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| Bibiyapur Kothi, Lucknow upload.wikimedia.org |
Located on the banks of the Gomti River on the south east side of Dilkusha Kothi and behind the government dairy farm Bibiyapur near Lucknow is a beautiful 18th century neo-classical structure with fine pairs of columns supporting the façade of the first floor. The ground floor has many arched openings. It was designed by Antoine Polier to suite the needs of the Nawab. It is not a large building and obviously, the builder was from the Nawabi clan - Asaf-ud-Daula' (1775- 1797), whose yearning for grand classical buildings was sky-high. Being hospitable and friendly, he built Bibiyapur kothi in a secluded quiet area for the English guests to rest and relax . The ruler also used it as his retreat to be away from the trapping of the royal life and peer pressures of royal court and be at peace with himself. Better furnished than other palaces owned by the Nawab, after his death, his family members controlled the Kothi. Political scenarios often change like the weird patterns in a kaleidoscope given a good shake.
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| Location map, Lucknow city, UP .weather-forecast.com |
The structure has spacious halls ornamented with white and blue European tiles, a high roof with wooden beams. It is provided with spiral stairway that was put to use for the first time in India. Access to the interior of kothi is through arched doorways The upper floor had many cylindrical pillars. Close to the building there is a water tank (capacity: 80000 gallons of water). It was for the royal kitchen where food would be cooked for the European visitors and others.
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| adopted legal heir Wazir Ali Khan of Lucknow./lucknow.me |
Above image: Nawab Wazir Ali Khan, adopted son of Nawab Asaf ud daulah. Because his mother was a menial worker, dissident Nawabs and the English refused to accept him as the ruler. He was deposed by the British along with his cohorts in the late 18th century. Reason: Wazir refused to cooperate with the English company. They temporarily put the ruler under house arrest in Bibiyapur Kothi which his father built to entertain the Europeans............
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| Nawab Asaf-ud-dualah of Awadth, India en.wikipedia.org |
Above image: Nawab Asaf-ud-dualah of Awadth, a noble hearted ruler, highly charitable person..
The British being shrewd as they were, seized the Awadh kingdom by force under the officer Sir John Shore (1751–1834) toward the end of the 18th century using some pretext. The unfortunate fact is the wily British temporarily kept the adopted son of Asaf ud - dualah, Wazir Ali Khan (crowned as Nawab in 1798) under house arrest at the kothi that was built by his surrogate father. What a twist of irony.
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| damaged Bibiyarpur Kothi, Lucknow ucknowpulse.com |
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| damaged Bibiyarpur Kothi, Lucknow en.wikipedia.org |
The company officials refused to accept Nawab Wazir Ali Khan as the legal heir (Awadh's masnad), perhaps for the simple reason he was not the natural son of Nawab Asaf-ud-daulah. They used the same strategy with Hindu maharajahs with adopted sons. While in Benares under confinement, Wazir was in touch with the British officials. In the course of argument, infuriated Nawab Wazir Ali Khan took his sword and in a jiff attacked army officer of the Residency Captain George Fredrick Cherry. In the melee that followed he and other officials were killed.
After the British annexed Awadh, this building was put to use by them for entertainment and celebrations. This kothi, once a place of fun, frolics and celebration, now looks forlorn and despondent. The building was undergoing some repair work. Thanks to the heritage lovers of Lucknow like Roshan.
https://lucknow.me/save-our-heritage-bibiapur-kothi/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibiyapur_Kothi
https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/dilkusha-bibiyapur-kothis-history-nostalgia-aplenty/story-M3vgB1CeYbrTkr0a8QvaUI.html
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