Navigating Space: Architectural Elements as Socio-Cultural Connectors
Archiving the architectural elements that define the galiyaan of Lucknow.
Read1. Chabutra: The Social Threshold
In the galis of Lucknow, the chabutra is more than a raised platform, it may be a simple brick plinth or a tiled or mosaic platform. It is the city’s most humble yet enduring social stage. Found outside homes, under trees, or at key street corners, chabutras serve as extensions of domestic life into the public realm. Chabutras are, where morning tea is shared, where neighbours gather for a chat, children play, and elders rest in the shade. In some cases such as the Rastogi Tola and Taksaal Gali, they may be integrated into the façade itself. They also double up as shop fronts or seating spaces for roadside vendors.
Symbolically, the chabutra holds immense cultural weight. Chabutras foster informal exchange, trust, and visibility within dense urban living. In a city known for its tehzeeb, the chabutra quietly upholds the culture of hospitality and shared living.
2. Chajjah: Ornament and Shade in Equal Measure
A signature feature of Lucknow’s architectural grammar, the chajjah is the overhanging eave or projected shade that punctuates nearly every façade. Found above doors, windows, and balconies, chajjahs serve both climatic and decorative functions, shielding from the summer sun and monsoon rain while adding visual rhythm to the built form. They enable passive cooling and in many galis, women use these shaded spaces to observe the street below, offering visibility without exposure.
Crafted from carved wood, brick, or stucco, chajjahs in Lucknow often exhibit intricate detailing, lotus brackets, jali patterns, or guardian figurines, especially in Art Nouveau-influenced homes like those in Batashey Wali Gali. In colonial buildings, cast iron or wooden chajjahs with gothic or neoclassical flourishes evoke a different design line.
3. Narrow Alleys and Verandahs: Architecture of Proximity
Lucknow’s narrow galis are not just routes; they are rich sensory corridors that embody an architecture of intimacy. Often no wider than six to ten feet, these lanes are spatially constricted yet socially expansive, designed to encourage interaction, shade, and neighbourly connection.
Within these galis, verandahs act as semi-public extensions of the home. Whether it’s a collonaded space in a colonial bungalow or a projecting jharokha in a Nawabi residence, verandahs blur the line between the private and the public. They host everything from casual conversations to wedding rituals, becoming vibrant stages of daily life. In Rassi Bataan and Taksaal Gali, one often finds residents leaning out of verandahs, exchanging greetings, or watching the world go by. In the narrowness and openness of these alleys and verandahs lies a timeless model for sustainable, community-driven urbanism.
4. Courtyards: The Breathing Heart of a Gali Home
Tucked behind modest facades in Lucknow’s galis lie internal courtyards, open-to-sky spaces that serve as the lungs and soul of the home. Known as "aangan" in local parlance, these spaces are designed for light, ventilation, and life. Surrounded by rooms on all sides, the aangan offers privacy while remaining open. In Nawabi homes, these courtyards are often flanked by ornate colonnades or pillared verandahs. In more modest homes, they are functional, yet no less significant. During festivals, the courtyard becomes a canvas, decorated with rangoli, lamps, or ceremonial installations.
The disappearance of courtyards today, marks not just a spatial loss but a cultural one. Celebrating and preserving the courtyard is vital to keeping the rhythm of traditional Lucknowi life alive.
5. Gates: Portals of Identity and Control
The galis of Lucknow often begin and end with a gate, a threshold that is both practical and symbolic. From arched gateways with pierced jalis in Rastogi Tola to more humble brick entries in Maulviganj, gates announce the presence of a precinct, a community, or a family lineage.
Historically, these gates served multiple functions: security during turbulent times, social control through caste-based demarcation, and architectural punctuation within a meandering urban fabric. Many of these gateways were closed at night and opened at dawn, defining the rhythm of the street’s life.
Stylistically, gates reflect the architectural language of their time, Mughal cusped arches, colonial keystones, or Art Deco signage. Some even bear names and dates, revealing layers of family or community histories.
6. Terraces: The Skyward Rooms of the Gali
In Lucknow’s galis, the terrace, or chhat, is the most versatile room with no walls. It’s where laundry dries, children fly kites, women gather to chat or stitch, and families sleep under the stars during summer. The terrace is an emotional landscape, elevated yet deeply rooted in the rhythms of daily life.
Architecturally, terraces in older homes are often enclosed with parapet walls adorned with jalis or sculpted cornices. Art Deco houses may feature curved edges or geometric railing designs. In Nawabi-era homes, the terraces link directly to domed stairwells or corner kiosks, forming a spatial continuum from the ground to the sky.
Terraces are also essential for climate responsiveness, offering thermal release during hot days and passive insulation. Socially, they are informal gathering spaces, often shared among neighbours in adjoining homes.
A documentation of the architectural styles and elements of the Gali Kooche of Lucknow.
Documentation
Tauheed Haider
Photography
Anshubhi Singh
Ayan Bose
