Thursday 19 March 2015

Hazrat Abbas Dargah in Lucknow

History of Dargah Hazrat Abbas-Lucknow
Dargah (shrine) Hazrat Abbas is the oldest and most popular among the shrines built in Lucknow in memory of martyrs of Karbala. Like most of other holy shrines in Lucknow, this Dargah was not built by any ruler or his noblemen. Rather, a non- affluent devotee of Imam Husain, one Mirza Faqir Beg founded it.  Dedicated to Hazrat Abbas, who is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to Imam Husain and his matchless efforts to fetch water for children at the battle of Karbala, the history of dargah dates back to the period of Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daula who ruled Awadh from 1775 to 1797.During his regime Mirza returned to Lucknow with a holy relic from Karbala.
About the relic, he said that Hazrat Abbas, Imam Husain’s brother and ‘Alamdar’(commander) of his small force at Karbala in a dream had helped him unearth the rectal crest that had surmounted his ‘Alam’( Standard) of ‘Abbas on 10th of Muharram at the battle of Karbala in Iraq in 680 A.D. He placed the crest at his home in Rustam Nagar. Soon the news about the crest spread and people began visiting his place with offerings and prayers for the fulfillment of their wishes, for Abbas is known as Babul- Murad (Gateway to fulfillment of wishes).
(Impressive Entrance of Dargah Hazrat Abbas- Rustam Nagar ,Lucknow with signs of Awadh style of architecture developed during Nawabi era)
 The building at first consisted of four bare walls, an unadorned roof, and a small courtyard. The growing popularity of the relic earned the attention of  Asaf- Ud-Daula..He visited the place and ordered that a dome be erected over the place to convert it into a Dargah .The place became popular among those  in search of healing, sons, and spiritual blessings, and flower and sweets merchants began doing a booming trade in front of the gate. A turning point came when Nawab Sadat ‘Ali Khan fell seriously ill about 1801.He vowed to construct a magnificent new building for the shrine should he recover. Nawab got rid of his ailment in 1803.He visited shrine with his courtiers after taking out magnificent procession.He distributed money all along the way to the thronging multitudes lining the streets. At Dargah, he offered prayer of thanksgiving. Then, he ordered for the construction of a new edifice with an impressive gilded dome. He established a fund to cover the shrine's expenses, and people began gathering there regularly on Thursday evenings. He also built two separate enclosures for male and female visitors to the shrine.

His successor and son, Ghazi-ud-din Haider, who was crowned as the first King of Awadh in October 1819 by British, provided a Naubat Khana at the entrance of Dargah in the form of a double storied gateway. Naqqara (large drums) were sounded from the upper storey  to inform the hour of the day as well as announce the arrival  guests of the royal household on their visit to the shrine. The King also provided the inner sanctum where the iconic alam was preserved with silver foiled doors.
 Naseer-ud-Deen Haider succeeded Ghazi –Ud-deen Haider as the second King of Awadh (1827-1837).His favorite queen Malika Zamani started a permanent kitchen for free distribution of food to the poor. She used to visit Dargah on every nauchandi jumeraat (first Thursday of each month) with an offering of ten thousand rupees. Down trodden waited eagerly for her procession consisting of a hundred elephants with silver howdah (mounted seat) and gold embellishments. It had a number of palanquins and oxen driven carriages for the accompanying ladies. The queen sat in a large ‘sukhpal’ (decorated carriage) covered with a brocade silk canopy while her companions distributed alms to the destitute with generosity.
The Dargah also played as host to the soldiers of Begum Hazrat Mahal during the first war of Indian Independence. In 1858, it served as headquarters of the anti-British forces..Shah Ahmad Ullah, perhaps the most influential leader of the freedom struggle and one of the chief commanders of Begum camped at Dargah before leaving for Bareilly where he was captured and executed. After recapturing Lucknow, the British soldiers plundered Nawabi buildings and they did not spare even Dargah. They removed gold in alam and the dome.  The British auctioned priceless jewels and decorative preserve d at Dargah along with the valuables of King Wajid Ali Shah.
The shrine even today is manifestation of popular love for the family of the Prophet and belief in the efficacy of supplicating its members. Devotees throng at Dargah in large number to invoke blessings of Hazrat Abbas to overcome their problems. 

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