Imambara in British Residency Lucknow

Miraculous Imambara in British Residency

By Prof.Mazhar Naqvi

Can there be an Imambara inside the British residency? The question will surely evoke negative response, for the British always looked at Muharram rituals with suspicion. They always treated the emotional appeal of Karbala as a threat to their empire. The crusade launched against them by pro-Ahle-Bait wandering fakirs in Bengal had left them with little doubt that Karbala narrative has the power to overthrow their rule. The East India Company officials deliberately portrayed themselves as men of religious tolerance. Especially after Muharram riot of 1779 in Kolkata, they never interfered in the observance of Muharram and merely confined themselves to security arrangements with the help of police and zamindaars (landlords).

But the outbreak of ‘mutiny’ in 1857 changed their outlook completely. The openly desecrated Imambaras and shrines dedicated to the sacred memory of the martyrs of Karbala. Lucknow witnessed their maximum wrath for serving as the headquarters of warrior queen Begum Hazrat Mahal whose charismatic leadership had brought the end of British rule. After recapturing Lucknow, British therefore targeted Imami shrines specifically. They used Bara Imambara as stable, raided Dargah Hazrat Abbas and looted holy crests made of silver and gold. Soldiers of British army also carried away with them jewels kept at Dargah and also demolished Imambara Zahur Baksh.

Even after proclamation of Queen Victoria as empress of India, British treatment towards the followers of Ahle-Bait continued. They did not return their properties containing Imambaras for a long time. Further, several Imambaras were taken over for establishing government offices or rented out to outfits like freemasons. British surely and systematically allowed anti- Ahle-Bait elements to encroach upon the lands belonging to Imambara Sibtainabad in Hazratganj area. The office of Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) is housed in Imambara Darogha Ghulam Hussain even today.

The havoc played with the property of last ruler of Awadh Kingdom after his death in exile in Kolkata in 1887 also exhibit the British hatred against the devotees of the followers of Imami faith. They demolished all the structures raised by Wajid Ali Shah to erase the traces of the Awadh Kingdom that had firmly established Muharram rituals as a part of inter-faith understanding in remote areas. This understanding was reflected in 1857 when people from all walks of life had rallied around the warrior queen to liberate Lucknow from the British hands. Begum Hazrat Mahal herself professed Imami faith and did not forget to erect an Imambara in Nepal where she took shelter after her defeat at Lucknow.

Against this backdrop, the existence of an Imambara inside the British residency in Lucknow seems like a miracle of Masoomeen. Although Imambara is roofless but its existing remains amply gives an idea about the grandeur and ornamentation it much have enjoyed during its heydays. For the visitors, it is a part of Begum Kothi. Those acquainted with the history of Lucknow call it as ‘Vilayati Begum’ ka Imambara. Vilayati Begum is known in history as the queen of King Naseer Uddin Haider who had bestowed upon her the title of Muqaddar –E-Alia. She occupied it as her residence after the death of Naseer Uddin Haider along with the huge fortune that she made during the lifetime of her husband.

The Kothi originally belonged to Nawab Asaf Ud Daula who sold it to Sacville Marcus Taylor-a merchant by profession. Strangely, it remained under the control of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan as Taylor sought his permission to sell it to one George Prenderegast. It was known simply as a Kothi and the word Begum affixed to it only after the arrival of Vilayati Mahal.

General Sleeman has given a detailed account of Vilayati Mahal in his memoirs. According to him, her original name was Miss Walters and probably she was the daughter of George Walter Hopkins. She became queen after Naseer Uddin Haider saw her and married her not because of any affection but due to his fancy towards English ladies like his father Badshah Ghazi Uddin Haider who too had married a foreigner. She remained faithful to Naseer Uddin Haider and took part in Muharram rituals actively. But after his death, she preferred to stay with her widowed mother Mrs. Whearty at her residence inside the residency complex.

She breathed her last on November 12, 1840 and lies buried near the grave of her mother. As she had died issueless, the successor of Naseer Uddin Haider wanted her properties revert back but the British resident allowed the claim of her foster brother Joseph Walters alias Amir Mirza and sister Sharfun Nisa. The resident gave Kothi to Sharfun-Nisa along with a reasonable share in the treasure left by Vilayati Begum. Sharfun-Nisa proved to be a much better inheritor as she built a mosque and Imambara as a thanks giving of the fortune that had smiled on her. She embellished her Imambara with stucco work and ensured its construction without any influence of British architecture. It was built on the tradition pattern with places earmarked for placing of holy relics, pulpit and hall for audience.

The contemporary historians have shed little light on its usage for azadari but mentioned it in their accounts. P.J.O.Taylor and Tassaduq Husain have mentioned a gateway decorated with foliage and floral embellishments in stucco .The traces of majestic gateway that are still visible indicate the devotion of Sharfun-Nisa towards Imam Husain .She spent lavishly on the construction of mosque and Imambara inside the residency without any fear as she had found unbelievingly huge fortune from the hands of the resident himself. She did not consider it as pure luck but as a gift from the blessed ones and expressed her gratitude by erecting Imambara in their sacred memory. In the process, she also offered Lucknow the distinction of having an imambara among all the British residencies in India.

One may argue that British were not opposed to Imami faith before 1857 and hence, Sharfun-Nisa could erect imambara Burt they may not give an explanation to the fact as to how could it survive after ‘mutiny’ and escaped desecration at a time when Dargah Hazrat Abbas and Bara Imambaras were not spared from plunder and looting. Does not the protection and survival of imambara indicate a divine interference?  ( Reference available on request).

A View of Roofless Viulayati Begum Ka Imambara in Residency Lucknow