172 JUNE - JULY 2019
In 1856, Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was deposed by the British and came to
Calcutta. Shah was known for his love of the arts and was seen as a decadent, ineffectual ruler
by the colonisers. While his mother and brother left for England to petition Queen Victoria to
return his throne, Shah’s physician deemed him unfit for the long voyage. The exiled king set
about building a second Lucknow in Metiabruz (a neighbourhood in the southwestern part of
the city), where he received several properties overlooking the Hooghly. Of this history, very
little survives, most notably this gorgeous heritage site, which Shah had built in the image of the
Sibtainabad Imambara in his beloved Hazratganj in Lucknow.
The Imambara is well-preserved, and the tombs of Shah and several of his descendants are
always covered in fresh, fragrant rose and jasmine. On display are several artefacts, including
a copy of the Quran written by hand, said to have been created by Shah himself. Old-world
chandeliers hang from the ceilings and the guest book is filled with comments from moved
visitors — who unfortunately, judging by the dates scribbled in the book, are few and far between.SIBTAINABAD IMAMBARA, METIABRUZ