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The
evidence of First War of India's Independence of 1857 can be seen here.
The houses, offices, etc. in the Residency suffered heave damages due to
shelling and some structures of the Residency were completely razed to
ground.
The Residency complex today consists of ruins of several
buildings, each ruin has its own story to tell about the events of 1857.
The buildings were usually named after the persons who lived there.
These are still there like Dr. Fayerer's house, Brigade mets, Sago's
House, Kanpur Battery, Redan Battery, Sikh Square, Anderson's Post, etc.
and the area covered was about 33 acres.
An excavation was taken up here which brought to light a number of
burred structures including a well planned sewer system in addition to
remains of material culture of the period. A 1857 Memorial Museum has
also been set up here to depict an accurate presentation of the India's
First war of independence in 1857 in the Awadh.
During the tenure of John Bailley who became Resident of Lucknow during
the beginning of 19th Centuary, Nawab Saadat Ali Khan, got a Guard House
built here and this was known as Bailley Guard Gate. You will see it
while entering the Residency.
Present
State
The
Residency has been maintained as it was at the time of the final relief,
and the shattered walls are still scarred by cannon shot. Even since
Indian Independence, little has changed. The ruined building is
surrounded by lawns and flowerbeds and is a tourist attraction nowadays.
The
cemetery at the nearby ruined church has the graves of 2000 men, women
and children, including that of Sir Henry Lawrence who died during the
siege. There is a weathered epitaph near the grave of Sir Henry that
reads "Here lies the son of Empire who tried to do his duty" while
another nearby grave reads "Do not weep my children, for I am not dead,
but am sleeping here." A light and sound show to show display the
history of the Residency is also played each evening.
Visitor
Information
Location
: Near Shaheed Smarak, around half kilometer from Hazratganj, on main MG
Road, Lucknow, UP, India
Entry Ticket : Rs.5/- only
Ideal time to visit : Any time but November to February are congenial.
What to See (attractions) : Museum inside the Residency is worth seeing.
Otherwise only ruins and graveyards situated in between beautiful greenery
and lawns.
How to reach Residency : Take an Auto or Rickshaw if you are in the city.
Getting There
Lucknow is
well connected with all metro and other important cities like Bangalore,
Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Jammu Tawi, Guwahati, Chandigarh, Pune,
Jaipur and Bhopal either by Lucknow Charbagh(N.R.) or by Lucknow
Junction(N.E.R.). Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (IATA: LKO, ICAO: VILK),
is situated at Amausi in the city of Lucknow, India.
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