Hyderabad Heritage Structures

[Babji]

News From Webindia123.com
Buddhist 'chaityas', monastery of 1st century AD discovered in Andhra Pradesh
Guntur | June 05, 2006 4:06:22 PM IST

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in its recent excavations at Ghantasala in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, discovered three Buddhist 'chaityas' and a monastery, including broken images, pillars and pottery of 1st and 2nd century AD.

The six-member ASI team led by ASI Hyderabad Region Superintending Archeologist, D Jithendra Das, made the discoveries at Yennammapadu dibba in Ghantasala mandal in three-month long excavation mission from March to May.

The chaityas had a texture and size unique to the Satavahana times and had separate dwelling places for Buddhist monks in the complex. All walls were found to have beautiful plastering with superfine lime mortar.

A three-dimensional limestone carved structure, embellished on the dome portion of the stupa had two garland bearers, a dhamma chakra and a miniature stupa on a throne in the middle.

Objects such as a four-by-three-feet 'Purna Kalasa' containing lotus flowers, indicating the birth of Siddhardha were also discovered.

Boswell to the East India Company first reported Ghantasala as a historical site in 1870-71.

Alexander Rea excavated the stupa at Ghantasala, which had a circumference of 112 feet and a height of 23 feet.

The ASI team consisting of archeologists Balaji Rao, W A S Narasimham, A Suresh, Murthy and K Veeranjaneyulu excavated further for a depth of six feet and found that the stupa had concentric inner wheels radiating towards a central chamber. (ANI)

[Babji]

URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/...2900780300.htm
HUDA List# 18: "Manjli Begum-Ki-Haveli".


The late 18th Century haveli, per se, may not appear opulent, standing as it is in the rear part of the spectacular Chow Mohalla palace complex, but it is one of those few Indo-European individual buildings left in the area, to carve out a niche for itself in the history of Hyderabad. Architecturally, the palace can be described as "arched beauty", from the way the Moghul and European arches merge to form a symphony. Built by Mir Nizam Ali Khan (1762-1803), the second Nizam, for the favourite of his 12 daughters, Fakhr-ul-nisa alias Manjli Begum, after he shifted the capital of Asaf Jahi rule from Aurangabad to Hyderabad, the haveli is remembered for diverse reasons.

First, it is named after a Royal Begum, a rarity in the built heritage of Hyderabad. Names of most of such palaces take after the princes, some of who took over the exalted masnad (throne) of Hyderabad State and not the princesses. This haveli being an exception, unusual for the time, it shows the importance and respect enjoyed by the Begum, also known for her piety, in the nobility of Hyderabad.

Another interesting nugget is the way this little palace became home to a rebellious son of the royalty. This was the palace where the third Nizam, Sikander Jah's son, Mubaraz-ud-doula, the "rebel prince" was born. In what could be the first-of-its- kind event in the Nizamian era, Mubaraz deserted the riches of royalty, to don the role of a rebel in theMutiny of 1857. Mubaraz formed a defiant trio with Turrebaz Khan and Shah Khamosh to raise the banner of revolt against the British Residency here. Quite surprising, considering the fact that the later Nizams took pride in being described as " the most faithful ally of the British". The three went on to demolish many a myth surrounding the participation of the minority community of Hyderabad in the freedom struggle.

Not surprisingly it is a Grade I heritage building listed for protection. The top grade is given to buildings for "national or historical importance, embodying excellence in architectural style, design, technology and material usage". They may be associated with a great historical event, personality, movement or institution and are prime landmarks of the city.

The palace owes its existence now to the present owners, who have re-adapted it for use as a marriage hall. But for their effort in carrying out regular repair and maintenance works, even if it means changing the original colour scheme, the palace would have met the fate of many others in the area.

[Hindustani]

Babji....................great find there.

[Babji]

HUDA List# 19: 'Mushk Mahal'


(a three storyed arched palace of Qutub Shahi period inside Golconda Fort - just to give a feel of Mushk Mahal)

Mushk Mahal is a two-storeyed arched palace, the only one of the Qutub Shahi period to survive outside the Golconda Fort area.

The magnificent symmetrical palace of 1681, built and named after Miyan Mishk (Mushk being the corrupted form), the Abyssinian slave who was the Keeper of the Royal Key, during the time of Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last of the Qutub Shahi rulers.

The first floor having stone corniced roof with projected brackets is in a slightly better shape, at least from outside, though the inside walls have been vandalised beyond recognition. The distinct central portion, taking the form of an octagonal drum, has lost its sheen but the upper portion still reflects the Qutub Shahi architecture. Jutting out a bit, it makes the facade very attractive along with two rows of pointed arches on either side.

For conservationists, Mushk Mahal is an important Qutub Shahi palace to be preserved. Significant because no other palace of the Qutub Shahi era outside the Golconda Fort area has survived. There are several Qutub Shahi period mosques but no palaces. Many such palaces outside the Golconda area between Charminar and Madina (Patel Market area to be precise) have been razed to the ground by Aurangzeb when he laid a siege to the Golconda Fort. The ones that were spared fell to vagaries of nature. Miyan Mishk is also credited with a massive delicately calligraphed mosque, again named after him, near Puranapul.

[Babji]

HUDA List#: 25 Spanish Mosque (Jama Masjid) Begumpet
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/...1700550300.htm


The Spanish Mosque stands alone for its echoes of Hispanic architecture

A STRIKING feature of the mosques in the city is its sheer variety. From the oldest Jama Masjid, then the Mecca Masjid, the Toli Masjid, the Ek Minar Masjid, the Ek Khana Masjid, the Badi Masjid to the ones named after rulers and nobles, they are all known for different architectural styles and the tales that go with them.

A mosque with unique plan elevation, it was built by Sir Vikhar-ul-Umra Iqbal-ud-Dowla, the Paigah noble, in 1906. It is believed to be the only one of its kind in India, with pointed arches, a pointed main roof composed of two truncated octagonal pyramids placed one above the other intervened by octagonal domes. The minarets aesthetically placed at corners of the parapet are in the same style, very unusual from those seen in other mosques in the city and elsewhere. And it is difficult to miss them as you climb on (from Paradise side) to the flyover opposite the Airport.

The other notable features are Moorish arches inside the prayer hall, Quranic verses in exquisite calligraphy inscribed on the inside walls, the absence of an ablution tank and a courtyard. In plan, the mosque comprises a main prayer hall, two rooms in front of it and a central corridor for entering the hall. It is over this central corridor or the entrance porch that the octagonal dome stands.

The mosque is built with stone masonry in lime mortar up to the basement and the superstructure in brick masonry in lime mortar. The roof is of Jack arch type on iron girders with brick and lime concrete. The domes, minarets and small turrets are built with brick and stone masonry and the outer face plastered with lime mortar. The central dome has a perforated screen.

Believed to be a copy of a similar mosque in Spain, it might have caught the attention of the Paigah noble, either during his eight-month long tour of Europe or he may have stumbled on a photograph. Whatever the source, the Nawab lived up to his reputation of being a great builder having a penchant for creating something unique, as seen from his magnificent hilltop palace of Faluknuma.

The Spanish Mosque here formed part of the sprawling 340 acres of wooded estate of the Paigah nobles studded with seven palaces, all built in European and Indo-European styles. Some of them are the Paigah Palace or the Iqbal-ud-Dowla palace, the Devdi Nazir Nawaz Jung and the Vikhar Manzil, overlooking the Hussain Sagar Lake.

This was just one of the several estates given the honorific title of Paigah (meaning pomp and high rank) for the first time by the second Nizam, Nawab Nizam Ali Khan to the Paigah family's founder, Nawab Abul Fateh Khan Taig Jung Bahadur.

It is listed for conservation as a Grade II A structure, comprising buildings of regional or local importance possessing special architectural or aesthetic merit, cultural or historical value.

[Babji]

The incognito Nizam
By: Khalid A-H Ansari — Source: The Weekend Australian magazine
June 25, 2006


Osman Ali Khan, Mukarram Jah’s grandfather in a portrait (left) and a photo from later years (right)
Sydney: He was crowned the eighth Nizam of Hyderabad to become the richest ruler in the world with an inheritance worth US $ 2 billion, lost a wife to AIDS and turned his incredible fortune to dust in the Australian outback, all in the course of 30 years.

Now a balding 72-year-old Mukarram Jah, leads a secret life, with very few people in his own neighbourhood in Turkey aware of his existence or his whereabouts.

He paid a brief visit to Hyderabad in February last year.


Groomed to take over as head of the wealthiest ruling family in the sub-continent, Mukarram Jah was sent to the best British public schools, universities and military academies, including Sandhurst.

But after his coronation as the Nizam at the age of 35, he found he had no interest in maintaining what has been described as his grandfather’s “hallucinatory kingdom with its ageing concubines and hundreds of illegitimate offspring”.

He reportedly found the incestuous atmosphere of the last outpost of the Mughal empire “stifling”.

Unwilling to follow in the footsteps of other princes who went into politics, became ambassadors or converted their opulent palaces into five-star hotels, Mukarram Jah settled in a remote West Australia sheep station, where he lost his fabulous fortune before fleeing overnight to Turkey in March 1996.

He now lives in a modest, two-bedroom middle-class home in southern Turkey on the Mediterranean, sans bitterness or regret, but with resignation to what he terms his ‘kismet’.

The Last Nizam, a book by John Zubrzycki, a staff writer on The Australian newspaper, to be published next week (Pan Macmillan) details how, by a proclamation of the President of India in 1967, Mukarram Jah was anointed the Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar, the richest and most powerful state in the sub-continent.

His unending list of titles included His Exalted Highness, The Rustam of the Age, the Aristotle of the Times, Ruler of the Kingdom. Asaf Jah VIII, the Conqueror of Dominions, the Regulator of the Realm, the Administrator of the State, Nawab Mir Barkat Ali Khan Bahadur, the Victor in Battles, the Leader of Armies and the Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar.

It is said that Mukarram could trace his lineage back 34 generations on his father’s side to the First Caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr.

On his mother’s side his family claimed descent from Prophet Mohammed himself. His Turkish grandfather was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Empire and his Indian grandfather the only princely ruler to carry the title of Faithful Ally of the British Empire.

According to Zubrzycki, Mukarram Jah’s grandfather Osman Ali Khan, was once described as being richer than “all the Fords, Rockefellers and Morgans put together”.

It is well known that Osman Ali Khan spent his final years so obsessed with maintaining his wealth that he darned his own socks and lived on seven shillings and sixpence a week.

Mukarram Jah’s father, Azam Jah, was considered “unfit to shoulder the responsibility of being head of the family” because he was said to be a “moral pervert” with “sadistic tastes”.

John Zubrzycki’s book The Last Nizam will be published next week
Hence, Mukarram Jah became the sole heir to a fortune that included seven generations’ worth of the world’s finest jewellery and a fleet of cars, including a 1911 Fiat, 1912 Rolls- Royce and two 1914 Napiers.

The author says, “Indian and European antiques cluttered (his) crumbling palaces and a list of properties he possessed ran to 50 pages and included forts, mosques and mansions spread across half a dozen Indian states.”

“Ironically,” says Zubrzycki, “Jah was short of cash. There were very few rupees in the kitty to pay maintenance for the 14,792 relatives, harems with 42 ageing concubines, hundreds of illegitimate children, and 14,000 staff consisting of retainers, guards, cooks and other employees his grandfather had been caring for.

“Establishing a cash flow meant selling assets, and the most liquid of those was jewellery. The problem for Jah was that he did not know the difference between a diamond and a piece of glass and he had rarely worn anything more ornate than a gold wedding ring.”

“I was taught to be a soldier not an administrator,” Jah told the author who tracked him down to his anonymous apartment.

The Last Nizam chronicles Mukarram’s decision to appoint administrators to “manage his estate, sort out his assets and sell whatever was needed to maintain his lifestyle and meet his liabilities.”

It describes his legal battle with his “disgruntled” father, the tax authorities and the demand of the Opposition leaders to Indira Gandhi’s Congress Party to investigate charges that the ruler was smuggling his jewellery abroad.

He reportedly put what was left of his fortune after ‘corrupt’ advisers and the tax authorities had finished with him, into his passion for collecting bulldozers, tanks, trucks and jeeps in his pastoral kingdom.

Steeped in Western culture, Mukarram Jah was disillusioned with his situation, which, despite his family’s wealth, was titular.

According to Zubrzycki, March 1972 was a “turning point” in the former Nizam’s life. That was the time he flew to Perth, along with Hashim Ali Javeri, a Bombay diamond merchant, to visit George Hobday, a friend from his Cambridge days.

The book relates his love, at first sight, of the Western Australian outback, his acquisition of 200,000ha of sheep and cattle farmland, 600 km north of Perth, and the ease with which he slipped into the informality and unpretentiousness of Australian farming society, far from the sycophancy of Hyderabad.

It details his failed marriages to three Turkish women (his first wife Princess Esra fled in nine days), his manipulating ‘friends’, his being inveigled into marrying Helen Simmons (who bore him two sons Azam and Umar, the first out of wedlock), after converting to Islam and changing her name to ‘Ayesha’, the ‘Radiant One’.

Unsurprisingly, the marriage soon soured, especially with Helen (whom Mukarram married after a blind date) bent upon climbing the social ladder and fraternising with two manipulative gay men, one of whom, a young bisexual university student, became her lover.

Helen Simmons asked Mukarram for a divorce but was soon diagnosed as being HIV-positive, like her homosexual friends.

She died of AIDS, the first Australian woman to do so, at the age of 41, but Mukarram was cleared of the virus after tests in Switzerland.

Even as the legal battle over how much the government should pay for acquiring Hyderabad’s crown jewels (the collection included 25,000 diamonds, 2000 emeralds, and Basra pearls the size of quail eggs) dragged on interminably, Mukarram was fast sliding into dire financial straits, his advisers allegedly responsible for family heirlooms turning up in Bombay antique shops and Christie’s catalogues.

Meanwhile, Mukarram Jah and Hashim Ali Javeri’s son, Sadruddin, fell out over the Nizam’s possessions and the proceeds of a $2.3 million loan the younger Javeri allegedly extended to the erstwhile ruler.

Mukarram Jah’s Australian residence Havelock House was sold in 1994 but Javeri could get only $ 300,000 out of it after Jah’s bills had been paid.

The chattels of the mansion fetched $985,000 at an auction, but they were still well short of the money claimed by Javeri.

Mukarram Jah’s company, Murchison House, Pastoral Company went into liquidation in 1996.
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The Nizams will live forever in the history and heritage of Hyderabad.

[Babji]

http://www.deccan.com/home/homedetails.asp#Manoliya%20wins%20$3.4m%20%20from%20Jah
(in continuation with the Nizams story...)

Manoliya wins $3.4m from Jah

Hyderabad, June 26: The family court in Hyderabad on Monday granted about $3.4 million (over Rs 14 crores) to Ms Manoliya Onur, former wife of the eighth Nizam Prince Mukarram Jah, and their daughter Princess Niloufer Elis Jah in a dispute over meher (dower), maintenance and a loan that the prince had taken.

Judge Radhakrishnaiah disposed of the case that had been going on for 10 years in Istanbul, Turkey, and Hyderabad. According to senior advocate S. Satyanarayana Prasad, who represented Ms Onur and her daughter, the court also “created a charge” which means whoever purchases the Chiran, Chowmohalla and Falaknuma palaces in Hyderabad and Cedar Palace in Ooty will be required to pay a certain amount to Ms Onur.

Mr Prasad said that on meher, the court ordered the prince to pay $700,000 with interest from February 10, 1995, till the amount is paid. It ordered payment of $300,000 from the same date on a loan that the prince had taken from Ms Onur. In addition the court ordered payment of maintenance of Ms Onur and her daughter at the rate of $10,000 per month from 1996 and $5,000 per month towards house rent from the same year. The total comes to about $3.4 million.

Mr Prasad said that the prince had agreed that Chiran palace would go to Princess Niloufer after his death. “We had sought an injunction on the sale of Chiran palace and the court granted us the same earlier,” he said. However, sources close to the Mukarram Jah family said that they would appeal against the verdict in high court soon. Senior counsel D. Prakash Reddy represented the case on behalf to the prince.

Ms Onur, her daughter and other family members had flown to Hyderabad in April last to attend the court hearings. Senior advocate S. Satyanarayana Prasad considers this to be a victory for his client Ms Onur. Interestingly, he also feels that this victory was powered by Hanuman. Mr Prasad visits the Hanuman temple at Matavaram and the Kanakadurga temple on Indrakeeladri hill whenever he is in Vijayawada. He wears a sacred thread from the Hanuman temple on his wrist.

Speaking to this correspondent after the famous victory, Mr Prasad recalled that in April last, Ms Onur, a Turkish national, had inquired about the thread. He explained its significance and told her that he had prayed for the success of the case. “She was impressed by that and said that she believes in all religions. She asked for a thread for herself and one for her daughter, Princess Niloufer Elis Jah,” Mr Prasad said.

Soon Ms Onur’s sister and her husband also began wearing the thread. “I beseeched Lord Hanuman to give us whatever is due to us. My prayers have been answered,” he said with a smile on his face.
Ms Onur, a former Miss Turkey, had married the prince on August 1, 1990, at Chiran palace in Hyderabad in a private ceremony. The marriage fell apart within five years.
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Chiran, Chowmohalla and Falaknuma palaces in Hyderabad and Cedar Palace in Ooty - Wow!
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India heir ordered to pay ex-wife

The grandson of the last ruler of the princely state of Hyderabad has been ordered to pay his ex-wife $1 m (£548,000) in a divorce settlement.
The Nizam of Hyderabad, Mukarram Jah Bahadur, must pay the money to the former Miss Turkey, Manolya Onur, after a 10-year court battle.

He has also been ordered to pay interest at 6% on $300,000 (£164,000) he borrowed from her in 1995.

The court rejected Ms Onur's demand for a $4.5m compensation package.

Her demand that she should be given the Nizam's residence - the Chiran Palace - was also rejected.

The BBC's Omer Farooq in Hyderabad says such a large divorce settlement is almost unheard of in India.

The Nizam, who has been married a total of five times and is now in his early seventies, met and married Ms Onur when he was on holiday in Turkey.

Their marriage ended in divorce in 1994.

Both parties are currently outside India and not available for comment, but sources in the Chiran Palace said the Nizam would appeal against the ruling.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...ia/5118720.stm

Published: 2006/06/26 18:45:05 GMT

[Babji]

HUDA List#: 55 The Falknuma Palace (Pics: Thanks to Hindustani).

Falaknuma Palace: Built in 1870 by Nawab Vikar-Ul-Ulmara, the Prime Minister of Hyderabad, it is a stupendous palace which has a picture gallery, a luxurious reception hall with cabinets containing diamond, crystal and emerald objects. The palace is a rare blend of Italian and Tudor architecture. The Falaknuma also includes the largest Venetian chandeliers.

[Babji]

10/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/...1001020100.htm

`I belong to a lot of countries'



H.E.H. Prince Mukarram Jah and Princes Azam Jah and Azmet Jah in an exclusive tete-e-tete with SYEDA FARIDA

TIME APPEARS to stop at the Chiraan Palace. Nestled in serenity and bathed in the early February afternoon sun, this royal abode in the KBR Park comes alive this spring with visitors — H.E.H. Prince Mukarram Jah and the young princes. The hustle bustle and hushed silence says it all, as the Prince walks down to the living room. The tinkling of dainty chandelier crystals with the occasional breeze comes as a calming note.

"Hyderabad has changed liked any other metro in the country," explains the Prince. "I come to the city often. Since I spent most of my time here I tend to observe changes every time I am here," he adds.

Currently in Turkey after a long stay in Australia, the Prince is happy with the affection and vibe that he gets from the people in the twin cities. Does he plan to come back to the capital? "I am 71 years old. How much more do I need to settle down? I belong to a lot of countries. To Hyderabad by family. By my mother's side I am an Ottoman Turk. I was born in France and spent my formative years in London studying. When in Hyderabad I am a completely Hyderabadi-speaking native and a truly Turkey speaking person when there," he observes.
Meanwhile, the young princes, visiting the city this time around, are tad optimistic.
Prince Azam Jah observes, "This is my second visit to Hyderabad. I would like to settle down here. For the past few years I have been travelling the world to find a place to stay. I adore Hyderabad." "Most certainly. I would love to come here. In fact I am working on a project on Hyderabad," agrees Prince Azmet Jah.
Currently living in Canada, Prince Azmet Jah has worked with Steven Spielberg and Richard Attenborough on photography. Some of the films that he has been associated with include Basic Instincts and Indiana Jones Last Crusade.

Tales of the royal past? Many, say the young princes. "Baba used to tell us about how royal courts looked like, the beauty and splendour," recalls Prince Azam. "It was like any other princely state then," Prince Mukarram Jah is quick to add.

With the trend of descendents of erstwhile rulers taking to politics today, the evident question. "I am not interested in politics and I don't think my sons are either," explains the Prince.

On the Paigah legacy, with the success of the Chow Mohalla palace project, would other properties be taken up for renovation? "I don't have any more palaces left," says the Prince. As regards the issue of converting palaces such as Falaknuma into star hotels, " they have been empty hulks. I am just putting them to use and it is an attempt to improve Hyderabad," he adds. The Nizam's jewels and the Prince's role in bringing them to Hyderabad to an exclusive museum as envisaged by the government earlier? It is a State issue, one is told.

Time to leave, as there are many people waiting to meet the Prince during his visit. Soon there will be warm summer breeze blowing in the rambling park with a whiff of the royal repast, till the next season when the scions come back to their ancestral abode.

[Babji]

HUDA List#: 35 Chow Mahalla = Chowmoholla Palace (Pics: courtesy: Hindustani.)




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Built in the city that is known as "Istanbul of the East" for its history, culture, heritage, architecture and cuisine. Chowmohalla Palace is one of the many legendary palaces of Nizams of Hyderabad, once the richest rulers in Asia. Its architecture is a mysterious blend of Ottoman, Persian & Indian style reflecting the origins of the city and its rulers both Qutub Shahi Dynasty & Nizams. In a country that is full of palaces and great cities, It is this kind of architectural accomplishment that gives a unique cultural heritage to the city that already has a great history. Chowmohalla palace may not be the best in India in terms of grandness but I'll tell you one fact. In terms of "loveliness" with regards to internal & external fine details, it will rank right up there with best in the world.
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Chowmohalla Palace: Built in 1750 by Nizam Salabat Jung and designed along the lines of the Shah's palace in Tehran, it consists of a group of palaces each used for a specific purpose. It consists of the Khilwat, Aftab Mahal, the Tahniyat Mahal and the Durbar Hall





























[/QUOTE]

[Hindustani]

Babji....................nice images of falaknuma & chowmohalla. Never seen them before.

[Hindustani]

Now that Babji has decided to explore the Nizams........

Osmania University











French Palace



King Kothi Palace



Jubilee Hall @ Public Garden (Baagh-e-awaam)

[Babji]

Originally Posted by Hindustani

Babji....................nice images of falaknuma & chowmohalla. Never seen them before.

Thanks for the compliments stranger!
all credit for those amazing pics goes to my good friend Hindustani.
(as acknowledged at the respective title lines).

[Babji]

Originally Posted by Hindustani

...

Osmania University











French Palace



King Kothi Palace



Jubilee Hall @ Public Garden (Baagh-e-awaam)

Wow! Hindustani.
What a feast to the eye!.
I couldn't thank you enough, but never mind. just, keep them coming!
(I couldn't resist retaining all those grate pics in the reply!!)
THanks again!

[Hindustani]

Originally Posted by Babji

Wow! Hindustani.
What a feast to the eye!.
I couldn't thank you enough, but never mind. just, keep them coming!

I am just the messanger. We all have to thank the people who are taking these pictures & posting them. BTW. forgot to mention. That king kothi palace is currently under renovation just like purani haveli & other important nizam heritage stuff

Chiraan Palace @ Begumpet





Nizam's College



King Kothi Palace under renovation

[p.raghavendra6]

Great work Babji and Hindustani.

[Babji]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...ow/1690927.cms
[ Friday, June 30, 2006 02:22:19 amTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
HYDERABAD: The Qutub Shahis had modelled their beloved Hyderabad on the Persian city of Isfahan enlisting architects all the way from that land.

Now 400 years later, the descendants of these architects are coming down to Hyderabad to renovate and remodel some of the old structures. This follows an offer made by the Iranian government.

While the tombs of seven Quli Qutub Shah kings, arguably among the world's largest necropolis (place where the royal family of a dynasty are buried), is to be restored by the Iranians with a budget of Rs 5 crore provided by the government of Andhra Pradesh.
The Iranian government will itself fund and restore the Premamati mosque and the Badshahi Ashoorkhana (a place where tears are shed over the martyrdom of the Prophet's grandson Hussain).

The programme is scheduled to be kicked off after an international conference jointly hosted by the Iranian and AP governments (with permission from the Centre) to be held in the city from July 8-12.

Expected to attract conservators from all over the world, the conference will focus on conservation management techniques for ancient monuments and heritage sites, application of national and international laws to protect the sites and conservation of world heritage sites.

The Quli Qutub Shah tombs lie sprawled across 130 acres. Apart from restoration work on the tombs, the Iranians will design gardens on the lines of those that existed in the ancient cities of Persia.

It transpires that the structures that were built by the Persians did not have one single foundation as such, and material such as egg yolk, urad dal (black gram) and lime went into the construction of the structures.

"Therefore, the expertise of the Iranians is required in the restoration of these structures," said a senior official associated with the project. The Premamati mosque, which is incomplete, extends to about 30-40 acres.

The Iranians are to restore the area by building gardens here too. Legend has it that Premamati used to dance at that place named after her, while Taramati used to sing at the place opposite to this.

Because of the acoustics specialized in by the Qutab Shahis, the royal court used to watch the performances from their court in Golconda nearby.

The Badshahi Ashoorkhana also extends to about 30-40 acres and will be restored by the Iranians. The grand plan of both the state and Iranian governments is to get the entire area declared as a world heritage site. That would mean funding by various UN bodies, as well as instant international attention.

[Babji]

Quite close to the Golconda fort are the tombs of the seven Qutub Shahi rulers in the Ibrahim Bagh.
The galleries of the smaller tombs are of a single story while the larger ones are two storied. In the center of each tomb is a sarcophagus which overlies the actual burial vault in a crypt below. The domes were originally overlaid with blue and green tiles, of which only a few pieces now remain.
The tombs are domed structures built on a square base surrounded by pointed arches. The mausoleums of the Sultans of Golconda, the founding rulers of Hyderabad are truly magnificent monuments that have stood the test of time and braved the elements. They lie about a kilometer north of the outer perimeter wall of Golconda Fort's Banjara Darwaza amidst the Ibrahim bagh. The tombs form a large cluster and stand on a raised platform. They display a distinctive style, a mixture of Persian, Pathan and Hindu forms. The tombs are graceful structures with intricately carved stonework and are surrounded by landscaped gardens.

The tombs were once furnished with carpets, chandeliers and velvet canopies on silver poles. Qurans were kept on supports and readers recited verses from the holy book at regular intervals. Golden spires were fitted over the tombs of the Sultans to distinguish their tombs from those of other members of the royal family.

During the Qutub Shahi period, these tombs were held in such great veneration that criminals who took refuge there were granted pardon. But after their reign, the tombs were neglected, till Sir Salar Jung III ordered their restoration in the early 19th century. A pretty garden was laid out, and a compound wall was built. Once again, the tomb-garden of the Qutub Shahi family became a place of serene beauty. All, except the last, of the Qutub Shahi monarchs lie buried here.


Sultan Quli's tomb, the style of which set the example for the tombs of his descendants, is situated on an elevated terrace measuring 30 m each way. The tomb chamber proper is octagonal, with each side measuring around 10 m. The whole structure is crowned by a circular dome. There are three graves in this tomb chamber and 21 on the terrace outside, all uninscribed, except for the main tomb. The inscription on Sultan Quli's tomb is in three bands, in the Naskh and Tauq scripts. The inscription refers to Sultan Quli as Bada Malik (TheGreat Master) - the endearing term by which all people of the Deccan used to refer to him. The tomb was built in 1543 A.D. by the Sultan, during his lifetime itself, as was the prevalent custom.
Near the tomb of Sultan Quli is that of his son, Jamshed, the second in the line of Qutub Shahi kings. Built in 1550 A.D., this is the only Qutub Shahi tomb which has not been fashioned from shining black basalt. Its appearance too, is quite unlike the other tombs in the garden - it rises gracefully in two stories, unlike the squat tombs of the other kings. Jamshed's is also only tomb of a Qutub Shahi ruler without any inscriptions; of course, Jamshed's son, Subhan Quli's tomb too does not have any inscriptions. But Subhan Quli ruled for too short a while to really matter. Subhan's tomb stands mid-way between the tombs of his father and grandfather. He was popularly called Chhote Malik (small master).

Sultan lbrahim's-tomb, built in 1580, after his death, is slightly larger than Sultan Quli's tomb. Traces of the enameled tiles ,which once adorned this mausoleum can still be seen on the southern wall. The tomb has two graves in the main chamber and 16 graves on the terrace, some of them probably those of his six sons and three daughters. There are inscriptions in the Thulth script on all faces of the sarcophagus. It is interesting to note that the three famous calligraphists - Isphalan, Ismail and Taqiuddiii Muhammad Salih - who left a store of Naskh, Tulth and Nastaliq inscriptions on the many Qutub Shahi edifices in the city, were all contemporaries of Ibrahim Shah.

Sultan Muhammad Quli's mausoleum is, by far, the grandest of the Qutub Shahi tombs. Built in 1602 A.D., the tomb is situated on a terrace of 65m square and 4m high. A flight of steps leads to the mausoleum proper, which is 22 m square on the outside and 11 m square on the inside. There are entrances on the southern and eastern sides. The tomb itself is situated in a vault below the terrace. Inscriptions in Persian and the Naskh scripts decorate the tomb.

Another grand mausoleum is that of the sixth Sultan, Mohanunad Qutub Shah. The facade of this tomb was once decorated with enameled tiles, only traces of which are now evident. There are six graves altogether in this tomb and inscriptions in Tulth and Naskh. The mausoleum was built in 1626. Sultan Abdullah's tomb is the last of the royal tombs, as Abdul Hasaii (Taiia Sliah), the last Qutub Stlafii king, was a prisoner in the Ciiini Mahal in the fortress of Daulatabad, near Aurangabad, when he died. While the tombs of those who ruled dominate the area, interspersed are many other monuments too, most of them tombs of other members of the Royal family.

The tomb of Fatima Sultan, with its bulbuous dome, is near the entrance to the tomb-garden. Fatima was the sister of Mohammad Qutub Shah. Her tomb houses several graves, two of them with inscriptions. Immediately to the south of Muhammed Qul's tomb are three uninscribed tombs. There are the mausoleums of Kulthoom, Mohammad Qutub Shahi's grand-daughter born of be son of The Sultan's favourite wife, Khurshid Bibi, her (Kulthoom's) husband and daughter. Kulthoom's Tomb- is one on the west of this cluster.

The twin-tombs of the two favouritc hakims (physicians) ot'Sultan Abdullah-Nizamuddin Ahamad Gilani and Abdul Jabbar Gilani - were built in 1651. They are among the few Qutub Shahi tombs that are not of Royalty.

Another pair of tombs are those of Premamati and Taramati - the favourites of Sultan Abdullah Shah. These lively beauties, who are believed to have once danced on ropes tied between their pavilion and Abdullah's palace, were laid to rest beside the tomb of their patron. One other tomb which is not that of a Qutub Shahi family member is the tomb of Neknam Khan. Neknam Khan, who served in Abdullah's army, was the commander-in-chief of the Carnatic.

Talboys Wheeler, in his book Madras in the Olden Times, records that the cowle (contract) handing over Madraspattnam to the British, was obtained from Nekam Khan, after the Raja of Chandragiri - whose property Madraspattnam had fled. His tomb is situated on a platform outside the mausoleum of Ibrahim Qutub Shah. It was built in 1672, two years after the death of Nekam Khan.

The mausoleum which Abdul Hasan, the last Qutub Shahi Sultan, began building for himself, actually houses the grave of Mir Ahmad, the son born of Sultan Abdullah's son-in-law's relationship with the sister of Abbas II Safair, the Shah of Persia. The tomb of Fadma Khanum, one of Sultan Abdullah's daughters, stands near the mausoleum of her husband, Mir Ahamad. Hers is the only Qutub Shahi tomb not surmounted by a dome.

To the west of the tombs lies the dargah of Husain Shah Wali, the revered Sufi Saint. He is affectionately remembered by people of all faiths as the builder of Husain Sagar in 1562. Among other monuments in the garden, that are not tombs, the most important are the Mortuary Bath and the Mosque of Hayat Bakshi Begum.

The Mortuary Bath, which stands opposite the tomb of Muhammad Quli, was built by Sultan Quli to facilitate the ritual washing of the bodies of the dead kings and others of the Royal Family before they were carried to their final resting place. The practice followed was to bring the body out of the fort, through the Banjara Gate, to this bath, before carrying it away for burial with the ritualistic pomp that was required to mark the occasion. A large number of people, fond subjects, friends and relatives attended. The bath itself is one of the finest existing specimens of ancient Persian or Turkish baths.

The Qutub Shahis built a number of mosques all over Golconda and Hyderabad, and almost every tomb has a mosque adjacent. The biggest and the grandest such mosque is by the mausoleum of Hayat Bakshi Begum. Popularly known as the great mosque of the Golconda tombs, it was built in 1666 A.D. Fifteen cupolas decorate the roof and the prayer-hall is flanked by two lofty minarets. The impression, as a whole, is one of majesty and splendour. The inscriptions in the mosque are master-pieces of calligraphic art.

Hayath Bakshi Begum was the daughter of Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth king, the wife of the sixth king, Sultan Muhammad Qutub Shah and the mother of Abdullah Quli Qutub Shah, the seventh king. Affectionately known as 'Ma Saheba' (Revered Mother), she was guide and mentor to all three kings. Several monuments survive in her memory in and around Hyderabad. Hayath Nagar Palace (16 kms east of Hyderabad), where the ceremony of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah's first shave was celebrated with pomp and grandeur for twelve days, the Rayath Nagar Mosque which bears testimony to the greatness of Qutub Shahi architecture, the Caravan Sarai (or the Sarai of Ma Saheba), (sarai or rest house - was a
combination of a waterhole and oasis for weary travellers) comprising several hundred rooms intended for the use of travellers, and Ma Saheba Tank, enroute to Golconda. The tomb-garden of the Kings of Golconda was known as Lagar-e-Faiz Athar (a place for bountiful entertainment) in the days of the Qutub Shahi kings, for some item or song or dance or even an occasional play was staged here every evening, free of cost, to entertain the poor. The present caretaker of the tombs is a descendant of the one appointed by Sir Salar Jung. It is a hereditary occupation.

[Babji]

Chiran Palace Hyderabad

Chiran Palace was built by the Nizam on 400 acres of land in the 60s. Over the years, most of the land was taken over by the forest department and converted into a national park.

So now the opulent palace is located right inside the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) Park in Jubilee Hills. The government wants to extend the park and remove private properties. Therefore the move to acquire the palace.

Not many have access to the palace, and this includes forest officials themselves. But those who have been there say the driveway of the mansion has many Rolls Royces parked. By present land values, the property and the land is estimated to be worth around Rs 300 crore.

The palace also contains the clothes and personal belongings of Manolya Onur and her daughter by Mukarram Jah, Niloufer. This is the place where the Nizam's third wife, a former Miss Turkey, lived for some time when she was wedded to him.


Chowmahalla Palace:
The Chowmahalla palace can be called the first Asaf Jahi palace in Hyderabad. The Asaf Jahis deserted the former Qutb Shahi palace quarter lying north west of the Charminar and decided to construct a new palace complex for themselves to the south west of the Charminar.

Different portions of the Chowmahalla were built during different phases of the Asaf Jahi rule. The durbar was held in the hall or pavilion called the Khilwat. This was built around 1780 during the reign of Nawab Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jahi II, but extensively renovated later in 1911. It is an over decorated building with huge proportions and a curious Asaf Jahi Baroque.

Jilu Khana, facing Lad Bazaar and the Daulat Khana-e-Ali, was built during the reign of Asaf Jahi I (1724 -1748). South of Khilwat one enters the next courtyard around which the main four palaces are located, lending the Chowmahalla name. It is believed that this complex was built during the reign of Nawab Afzal-ud-Doula Bahadur, the Nizam or Asaf Jah V (1857-1869).

The palaces are named Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal. Of these, Afzal Mahal, a two storeyed building, is the most imposing.

Chowmahalla was used by subsequent Nizams and state banquets were held here. Well known among those is the banquet held in honor of T R H the Prince and the Princes of Wales on 10th February 1906. For several decades now, the sprawling Chowmahalla Complex has been lying vacant
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http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/21/stor...2118590300.htm
Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur's lawyers come late to the court

SEEKING JUSTICE: Manoliya Onur, third wife of Prince Mukkaram Jah Bahadur, coming out of the Family Court in Purani Haveli on Monday.

Hyderabad: A royal wrangle is on the cards involving Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur, grandson of the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, and his estranged wife Manolya Onur. The case filed by her against the Prince seeking `mahar' and maintenance for herself and her daughter Niloufer came up for hearing in the Family Court on Monday. But the case was adjourned to March 23, as lawyers of the Prince came late.

Princess Onur, who is in the city, made a personal appearance before the Family Court. She was accompanied by her advocate and close friend Jhaveri. It was in 1997 that Princess Onur moved the court seeking maintenance after the Prince married a Moroccan beauty Jameela Boularous. The case is hanging fire for the last nine years.

When the Prince failed to appear before the court, it appointed an advocate commissioner who visited Istanbul to record Jah's statement. The case was adjourned last time as the advocate commissioner's report couldn't be traced, it is said.

Series of rows : A former Miss Turky, Onur married Mukarram Jah in 1990. But the marriage turned sour when Jah `kept marrying'. What followed was a royal row leading to both preferring to stay separately.

Mukarram Jah's matrimonial trysts with various Turkish beauties have disintegrated into a series of royal rows and rumoured infidelities.

The flamboyant Prince first married Esra Birgin whom he divorced later. He has two children from her. The next women to come in his life was Helen Simmond re-christened "Ayesha". A one-time air hostess and BBC drama division staffer, Helen separated in 1987. She is believed to have cost the Prince a huge amount in alimony for the upkeep of their two sons. The Prince then tied the knot to Onur and thereafter with Jameela. The prince married yet again. This time to Ayesha Orchide, hailing from an aristocratic Turkish family.

At the centre of the battle royal is said to be the Chiran Palace too.

The Prince is believed to have agreed to bequeath it to his daughter, Niloufer. Princess Onur is determined to see the case through and protect her daughter's inheritance

"When the Prince could pay for the advocate commissioner to visit Istanbul, why can't he pay for the upkeep of his own daughter," asks Ms. Jahveri.

[Babji]

Nizam to cough up $3 mn for ex-wife
[ Tuesday, June 27, 2006 12:54:36 amTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]


Manolya Onur with her dauther in Hyderabad on Monday. . ( PTI)

HYDERABAD: Eleven years after she filed a case for maintenance and mehr, Manolya Onur, the former Miss Turkey and divorced third wife of the ex-Nizam of Hyderabad, has drawn first blood. A Hyderabad family court has decreed she be given $3 million (Rs 15 crore) as mehr and maintenance money by Mukkaram Jah.

This is not the end of the story for Onur because the former beauty queen wants a palace in Hyderbad’s Jubilee Hills — valued currently at around Rs 335 crore — for her 15-year-old daughter, Niloufer. She claims that the Nizam had promised her this.

"I will file a separate case for that. But I am very happy with today’s verdict," 52-year-old Onur told TOI over telephone from Istanbul.

The family court hearing the maintenance case in camera also ruled that the Nizam’s palaces — Chiran, Falaknuma and Chowmahalla in Hyderabad and Cidar, which is in Ooty — would be used to recover the amount due to Onur and Niloufer.

"This means, if the money due to Onur is not recovered, she and her daughter can auction these palaces and get the money that is theirs," S S Prasad, Onur’s counsel, said.