Bara Imambara

Bara means big and an Imambara is a congregation hall for Shia ritual ceremonies. The Bara Imambara in Lucknow was built by Asaf-ud-daulah in 1784 and is also known as the Chota Imambara and the Asafi Imambara. It was built, on a magnificent scale, as a famine relief project – to provide work for starving people. The step well (baoli) is more characteristic of Hindu than Muslim architecture but integrates with the Imambara and mosque to create a ‘paradise garden’ quality. See chart of Asian garden design styles