Bara Imambara

One of the great things about this semester's trip to India was that we were able to go to places that I've never visited before. Obviously, I'm happy to visit the Taj Mahal countless times, but it's still nice to see new things. This time we made it to Lucknow, and that was a great experience.  I wish we would have had more time there.  The trip up to the Dudhwa nature preserve (more on that late) took more time that I thought, so we arrived back into Lucknow (we had flown into Lucknow from Delhi, but then immediately headed north in a bus) so we didn't arrived into Lucknow until later afternoon. All the students loved the Bara Imambara, which was built in the late 18th century, and is an utterly unique architectural structure.  I'm definitely hoping to get back there again next year if we go back to India in the spring (the college may have finally worn me down and convinced me to punt on the trips, although I'm sure I'll feel recharged after the summer).

The magnificent front entrance to the Bara Imambara.

I took way too many pictures of the massive mosque on the grounds.  Sadly, I wasn't able to get inside for a look, let alone a prayer.

The main hall of the Bara Imambara.  I don't think this picture truly gives a sense of its enormity.

A view of the roof in one of the antechambers. My friend Steve grace me grief for posting this on Facebook because I had chosen a simple, clean design to post instead of something more representative of the most iconographic country in the world. That said, this is a classic representation of Islamic art, and, well . . .

This picture doesn't truly give a sense of the beauty of the building.

At the top of the building is an absolutely amazing labyrinth. I guide told us we had no time to visit it, and I quietly explained that not going in wasn't an option (I had to live with the students for the rest of the semester).  If we go back next year I'm going to make sure that they have plenty of time at the Bara Imambara, and at least two hours to get magnificently lost in the labyrinth. 

We don't need no stinkin' OSHA regulations - or my student Olivia trying to get her poor professor a heart attack.

Another picture of the mosque, which gives a better feel to how massive it is.