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Awadh | |
|---|---|
 Procession of sadhus at thePrayag Kumbh Mela | |
 Modern map of the Awadh region | |
| Coordinates:26°53′N80°58′E / 26.883°N 80.967°E /26.883; 80.967 | |
| Continent | Asia |
| Country | India |
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Covering territory | |
| Languages | Awadhi,Hindi andUrdu |
| Area | |
• Total | 68,006 km2 (26,257 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 55,119,236[citation needed] |
| • Density | 810.51/km2 (2,099.2/sq mi) |
| Largest Cities | |
Awadh (Hindi:[əˈʋədʱ]ⓘ), known inBritish Raj historical texts asAvadh orOudh, is ahistorical region innorthern India, now constituting the central portion ofUttar Pradesh. It is roughly synonymous with the ancientKosala region ofHindu,Buddhist, andJain scriptures.[2]
It was a province of all the majorIslamic dynasties in India including theMughal Empire. With the decline of late MughalDelhi, Awadh became a major source of literary, artistic, religious, and architectural patronage in northern India under the rule of its eleven rulers, calledNawabs. From 1720 to 1856, the nawabs presided over Awadh, withAyodhya andFaizabad serving as the region's initial capitals.[3] Later, the capital was relocated toLucknow, which is now the capital ofUttar Pradesh.[4]
TheBritish conquered Awadh in 1856, which infuriated Indians and was recognised as a factor causing theIndian Rebellion (1857-58), the biggest Indian uprising against British rule.[5]
The wordAwadh is inherited from theSanskrit wordAyodhya meaning "not to be warred against, irresistible".[6][7][8]
Awadh, known as the granary of India, was important strategically for the control of theDoab, a fertile plain between theGanges and theYamuna rivers. It was a wealthy kingdom, able to maintain its independence against threats from theMarathas, theBritish and theAfghans.
Awadh's political unity can be traced back to the ancientHindu kingdom ofKosala, withAyodhya as its early capital in traditional history, though in Buddhist times (6th–5th centuryBCE)Shravasti became the kingdom's capital city.[9]
Modern Awadh finds historical mention only in the Mughal time ofAkbar, in the late 16th century.
In prehistoric times, Awadh, reputedly the kingdom of Bikukshi, contained five main divisions :[10]
Since AD 1350 different parts of the Awadh region were ruled by theDelhi Sultanate,Sharqi Sultanate,Mughal Empire,Nawabs of Awadh,East India Company and theBritish Raj.Kanpur was one of the major centres ofIndian rebellion of 1857, participated actively inIndia's Independence movement, and emerged as an important city ofNorth India.
For about eighty-four years (from 1394 to 1478), Awadh was part of theSharqi Sultanate ofJaunpur; emperorHumayun made it a part of the Mughal Empire around 1555. EmperorJehangir granted an estate in Awadh to a nobleman, Sheik Abdul Rahim, who had won his favour. Sheik Abdul Rahim later built Machchi Bhawan in this estate; this later became the seat of power from where his descendants, the Sheikhzades, controlled the region. Until 1719, theSubah of Awadh (bordering (Old) Delhi, Agra, Illahabad and Bihar) was a province of theMughal Empire, administered by a Nazim or Subah Nawab (governor) appointed by the Emperor. Nawab –the plural of theArabic word 'Naib', meaning 'assistant'– was the term given tosubahdars (provincial governors) appointed by the Mughal emperor all over India to assist him in managing the empire. In the absence of expeditious transport and communication facilities, they were practically independent rulers of their territory and wielded the power of life and death over their subjects. Persian adventurerSaadat Khan, also called Burhan-ul-Mulk, was appointed the Nazim of Awadh in 1722 and he established his court inFaizabad[11] nearLucknow. TheNawabs of Lucknow were in fact the Nawabs of Awadh, but were so referred to because after the reign of the third Nawab, Lucknow became the capital of their realm, where the British stationResidents ('diplomatic' colonial Agents) from 1773. The city was "North India's cultural capital"; its nawabs, best remembered for their refined and extravagant lifestyles, were patrons of the arts. Under them music and dance flourished, and many monuments were erected.[12] Of the monuments standing today, theBara Imambara, theChhota Imambara and theRumi Darwaza are notable examples. One of the more lasting contributions by the Nawabs is thesyncretic composite culture that has come to be known as theGanga-Jamuni Tehzeeb.
From the pre-historic period to the time ofAkbar, the limits of thesubah (imperial top-level province) and its internal divisions seem to have been constantly changing, and the name of Oudh, or Awadh, seems to have been applicable to only one of the ancient divisions orSarkars, nearly corresponding to oldPachhimrath. The title of Subehdar (governor) of Awadh is mentioned as early as 1280 AD, but it can only have denoted the governor of the tract of the country above defined. The Awadh of Mughal Badshah (emperor)Akbar was one of the twelve (or fifteen)subahs into which he divided the Mughal Empire as it stood in 1590. As constituted at the end of the sixteenth century, theSubah contained fivesarkars, viz. Awadh, Lucknow,Bahraich,Khairabad andGorakhpur, which in turn were divided in numerousmahals anddasturs (districts).
Khan Zaman Khan Ali Asghar son ofQazi Ghulam Mustafa was appointed asSubahdar of Awadh during the reign ofFarrukhsiyar. This appointment was made in place of 'Aziz Khan Chughtai'.[13] Later on, Mahabat Khan was appointed asSubahdar of Awadh in place of Khan Zaman Khan Ali Asghar, who was all over again transferred toAzimabad (Patna) asSubahdar in place of 'Sar Buland Khan'.[14]
It seems to have been of nearly the same extent as theProvince of Oudh at the time of annexation toBritish India in 1858, and to have differed only in including Gorakhpur,Basti, andAzamgarh, and in excluding Tanda, Aldemau,Rajesultanpur and Manikpur, or the territory to the east and South of Faizabad,Sultanpur andPratapgarh.[15]
As theMughal power declined and the emperors lost their paramountcy and they became first the puppets and then the prisoners of their feudatories, so Awadh grew stronger and more independent. Its capital city was Faizabad.Saadat Khan, the firstNawab of Awadh, laid the foundation of Faizabad at the outskirt of ancient city ofAyodhya. Faizabad developed as a township during the reign of Safdar Jang, the second nawab of Avadh (1739–54), who made it his military headquarters while his successorShuja-ud-daula made it a full-fledged capital city.
Shuja-ud-Daula, the third Nawab of Awadh, built a fort known as "Chhota Calcutta", now in ruins. In 1765 he built the Chowk and Tir-paulia and subsequently laid out the Angoori Bagh and Motibagh to the south of it, Asafbagh and Bulandbagh to the west of the city. During the reign of Shuja-Ud-Daula, Faizabad attained such a prosperity which it never saw again. The Nawabs graced Faizabad with several notable buildings, including theGulab Bari, Moti Mahal and thetomb of Bahu Begum.Gulab Bari stands in a garden surrounded by a wall, approachable through two large gateways. These buildings are particularly interesting[citation needed] for their assimilative architectural styles.
Shuja-ud-Daula's wife was the well known Bahu Begum, who married the Nawab in 1743 and continued to reside in Faizabad, her residence being the Moti-Mahal. Close by at Jawaharbagh lies her Maqbara, where she was buried after her death in 1816. It is considered to be one of the finest buildings of its kind in Awadh, which was built at the cost of three lakh rupees by her chief advisor Darab Ali Khan. A fine view of the city is obtainable from top of the begum's tomb. Bahu Begum was a woman of great distinction and rank, bearing dignity. Most of the Muslim buildings of Faizabad are attributed to her. From the date of Bahu Begum's death in 1815 till the annexation of Avadh, the city of Faizabad gradually fell into decay. The glory of Faizabad finally eclipsed with the shifting of capital from Faizabad to Lucknow by NawabAsaf-ud-Daula.[16]
The Nawabs of Awadh were aPersianShia Muslim dynasty fromNishapur,[17][18] who not only encouraged the existing Persian-language belle-lettrist activity to shift from Delhi, but also invited, and received, a steady stream of scholars, poets, jurists, architects, and painters fromIran.[19] Thus Persian was used in government, in academic instruction, in high culture, and in court.[19]
Saadat Khan Burhanul Mulk was appointed Nawab in 1722 and established his court inFaizabad[20] near Lucknow. He took advantage of a weakeningMughal Empire inDelhi to lay the foundation of the Awadh dynasty. His successor wasSafdarjung the very influential noble at the Mughal court in Delhi. Until 1819, Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by aNawab.
Awadh was known as the granary of India and was important strategically for the control of theDoab, the fertile plain between theGanges and theYamuna rivers. It was a wealthy kingdom, able to maintain its independence against encroachment by theMarathas, the British and the Afghans.
The third Nawab,Shuja-ud-Daula, fell out with the BritishEast India Company (EIC) after aidingMir Qasim the fugitiveNawab of Bengal. He was comprehensively defeated in theBattle of Buxar by a British army, after which he was forced to pay heavy penalties and cede parts of his territory. The British appointed a resident at Lucknow 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.
Asaf-ud-Daula, the fourth Nawab and son of Shuja-ud-Daula, moved the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow in 1775 and laid the foundation of a great city. His rule saw the building of theAsafi Imambara andRumi Darwaza, built byRaja Tikait Rai Nawab Wazir (Diwan) of Awadh, which till date are the biggest architectural marvels in the city. Asaf-ud-Daula made Lucknow one of the most prosperous and glittering cities in all India. It is said, he moved because he wanted to get away from the control of a dominant mother. On such a thread did the fate of the city ofLucknow depend.
In 1798, the fifth NawabWazir Ali Khan alienated both his people and the British, and was forced to abdicate. The EIC then helpedSaadat Ali Khan to the throne. Saadat Ali Khan was a puppet king, who in the treaty of 1801 ceded half of Awadh to the East India Company and also agreed to disband his army in favour of a more expensive one run by British officers. This treaty effectively made part of the state of Awadh a vassal to the EIC, though they continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name till 1819.
Coins were struck under the nawab's control for the first time in 1737, at a new mint opened inBanaras, although the coins named the Mughal emperor, not the Nawab.[21] After the Battle of Buxar, Baranas fell under British rule, and so the mint was moved in 1776 to Lucknow. From there, coins in the name of the Mughal emperor continued to be struck, and they continued to name Muhammadabad Banaras as the mint. It was only in 1819 thatNawab Ghaziuddin Haidar finally started to strike coins in his own name. Soon thereafter, Awadhi coins started to feature the kingdom's European style coat of arms.
The wars and transactions in which Shuja-ud-Daula was engaged, both with and against the British, led to the addition ofKarra,Allahabad,Fatehgarh,Kanpur,Etawah,Mainpuri,Farrukhabad andRohilkhand, to the Oudh dimensions, and thus they remained until the treaty of 1801 with Saadat Ali Khan, by which province was reduced considerably as half of Oudh was ceded to the EIC. Khairigarh, Kanchanpur, and what is now the Nepal Terai, were ceded in 1816, in liquidation ofGhazi ud din Haider's loan of a million sterling towards the expense ofNepal War; and at the same time pargana ofNawabganj was added toGonda district in exchange for Handia, or Kawai, which was transferred fromPratapgarh to Allahabad.[15]
The treaty of 1801 formed an arrangement that was very beneficial to the company. They were able to use Awadh's vast treasuries, repeatedly digging into them for loans at reduced rates. In addition, the revenues from running Awadh's armed forces brought them useful revenues while it acted as abuffer state. The Nawabs were ceremonial kings, limited to pomp and show but with little influence over matters of state. By the mid-19th century, however, the British had grown impatient with the arrangement and wanted direct control. They started looking about for an excuse, which the powerless Nawabs had to provide. On 1 May 1816, a Britishprotectorate was signed.
In 1856 the East India Company invaded and annexed the state under theDoctrine of Lapse, which was placed under aChief Commissioner.Wajid Ali Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned, and then exiled by the company toCalcutta (Bengal). In the subsequentRevolt of 1857, his 14-year-old sonBirjis Qadra son ofBegum Hazrat Mahal was crowned ruler, and SirHenry Lawrence killed in the hostilities.
In theIndian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as theFirst War of Indian Independence and theIndian Mutiny), the rebels took control of Awadh, and it took the British 18 months to reconquer the region, months which included the famousSiege of Lucknow.
TheTarai to the north ofBahraich including large quantity of valuable forest and grazing ground, was made over to theNepalDarbar in 1860, in recognition of their services during theRevolt of 1857, and in 1874 some further cessions, on a much smaller scale, but without any apparent reason, were made in favour of the same Government.[15]
In 1877 the offices of lieutenant-governor of theNorth-Western Provinces and chief commissioner of Oudh were combined in the same person; and in 1902, when the new name ofUnited Provinces of Agra and Oudh was introduced, the title of chief commissioner was dropped, though Oudh still retained some marks of its former independence.
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A vast majority of the population practicesHinduism. It is also home to theRam Janmabhoomi, an important pilgrimage site in Hinduism that marks where the deityRama was born. TheMuslim community has a strong presence in the urban areas of Awadh, such asPrayagraj and the capital city ofLucknow, which has a largeShia Muslim population. Other than that they are mostly concentrated in theDevipatan division.
The region of Awadh is considered to be the center ofGanga-Jamuni culture[22] and is the home of forAwadhi music and Folkarts.
Sham-e-Awadh is a popularised term referring to the "glorious evenings" in the Awadh capitals of Faizabad and later (and even today and to a greater extent) Lucknow.[citation needed]
Awadh was established in 1722. with Faizabad as its capital.Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula's sonNawabAsaf-ud-Daula, the fourthNawab of Awadh, shifted the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow; this led to the decline of Faizabad and rise of Lucknow.
Just as Banares (Varanasi) is known for its mornings, so Lucknow is for its evenings.[citation needed] Many of its well-known buildings were erected on the banks of theGomti River in the time of Nawabs. The Nawabs used to take in a view of the river Gomti and its architecture in the evening hours, giving rise to Sham-e-Awadh's romantic reputation.[23]
There is a saying:'Subah-e-Benares', 'Sham-e-Awadh', 'Shab-e-Malwa' meaning mornings of the Benares, evenings of the Awadh and nights of Malwa.
Awadhi Cuisine is primarily from the city of Lucknow and its environs. The cooking patterns of the city are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, andNorthern India as well. The cuisine consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Awadh has been greatly influenced byMughal cooking techniques, and the cuisine of Lucknow bears similarities to those ofKashmir,Punjab andHyderabad; and the city is famous for itsNawabi foods.
Thebawarchis andrakabdars of Awadh gave birth to thedum style of cooking or the art of cooking over a slow fire, which has become synonymous with Lucknow today.[24] Their spread would consist of elaborate dishes likekebabs,kormas,biryani, kaliya,nahari-kulchas, zarda, sheermal, Taftan,roomali rotis andwarqi parathas. The richness of Awadh cuisine lies not only in the variety of cuisine but also in the ingredients used likemutton,paneer, and rich spices includingcardamom andsaffron.
The events surrounding the 1856 overthrow of Wajid Ali Shah and the annexation of Awadh by the British are depicted in the 1977 filmThe Chess Players by the acclaimed Indian directorSatyajit Ray. This film is based on famousUrdu storyShatranj Ke Khilari by the great Hindi-Urdu novelist writerMunshi Premchand.
The 1961 filmGunga Jumna is portrayed in Awadh and was noted for its use of theAwadhi dialect inmainstream Hindi cinema.
The novelUmrao Jaan Ada as well as the subsequentfilms are based on two cultural cities of Awadh,Lucknow andFaizabad.
The region has been in the center of various period films of Bollywood and modern films likeMain, Meri Patni Aur Woh andPaa to name a few. It has also been shot in various songs ofBollywood.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.... developed in Awadh as a genre of composite creativity. ... of multiple Indian cultural traditions and provided glimpses of the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of north India with Lucknow as its centre ...
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