Image source, dag collection Image caption,

Sita Ram's striking watercolour of Bara Imambara, a historical building complex in northern India

By Sudha G Tilak

Delhi

The painting above depicts the open area in front of Bara Imambara, a historical building complex in Lucknow, the capital city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Built in 1784 as part of a famine relief works project by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula, the prince of the royal house of Oudh, it is one of the last great and palatial buildings constructed in the Mughal style. The complex includes several structures, including the Bhool Bhulaiya (a labyrinth) and the Asfi mosque.

Look at the painting again. You can see the outer gate of the complex, and the Imambara itself is out of view. To reach the imposing building, visitors have to pass through this gate and two large courtyards before reaching the central hall, which is one of the world's largest arched constructions without the support of beams or pillars.

In the painting, straight ahead, there's the Rumi Darwaza, the imposing gateway to old Lucknow. Then there's a solitary elephant and some scattered people.