Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by admin
Labyrinth: The history of the labyrinth is very old; in earlier times, it was used for entertainment and to confuse the paths of enemies. The maze must have been built in such a way that people could get confused inside. And why not get confused because all the paths, pillars, carvings, etc. in the maze are very similar to each other? You must have heard many untold tales about the maze. Today we are going to tell you about one such maze. This beautiful and historical labyrinth is located in the Bara Imambara of Lucknow. People know it as Bhulbhulaiya Lucknow or Bada Imambara Lucknow. On the day of Muharram, Siya Muslims gather here in large numbers and pray.
You can see the picture of this building in many Bollywood movies, as well as in the movie Ghadar, which was shot here. This place is a model of curiosity for history lovers and adventurers.
Bara Imambara Lucknow: Construction Fact
This grand building was built by Asaf-Ud-Daula, the fourth Nawab of Lucknow, in 1784 AD. It took a long time—17 years—to build this amazing piece of architecture. Built in the Iranian style, this building has a 7-story, beautiful dome, three spacious rooms, and a 50-meter-long and 15-meter-high hall without any pillars. Hundreds of passages and tunnels were built on top of this huge hall made of no pillars, which is called a maze. The builder of this wonderful construction is the great architect “Kifayatullah”. Due to those tireless efforts, this construction was adeptly realised. This amazing piece of architecture was built with Lakhauri bricks. Lakhauri bricks are much thinner in width than normal bricks. This building, which is more than 200 years old, is a matter of curiosity for history lovers and tourists.
Purpose of Construction
This building, which adds to the beauty of Lucknow, was constructed with the aim of providing employment to the people. This labyrinth is known as Bada Imambara. Another purpose of the construction of this building was to pay tribute to the martyrdom of “Dear Hussain Ali”. Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daula had built this huge building in memory of the martyrdom of Hussain Ali in the battle of Karbala. Before the construction of this building, there was a severe famine in Lucknow, due to which there was chaos all around.
During the famine, people had nothing to eat or drink. To solve this problem, the Nawab, after deep thinking, decided not to distribute donations but to give employment to the people. In his opinion, giving respectable employment to people is better than donating. To fulfil this purpose, a luxurious building had been constructed. It ranks among the top tourist places to visit in Lucknow during the entire year.
A distinctive example of architecture
This wonderful piece of architecture is famous all over the world for its unmatched artwork and fine construction. This building, which once employed people, is a unique heritage of Indian architecture today. Hundreds of routes and tunnels make it more special, due to which it is famous as Bhulbhulaiya. As such, it is not considered such a rare specimen of architecture; if someone speaks or whispers softly from one end of it, you can hear his voice comfortably from the other end. Spread over a radius of 105 metres, this building is decorated with exquisite carvings as well as rare flowers.
Dedicated: The subject of discussion among the people, this building is completely dedicated to “Husain Ali”. This building was built in memory of Husain Ali’s martyrdom in Karbala. In this Imambara, you will get to see the Tajia and historical things related to Karbala. On the day of Muharram, the people of the Muslim Siya sect gather in the main hall of the building to pray and ask for forgiveness of their sins.
Type of building: This is a historical site. It is a holy religious place for the people of the Muslim Siya sect. It is not a mosque, but it is such a religious place where people of all the Siya sects gather together on the day of Muharram to pray and perform Majlis. They mourn by asking for forgiveness of their sins.
Read More: Tourist Places to Visit in Lucknow City with Family
Other Buildings of the Complex
In addition to the maze, there are many royal buildings in this area. Like: Asfi Masjid and Shahi Baori. The builders of these buildings were also Kifayatullah. The Asfi Masjid was built on the premises of the building for the worship of the people.
One of the main charms of the Imambara, the Shahi Baori, is a major tourist attraction. It is said that the entire building was constructed on this stepwell. The source of water coming into this stepwell is the Gomti River. More than the structure of this royal stepwell, its stories are more popular.
To explore in and around Bara Imambara Lucknow, you can take the help of a taxi service in Lucknow. We, Bharat Taxi are offering affordable cabs on rent to ride local, outstation roundtrip, and one-way. Hire an airport taxi with 24×7 service from us.
Read More: Stunning Points to Visit Lucknow
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question 1: Who built Bara Imambara?
Answer: Asaf-Ud-Daula built Bara Imambara in 1784 AD. He was the Nawab of Awadh.
Question 2: Where is the Bara Imambara located?
Answer: Bara Imambara is located at Husainabad Trust Rd., Machchhi Bhavan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226003.
Question 3: Bara Imambara is made up of which stone?
Answer: Bara Imambara is made up of Lakhauri bricks that are much thinner in width than normal bricks.
Question 4: What is the architectural style of Bara Imambara?
Answer: The architectural style of Bara Imambara is Mughal architecture.
Question 5: Why is Bara Imambara famous?
Answer: Bara Imambara is especially famous for its incredible maze, known as Bhul Bhulaiya.