Dilkusha, Bibiyapur kothis: History, nostalgia aplenty in Lucknow!

A number of archaeology enthusiasts embarked upon a heritage walk of Dilkusha and Bibiyapur Kothi in Lucknow on Sunday morning. Many of them were armed with cameras and did not miss any opportunity to capture the beauty of the old monuments.

Hosted by Citizens for Lucknow, the walk was led by eminent historian Dr Roshan Taqui, a Lucknowite and an alumnus of AMU. He briefed the enthusiasts on the history and significance of Dilkusha and Bibiyapur Kothi.

“It was a pleasure to listen to Taqui’s point of view as he made us walk through these old palaces. About 55- 60 people showed up,” said Adity Chakravarti, one of the founding members of Citizens for Lucknow group.

The participants walked through ‘Dilkusha’ (‘that which pleases the heart’) tucked away in the Cantonment built by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan (1798-1814); and Bibiapur Kothi built for Nawab Asaf-ud-daula (1775- 1797).

They later took to Facebook. Mona Dutta, another active member of the group, said, “I'd only been to Dilkusha once before and never even heard of Bibiapur. We got to learn so much about their historical significance. Looking forward to more heritage walks in the coming months when the weather will be nicer.”

Senior journalist Pradeep Kapoor said he thoroughly enjoyed the walk. “Dr Roshan Taqui conducted it very well and we gained so much by his knowledge and understanding about the monuments and history of Awadh.”

Jayant Krishna, senior fellow, Washington DC based think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said, “The walk was very well organised indeed.”

The walk began from the ruins of the delightful Dilkusha Kothi built in the 18th century in the English baroque style. The author historian walked through the lush garden within the boundary walls and talked about the few surviving towers on the premises that was heavily shelled during the Lucknow siege in 1857 together with the Residency and the nearby school of La Martiniere.

Bibiyapur kothi is located on the right bank of the Gomti on the south east side of Dilkusha and behind the government dairy farm. Nawab Asafudaula built the kothi in late 18th century as a rest and recreation resort for the entertainment of the ruler’s European friends, said a participant.

It was a rare occasion to know more about the glorious history of Lucknow from the acclaimed author who has written 140 research papers on the history and the cultural heritage of Awadh.  Dr Taqui is member secretary of the Historical and Archaeological Research and Conservation Agency that hunts down heritage buildings with the purpose of conserving and restoring them.