On the trail of the divine
A reminder that faith and worship are omnipresent in India, part of a grand symphonic ensemble
Curated By: Amit Pasricha
BARA IMAMBARA, LUCKNOW
A man prays, facing eastwards towards Mecca, in one of the halls of the Bara Imambara in Lucknow. A structure peculiar to the Shia Muslim sect, the imambara is not a mosque, but a congregation hall usually used during the Muharram month of the Islamic calendar. Whereas the interiors of a mosque are devoid of ornamentation, an imambara is usually decorated, with sumptuous chandeliers, crystal candelabra, stained glass and silver alams — a handprint that is the insignia of the martyrs.
A man prays, facing eastwards towards Mecca, in one of the halls of the Bara Imambara in Lucknow. A structure peculiar to the Shia Muslim sect, the imambara is not a mosque, but a congregation hall usually used during the Muharram month of the Islamic calendar. Whereas the interiors of a mosque are devoid of ornamentation, an imambara is usually decorated, with sumptuous chandeliers, crystal candelabra, stained glass and silver alams — a handprint that is the insignia of the martyrs.
