Chota Imambara, also known as Chhota Imambara, or Imambara Hussainabad Mubarak is a monument located in the city of

Lucknow Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...

, Uttar Pradesh, India. It took 54 years to build. Built as an imambara, or a congregation hall for

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

Muslims, by Muhammad Ali Shah, the

Nawab of Awadh The Nawab of Awadh or Nawab of Oudh was the title of the rulers of Kingdom of Awadh (anglicised as Oudh) in northern India during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Nawabs of Awadh belonged to an Iranian dynasty''Encyclopædia Iranica'', R. B. B ...

in 1838, it was to serve as a

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

for himself and his mother, who is buried beside him. The significance of Panjetan, the holy five, is emphasized with five main doorways. This Imambara consists of two halls and a Shehnasheen (a platform where the Zarih of Imam Husain is kept.) Zarih is the replica of that protective grill or structure which is kept on the grave of Imam Husain at Karbala, Iraq. The large green and white bordered hall of Azakhana is richly decorated with chandeliers and a good number of crystal glass lamp-stands. In fact, it was for this profuse decoration that the Imambara was referred by European visitors and writers as The Palace of Lights. The exterior is very beautifully decorated with Quranic verses in Islamic calligraphy .

Overview

The Chhota Imambara stands to the west of Bara Imambara and an imposing gateway known as '' Rumi Darwaza''. The building is also known as the ''Palace of Lights'' because of its decorations and chandeliers during special festivals, like

Muharram Al-Muharram () is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. It precedes the month of Safar. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in ...

. The chandeliers used to decorate the interior of this building were brought from

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. Also housed within the building, is the crown of Muhammad Ali Shah and ceremonial '' tazias''. Thousands of labourers worked on the project to gain famine relief. It has a gilded dome and several turrets and minarets. The tombs of Muhammad Ali Shah and other members of his family are inside the imambara. This includes two replicas of the

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...

, built as the tombs of Muhammad Ali Shah's daughter and her husband. The walls are decorated with Arabic calligraphy. Water supply for the fountains and the water bodies inside the imambara came directly from the Gomti River.

Tomb of Princess Asiya Begum, daughter of Nawab Mohammad Ali Shah Bahadur (3rd Nawab of Awadh)

This structure serves as a mausoleum for the grave of Princess Asiya Begum Sahiba, daughter of the Nawab Mohammed Ali Shah and two other graves. This is a small-scale copy of the Taj Mahal.

Treasury

The other structure facing the tomb was built for the architectural symmetry and balance of the Imambara. It was used as a treasury.

Husainabad Mosque

This mosque is built on a high platform with two grand minarets on the edge of the platform. This mosque is very beautifully decorated with floral designs and Quranic calligraphy.

Satkhanda

The word Satkhanda means seven-storeyed but this beautifully proportioned tower would never live up to its name as construction was halted at level 4. Nawab Muhammad Ali Shah commissioned the structure during his reign, which started in 1837 and went on till 1842. He built it as a watch-tower to provide a bird’s eye view of the old city area of Lucknow. The tower has many huge triple-arched windows and compartments. A flight of spiral steps leads to different storeys of the building.

Improper restoration

The building has been renovated; however, the process has been criticized. In 2016 ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British newspaper published weekly in printed magazine format and daily on Electronic publishing, digital platforms. It publishes stories on topics that include economics, business, geopolitics, technology and culture. M ...

'' wrote that " his building was recently “repaired” with modern cement, wrecking its subtle plasterwork".

Gallery

Image:Chotaimambara1.jpg, Details of the Arabic calligraphy Image:Chotaimambara6.jpg, The crown of Muhammad Ali Shah, 3rd King of Awadh (1837–1843) File:Chota Imambara twin tombs2.jpg, One of the twin tombs within the complex Image:Chotaimambara2.jpg, Chandeliers Image:Chotaimambara3.jpg, Tazia in the main hall Image:Chotaimambara4.jpg, Chandeliers Image:Chotaimambara5.jpg, Floor chandeliers Image:A statue holding chain for earthing purpose.jpg, A statue holding chain for earthing purpose at main gate Image:Anemometer in the from of fish at main gate.jpg, An anemometer in the form of fish at main gate Image:A pond inside chota imambara.jpg, A pond in the courtyard Image:The name of 12 Imams.jpg , The name of

The Twelve Imams The Twelve Imams (, '; , ') are the spiritual and political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Twelver branch of Shia Islam, including that of the Alawite and Alevi. According to Twelver theology, the Twelve Imams are exemplary ...

in Arabic language Image:The Islamic calligraphy.jpg, The word "Allah" written in the form of Pigeon, an example of

Islamic calligraphy Islamic calligraphy is the artistic practice of penmanship and calligraphy, in the languages which use Arabic alphabet or the Arabic script#Additional letters used in other languages, alphabets derived from it. It is a highly stylized and struc ...

Image:The Throne of Muhammad Ali Shah.jpg, The Mimber used for Majlis (Mourning Congregation) during Muharram. Image:The prototype of chota Imambara made of elephant ivory.jpg, A Tazia made with elephant ivory Image:Lively display of colourful glass work in the main hall of Chhota Imambada.jpg

References

{{Lucknow Imambaras of Lucknow Indo-Islamic architecture Buildings and structures completed in 1838 Mausoleums in Uttar Pradesh Shia shrines Awadh History of Lucknow 1838 establishments in India