REVOLT IN RUINS
It had been a
long slumber stay at home that had forced me to travel and on top of my ‘to do’
list in Lucknow was the visit to The Residency.
For those who are not familiar with it,
The Residency is a township built by the Nawabs of Awadh as a residential facility for the British General,
who was a representative in the Court of the Nawabs and others, who served the
Queen as well, after the capital of Awadh shifted from Faizabad to Lucknow. Its
construction was commenced by Nawab
Asafuddaula in 1775 A.D. and was completed under the supervision of Nawab Sa’adat Ali Khan in 1800 A.D.,
additions were made later as well. The Residency narrates some of the very
important chapters of our history since it a symbol of our first fight for
independence, ‘the Siege of Lucknow’.
A Rs.5 ticket
seemed menial for the elaborate history the place oozes, but being unemployed
at present, I am glad. As I walked towards the small door opening, embedded
inside an enormous gate, my imagination painted a million pictures for me and
when I entered, I wasn’t let down either. Now, if you are expecting a scene out
of some Hollywood movie depicting a post war USSR ghost town whose name you
can’t pronounce or spell, where the only inhabitants are dogs and squirrels,
where the mist is crawling out of every opening of the remains and debris, and
your thoughts are the only words audible; I would suggest you visit The
Residency during harsh Lucknow winters when the fog engulfs the city for most
part of the day. So one such fine winter morning it was when I entered and was
suddenly exposed to lots of ruined structures, something I don’t understand to
the date why, architects crave for.
The Residency is made on a
raised natural mound, which distinguishes it from the surrounding development,
for gaining a vantage point during an attack. The structures inside the complex
are generally enormous in size and made using thin bricks, which not only
provide it with a beautiful texture, but also breaks down the geometry with its
linear and non continuous nature. The Banquet Hall, built by Nawaab Sa’adat Ali Khan is a fine
example of this. Some of the houses also sport a plaster, which for most part
has been eroded, but has fortunately left mysterious Ionic capitals, to spark your
imagination among the ruins. For those who have not seen the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad,
this might just offer them a brief lesson on the Arch Construction techniques,
since the exposed brick arches show the making of several kinds of Arches in a
rudimentary, yet neat manner. It is interesting to see, and at times imagine
from the ruins, a unique amalgamation of Islamic Architecture and construction
techniques meeting the English aspiration, of that period. Not only the design
of buildings, but the campus, which apart from various facilities, has a
Mosque, Church and two cemeteries of different character in the same compound,
a harmonious composition in planning. Thus,
The Residency could also be considered as an initial step towards Indo-Saracenic Revival.
As the fog
cleared its way for a warm winter sun, walking around the campus I lost the
sense of period I belong to. It was not just the buildings, but minute details
like the Iron benches, lamp post and signage; which according to a guide have
been replicated from the remains found, that sets the tone for a pre
independence era experience. Part of the brick walkways have been preserved,
while the rest, have been restored in the same pattern throughout the campus
considering their role in complimenting the brick structures on the site. Also
interesting to see were the surprisingly efficient drainage system design and
beautiful memorials sprinkled over the site.
Part of the
main Residency building is converted into a Museum housing a scaled model of
the residency, lithograph, sketches and paintings on the first floor and an
elaborate exploration into the Seige of Lucknow through scripts, weapons and
paintings, in the basement. It is here in the basement of the once upon a time
main Administrative office of a British colony, where you feel the spark of
patriotism as you see and read about the mutiny and the sacrifices made by the
mutineers who fought India’s First War of Independence. Though the mutiny was
brutally suppressed, it inspired many more revolts, which we dedicate our
independence to today. This is what gives The Residency, an iconic status in
our history. No matter what you read or hear about the Revolt of 1857, it is
incomplete till you visit the Residency where the standing structures define
the might of the British, while the damage represent the effort of the freedom
fighters.
Before I end this article, I would like to appreciate the effort of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in maintaining delicate ruins of our history and amplifying the story these ruins wish to offer. Also I would suggest the visitors to feel free to invade the privacy of couples, engrossed in PDA, if they happen to come in your way of living a day in Pre-Independent India.
Another piece of information to be shared is that this piece of literature was written in Indian Coffee House of Lucknow, which was established in 1958 and boasts of patrons like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Atal Bihari Bajpai, Acharya Narendra Dev, Chandra Shekhar Singh, Amrit Lal Nagar, etc. The place sure is inspiring and economic; the Black coffee isn’t bad either.
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