ABSTRACT
Lucknow in the late nineteenth century was a city whose remarkable past had imparted to it a unique character. First raised to prominence as the capital of the Nawabs of Awadh (Oudh), it was still dominated physically by their architectural remains. It was especially significant as a centre of Muslim life in northern India. When the Congress met in Allahabad in 1888 and 1892, Lucknow had more Muslim delegates in attendance than the host city, whose Congress organization was the strongest in the Province. In early December anti-Congress Muslims held a gigantic rally in Lucknow to denounce the Indian National Congress and repudiate its claim to represent Muslims as well as Hindus. Hamid Ali Khan's defeat in the legislative council elections in 1893 and 1895 was a significant blow to Varma's efforts to make the Congress a political vehicle for Muslims as well as Hindus.
