a thing of beauty and a stupendous solidity, or massive grandeur, in happy keeping with the purpose for which it was intended, that is, a mausoleum for the interment of the King himself. The building will hardly bear comparison with the Taj at Agra, the designs being of quite a diverse order, the one is remarkable for the beauty of its configuration and intricacy of its embellishments, the other for the solemnity of its contour and colossal grandeur of its preparations ; both are, however, as superb curiosities, equally worthy of a visit.

It has been the custom of Mohumedan potentates to provide, before their death, for the maintenance of the Imambaras, that were to contain their remains, by a rich endowment, but in this case, Nawab Ausuf-ood-dowlah seems to have neglected this important matter, hence the splendid building is now used as a gun-shed and ordnance store, a purpose that its illustrious founder certainly never anticipated it would be put to. It now stands as a monument of the utter futility of monarchs attempting to perpetuate their names and continue, after their demise, a sort of travestie of the courtly extravagance that caused them to be flattered and worshipped in life.