General Wali Kothi or Tarei Kothi(Star House) Lucknow, UP: Royal observatory became a Hub of 1857 Rebels

The General Wali Kothi (Tare Wali Kothi)
upload.wikimedia.org

 Above image:  Tara Kothe or Star House Why was it called the Star House? It was intended for an astronomical observatory by the Navabi rulers,well known for their extravaganza. Built by Nusseer-ood-deen Haider under European guidance, the house had expensive astronomical instruments. But during the 1857 rebellion the instruments were all damaged.  Later it became a stronghold of the rebels against the British which was later captured by Sir Colin Campbell's force in 1857.There once  stood a building known as the Bank of Bengal........

 

The General Wali Kothi, widely known as Tare Wali Kothi (Star Mansion), is a remarkable neoclassical landmark in Lucknow that has transitioned from a royal center of science to a hub of revolutionary activity  against EIC 's  misrule and finally to a cornerstone of modern banking.

The General Wali Kothi (Tare Wali Kothi)
upload.wikimedia.org

Historical Origins and the Royal Observatory

Commissioned in 1832 by Nawab Nasir-ud-Din Haidar Shah, the building was envisioned as a premier royal observatory. The Nawab, an enthusiast of astronomy and astrology, modeled the facility after the Greenwich Observatory in England. Though construction began under Captain James Herbert, it was completed only in 1841 during the reign of Muhammad Ali Shah, with Colonel Richard Wilcox serving as the Royal Astronomer.

General Wali Kothi,upload.wikimedia.org
image: A.K.Saxsana

The kothi was architecturally advanced for its time:

The Central Pillar: A massive 20-meter masonry pillar (sometimes described as brass in lore) rose from the ground floor through the roof to provide a vibration-free base for the main telescope.

The Rotating Dome: The rooftop featured a hemispherical metal dome that could be rotated using a pulley system, with movable shutters for celestial observation.

Instruments: It housed state-of-the-art barometers, magnetometers, and telescopes. Following Wilcox's death in 1847 and the subsequent political upheaval, these instruments were lost or destroyed.

The 1857 Rebellion and Transformation

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the building’s strategic location and sturdy construction led to its use as the headquarters for Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah, a prominent leader of the insurgent forces. It served as a meeting place for the rebel council, where they coordinated defense plans against British forces.

After the British reoccupied Lucknow, the building underwent several functional changes:

Imperial Bank of India: In the early 20th century, the bank occupied and restored the building. A notable event occurred in October 1923 when the Gomti River flooded the area for 15 days, forcing bank staff and clients to navigate the premises by boat.

State Bank of India: Since 1955, it has served as the SBI Branch Head Office. Despite these modern adaptations, the "Star House" maintains its classical character, characterized by multi-foliated arches and high-ceilinged halls.

Present Status

SBI Bank Building, knocksense.com

.SBI Bank Building, knocksense.com

Today, Tare Wali Kothi is a protected monument (since 1920) and a rare example of Indo-European palace architecture. It remains in active use by the State Bank of India, which has helped preserve its interior plaster moldings and structural integrity.

https://www.knocksense.com/lucknow/from-a-royal-observatory-to-sbi-branch-know-all-about-the-190-yr-old-tare-wali-kothi-in-lucknow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Wali_Kothi

The Royal Observatory of Awadh

This video provides a visual tour of the Kothi and discusses how it connected 19th-century Lucknow to the global history of astronomy.

K .N. Jayaraman