Lucknow

History

- Lakshmana, who was the brother of Lord Rama, laid the foundation of the ancient city. It was
then called Lakshmanpur.

- Awadh's political unity can be traced back to the ancient Hindu kingdom of Kosala,
withAyodhya as its capital. Modern Awadh finds historical mention only in the time of Akbar, in
the late 16th century.

- Nawab - the plural of the Arabic word 'naib', meaning 'assistant' - was the term given to
governors appointed by the Mughal emperor all over India to assist him in managing the Empire.
- In the beginning, Faizabad (founded by Nawab Saadat Khan) was the capital of Oudh. It was
shifted to Lucknow by Nawab Asaf ud daula in 1775 and also built Bara Imambara. Oudh
Nawabs were Iranis.
- The Bara Imambara was built in the year 1784 by the fourth Nawab of Awadh known as Asafud-Daula. It was built as a part of a relief project for a major famine that took place in the year
1784. It is also called Asfi Imambara after the name of the Nawab who got it constructed. The
central hall of Bara Imambara is said to be the largest arched hall in the world. The roof stands
steady till date without any pillars to support it.

- The Bara Imambara is known for its incredible maze called Bhulbhulaiya. It is said that great
treasures are hidden in the secret tunnels of this maze.

- Chhota Imambara also known as Hussainabad Imambara was built by Muhammad Ali
Shah, it was to serve as his own mausoleum. It is also known as the Palace of Lights because of
its decorations during special festivals. The chandeliers used to decorate the interior of this
building was brought from Belgium. Thousands of labourers worked on the project to gain famine
relief.
- The British Residency of Lucknow is a famous historical landmark of this place. It served as a
refuge for approximately 3000 British inhabitants for almost 90 days during the uprising of
1857. The Residency still has the graves of around 2000 British soldiers who died in the Revolt
of 1857. Only a 1000 inhabitant survived this tough ordeal. On November 17th, the British troops
led by Sir Colin Campbell defeated the Indian forces.

- The British appointed a resident in 1773, and over time gained control of more territory and
authority in the state. They were disinclined to capture Awadh outright, because that would bring
them face to face with the Marathas and the remnants of the Mughal Empire.

- In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Khan alienated both his people and the British, and was
forced to abdicate. The British then helped Saadat Ali Khan to the throne. Saadat Ali Khan was a
puppet king, who in the treaty of 1801 ceded half of Awadh to the British East India Company
and also agreed to disband his troops in favour of a hugely expensive, British-run army.

- Coins in the name of the Mughal emperor continued to be struck. It was only in 1819
that Nawab Ghaziuddin Haidar finally started to strike coins in his own name.

- Lucknow became the provincial capital in 1920 when the seat of government was moved
from Allahabad.
Economy

Lucknow is famous for its small scale industries that are based on unique styles of
embroidery, namely, Chikan and Lakhnawi Zardozi, both of which are significant foreign
exchange earners.

Zardozi is a Persian word that means Sewing with gold string.

Chikan was introduced by Nur Jehan

Creation of a chikan piece begins with the use of one or more

pattern blocks that are used to block-print a pattern on the ground fabric. The embroiderer
then stitches the pattern, and the finished piece is carefully washed to remove all traces of
the printed pattern.[4]