Parikhana (Hindi Edition)

While the Parikhana is a revealing account of the colorful life of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, it is also a valuable document of nineteenth-century Lucknowi culture. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (30 July 1822 21 September 1887) was the tenth and last Nawab of Awadh, ruling for nine years. He was a skilled ruler and a sensitive king, deeply passionate about literature and culture, and loved to indulge in romance. He was a skilled Kathak dancer and a true practitioner of classical music, inventing several new ragas. He played a significant role in popularizing the classical singing genre, Thumri. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was also a keen reader and author of over 60 books. During the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Lucknow became the cultural center of North India, offering opportunities for every artist to showcase their talents. In Lucknow, he established a colorful palace called Parikhana, where hundreds of girls were taught dance and music at royal expense. The girls who graduated from here were called fairies, such as Sultan Pari and Mahrukh Pari. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah married many of them, and this book provides a candid account of the relationships between these fairies.
The building called Parikhana still stands in Lucknow, and it houses a music school.