Tag Archives: Mohammad Ali Shah

After years of neglect, glass top to complete Satkhanda.

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Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :

Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons

Lucknow :

The 177-year-old iconic Satkhanda in Husainabad area of old Lucknow is finally going to live up to its name, of ‘seven storeys’, with the proposed glass roof to the monument taking shape, completing the unfinished Nawabi era structure. The iron storeys which will hold the glass have already come up. Part of the Husainabad beautification project, it is likely to be completed in six months.

Conserving the interiors of the monument along with keeping its circular staircase intact, the building will now provide people with an aerial view of the beautified area through the 360-degree glass facade. With a roof on top now, the monument won’t be subjected to rain water either.

“The plan is to conserve the monument and let people experience the building in its original form. Even though the glass roof covering will be on the uppermost storey, it will give the viewer the experience of being on the seventh floor because of the elevated height. The roof on top of this will be flat,” said Tracy, who is part of the Noida-based architecture firm working on the plan.

The Satkhanda, originally meant to be seven-storey-high was built in 1837 by Mohammad Ali Shah, the third King of Awadh, for moon-sighting by clerics. However, with his death, the monument was left incomplete at just four storeys. Considering it a bad omen, no other ruler bothered to complete it.

In the initial phase of the beautification work in 2014, only the park around then dilapidated monument was part of the plan. Converting the empty ground into a park with light fixtures, fountains, swings and a bridge was completed around November, 2014. Between 2011-13, restoration work on Satkhanda started. An approximate Rs 50 lakh was spent on the initial restoration that included getting rid of encroachment, grouting cracks, restoring parapet brackets, construction of a new roof and a Chhota Imambara-inspired dome. However, apart from removal of encroachment, nothing else was done then.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow news / TNN / February 28th, 2017

Nawabi history to unfold on water screen at Husainabad

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Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :

Lucknow :

Husainabad picture gallery pond is soon to become venue in the evening for a water screen show with fountains and laser lights depicting the history of the city since Nawab Asaf ud Daula’s arrival at Lucknow in 1775. As part of the beautification work around the Husainabad area, a water screen has been proposed with laser light multimedia projection against the backdrop of the red stoned picture gallery.

Blending technology with history, the multimedia projection will narrate story of the Nawabi era up to the British period and finally the modern Lucknow. Using laser lights projected on an aqua curtain comprising jets of water, the multimedia film would be of around 20 minutes.

“Lucknow will have a water screen show similar to what they have at Akshardham temples in Delhi and Gujarat and while mythological stories are there, the subject of the film here will be historic,” said Tracy, the consulting architect of the project.

With no visible structure in the background, the water screen creates a 3D effect with complete transparency, a fine spray of water jet allowing laser lights to form a graphic image. Apart from the water screen, a musical fountain with 72 effects of light and sound will also be beautifying the picture gallery pond.

Built by the third King of Awadh, Mohammad Ali Shah in 1839, the pond has been renovated with sandstones on the steps and both the zanana (for women) and mardana (for men) hamaam khana (enclosure for bathing and changing clothes) on either side of the pond have been restored to their original form with bricks.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Yusra Husain / TNN / May 03rd, 2016