Wahabeeism, in its earlier days, spread to and
gradually extended over a great part of India,
establishing its headquarters along the valley of the
Ganges. I shall have something more to say about
these fanatics when we reach Patna. In the meantime
let us return to the old town of Lucknow.
Amongst buildings, the royal palace, which abuts
on the river Goomty, has a very imposing exterior;
i t encloses two large quadrangles, displaying foun
tains and flower beds. Its architecture is essentially
Mahomedan, by some called Saracenic, by others
Arabian or Moorish. I prefer the first named term,
for it was really the new religion which found expression
in this novel form, which, however, in India,
never reached anything like the beautiful outline and
proportion of what we now term the Moorish style,
the finest specimen of which still existing is the
Alhambra at Granada. The principal characteristics
of this royal edifice are the lofty entrance gate, some
forty or fifty feet high, adorned by the Moorish arch
and the gilded dome, with a number of smaller ones
surmounting the entire structure; the outer walls
are coloured pale yellow, richly ornamented with
panels, pilasters, and friezes in stucco.
Jmambara is another magnificent palace, or rather
a group of edifices ; there is an immense hall, one
hundred and twenty feet by sixty, built of stone,
with its ceiling gently arched without any columns
or other support. Other similarly constructed palaces
and mosques are dotted about in the outskirts of
the town; and within the royal park, Dil Koosha,
or Heart’s Delight, a fine large garden with
kiosques, water courses, and bridges. On entering
the enclosure I was greeted by the howling of wild
beasts, confined in strong bamboo cages ; they are the
remnant of the last king’s menagerie. This profligate
potentate was in the habit of whiling away his leisure
hours by witnessing their fights; his court was
famous for the latter, as also for its nautches and
fireworks.
Near this spot is the tomb of one of the famous
Nawabs of Oude, which presents a curious interior;
the large hall, namely, is filled with countless chandeliers
and candelabra of white and coloured glass. In
the centre there is a silver throne, holding the Koran,
and all round there are shrines of many-coloured tinsel.
The tall windows of this building are made of painted
glass, mostly flowers, and the general effect is very
original, although not beautiful.
There is one other building deserving a passing
notice, and that is the durbar hall or throne room ; its
outer wall is dark crimson, with white stucco orna-
E 2