I have been visiting Metiaburuz – The Lucknow of Kolkata for the past 4 years now. During my school days for a considerable time I spent at St. Thomas Boys School in Kidderpore, I used to have lots of friends from Metiaburuz but never had to opportunity to check that place out. As a middle-class Bengali, the thought of visiting Metiaburuz was way out of question and all we heard were horror stories of a country within a country.
At the maximum, I had been to Fancy Market which back in my school and college days was famous for fake Nike and Casio watches. Then there were kite shops that I used to hear from my friends that sold the best Manja (glass-coated thread) in Metiaburuz and the kites that were sold there had the perfect balance for a stable flight.
After my blogging adventure started one of the places that I always wanted to cover was Metiaburuz. Honestly, it was for the “kites and the kebabs”. What I failed to understand back then was that for both kites and the kebabs there was one person responsible for them and it was none other than Wajid Ali Shah the last king of Oudh.
My adventure into Metiaburuz started with guidance from Sohail who is somewhat veteran when it comes to “Metiaburuz Walk”. We started exploring the locality for the past few years and made numerous trips during this time. The one single question that always intrigued me what the Blue Plaque installed at the West Bengal Heritage Commission at Bichali Ghat as to why on earth the king of Oudh somewhat with the stature of Wajid Ali Shah would land at Bichali Ghat when we arrived in Calcutta for the first time.
All his travel records indicated that he was traveling in a royal style with a huge amount of treasure that he had managed to pack on his way to the city. So why would someone land at Bichali Ghat of all places which back then was just a makeshift dock for country boats and even today has a basic facility to accommodate docking of motorized boats meant for local transportation.
Short History of Wajid Ali Shah and Metiaburuz
Before I begin let me make it very clear that a lot has already been written on this subject in detail so what I am doing here is just a short brief history and then a timeline of events.
Wajid Ali Shah was the last king of Oudh (Awadh), he got the throne of Oudh (Awadh) when it was already in a decline and the end was visible. By then East India Company had already extracted much wealth from the city and on top of that, the kingdom was overburdened by paying the maintenance bills for Bengal Army.
The decline had started much before Wajid Ali Shah was born when with the treaty of 1801 a majority of the kingdom was already under the grasp of the East India Company. With Wajid Ali Shah being considered a “soft” king more interested in literature, music, and dance it was inevitable for the company to put the final nail in the coffin by annexing the kingdom under the complete control of East India Company.
Wajid Ali Shah left Awadh on the 13th of March 1856 on a steamer named General MacLeod and arrived in Calcutta on the 13th of May 1856. He wanted to travel to London to meet Queen Victoria but was now permitted so he settled in Calcutta for the time being while his mother was allowed to travel to London to present their petition directly to the queen.
That was the first time he stepped into the city of Calcutta and never left the city. He understood his future and instead created his version of mini-Lucknow in Calcutta at Metiaburuz where he remains buried at Sibtainabad Imambara.
Steamer General MacLeod and Wajid Ali Shah
I have been researching this steamer and found out some interesting details about this steamer. Knowing Wajid Ali Shah and his taste it was imperative that he travel in some opulence and as per different reports from that time we get a clear picture of this.
The steamer General Macleod was operated by a company named General Inland Steam Navigation Company established in 1844 which also operated two more steamers by the name of Sir Herbert Maddock and Sir Frederick Currie. All these three steamers were built in London and had been brought to Calcutta to be used on the Hooghly.
These steamers were one of the most powerful ones during that time having 140 horsepower engines. These steamers operated in a tug system which meant the main boat housed the engine and also housed the main passenger cabins. The steamers were powerful enough to tow 100 tons.
It is to be noted that the first steamer General Macleod did not have a very long life and shortly after being introduced into service sank in the Hooghly. Back then it was common practice to replace a ship with the same name and that’s why General Macleod still sailed even after sinking.
In the book Lady’s Travels Round The World by Ida Pfeiffer we get a somewhat look around the steamer, General Macleod. A trip from Benares (Varanasi) to Calcutta would cost Rs. 257 and with an additional Rs. 3 per day one can enjoy food and drink onboard. A trip from Benares to Calcutta was covered in fourteen to twenty days.
In many references, we get to know that Wajid Ali Shah when he set sail he carried a lot of goods along with him and this could have been only possible when a steamer like General Macleod with 140 horsepower would be available to tug the load. The nawab would also like to travel in some comfort and this steamer was equipped with dining and drinks.
General Macleod used to make regular shuttles between Calcutta to Allahabad and was on numerous times used as a charter for ferrying passengers to other parts of the country. With Calcutta being a scheduled stop for this steamer it’s logical for the steamer company to stop at Calcutta which had all the facilities for docking and refueling which would not have been possible at Bichali Ghat.
Bichali Ghat back then was where hand-rowed country boats used to stop ferrying passengers from one place to the other. It did not have any facility for docking a big tug steamer.
Timeline of Wajid Ali Shah
30 July 1822 – Born
13 February 1847 – Became the king of Oudh
11 February 1856 – Kingdom annexed by East India Company
13 March 1856 – Left for Calcutta
13 May 1856 – Reached Calcutta
29 May 1856 – Received gun salute and officially welcomed to Calcutta
1 September 1887 – Died in Calcutta
Family (line of heir) of Wajid Ali Shah
First Wife – Begum Hazrat Mahal (1820 – 7 April 1879)
Eldest son from Begum Hazrat Mahal – Birjis Qadr (20 August 1845 – 14 August 1893)
Wife of Birjis Qadr – Mehtab Ara Begum (granddaughter of Bahadur Shah Zafar)
Son of Birjis Qadr – Mehar Qadr (24 December 1893 – 1961)
Wife of Mehar Qadr – Mehdi Begum (died 1971)
Son of Mehar Qadr – Anjum Qadr, Kaukab Qadr & Nayyer Qadr
* Mehar Qadar abdicated the throne of Oudh on the 15th of August 1947.
The Poison Angle
During the rebellion of 1857, there was a massive resistance in Lucknow and Birjis Qadr was declared the monarch. With pressure mounting from the British forces, Birjis Qadr along with her mother Begum Hazrat Mahal fled to Nepal. They remained there till they were pardoned by the British to avoid any repercussions.
He returned to India along with his wife and children to Calcutta in 1893. By then it was already nearly six years past the death of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Calcutta. With the absence of Birjis Qadr, the government had declared another family member as the heir apparent.
When Birjis Qadr returned he staked a claim as the legal heir since he was the eldest son to be born from his first legally wedded wife. While in Calcutta he along with his family were invited to a feast at one of the relative’s house. It was by chance that his wife Mehtab Ara Begum did not attend the event as she was then pregnant with Mehar Qadr. The feast attended by Birjis Qadr and other family members turned fatal and they mysteriously died.
After that event, Mehtab Ara Begum left a quiet life along with Mehar Qadr but the legal battle kept on going and only was settled in the year 1974, and on the 1st of October that year the family got the right to the trust.
Places To Visit Around Metiaburuz
There is no existence of the actual residence that was once occupied by Wajid Ali Shah. What now remains are the Imambaras that were constructed during his reign. After the death of the Nawab, his estate was auctioned by the government and a very small portion of personal artifacts were given to the heirs.
I have listed down some of the places associated with Wajid Ali Shah that one can still visit. It usually takes around two hours to visit all these places. Keep a note that BNR House is not part of this trail and is just mentioned as a reference.
BNR House
Oudh Family Burial Ground
Qasr-Ul-Buka Imambara
Bait-Un-Nijat Imambara
Shahi Masjid
Bichali Ghat
Sibtainabad Imambara
Begum Umda Mahal Imambara
BNR House
After reaching Calcutta the first place that was allotted to Wajid Ali Shah was a house at Garden Reach which was previously occupied by Sir Lawrence Peel who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1848 to 1855. This is now what we see as BNR House which is now part of the South-Eastern Railway and now the official residence of the General Manager.
It was from this place that the nawab was arrested as a precautionary measure during the 1857 rebellion and taken to Fort William where he remained till July 1859.
To visit this place, you would need prior permission, please get in touch with the PRO of South-Eastern Railways to get the necessary permission.
Oudh Family Burial Ground (Gulshanabad Imambargah)
This place is not exactly a tourist spot, I just mentioned it here as you will pass this site while going towards Metiaburuz. The gates usually remain locked so going inside is not always possible. This is the last resting place for many of the members of the family.
Qasr-Ul-Buka Imambara
If you are doing a Metiaburuz Walk then this would be the first stop in the tour. You will be welcomed with a façade that has nothing to do with opulence, rusted iron gates with walls all around the compound in separate need of repair. Things change once you enter the imambara and how beautifully it is maintained inside.
(Qasrul Buka Imambara) means “the house of mourning” and you will find a similar imambara in Lucknow also. This was in a way Wajid Ali Shah recreating Lucknow in Calcutta but on a smaller scale.
Bait-Un-Nijat Imambara
This is the trickiest one as this is not a functional Imambara and the current owners of the property are not that friendly towards tourists. Early in the morning when the family members are still sleeping you can get a glance at this place. Sadly, what remains visible are portions of the wall and some broken windows. The grandeur that this place once had could only be imagined by what remains visible.
(Baitunnijat Imambara) which would translate to “house of relief” was built around 1863 to commemorate Muharram by the nawab along with his family.
Shahi Masjid
A little up ahead you need to take a right turn and then you will be able to see a small lane with an iron gate, this is the Shahi Masjid (royal mosque). This is a very small mosque but this was the personal mosque of the nawab thus the name “Shahi Masjid”. Built around 1856 – 1857 the legend goes like this when the foundation stone for this mosque was supposed to be laid the nawab invited any religious person who have not missed praying five times a day to come forward and do the honors. No one came forward and it was then the nawab himself who came forward and laid down the foundation stone of the mosque.
The mosque has a square shape with a fountain on the northern side. On that side, you will also be able to see remains of some old pillars which might have been from some other structures that once were there.
Bichali Ghat
Now here comes the controversial ghat that some belief was the spot where the nawab first set foot when he landed here in Calcutta. As I mentioned above at the beginning of the blog that there is no evidence of this and even to date this is a small jetty from where small motorized passenger boats run taking people to the other side of the river. This jetty is not equipped to even till date to handle mid-sized streamers even to date.
Sibtainabad Imambara
This is the largest structure among the ones people would see during their tour of this place. Built in 1864 this was like what the nawab was trying to replicate in Lucknow in Calcutta by building an Imambara with the same name that one can see in Lucknow. Of course, the one in Lucknow is much larger and grand but this was in a way the Nawab replicating his memories of a place where he could not return.
The one is Lucknow houses the last resting place of Wajid Ali Shah so it was natural for the Nawab to wish during his lifetime that he too be buried here after he dies. Once you enter the main hall you can see his burial spot on the north side of the Imambara and at the south end of this main hall, one can see the burial spot of Birjis Qadr.
Begum Umda Mahal Imambara
Just next to Sibtainabad Imambara is the Begum Umda Mahal Imambara. This is a small Imambara that was built for Begum Umda Mahal who was one of the nawab’s wives who had accompanied the nawab from Lucknow to Calcutta. The one thing that one must see out here is the interior walls, one can still see intricate floral patterns created with glazed glass pieces on plaster. While major portions of the old walls have been replaced with regular cement plater one can still see portions all around the Imambara.
Speaking of Metiaburuz and not talking about kites and kebabs is just impossible. All around Metiaburuz, you will find several kite shops and if you are very particular about the “perfect manja” then some of these shops have the famed “Bareilly manja” considered the finest.
All these tours will surely make you hungry so the best option during any morning walk around Metiaburuz would be to have some Daal Poori, Halwa Poori, Nihari, and piping hot Paya. Wash it all down at the end with some tea in an earthen pot.
There are several kebab and biriyani shops around this part and for this, you might have to wait till noon. Though not as famous as their counterpart in the main city the shops out here are very pocket friendly and have a unique taste.
How To Reach Metiaburuz
The streets around Metiaburuz are very narrow and very crowded so if you are coming by your car then parking might be a challenge unless it’s chauffer driven. App-based cabs are the best option however the return journey can be a bit challenging. You can easily park your motorcycles around the side streets.
Location Of These Places On Map
Resources
The Tourist’s Guide To Lucknow By Edward Hilton
Account Of Some Recent Improvements In The System Of Navigating The Ganges By Iron Steam Vessels By Albert Robinson
A Collection Of The Acts By Superintendent, Government Press India
Historic Lucknow By Sidney Hay
British Library
Journal Of A Cavalry Officer; Including The Memorable Sikh Campaign Of 1845-1846 By W. W. Humbley
A Lady’s Travels Round The World By Ida Pfeiffer & William Hazlitt
Royal Collection Trust
Private Life Of An Eastern King By William Knighton
The Story Of The Assam Railways And Trading Company Limited 1881-1951 By Charles Folliott Birney
The Telegraph
Hindustan Times
Indian Express
Times Of India
Columbia University Library