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Writer's pictureNavneel Neeraj

Rauza e Kazmain: Silent sentinel of lost traditions

Updated: Dec 12, 2022


Picture credit : Navneel Neeraj

The Nawabs of Awadh were Asna-e-Ashri Shia Muslims from Iran, who traced their lineage to seventh Imam Musa-al-Kazim. The Asna-e-Ashri Shias believe in the hereditary succession of twelve Imams as spiritual and religious heads appointed for their guidance and regard Hazrat Ali as the first Imam. Rauza e Kaizmain was commissioned by a Baniya merchant, Jagannath Agarwal in the honour of Imam Musa-al-Kazim during the reign of Amjad Ali Shah. It was completed in 1852 at the time of Wajid Ali Shah. Jagannath Agarwal converted to Islam and was later known as Ghulam Raza Khan. He was also honoured by the title of Sharaf uf Daulah by Amjad Ali Shah.


Picture credit : Navneel Neeraj

The shrine with two adjacent cylindrical domes, is a replica of the original mausoleum at Kazmain in Iraq, where Imam Musa Kazim and Mohammed Taqui (the ninth Imam) lie buried. Their graves are adjacent to each other. The original tomb in Iraq has the domes and minarets covered with pure gold but the copy at Lucknow has domes covered with brass that was gold plated.

Picture credit : Navneel Neeraj

The entry to Rauza e Kazmain (at Lucknow) is through a large double-storeyed gateway and smaller gateways appear thereafter which lead to the ghulam gardish (quadrangle enclosed with small arched compartments) where the main Rauza is situated.

Picture credit : Navneel Neeraj


The main hall of the Rauza has galleries on all four sides, one of which contains the graves of Sharaf-ud-Daulah and his wife. The graves are flushed with the level of the floor (and are not raised). A marble tablet over the grave of Sharaf-ud-Daulah has couplets in Persian praising him which culminate with a taareekh which provides his year of death as 1278 Hijri (1861).

Picture credit : Navneel Neeraj


Rauza Kazmain is one of the buildings that was ransacked and looted by British soldiers during March 1858 in the belief that the deposed King of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah had buried the royal treasure somewhere in this shrine.


Picture credit : Navneel Neeraj

Sources :

- Pictures © Navneel Neeraj

- Facebook post of @guzashta_lakhnau 15 March 2020

- Hindustan Times, City Scan, A Time in History Wednesday 5 Nov 1997


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