RUMI DARWAZA

RUMI DARWAZA LUCKNOW HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

1. FACULTY- NAME- TOFFIQ KHAN SHEET NO: 2 AR. PRACHI NARANG 1732781047, B.ARCH HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE SEM:5, SEC-B SDCA RAR- 507 REMARKS- SESSION-2019-20 RUMI DARWAZA RUMI DARWAZA رومی دروازه INTRODUCTION THE RUMI DARWAZA, IN LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA, IS AN IMPOSING GATEWAY WHICH WAS BUILT UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF NAWAB ASAF-UD-DAULA IN 1784. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF AWADHI ARCHITECTURE. THE RUMI DARWAZA, WHICH STANDS SIXTY FEET TALL, WAS MODELED AFTER THE SUBLIME PORTE IN ISTANBUL. PLAN OF RUMI DARWAZA RUMI DARWAZA VIEW OF RUMI DARWAZA CUSPED ARCHES TURRETS KIOSK CONSTRUCTED IN THE YEAR 1784 BY NAWAB ASAD-UD-DAULA. CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY 1786. EXAMPLE OF THE FINE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF AWADH. ALSO KNIOWN BY THE NAME OF “TURKISH GATEWAY”. CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL IS LAKHORI BRICKS, BROWN LIME. THE RUMI DARWAZA HAS SEVERAL LEVELS AND THE PLAN OF THE STRUCTURE CHANGES ON EVERY LEVEL, AND ON THE EASTERN AND WESTERN SIDES. FROM ONE SIDE, IT LOOKS LIKE A LARGE “MIHRAB” ( A SEMICIRCULAR NICHE IN THE WALL OF A MOSQUE THAT INDICATES THE QIBLA, THE DIRECTION OF THE KAABA IN MECCA ) WHILE FROM THE OTHER IT LOOKS LIKE A HALF-CRESCENT SHAPED BUILDING. THERE ARE THREE ARCHED GATEWAYS IN THE CENTRE, THROUGH WHICH TRAFFIC PASSES EVEN TODAY. WALLS EXTEND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GATE, WITH MULTIPLE ARCHED GATES ON EACH SIDE, CULMINATING IN OCTAGONAL BASTIONS. THE BRICK AND STUCCO STRUCTURE IS ADORNED WITH BEAUTIFUL CALLIGRAPHY, LOTUS PETALS AND OTHER ENGRAVINGS. ALONG THE EDGE OF THE ARCH ON THE WESTERN SIDE, ARE A SERIES OF FLAMBOYANT “GULDASTAS” WHICH PROJECT OUTWARDS. THEY REMIND ME OF THE ALUMINIUM LOUDSPEAKERS CONES KNOWN IN CALCUTTA AS “CHONGA”.  A PENTAGONAL STRUCTURE ON THE ROOF OF THE GATEWAY HOLDS A PLATFORM WHICH LOOKS SOMEWHAT LIKE THE TOP OF A MEXICAN HAT. ACCESS TO THE TOP OF THE STRUCTURE IS PROBABLY POSSIBLE, AND THERE ARE CARETAKERS WHO STAY ON THE PREMISES, BUT FOR SOME REASON, I DIDN’T ATTEMPT TO CLIMB UP. FOR THOSE WHO DO, THE VIEW IS SPECTACULAR, AND IF YOU’RE A PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIAST, IT IS A SIGHT YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT WANT TO MISS. VIEW OF SURROUNDINGS FROM KIOSK LAKHURI BRICKS AND THICK LIME PLASTER FRONT VIEW REAR VIEW THIS GATEWAY WAS USED TO DEFINE THE ENTRY POINT TO THE CITY. THE RUMI DARWAZA MUST BE ON THE TOP OF TO-DO-LIST OF TO SEE THE FINE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS AND PATTERNS THAT HAVE BEEN CARVED ON THE WALLS OF THE GATEWAY. THE RUMI DARWAZA GOES UPTO A STAGGERING HEIGHT OF 60 FEET. THE UPPERMOST PART OF RUMI DARWAZA COMPRISES OF AN OCTAGONAL CHATRI (UMBRELLA) CARVED BEAUTIFULLY THAT CAN BE ACCESSED BY A STAIRCASE. THE WORD "RUMI" IS DERIVED FROM THE MODERN DAY ROME THAT USED TO BE ISTANBUL, THE CAPITAL CITY OF EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE. THE RUMI DARWAZA IS ONE OF THE FINEST GATEWAYS THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN LUCKNOW AND IS HIGHLY INSPIRED BY A SIMILAR GATEWAY IN ISTANBUL. ON TOP OF THE RUMI DARWAZA WAS KEPT A HUGE LANTERN THAT WOULD LIGHT UP THE STRUCTURE AT NIGHT MAKING IT LOOK ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. LITTLE JETS OF WATER WOULD RUSH OUT OF THE SIDES OF THE ARCH FROM BEAUTIFULLY CARVED FLOWER BUDS THUS MAKING IT LOOK LIKE A GATEWAY TO PARADISE. THE BEAUTIFULLY CARVED FLOWERS AND DESIGNS SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT THE UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE AND EYE FOR DETAIL. THE RUMI DARWAZA OF LUCKNOW IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES IN INDIA. IT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE YEAR 1784 BY NAWAB ASAF-UD-DAULA. THE RUMI DARWAZA IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FINE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF AWADH.