India, Dec. 14 -- In the year 1775, with the transfer of Awadh's capital from Faizabad to Lucknow, a modest contingent of British troops was stationed on the northern bank of river Gomti, directly opposite the Daulat Khana palace complex of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula. But, it was during the rule of Sa'adat Ali Khan that the first official army cantonment of the East India Company was established, a stretch that extended from the Sitapur Road (known as Mohibullapur) to what is currently recognised as Aliganj, reaching beyond Chandganj in Lucknow. This area was known as Madiaon (or Mariaon), named after an ascetic Mandal Rikh, who had earlier resided in the neighbouring forest. The astute Nawab sought to maintain a strategic distance between the British forces and the heart of his Capital, enforced strict regulations governing the conduct of the soldiers encamped there. A notable decree stipulated that, 'No delinquents were to be granted refuge within the premises, and any criminals attempting to conceal themselves there would be surrendered to the Nawab.' The earliest recorded description of this fledgling army cantonment, also known as 'Paltan Gaon' or 'Murriaon', was provided by Lt Thomas Lumsden (Bengal Horse Artillery) in his travelogue, 'Journey From Merut in India to London', in 1819. On a visit to Lucknow after obtaining permission from JR Monckton, the then Resident, Lumsden described the site having 'a good piece of ground for the exercise of troops, with a line of small buildings for depositing the arms in the rear. Next to these were the huts of the sepoys and in their rear, the bungalows of the officers, built in cottage style, very well adapted for the climate, and each having a garden around it, with a range of out-offices, consisting of a kitchen, stables and servants.' Later, Mordaunt Ricketts, who was Resident during 1823-1827, made an attempt to replicate the English countryside, which left visitors both astonished and delighted when they came across a herd of English cattle that the Resident had arranged for. Ricketts preferred to reside in the cantonment rather than in the Residency, and his dwelling was christened as 'Ricketts Sahib ka Bangla.' Madiaon cantonment had Lines for Infantry Regiments, a battery of European Horse Artillery and a Bullock Battery of Regular Native Artillery. Entertainment was available through a race course, cricket matches at the Gend Ghar, a ballroom and a theatre. At least two European shops sold imported goodies. In the evenings, the Band Stand was a congregating point for families. A small church catered to the religious requirements of the inhabitants. The Baillie's Guard Gate at the Residency was manned by soldiers from the cantonment. Hence, the graveyard in the cantonment came to be known as the Baillie's Guard Cemetery, or the 'Beligarad' we know today. The graveyard was a grim reminder of the harsh realities of colonial life, as the British, especially the children, suffered high mortality rates. With no obvious military role, the Madiaon Cantonment continued to function in a curious 'dream-like atmosphere' for half a century. Perhaps the only direct action that the cantonment saw was the action of its soldiers who aided Col John Low, the Resident in regaining control of the Lal Baradari on July 7, 1837, when Badshah Begum, dowager queen of Ghazi-ud-Din Haider, laid siege to the place and tried to push through the coronation of Munna Jan, as successor to Nasir-ud-Din Haider. George Duncan Beechey, portrait artist in the Nawabi court died in Lucknow in 1852 and was buried in the Madiaon cemetery. The ship carrying his best portraits to England for exhibition had sunk in the sea, before reaching its destination. His house known as 'Beeechey Sahib ka Bangla 'in the Madiaon Cantonment was later occupied by Rev Polehampton, Chaplain of Lucknow. Polehampton had written in one of his letters that Beechey's house had an ill-reputation, and only a priest could survive in it. The trigger for the massacre at the cantonment was perhaps an ill-advised move of Dr Wells, surgeon of the 48th Native Infantry. On April 6, 1857, the visiting doctor inadvertently tested the efficacy of a carminative in a bottle, by applying it to his own mouth, before offering it to an Indian sepoy who was unwell. His action caused uproar among the Indian soldiers stationed there. Despite Henry Lawrence's subsequent efforts to defuse the situation, on the night of May 30, 1857, the 71st Native Infantry, together with the 48th and 7th Light Cavalry at Madiaon, rose in rebellion, killing Brig Hanscombe, Lt Grant and wounding Lt Hardinge. The rebellious Indian soldiers then proceeded towards the city, but not before all 21 officers' bungalows had been torched and reduced to rubble. On June 29, 1857, Madiaon was finally abandoned. In 1860, it was decided by the colonial government to retain the old cantonment as a separate 'mauza' (administrative unit) called 'Chownee Murriaon' to be ultimately handed over to the civilian authorities, by selling it off to the highest bidder, provided the burial ground, cordoned off by a boundary wall erected by the PWD, was retained. Visiting the area in 1913, Maj AT Anderson (Royal Field Artillery) observed that the wall forming a semi-circle on each side of the Sitapur road and the building mentioned by Polehampton still stood. A mound, said to cover the remains of the church was visible, as pointed out by the local people. Remains of the sepoy lines on the high ground close to the village, east of the railway, and the tank made for use of the sepoys were still in existence. The foundations of several bungalows scattered around the cantonment could be seen, but practically nothing had survived above the level of the ground surface. Today, surrounded by modern houses, as envisaged in 1860 by the colonial authorities (see above), what remains of the Madiaon Cantonment is just the cemetery, listed as 'Madianv Cemetery' by Google, a Centrally Protected Monument, having few funerary monuments and graves, recently spruced up, indicating the turbulent times of 1857. The name 'Madiaon' persists, but other than the unusual name, the common citizen remains blissfully unaware of the origins and historical significance of the area. PC Sarkar, a former scientist, has authored several books on the forgotten heritage of Lucknow...