How Rich Was The Nawab Of Lucknow? His Palace Is Worth Rs 10,000 Crore Today
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Wajid Ali Shah, last Nawab of Awadh, ruled from 1847-1856 and his Kaiserbagh Palace cost Rs 80 lakh then, equivalent to Rs 10,000 crore today
The phrase 'Are you the Nawab of Lucknow?" might sound like a teasing taunt today, but behind the jibe lies a real legacy of unparalleled opulence, cultural grandeur, and royal indulgence. Nearly 250 years after his rule, the name of the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, still resonates as a symbol of immense wealth – so vast that modern estimates peg it in the range of thousands of crores.
Wajid Ali Shah, who reigned from 1847 to 1856, may have ruled for just nine years, but he left behind a towering legacy; one built not only on palatial architecture and artistic patronage, but also on an economy powered by agriculture, trade, and tax revenues. Though there is no official audit of his wealth, historians and archival records suggest his possessions were nothing short of staggering by any era's standards.
Among his most magnificent achievements was the Kaiserbagh Palace complex, constructed between 1848 and 1850 at a then-astronomical cost of Rs 80 lakh. Adjusted for today's value, that figure hovers around Rs 10,000 crore, making it one of the most opulent royal estates of the time. And this was just one of many palaces under his rule.
The Nawab's court was sprawling and expensive. It included hundreds of wives, concubines, courtiers, artists, musicians, and servants. His taste for the finer things extended beyond architecture and poetry; he had an exotic menagerie that included monkeys, bears, and no fewer than 18,000 pigeons. His gardens weren't merely decorative, they were stages for grand dramas, elaborate dances, and poetic recitals that showcased the Nawab's deep patronage of art and culture.
After the British annexed Awadh in 1856, Wajid Ali Shah was forcibly exiled to Matiaburj in Kolkata. But exile didn't exactly mean poverty, at least not at first. The British government granted him an annual pension of Rs 12 lakh, a significant amount at the time, to sustain his royal lifestyle.
However, his expenses far exceeded this amount. According to an 1874 report by a correspondent of The New York Times, the Nawab's residence in Kolkata housed more than 7,000 people including courtesans, bodyguards, pets, and attendants. He even leased additional bungalows to support his lifestyle, indicating that he still retained private wealth even after his kingdom was snatched away.
When Royals Fell Into Debt
The grandeur couldn't last forever. Along with confiscating much of his wealth, the British government also imposed a colossal debt of £2 million (roughly Rs 20 crore in today's value) on the Nawab. While the pension continued, the burden of debt and the loss of steady revenue from Awadh steadily eroded the fortune.
The British took control of many of his lands, palaces, and treasures. Historians believe that the total value of assets seized by the East India Company – including properties, gold, artifacts, and cultural relics – could today amount to over Rs 2 lakh crore.
Years later, descendants of the royal family including Begum Wilayat Mahal demanded compensation from the government, alleging that their ancestral properties had been wrongfully confiscated. These demands, however, were mired in legal ambiguity and never resulted in substantial redress.
Despite the fall of his kingdom, Wajid Ali Shah remains a legend. His patronage of the arts gave rise to modern Kathak and enriched Hindustani music. And though his crown was taken, his legacy of elegance, extravagance, and poetic melancholy still defines the cultural memory of Lucknow.
First Published:
June 17, 2025, 18:59 IST
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