Nawab - the plural of the Arabic word 'naib', meaning 'assistant' - was the term given to governors appointed by the Mughal emperor all over India to assist him in managing the Empire. In the absence of expeditious transport and communication facilities, they were practicallyy independent rulers of their territory and wielded the power of life and death over their subjects. The Nawabs of Lucknow w
ere in fact the Nawabs of Awadh, but were so refrred to because after the reign of the third Nawab, Lucknow became the capital of their realm. The city was North India’s cultural capital, and its nawabs, best remembered for their refined and extravagnt lifestyles, were patrons of the arts. Under them music and dance flourished, and many monuments were erected.[20] Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chhota Imambara, and the Rumi Darwaza are notable examples. One of the more lasting contributions by the Nawabs is the syncretic composite culture that has come to be known as the Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb.......
