India restoring a centuries-old royal kitchen that never stopped serving food

In the heart of Uttar Pradesh, a team of artisans is meticulously reviving a royal kitchen that has remained operational for nearly two centuries. Located within the Chota Imambara complex—a mausoleum and prayer hall—the site in Lucknow serves as a testament to an enduring royal legacy. Built in 1837 by Muhammad Ali Shah, the former ruler of Awadh, the kitchen once catered to both the elite and the general public, particularly during religious festivals and special occasions.

Although India no longer has monarchs and Awadh is now a historical region within central Uttar Pradesh, its traditions persist. The kitchen, still active, provides meals to thousands during the holy months of Ramadan and Muharram, maintaining a practice of communal service established by the Nawabs. Historians note that in 1839, Muhammad Ali Shah gifted 3.6 million rupees to the East India Company, a substantial sum at the time, to ensure the upkeep of Awadhi monuments while allowing the kitchen to function independently through the interest from the fund.

The Restoration Process

After independence in 1947, the funds were transferred to a local bank. Today, the kitchen is overseen by the Hussainabad Trust, a body monitored by the state government, which continues to use the interest to sustain its operations. The recent restoration, initiated last October by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), aims to preserve the structure while restoring it to its original state.

“We are using slaked lime as the base. It is soaked for a month and then mixed with the pulp of wood apples, black gram, natural gum found in India—called gond—jaggery, and red brick dust,” says Aftab Hussain, a superintending archaeologist.

The project goes beyond structural repairs, focusing on recreating the kitchen’s historical elements. Workers have revived the traditional lime-based mortar, once prevalent in Mughal-era construction but now largely replaced by cement. Additionally, ‘lakhauri’ bricks—thin, burnt clay bricks characteristic of Awadhi architecture—are being reintroduced to maintain the original design.

A Legacy of Service

For descendants of the Awadh royal family, the restoration holds deep cultural significance. Yasir Abbas, a descendant of the former rulers, emphasizes its importance: “We are duty-bound to carry out the will of the king who introduced this practice of serving food.” Historian Roshan Taqui explains that the king designed two identical kitchens adjacent to the Chota Imambara, reflecting Awadhi architecture’s emphasis on symmetry. This dual setup remains functional today, with cooking continuing in one while restoration occurs in the other.

“During this Ramadan, while restoration was underway in one of the kitchens, cooking continued in the other,” Taqui says.

For locals like Syed Haider Raza, 80, the kitchen is more than a functional space—it is a cherished part of their heritage. Raza recalls decades of visiting the site to receive tabarrukh, or royal offerings, during Muharram, and to partake in sehri and iftar during Ramadan. “As children, we would see huge vessels in which…