The Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula was the Third Nawab of Awadh and the Vazir of Delhi he rules and administrated Awadh from 1754 to 1774. Gulabbari is the Tomb of the Nawab. It is a monument dedicated to his memory and honor. Although the tomb and its gardens are very old, and the walls of the monument have paled with time and age, but it is still a place worth a visit if you are travelling through Ayodhya city. The tomb stands in the middle of the Char Bagh gardens, accompanied with fountains and shallow water channels.
The Nawab was also credited with building the famous Moti Mahal and the tomb of Bahu Begam.
Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula’s Tomb
Nawab was a tall man with a fierce well-oiled moustache, he was also Aman of strength and brute force even when he was told he could lift two men with either hand. He could also cut the head of a Buffalo with one swish of his sword when he was well past his prime. The Nawab took a keen role in the battle of Panipat and the Battle of Buxar a key defining battle with the east India company.
Gulabbari is the tomb of such a great man. A man who was equally brave yet foolish. In the end he singed the Allahabad Treaty with the British which said that Allahabad district and Kora along with 5 million dollars would be given to the British and that they would be allowed free trade with Awadh.
I meandered around the tomb and the through the lush green gardens, taking pictures of the fountains whoosh where now dry. The water channels where full of water though and gave colour and texture to the entire area of the tomb. There is a chart hung on one of the wall’s that has the list of all the program’s that where organised during the Nawab’s time. The inner sanctum of the Tomb has the roams and the visitor’s area where the Nawab would meet with his council. There are chandeliers and old wall cloaks. I even saw a hookha in the corner of one of the rooms. The rooms however remain closed most days and are only open if there is a prayer or a festival.
Outside Gulabbari there are shops selling pakoda, Maggie and Batti Chokha. The Batti Chokha it is like fired samosas made from sattu. There are also Ince cream stalls, to beat the heat I advise you to see the tomb while eating a orange bar it’s much more fun, till then enjoy the pictures of the tomb and its lovely gardens.
