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The Residency, also called as the British Residency and Residency Complex, is a group of several buildings in a common precinct in the city of
The Residency has been maintained as it was at the time of the final relief during the Siege of Lucknow, and the shattered walls are still scarred by cannon shot. Ever since Indian Independence, little has changed. The ruined building is now surrounded by lawns and flowerbeds and serves as a tourist attraction. The cemetery at the nearby ruined church has the graves of 2,000 men, women and children, including that of Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence who died during the siege.
There is a weathered epitaph near the grave of Sir Henry that reads "Here lies the son of Empire who tried to do his duty" while another nearby grave reads "Do not weep my children, for I am not dead, but am sleeping here." A light and sound show to display the history of the Residency is also played each evening.
The Residency, also called as the British Residency and Residency Complex, is a group of several buildings in a common precinct in the city of Lucknow
Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It served as the residence for the British Resident General who was a representative in the court of the Nawab of Awadh or Oudh. The Residency of Lucknow, one of the Residencies of British India
The Residencies of British India were political offices, each managed by a Resident (title), Resident, who dealt with the relations between the British Government of India and one (or a territorial set) of princely states.
History
The Residency ...
, is located in the heart of the city, in the vicinity of other monuments like Shaheed Smarak, Tehri Kothi and the High Court Building.
History
In 1775Asaf-ud-Daula
Mirza Asaf-ud-Daula (23 September 1748 – 21 September 1797) was the Nawab wazir of Oudh ratified by Shah Alam II, from 26 January 1775 to 21 September 1797, and the son of Shuja-ud-Dowlah. His mother and grandmother were the Begums of ...
(the third nawab of Oudh
The Kingdom of Awadh (, , also Oudh State, Kingdom of Oudh, Awadh Subah, or Awadh State) was a Mughal subah, then an independent kingdom, and lastly a British protectorate in the Awadh region of North India until its annexation by the Br ...
) moved the capital from Faizabad
Faizabad (Hindustani pronunciation: ɛːzaːbaːd is a city located in Ayodhya district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated on the southern bank of the River Saryu about 6.5 km from Ayodhya City, the district headquarter, ...
to Lucknow. The Residency was constructed between 1780 and 1800. Construction started during the rule of Asaf-ud-Daula and ended during the rule of Saadat Ali Khan II, who was the fifth Nawab of Oudh.
Between 1 July 1857 and 17 November 1857, the Residency was subject to the Siege of Lucknow
The siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defence of the British The Residency, Lucknow, Residency within the city of Lucknow from rebel sepoys (Indian soldiers in the British East India Company's Army) during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After ...
, part of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...
. Lucknow was recaptured by the East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
in March 1858.
The Residency suffered extensive damage during the fighting, and has been in ruins ever since.
Architecture
The Residency has been maintained as it was at the time of the final relief during the Siege of Lucknow, and the shattered walls are still scarred by cannon shot. Ever since Indian Independence, little has changed. The ruined building is now surrounded by lawns and flowerbeds and serves as a tourist attraction. The cemetery at the nearby ruined church has the graves of 2,000 men, women and children, including that of Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence who died during the siege.
There is a weathered epitaph near the grave of Sir Henry that reads "Here lies the son of Empire who tried to do his duty" while another nearby grave reads "Do not weep my children, for I am not dead, but am sleeping here." A light and sound show to display the history of the Residency is also played each evening.
References
External links
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Residency Lucknow, The Buildings and structures in Lucknow India–United Kingdom relations Ruins in India Residencies of British India 1780 establishments in India