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In Hussainabad, located in the north Indian state of UP, 90-year-old Faiyaz Ali Khan makes his way to the Art Gallery, a 19th Century building that stands as a reminder of the region's regal history.

His hands tremble as he walks, but there is a gleam in his eyes. He has come to collect his wasika, a allowance granted to the descendants and connections of the former Awadh realm.

Wasika, derived from the Farsi word for a formal contract, is a pension given to the descendants and affiliates of the sovereigns of the previous Awadh state. Awadh, now the heartland of Uttar Pradesh, was governed by semi-autonomous Muslim rulers - called nawabs - until the British East India Company annexed it in 1856.

India no longer has a royal system, and former royals lack any honorifics, privileges or special payments, called privy purses. However, while their kingdoms and political power have long disappeared, some pension arrangements have continued for descendants of these families in states including UP, the southern state, and the western state.

Roshan Taqui, a historian of Lucknow, where Hussainabad is situated, says that in the beginning of the nineteenth century some individuals of the Awadh dynasty lent money to the British enterprise - which was then a commercial entity - on the agreement that the earnings be distributed as pensions to their families. These loans were ongoing, meaning the Company never had to repay the original sum.

But soon, the British gained power in the region while the nawabs became weaker.

Around that time, the historian says, a number of rulers were also forced to lend funds to the enterprise, which required it to wage the conflict in Afghanistan.

Standing outside the Picture Gallery, which was constructed during the rule of ex- Awadh ruler Mohammad Ali Shah, the elderly recipient states he has arrived to receive his payment after 13 months.

"We've been collecting this pension since the era of our ancestors. It's such a small amount that I visit annually to collect it," he said.

The pension amount is modest, just nine rupees and 70 paise (eleven cents; eight pence) a thirty days, but for his household, it is about prestige - their last living link to a formerly wealthy heritage.

"Even if we get just one paisa, we'll spend a thousand rupees to come and collect it," states his offspring the younger generation.

Currently, approximately 1,200 people - called wasikedars - continue to collect these pensions.

However, the distributions are variable and inconsistent and decrease with each generation. For instance, if a person received a hundred rupees and had two children, the stipend would be halved after their passing, giving each 50 rupees. As descendants grew over the years, the share of pensions became even smaller.

The distribution of the pension started in 1817 when the royal consort, the spouse of Awadh's the ruler, gave 40m rupees to the East India Company in multiple payments on the condition that her kin and associates receive regular stipends, according to Mr Taqui.

Historical documents indicate that additional individuals associated with the dynasty also gave loans to the firm on similar terms.

After India gained independence in 1947, part of the funds loaned by the begum was placed in a financial institution.

According to the state's pension official SP Tiwari, approximately three million rupees was initially placed in the Reserve Bank of Kolkata (previously Calcutta) and subsequently transferred to the industrial city and then the capital. Now, the pensions are paid out from the returns generated on approximately 2.6m rupees deposited in a local bank in the urban area.

The distributions are handled by dual authorities in the gallery: the local trust, run by Lucknow's district administration, and the state's pension department. The government now sends stipends straight to bank accounts, while the foundation distributes physical currency.

The minister, Uttar Pradesh's minority welfare minister, states the wasika is given out as per policy and that the tradition "dates back to the rulers of the region."

Skeptics argue that these allowances are remnants of aristocratic entitlement and should have no role today. But supporters view them as symbolic payments linked to historical promises that should not be disregarded.

Shahid Ali Khan, a legal professional who is also a beneficiary of the royal pension, references his own heritage. His grandfather was a minister to the ruler.

Today, he receives two separate stipends linked to two loans, a distribution of 4.80 rupees every three months and another regular stipend of three rupees and twenty-one paise.

"This wasika should not be valued in money. It's our identity, invaluable. A select group obtain it," he explains, adding that he receives it just before the holy month of Muharram, allocating it solely to religious expenses.

"I don't collect it annually because if even a single paisa is used for other purposes, I would have regrets."

Many recipients assert that the stipends should be raised in line with current interest rates.

"We've been receiving wasika at a 4% interest rate since the Nawabs' time, while current financial yields are significantly greater," Faiyaz Ali Khan says.

His offspring adds that they have made repeated appeals for the amount to be raised, but in vain.

"It's unfortunate that I expend five hundred rupees on fuel just to collect nine rupees and 70 paise," he says.

Experts also point out that the wasika was initially distributed in precious metal currency that each weighed more than a tola (around 11.7g).

But when the distributions changed to Indian currency, the value declined significantly.

Shahid Ali Khan declares he plans to go to court to demand a revision of the sum.

"We'll ask why wasika is no longer distributed in precious metal anymore. And if not in silver, then at least the amount equivalent to current metal prices should be paid," he says.

It is not only the monetary value of the pension that has faded, but also the grandeur surrounding it.

Another recipient, whose family has been obtaining these stipends for generations, recalls a period when receiving the stipend felt like a festival, with refreshments and tea being available on the day.

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