India Tourism » Cities » Ayodhya Travel

Faizabad

Shuja-ud-daula, his successor settled at Faizabad after 1764 and built a fort known as Chhota Calcutta, now in ruins. In 1765, he built the Chowk and Tripaulia and subsequently laid out the Anguribagh and Motibagh to the south of it, Asafbagh & Bulandbagh to the west of the city.

Faizabad, 7km. from Ayodhaya,developed as a township nearly 220 years ago, during the reign of Safdar Jung, the second Nawab of Avadh ( 1739-54 ), who laid its foundation by making it his army headquarters.

During the reign of Shuja-ud-daula, Faizabad attained prosperity which it never saw again. The principle achievement of the period was the mausoleum of Shuja-ud-daula, famous as Gulab Bari. It is a striking building of fine properties, standing in a garden surrounded by a wall, approachable through two large gateways. Shuja-ud-daula's wife was the well known Bahu Begum, who married the Nawab in 1743 and continued to reside in Faizabad, her residence being the Moti-Mahal. Closeby at Jawaharbagh lies her Maqbara, where she was buried after her death. It is considered to be one of the finest buildings of its kind in Avadh, which was built at the cost of three lakh rupees by her chief advisor Darab Ali Khan.

A fine view of the city is obtainable from top of the Begum's tomb. Bahu Begum was a woman of great distinction and rank.

Most of the Muslim buildings at Faizabad are attributed to her. From the date of Bahu Begum's death, till the annexation of Avadh, the city of Faizabad gradually fell into decay.

The glory of Faizabad eclipsed with the shifting of capital from Faizabad to Lucknow by Nawab Asaf-ud-daula.