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<p>The first quadrangle of the Great Imambara complex
</p><p>Watercolour of the Great Imambara complex in Lucknow from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Cawnpore to Mohumdy Vol. IV' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15. Marquess of Hastings, the Governor-General of Bengal and the Commander-in-Chief (r.1813-23), was accompanied by artist Sita Ram (flourished c.1810-22) to illustrate his journey from Calcutta to Delhi between 1814-15.
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Nawab Asaf ud-Daula of Awadh (r.1775-97), requested architect Kifayat-ullah in 1784 to construct the Great Imambara, for the purpose of celebrating the Muslim festival of Muharram in commemoration of the imams Ali, Hasan, and Hussein. Subsequently, the imambara was used as a mausoleum for Asaf ud-Daula upon his death in 1797. The Great Imambara complex consists of several forecourts and gateways which lead to the imambara. Illustrated here, is the first quadrangle of the Great Imambara complex showing the south side of the Rumi Darwaza and the gateway into the main quadrangle, with the party heading out of the former gateway on October 31st, 1814. Inscribed below: 'Gate leading to the Imaumbarah, and East side of the Roma Durauzeh.'</div>
<bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q118320402" class="extiw" title="d:Q118320402"><span title="artist">Sita Ram</span></a>
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1814<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1814-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
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