AWADH

ARCHITECTURE

KUSHENDRA SHUKLA B.ARCH 2ND YEAR,

GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE.LUCKNOW
 AWADH
 Awadh---- a region in
the centre
Uttar Pradesh.
 Before Independence
----
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
.
 Capital---- Lucknow.
 Dialect---- Awadhi,
spoken by Awadhis.
 Saadat Khan Burhanul
Mulk (NAWAB)---- laid
the foundation of the
Awadh dynasty.
 Fourth Nawab
Asaf-Ud-Dowlah ----
shifted capital from
Faizabad to Lucknow.
 During his rule:---
 Asafi Imambara and
 Roomi Darwaza,

built by Raja Tikait Rai

Nawab Wazir (Diwan) of
Awadh, which till date
are the biggest
architectural marvels in
the city.
CITY OF NAWABS….
ASFI IMAMBARA COMPLEX

 Bara Imambara ---- Lucknow, India.

 Important Nawabi religious building.
Built by Asaf-ud-daulah, Nawab of Lucknow, in 1784, to provide
succour to the famine stricken people.
Also called the “Asafi Imambara”.
Bara means big, and an imambara is a shrine built by Shia
Muslims.
Imambara :----
building in which festival of Moharram is celebrated,
service in commemoration of deaths of Ali and Hussain
performed at the season,
sometimes used as a mausoleum for the family of the
founder,
21 examples. 10 in Lucknow.
 Asia’s largest hall without any external support of wood, iron or
stone beams.
BUILDING COMPOSITION
 The complex also includes the large Asfi mosque, the
bhulbhulayah (the labyrinth), and bowli, a step well.
 Two imposing gateways lead to the main hall.

ASFI MOSQUE BAOLI

BHUL-BHULAIYA
 ASFI IMAMBARA COMPLEX

 Entrance Gateways

 Bada Imambada
 Bhul Bhulaiya
 Baoli
 Mosque
 Rumi Darwaza
ENTRANCE
GATEWAYS
 ENTRANCE GATEWAYS

 Two entrance
gateways on
North-South
axis.
 Triple arched

entrance
gateways.
 Arches have 9

cusps.
 First gateway
leads from the
first courtyard to
the second.
 Second courtyard
 Square plan
 Circular garden in
the centre
 Enclosed by
arcaded cloisters.
 Second gateway
 Similar to the
first
 Leads to the
main court
with the
Imambara
placed on the
South end of
the
quadrangle.
GATEWAY
 BADA
IMAMBARA
BADA IMAMBADA
SITE PLAN- ASAFI COMPLEX
SCHEMATIC
DRAWING-
ASAFI
COMPLEX
 ARCHITECTURE

 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-
Daula.
 Plan---- 50 m x 16 m
 Height--- 15 m
 Has no beams supporting the
ceiling (one of the largest arched
constructions in the world).
 Blocked (tunnel) passageway,
according to legends, leads to a
location near the Gomti river.
Other passages lead to
Faizabad (the former seat of
power of the Nawabs),
Allahabad and even to Delhi.
 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 centering 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 Persian 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.
 Persian architect----
Kifayatullah (also lies buried
in the main hall of the
Imambara).
 Marvelous Acoustics. Even
the slightest whisper can be
heard at the other corner of
the hall.
 On the top terrace,
approached through a narrow
flight of steps----
“bhulbhulaiya”.
 The terrace gives a grand
view of old Lucknow with
numerous mosques and
minarets on the horizon.
CHAMBERS
 BHULBHULAIYAH
 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----
“bhulbhulayah”,
 with passages
interconnecting through
489 identical doorways.
 Came about unintentionally
to support the weight of the
building.
 ASFI MOSQUE

 MOSQUE
 within the
Imambada
courtyard
 elegant structure
 flanked by a
grand flight of
steps leading to
its paved floor.
 Located in the west of the
main courtyard.
 Due to quibla orientation
(towards Mecca) its
axiality strikes a discord
with that of the Bara
Imambara.
 Just as enormous as the
Bara Imambara itself.
ASFI MOSQUE
SHAHI BAOLI
 BAOLIS

 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.
 SHAHI BAOLI(STEP
WELL)
 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
 “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.
 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.
PLAN AND SECTION- BAOLI
MAIN GATE OF BAOLI FROM INSIDE
DIFFERENT LEVELS- BAOLI
CORRIDORS OF BAOLI
DESCENDING STEPS
OPENINGS FOR LIGHT IN THE
STAIRS
LEVELS
OF
BAOLI
FROM
INSIDE
ROOMI DARWAZA
 ROOMI DARWAZA
Constructed in the year 1784
by Nawab Asaf-ud-daula.
Construction completed by
1786.
Example of the fine
architectural style of Awadh.
Also known by the name of
“Turkish Gateway”.
Construction material----
lakhori bricks, brown lime.
 CHATTRI

Height--- 60 feet.
Uppermost part---- octagonal Chatri
(Umbrella) carved beautifully,
approachable by a staircase.
The word "Roomi" is derived from the
modern day Rome that used to be Istanbul
(capital city of Eastern Roman Empire).
 Finest gateway built in Lucknow.
 Highly inspired by a similar gateway in
Istanbul.
 Surmounted by an elaborate cupola.
 Flanked by low curtain walls pierced by cusped
windows.
 Octagonal bastions at the sides.
 Floral motifs crowning the apex of the inner arch.
 Bold and broad lotus petals altered by solid turrets with
floral patterns on the outer arch.
 Mughal element is noticeable in minarets, crowned by
octagonal chhatris.
 Apex of the outer arch crowned by an octagonal domed
kiosk, adding symmetry and grandeur.
 Western side of gateway--- 3 arched openings.
PLAN OF RUMI DARWAZA
 CUSPED ARCHES KIOSK

TURRETS LOTUS PETAL

 REAR VIEW

FRONT VIEW
OCTAGONAL
CHHATTRIS

LOTUS PETAL

RECESSED ARCH
lakhuri bricks and
thick lime plaster
LOTUS PETAL
THREE ARCHED OPENINGS
 CEILING VIEW

CLOSE UP OF FRONT
VIEW
 CHATTRI

TURRETS WITH FLORAL

PATTERN
VIEW OF SURROUNDINGS FROM THE KIOSK