Standing as a tribute to Lucknow's Nawabi heritage, the Asafi Imambara at the Bara Imambara is one of the unadulterated specimens of Mughal architecture in the city. The 18th Century mosque is revered as one of the oldest ibadatgarhs of Lucknow and is now all set to undergo a facelift, under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India. As per reports, the ASI has allocated a budget of ₹75 lakh to refurbish and report the monument, covering the area occupied by the mosque and the 163ft balcony of its Persian Hall.

Dedicated budget for restoration of inner walls & balcony

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fproxy%2FtX7zVinslMWQxMY5crFpva4gvlXa9R7c02ubaHA3nRAQY57XSb4lKEP7NY3lZaouUVBc78BysEPZm86hGIA3vKZwvYXwn2DH_l5AoPk4QyAJWgOCAqDP0HhH_8Acz_TkFkhJCuMz5XQSkQxLpkSxEals7hHWMuH8&ho=https%3A%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com&s=384&h=3221901df5abda5222fbdf1508611523f0f4fda55baf6e09e4b2b3f912b23f61&size=980x&c=438310527 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="" photo_credit_src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/tX7zVinslMWQxMY5crFpva4gvlXa9R7c02ubaHA3nRAQY57XSb4lKEP7NY3lZaouUVBc78BysEPZm86hGIA3vKZwvYXwn2DH_l5AoPk4QyAJWgOCAqDP0HhH_8Acz_TkFkhJCuMz5XQSkQxLpkSxEals7hHWMuH8" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fproxy%252FtX7zVinslMWQxMY5crFpva4gvlXa9R7c02ubaHA3nRAQY57XSb4lKEP7NY3lZaouUVBc78BysEPZm86hGIA3vKZwvYXwn2DH_l5AoPk4QyAJWgOCAqDP0HhH_8Acz_TkFkhJCuMz5XQSkQxLpkSxEals7hHWMuH8%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Flh3.googleusercontent.com%26s%3D384%26h%3D3221901df5abda5222fbdf1508611523f0f4fda55baf6e09e4b2b3f912b23f61%26size%3D980x%26c%3D438310527%22%7D" expand=1]

Towering magnificently to the west of the Bara Imambara, Asafi Masjid is perched as the tomb to Asaf-ud-Daula, the King of this region in 1784. The building is said to be the epitome of the Mughal school of design and architecture, for it has no western influences in its construct. The mosque is an integral part of Lucknow's Bara Imamabara, which pulls in a huge number of tourists to its shrine every day.

Given its long-standing existence and heritage, the mosque is in dire need of a facelift and the ASI has taken up the duty, foremost. As per reports, a sum of ₹75 lakh has been dedicated for the repair and maintenance work of the site, of which around ₹50 lakh have been allocated to fix the inner walls of the building. The remaining ₹25 lakh will be used to restore the balcony of the Persian Hall, a letter of the ASI Director General V Vidynath said.

The need for maintenance at this site was brought to ASI's notice by S Mohammed Haider, who is lawyer and a heritage activist by progression. He highlighted how the restoration work of one of the oldest mosques in Lucknow was pending and urged for the due response. Haider has shown gratitude for the ASI for the allocation of funds now.

Once the restoration work is completed, Asafi Mosque is expected to shine in its erstwhile glory, attracting tourists by double-folds. With this, tourists will soon be allowed to visit the balcony, which was earlier shut down in 2019, given its rundown condition. In all, the facelift will enhance visitors experience at the monument.

- With inputs from Hindustan Times