During the younger days when I used to read about a place, I wished I could visit the place and dreamt I was one of the protagonists of the novel, I was reading. There was a romantic feeling. And now when you come across the name of a place you google it and you are there virtually and in seconds you get all the information, photos and videos to make you believe you are there in person. It ends there since you have been there and done it all.
We have started losing all the enthusiasm and experience life offers.
But my story is not about the network or smartphones or artificial intelligence. I want to remain a fool in this intelligent world. When I was alone in Lucknow, on a Sunday and had nothing to do I started my maiden tour of the city of Lucknow. I boarded an auto rikshaw and then another and then walked and then again another rikshaw and then walked a few metres to reach the historical Bada Imambara.
As I entered it was a wow feeling. The huge space and the old architecture. Oh !!! is this here the Bhul Bhuaiya that I had read in the books so many years back? The place offered a feeling of serenity as I entered from one of the smaller entry routes. This is a pious place I said to myself.
What do I do now? I was not sure if the Bhul Bhulaiya is here. Being the time of winter vacation a lot of tourists were there. I found the long steps built with so accuracy of line and level. The Imambara looked so big and grand with the huge hall inside. I was mesmerized and took a walk all around the place from the back gate to the front to understand where exactly I have arrived. I found the board displaying the history of the place.
Then I found many signage requesting people not to spit. Lucknow being a Pan (betel leaf) loving place every other people will have a Pan stuffed mouth like Gajodhar Baiya of Raju Shrivastav fame.
I could then figure out a ticket counter selling tickets to the most attractive enclaves of the place. On enquiring, I understood the sale has closed for the day. I thought I will not be able to visit the Bhul Bhulaiya this time. But I was so happy with my being at the place I was not bothered much. Then I entered the main building and at the entrance got identified by a person as a potential visitor who offered his service as the guide to Bhul Bhulaiya with the assurance of getting the ticket done.
I gave in to him. And I should accept it was a wise decision.
It was pretty crowdy and the evening was nearing so we had to hurry. We started with dark steep steps in our way to the Bhul Bhulaiya. It is, in reality, the upper floors of the Imambara. With a few points of instructions and a code number so that we stay in a group with the guide and do not spread apart we began the journey into the small alleys. It is dark inside and no artificial lights have been arranged.
The guide explained many architectural uniqueness of the place and we could verify them in person. Some were not so true and were exaggerated but went well with the spirits of the tourist gang. It kept ringing in my mind how could people create such a marvel so many years ago with no or very little mechanization. So perfect calculation. Such perfect strategic points to keep an eye on the outside as well the inside.
While moving in the group it felt easy and I thought why people say you cannot get out of the maze on your own. In one instance I was left behind from the group and was confident of getting out through the other way. But sooner than later the fear of being lost and trapped in the maize gripped me strongly. With great luck, I was not too late to find my group again with the darkness engulfing the darker alleys of the maze.
What a relief !!! it's not so easy feeling to be lost in such a place in a new city.
It was a moment of another relief when I finally got out of this confusing place into the fresh air outside. It was cold outside. Then it was our turn to visit the big well with a much bigger structure housing that. It is said that the water of the Gomti river feeds the well. There are strategic points inside from where the water of the well acts a mirror and one can see anyone entering the place. This was another maze and people may as well get lost. With the evening setting is it was fearsome to be left alone in such a place. Even the mosquitoes were looking bigger than usual.
Did I tell you about the big mosque adjoining the place? it is yet another beautiful architectural structure. I had the wish of going inside but refrained since Namaz was going on. Such big.
When on the roof of the Imambara I could get a view of the Lucknow city and a few good photos which I would like to share.
When I was outside the historical monument it was dark and the lights were on illuminating the masterpiece. All the people were leaving and the place will remain all alone for so many more years bringing surprise to its visitors. A few hours of a visit is very less to know the place. Maybe many days or even years would be apt to know about the stories this building has to say.
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