Page:The Lucknow album 1874 by Darogha Ubbas Alli.djvu/42

 a state of intense excitement, the argument in the Lal Baradurree was fast approaching a riot ; the usurper attempted to coerce the British Resident into acknowledging his right to the succession ; the Resident, Colonel' Lowe, resolutely refused to present the accustomed nuzzur, or offering, to Moonna Jan, and finding a number of insurgents about the place, gave orders for cannon to be brought to bear on the building, and would undoubtedly have reduced it to ruins, had not Moonna Jan, with his mother, the Badsha Begum, and all their followers, made their escape, leaving Nussur-ood-dowlah in undisputed possession of the throne.

The grandest Durbar ever known in Lucknow was held in the Lal Baradurree : it took place on the triumphal entry of Lord Canning into the capital ; every noble in Oudh was present in his most glaring costume, resplendent with jewellery, the staff of the Governor-General was extremely brilliant ; probably neither before nor since has so picturesque "a scene been witnessed in the Lal Baradurree.

The result of that Durbar formed a new era in the history of Oudh ; the nobles were clearly given to understand who were their Governors, and what was the policy of the British Government.

The Lal Baradurree is kept, by the British Government, in a state of good preservation, and is used up to the present day for the purpose of holding durbars, whenever such assemblies are necessary.

The same road leads to a spot that will ever be held sacred in history : it is the— 

From such a poor common name very little can be gathered, but really there is no name that can be given ;