Faizabad

Faizabad, 7km. from Ayodhaya,developed as a township nearly 220 years ago, during the reign of Safdar Jung, the second Nawab of Avadh ( 1739-54 ), who laid its foundation by making it his army headquarters.

Shuja-ud-daula, his successor settled at Faizabad after 1764 and built a fort known as Chhota Calcutta, now in ruins. In 1765, he built the Chowk and Tripaulia and subsequently laid out the Anguribagh and Motibagh to the south of it, Asafbagh & Bulandbagh to the west of the city.

During the reign of Shuja-ud-daula, Faizabad attained prosperity which it never saw again. The principle achievement of the period was the mausoleum of Shuja-ud-daula, famous as Gulab Bari. It is a striking building of fine properties, standing in a garden surrounded by a wall, approachable through two large gateways.

Shuja-ud-daula's wife was the well known Bahu Begum, who married the Nawab in 1743 and continued to reside in Faizabad, her residence being the Moti-Mahal. Closeby at Jawaharbagh lies her Maqbara, where she was buried after her death. It is considered to be one of the finest buildings of its kind in Avadh, which was built at the cost of three lakh rupees by her chief advisor Darab Ali Khan.

A fine view of the city is obtainable from top of the Begum's tomb. Bahu Begum was a woman of great distinction and rank.

Most of the Muslim buildings at Faizabad are attributed to her. From the date of Bahu Begum's death, till the annexation of Avadh, the city of Faizabad gradually fell into decay.

The glory of Faizabad eclipsed with the shifting of capital from Faizabad to Lucknow by Nawab Asaf-ud-daula.

Excursion
Fort Calcutta
Fort Calcutta was constructed by Shuja-ud-daulah after he suffered defeat at the hands of the British, in the Battle of Buxer in 1764. The fort has massive clay ramparts. The Nawab lived here, and after his death on the 26th January, 1775, it continued to be the resident of his widow, Bahu Begum. After Shuja-ud-daulah, the fort declined in importance and Lucknow became the seat of power of the next Nawab, Asaf-ud-daulah.

Mausoleum of Bahu Begum
Built in 1816, the mausoleum of Bahu Begum is ‘the finest building of the kind in Oudh’. Built in white marble, it is 42m high.

Gulab Bari
The plan and chief features of this building are taken from Gulab Bari, another important monument at Faizabad. Bahu Begum, widow of Shuja-ud-daulah, fell prey to the conspiracy hatched by Asaf-ud-daulah in connivance with the British East India Company.

The role of Warren Hastings (1774-85), the first Governor General of Bengal, in the whole episode is not above reproach.

They tried to deprive the widow of the immense wealth which she had inherited from her husband.

Mausoleum of Shuja-ud-daulah or Gulab Bari
Situated 2.5km from the Mausoleum of Bahu Begum, the mausoleum of Shuja-ud-daulah was built in 1775. The ground floor contains three tombstones.

The tomb in the centre is that of Shuja-ud-daulah, while to its left lies the tomb of his mother. The third one is that of his father. The complex also houses a mosque and an imambara (tomb of a Shiite Muslim holy man). The imambara lies to the south of the tombs.

Museum
There exists a fine museum in the Guptar Park, near the Guptar Ghat. Within the park lies a temple, located at the place from where Rama is believed to have disappeared.

There are some beautiful temples at the Guptar Ghat such as Chakra Harji Vishnu Temple and Gupta Harji and Raja Mandir. Imprints believed to be of Rama’s feet have been found in the Chakra Harji Vishnu Temple.

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Getting There
By Road
The city is about 130 k.m. from Lucknow, 200 k.m. from Varanasi, 160 k.m. from Allahabad, 140 k.m. from Gorakhpur and about 636 k.m. from Delhi. Buses are frequently available from Lucknow, Delhi and Gorakhpur. Buses are also available from Varanasi, Allahabad and other places as per their shedule.

By Rail
Trains are available from Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi and Allahabad.

By Air
Faizabad has an Airport at Naka, near Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia University but no regular airlines services are available. Nearest airport is Lucknow (about 130 k.m.).

Weather
The Climate of the district may be treated as normal. The effect of rains, winter and summer are not very harsh. So a pleasant whether remains throughout the year. Usually the summer expands from april to July, the rainy season from August to September and the winter from October to March.

Temperature
Maximum - 43.7 °C
Minimum - 2.2 °C

Rainfall Normal : 1035 mm.

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