Story-telling with cleanliness drive at Bibiapur Kothi

LUCKNOW: Passing through the Army's dairy farms near majestic Dilkusha, one reaches Bibiapur Kothi, where the Archaeological Survey of India organised a clean monument drive on Thursday.
A specimen of the Euro-Nawabi architecture, this kothi was built under the direction of British army officer Claude Martin for Nawab Asif-ud-Daulah who used it as a hunting box.Later, it was used as a guest house for the British.
On Thursday, as volunteers including tourists and local residents cleared weeds from the monument, a team from ASI narrated the story of the deposition that changed the fate of Avadh.
“It was from here that orders for deposing Asif-ud-Daulah's heir Wazir Ali were issued to make way for Nawab Saadat Ali Khan,” said Navratna Kumar Pathak, superintending archaeologist, ASI, Lucknow circle.
He added that orders summoning Saadat Ali Khan from Banaras were issued from Bibiapur Kothi. “An impressive durbar was created here to welcome the new Nawab of Avadh. A proclamation procession was also taken out from here,” Pathak said.
Historians say the day heralded a pro-British culture in Avadh which became evident with subsequent successors using ‘King’ as the title instead of ‘Nawab’ as a mark of association with the Queen of England. Later, the place witnessed proceedings of the Indian war of independence in 1857.
The cleanliness exercise was undertaken as a part of Swachcha Bharat Abhiyan. “More than 50 volunteers including tourists participated in the event,” Pathak said. The team also went to Dilkusha for the cleanliness drive.
Tourists and visitors enjoyed their stay at the place. “This is one of the less explored monuments in Lucknow. It is not very approachable. Absence of guides makes it less interesting but the storytelling made the experience worthwhile,” said Akshay Sinha, a student of history.