Lucknow the city of minarets and domes, Nawab and Cababs, Shayari and Shabab Tahjeeb and Ada. The land nourished by the water of Gomti River andruled by the Shia Nawabs.

IMAAMBADA‘A Splendid mark of Royalty of Nawabs and Awadh Architecture’

Imaam means the Muslim worshiper and Bara means Big.

An Imambara is simply a hall where Shia Muslims come together for various ceremonies, especially related to the Remembrance of Muharram. 

RELIEF MEASURE- Construction of Bara Imambada was started in 1784, a year of a devastating famine, and one of Asaf-ud-Daula’s objectives in embarking on this grandiose project was to provide employment for people in the region for almost a decade while the famine lasted. It is said that ordinary people used to work in the day building up the edifice, while noblemen and other elite worked at night to break down anything that was raised that day. It was a project that preceded a Keynesian like intervention for employment generation. Construction of the Imambada was completed in 1791. Estimated cost of building the Imambada ranges between half a million rupees to a million rupees. Even after completion, the Nawab used to spend between four and five hundred thousand rupees on its decoration annual.

It was designed by the Architect Hafiz Kifayat Ulla..

HISTORY

The complex includes the large Asafi mosque, the bhoolbhullaiya (the labyrinth), and baoli, a step well.

Two imposing gateways lead to the main hall.

BUILDING COMPOSITION

ASFI MOSQUE BAOLI BHOOL-BHULAIYA

Entrance Gateways

Bada Imambada Bhul BhulaiyaBaoliMosque

ASFI IMAMBARA COMPLEX

ENTRANCE

GATEWAYS

40 Steps of stairs leads from road to the floor of First gateway. Opening arches are following by three arches ( Triple Arched Arch) at the equal distance . This distance create a space between front and back faces of gateways, that space is called courtyard.

Three arched openingRectangular planCircular garden in the

centre of back of Gateway.Enclosed by arcaded

cloisters.

FIRST GATEWAY

FRONT

BACK

Three arche opening Triple arched arche A row of mehraabs

and jharokhas Row of cupolas from

starting to ending point

Chattries on each corner

Leads to the main court with the Imambada placed on the South end of the quadrangle.

FRONT

BACK

SECOND GATEWAY

In Islaam Architecture we never can see or enter the main building in very direct or literal manner. First we have to enter from several gateways to reach the main building and the gateways are made similar to the building. Equal distance gap can see between Gateways and Gateway from building.

The Main building is considered as God and Gateways are considered as different levels to reach the god. The theory says It is not easy to reach the god . We need dedication and concentration. In the path many objects meets to confuse us but we should go forward towards our aim.

THE THEORY OF GATEWAYS IN ISLAAM ARCHITECTURE

BADA IMAMBADA

‘A Shrine for the Purpose of Azadari’

A row of double arched doorways , framed with rectangular frames. Only center doorway is open for public rest are closed with grilled windows.

FRONT VIEW OF IMAMBADA COURTYARD

A giant flight of flat stairs leads towards the floor of courtyard.A octagonal dual floor dome is dominating element on the front side.One step upward from arches , there are a row of Jalidaar windows

Reflects the maturation of ornamented Mughal design.

No European elements or the use of iron.

Neither a mosque, nor a mausoleum, but a huge building having interesting elements.

Construction of halls and use of vaults show a strong Islamic influence.

The main imambara consists of a large vaulted central chamber containing the tomb of Asaf-ud-Daul and designer Kifayat ullah.

ARCHITECTURE

Area 15x60 Feet Height 15 MeterWeight 2000 TonNo use of Iron or wooden frame in roof constructionHollow Ceiling to make it light weightTwin Brick wallA row of hanging chandeliers in the middle and the big mirrors

are put on both side to create the reflection

CENTRAL HALL

Chandelier hanging from ceiling with a ling iron rod

A row of mirrors to create the reflection from the light of Chandelier

Grave of Nawab and Architect under the Canopy

The hall has balconies on all four sides right under the ceiling

large amount of sunlight enters from Vertical arched doorways

Bada Imambada---- a great hall built at the end of a spectacular courtyard.

Approached through two magnificent triple-arched gateways.The hall is Asia's largest without any external support of wood, iron,

or stone beams.16 feet thick roof. Weighs nearly 20,000 tons. An ingenious method was employed for building the roof. Building covered with vaults of very simple forms. Construction material---- rubble or coarse concrete of bricks and

mud. Allowed to stand a year or two to set and dry. The centring is then removed.

The vault is a more durable form of roof than the most scientific Gothic vaulting.

3 halls under the same roof.Central hall---- the Asian

Hall.2 adjoining halls.The China Hall is square at

ground level, becomes octagonal at mid-height, and 16 sided at the top.

The India Hall has been fashioned like a watermelon.CHAINA HALL

INDIAN HALL

•Round from the floor and octagonal at the top•A big floral motif in the center.•Chairs are attached on ventilation. It is said that these chairs were for queens or begums.•Each side has a cusped arch .•Entrance arch is bigger than other arches.

Present in the main imambara building.

8 surrounding chambers built to different roof heights,

Permit the space above these to be reconstructed as a labyrinth “bhoolbhullaiya”.

with passages interconnecting through 489 identical doorways.

Came about unintentionally to support the weight of the building.

BHOOLBHULAIYAH

MOSQUEWithin the Imambada

courtyard  Built on a two-storied

plinth it consists of two tall minarets in the courtyard

Bulbous domeThe top of the domes are

ornamented with lotus petals and have a final

flanked by a grand flight of steps leading to its paved floor.

ASFI MOSQUE

A baoli consists of two parts:- vertical shaft from which water is

drawn, surrounding inclined

subterranean passageways, chambers and steps which provide access to the well.

Cool, quiet retreats during summers.

Chambers in some baolis are seven or eight levels below the ground level.

BAOLIS

“Shahi Baoli”----eastern side of the Asafi Imambara complex.

Deep circular well at the eastern end.

Approached through a flight of steps and a door facing west.

Rectangular plan.Material---- Lakhauri

brick and lime mortar.

BAOLI five- storied baoli (step well) Called the Shahi-Hammam (royal bath), baoli is connected with the river Gomti. Only first two stories above water, the rest being perennially

under water. Used as a hiding place Used as summer palaces due to natural coolness Entrance---- high portal haying an unornamented arch

(Mehrab). Series of stairs descending down to the water reservoir. On either flanks are rows of three storeyed Mehrabs. Water flows in to the baoli through a large ‘Shah – Jahani’

Mahrab. Multi--chambered summer place in the interior.

SHAHI BAOLI(STEP WELL)

.

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN LINE- The structure is made in Horizontal line where as the Domes and Mehraabs are made vertically.

COLOR / CONTRAST- The structure is built with lakhauri bricks and covered with lime plaster which provides it brown and yellow shade. It create an amazing contrast with sky

SHAPES- Use of Geometrical shapes like Triangle, Rectangle, Circles and semi circles

TEXTURE- Walls are covered with lime plaster so the texture is rough.

PATTERN- Symmetrical geometric pattern on the sides of wall and arches.

EMPHASIS- In the ceiling of Indian Hall a big floral motif is the center of attraction in whole ceiling.

BALANCE- Symmetrical Balance – Similar windows in design and number on the both side of arch.

Rhythm- Floral Patterns are made in rhythmic form. We get an eye movement to visualize these pattern.

Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar marks the martyrdom of grandson of Holy prophet and his companions at Karbala. The tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammed nearly 1300 years ago is observed with solemnity with Muslims mourning. Draped in black clothes, the mourners assembled at Bada Imambada before the procession. The procession traces its history to the period of third nawab of Awadh Mohammad Ali Shah (1837-42) is managed by Hussainabad and Allied Trust headed by the District Magistrate (DM) of Lucknow.

MOURNING OFMUHARRAM AT IMAMBADA

TAZIA- A representations of the tombs of Hasan and Hussain (the grandsons of Mohammed), carried in processions for various Islamic festivities.

The highlight of the procession is a zari, prepared with bamboo stick and wax. The procession also included camels, elephants and members of Royal Family of Awadh. As per the tradition the procession includes 34 items as Alam Hazrat Abbas, Taboot with shamiyana, Zarihey Aqdas-Mom and Zarihey Aqdas-Abraqi, Zuljunah (duldul) with chatri and pankha. A matami band playing sad tunes also followed the precession.

A Procession of Muharram at Imambada

ELEMENTS OF MUGHAL ARCHITECTURECUPOLAS- Small domes placed on the top of the roof or on the top of the dome

JHAROKHAS- A jharokha (or jharoka) is a type of overhanging enclosed balcony used

JALIDAAR WINDOW- Jalidaar windows have geometrical cuts so the sun light travell trough the geometrical shapes

PIllARS- Pillars are in cylindrical form top and bottoms are decorated with organic forms.

CHATTRI- simple structure of one dome raised by four pillars on the top of minarets or on the top cornersMINARETS-A cylindrical tower . Generally a tall spire with a conical or onion-shaped crown, usually either free-standing or taller than associated support structure

DOME- A dome  is an architectural element that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere.

CUSPED ARCHES-  Cusp in architecture, the intersections of lobed or scalloped forms,

VAULTS- a roof in the form of an arch or a series of arches, typical of churches and other large, formal buildings

ARABESQUE- Stylized plant forms represent the sense of rhythm.

MEHRAAB- Unornamented arches.

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