Chattar Manzil

The Chattar Manzil (Urdu: چھتر منزل‎, Hindi: छतर मंज़िल), or Umbrella Palace is a building in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh which served as a palace for the rulers of Awadh and their wives.[1]

Chattar Manzil
Chattar Manzil in Lucknow
LocationLucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Architectural style(s)Mughal architecture

Coordinates:26°85′N 80°93′E

Construction and architecture
Bara Chattar Manzil (palace) and Farhat Bakhsh in Lucknow, viewed from the south (1862) Shepherd & Roberston

It was constructed by order of Nawab Ghazi Uddin Haider and completed after his death by his successor, Nawab Nasir Uddin Haider.[2][3][4]

The Chattar Manzil stand on the banks of the River Gomti. The Chattar Manzil consisted of a Bari (larger) Chattar Manzil and Chhoti (smaller) Chattar Manzil, however only the larger one still exists. These two buildings were examples of the Indo-European-Nawabi architectural style, even though the Bari Chattar Manzil has been altered over the years. The palaces were named after the chattris (umbrella-shaped domes) on the octagonal pavilions, which crown the buildings.[5] The imposing building has large underground rooms and a dome surmounted by a gilt umbrella.[1][2][3]

Usage

The Palace has gone through many owners including the Nawabs of Awadh Saadat Ali Khan and Wajid Ali Shah, and the British and changes since its construction was started in the 1780s.[6]

It served as a palace for the rulers of Awadh and their wives. Later during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 the building became a stronghold of the Indian revolutionaries.[4]

A portion of it was destroyed by British during the war of 1857.[7] After the war of 1857 the government had allotted the building to an American NGO which used it as a club for recreation purposes, till 1947, the Chhatar Manzil was used as the United Services Club.[2][4]

Post Independence, this building was allotted to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research which used it as Central Drug Research Institute since 1950,[2][4] but now it has been vacated by CDRI.[3]

Government of Uttar Pradesh plans to set up two museums and a library at the Palace after its renovation and conservation by the State Archaeological Department.[6]

From the time of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 it was often photographed by such figures as Felice Beato, Samuel Bourne,[5] Darogha Ubbas Alli, and Thomas Rust.

In December 2013 a two day Wajid Ali Shah Festival was organized by filmmaker Muzaffar Ali’s Rumi Foundation at Chattar Manzil to pay tribute to the Nawab of Oudh.[8]

Hindi film Jolly LLB 2 was shot in Chattar Manzil.[9]

References
  1. Misra, Amaresh (2004). Lucknow:Fire Of Grace - Google Books. ISBN 9788129104854. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  2. "Chattar Manzil - Chattar Manzil Lucknow - Chattar Manzil in Lucknow India". Lucknow.org.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  3. "Save Our Heritage : Chattar Manzil, Lucknow". lucknow.me. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  4. TNN 28 Aug 2007, 03.32am IST. "Chattar Manzil set to come alive - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  5. "The Chattar Manzil Palace from the river, Lucknow". Bl.uk. 30 November 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  6. "Chattar Manzil, then and now". The Hindu. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  7. "Save Our Heritage : Chattar Manzil, Lucknow | Save Our Heritage". Saveourheritage.in. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  8. Zia, Hassan (23 December 2013). "Nawab Wajid Ali Shah festival revamps essence of Chattar Manzil". TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  9. "Jolly LLB 2: Akshay Kumar lauds UP film policy". Hindustan Times. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

Further reading


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