Chota Imambara

The Chota Imambara — also called the Hussainabad Imambara — was built in 1838 by Muhammad Ali Shah, the third Nawab of Awadh, partly as a place of mourning for the martyrs of Karbala and partly as his own intended mausoleum. He and his mother are both buried inside the central hall, alongside ornate silver replicas of the original tombs at Karbala. The structure is smaller than the Bara Imambara (hence 'Chota', 'small') but more decorative: glistening gold-and-white domes, ornate stucco-work calligraphy, and Belgian crystal chandeliers donated to the imambara during the lavish Awadhi court period. Inside, the central hall is hung with hundreds of silver, gold, and crystal taziyas — replicas of Imam Hussain's mausoleum at Karbala — that are paraded through Lucknow during Muharram. The complex also includes the Satkhanda (a five-storey watchtower abandoned mid-construction) and Jama Masjid, all in Awadhi-Indo-Persian style. Visitors of all faiths welcome. Modest dress required. The complex is illuminated nightly with thousands of lamps during Muharram (Islamic month) — the most spectacular and crowded time to visit. Photography of interiors is restricted.