People mourned the departure of Wajid Ali Shah because he was widely loved by his subjects, contrary to British assumptions that he was unpopular. When he was dethroned and exiled to Calcutta, many followed him to Kanpur singing songs of lament. Contemporary observers recorded that "the life was gone out of the body" of Lucknow, with people wailing in agony at the separation of Jan-i-Alam.

The mourning was also caused by immediate material losses. The Nawab's removal led to the dissolution of the court and its culture, resulting in musicians, dancers, poets, artisans, cooks, retainers, and administrative officials losing their livelihood.

Additionally, noble and peasant alike identified firangi raj with the end of their world – a breakdown of everything they valued, respected, and held dear.