LU’s iconic Lal Baradari may get a new lease of life
LUCKNOW: The old royal building on Lucknow University campus – Lal Baradari – which is in a shambles, may get a new lease of life. Concerned over the decaying structure, many dignitaries on behalf of the Citizens of Lucknow Group called upon LU vice-chancellor SP Singh in his office on Monday. They said that a roadmap for restoration of Lal Baradari be prepared.
Those who visited the varsity included Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (retd); Adity Chakravarti, social activist and Iqbal Kidwai, film producer for BBC and National Geographic.
“At present, the Baradari is sealed as has become structurally untenable. The dignitaries wanted to coordinate with LU for repair and restoration of the structure by arranging funds through corporate social responsibility of companies/corporate or other such means,” said LU spokesperson NK Pandey.
The group presented a letter of support from LU alumnus PC Sarkar, a scientist and writer of the book ‘Lucknow - Buildings and the British’. It was decided to arrange all the papers related to Lal Baradari and then decide in a meeting the course of action to be followed.
The structure is slowly getting converted into debris of red stone. The building was a place where Nawabs, during their visit to Badshahbagh (places around the university), came here in their leisure time. Being the garden of nawabs it was known as ‘Badshah Bagh’, said old timers.
There is a canal beneath the Lal Baradari building and the nawabs used to move through it. In the past, this ancient building was surrounded by gardens and the Nawabs of Oudh used to frequent this resting place. “Today, Lal Baradari is a landmark of LU and is gasping for breath,” said Pandey. “Lal Baradari had 12 doors. There were three doors with a small balcony in every direction, he said.