First Imambara of Lucknow

Mirza Abu Talib Khan-Builder of Lucknow’s First Imambara

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Lucknow is undoubtedly a leading center of azadari. The city is also home to a number of majestic imambaras .But much is not known about its first imambara. It figures in the works of contemporary historians but mystery shrouds its exact location. The research has so far been able to ascertain the name of its builder as Mirza Abu Talib Khan only but failed in finding the site where he built it. He was son Haji Mohammad Beg and enjoyed a respectable position during the reign of Nawab Safdar Jung.

Imambara has been described to be located to the west of Shah Pir Muhammad Ka Tila on the riverside in Aaraish-E-Mehfil. Famous historian, Kamal Uddin Haider has also expressed similar views in his account. He has also stated that Mirza Abu Talib was the builder of first imambara of Lucknow and Imambara Agha Baqir was constructed after it. The historian has however not given its location. On the other hand, Sheikh Mumtaz Hussain has opined in his account that Mirza had built the first Imambara in Lucknow in Shutarkhana area of Bagh Bibi Aina. The Bagh was located adjacent to where the office of Irrigation department is situated now. Noted historian Agha Mehndi has quoted the views of Sheikh in his Tareekh-E-Lucknow but also given the Ghusalkhana Hakim Mehndi as the location of Imambara Abu Talib. He contends that there is no proof to suggest that any property of Hakim Mehndi was near Irrigation department, formerly known as Canal office. Agha Mehndi has based his logic to the burial of Mulla Mohsin in side Imambara Abu Talib in 1880.The last rites of Mulla at Imambara Abu Talib figures in the Persian book titled ‘Ulema of Faizabad’.

Mehndi opines that Ghusalkhana is used for bathing the dead bodies. Since it was close to mausoleum of Hakim Mehndi, the Prime Minister of Awadh Kingdom, Imambara should naturally be near it and not at the site mentioned in Aaraish-E-Mehfil. This version puts the location of Imambara in Nabhara area of Lucknow. While the last resting place of Hakim is visible even today but there is no trace of Imambara. In wiki map, Imambara Abu Talib is shown in Shahadatganj locality but on what basis it has been exhibited is not know. On the basis of arguments put forward by Agha Mehndi it can be safely concluded that the first imambara of Lucknow was traceable till 1880 and later on it was lost forever. Azadars of Lucknow however can derive solace from the fact that the first imambara of the city was built by a noble who was named after Mohafiz-E-Islam (Protector of Islam), Janab-E-Abu Talib, the uncle of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad and father of Sher-E-Khuda Hazrat Ali.(References available on request)