India, Jan. 25 -- Nasir-ud-Din Haider, the second king of Awadh, who reigned from 1827 to 1837, remains a figure often overlooked by history, despite his notable contributions to the development of Lucknow. Among his accomplishments were the establishment of the Observatory, known as Taaron Wali Kothi, the construction of the Ghazi-ud-Din Haider canal and the creation of architectural marvels such as the Chhota (khurd) Chattar Manzil, Darshan Bilas and Gulistan-e-Iram. He also initiated the Shahi Shifa Khana, providing essential medical care to the underprivileged. Ironically, his European-centric, quirky ways rendered him a target of mockery among the British, and his untimely demise, attributed to poisoning, has been linked to the palace intrigues in the royal court, ostensibly encouraged by British officials. Nasir was fascinated by European lifestyle and preferred to keep himself surrounded by Europeans, not all of whom were men of integrity. In fact, he started off his rule by adopting a royal crown, having a 12-pointed diamond diadem with a large central ruby, together with an ermine cape, more suited for a European ruler than an Indian one. He employed several Europeans in his court in various capacities - these included Mr Carnegie, a silversmith and jeweller, Mr Sago, a sort of major domo (the house of Mrs Sago, in the Residency premises later became famous as 'Sago's Post' during the events of 1857), Alexandre Casanova, a court painter, JM Sinclair, civil engineer, JD Lock, appointed on compassionate grounds, on the death of his father, who had been a painter in the Nawabi court, Edward Cropley, librarian, John Rose Brandon, gardener and Mr Wright, Nasir's English tutor. The king also married a European girl, Emma Walters, giving her the title of 'Muqddara-e-Alia' - but she would be better known in Awadh history as 'Vilayati Begum.' In this article, however, we shall discuss about a barber from England and a tailor from Sitapur, who wielded considerable clout in the Nawabi court, albeit for a short while. George Derusett, a barber or 'hairdresser' from England had first landed in Calcutta, with his brother, William. They migrated to Lucknow in search of greener pastures, and managed to enter the services of Nasir-ud-Din Haider, through the recommendation of John Low, the Resident. George soon became a favourite of the king, while another brother, Charles looked after the hairdressing angle (William had died within two years of his arrival at Lucknow). George's extended family resided in the Dil-Aram Kothi (since demolished) on the north bank of the Gomti, and he assumed a wide range of functions, ranging from managing the king's household, fitting the royal pleasure boats, looking after the king's wardrobe (including the periodic repair of the royal crown), maintaining the royal stables, and most important of all, looking after the personal safety of the king, as the latter feared that he might be poisoned to death by his enemies. With the king's retinue being answerable to George, particularly in financial matters, George managed to amass quite a fortune for himself in the process. British society being extremely class-conscious in those days, a barber's hold over the king rankled other Europeans present, and the Resident himself, was none too pleased by the goings-on in the Nawabi court. Eventually, George fell out of favour and was forced to flee from Lucknow, reaching London, with his ill-gotten gains. The origins of Makka Darzi (darzi = tailor) are unclear, although he has been described by writers as a 'tailor by caste and a fashion designer by profession.' Among all the administrators/rulers of Awadh (1722-1856), only Nasir-ud-Din seemed to have a penchant for western attire and Mian Makka satisfied the king's sartorial tastes by way of creating elegant European dresses. The king's Indian dresses were already being designed and stitched by a group of tailors from Calcutta, who had settled in Lucknow. For his western creations, Makka was paid handsomely, but it seems that eventually, he also fell victim to court intrigues (as did the king) and was banished from Lucknow. This enigmatic tailor is credited for building a serai and garden near Bakshi ka Talab, Lucknow, as well as an Imambada and Kadam Rasool at Khairabad, Sitapur. The name of the locality, Makkaganj, in Lucknow is also derived from the name of Makka Darzi. His architectural creations are in a ruinous state at present, which is indeed a pity. It must be noted that Makka Darzi's Kadam Rasool was a more ornate structure with painted interiors and lofty pediments and chattris, as compared to Lucknow's Kadam Rasool. Needless to say, these monuments, whether at Lucknow or Sitapur, another quaint legacy of Awadh, need to be restored immediately, under expert hands, without any religious implications. PC Sarkar, a former scientist, has authored several books on the forgotten heritage of Lucknow...