Shiite buildings of Awadh : characteristics and nomenclature

The region of Awadh (also known in older British sources as Oudh or Oude), located in northern India and now constituting a part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, for several centuries has remained one of the largest and most significant Shiite centres in the Subcontinent. A particularly important role in shaping its cultural tradition was played by the Shiite dynasty of Nishapuri nawabs, which ruled the Awadh between 1722 and 1858. The cultural and religious heritage of the Shiites manifests itself, among other things, in the architecture of the region, abounding especially in buildings erected in connection with the mourning celebrations of the month of Muharram, commemorating the martyrdom and death of Imam Al-Husayn. Imambaras (assembly halls) and rauzas (mausoleums), dozens of which we find in Lucknow, the capital of historical Awadh, and in other localities of the region and thanks to which this part of the Subcontinent enjoys a unique character and colour, are characterized not only by specific Indo-Muslim architectural syncretism, but also by multi-source nomenclature. The names of the structures derive freely both from the indigenous languages, like Hindi and Urdu, and from the linguistic adstratum – mostly Persian and to some extent Arabic. The article aims at description and categorization of the main types of religious Shiite structures found in Awadh, as well as at characterization of their names.