Hyderabad school of painting : depictions of Deccan

       The Hyderabad school of Deccani painting had started evolving in early 18th century with the foundation of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. They were the Nizams of Hyderabad; seven rulers have governed the region. Mir Qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-mulk a Viceroy or subedar of the Deccan under the Mughals declared independence in 1724 A. D. He being a patron of the arts along with the rich influence of the Golconda school and Mughal styles; helped in creating many works of art under the Hyderabad-Deccani genre in Aurangabad and Hyderabad.

       The school was influenced by other styles but  had its own charcteristics.  They can be seen in its treatment of subjects,costumes, landscape, flora, fauna and the general colouring have Deccani influence. Scenes from gardens and courtyards have been captured other than the main themes which included portraits of the rulers and their families,noblemen, women on terraces, saints and Raga-raginis.

     After the death of the first Nizam and subsequent rulers like his son Nasir Jung and Muzaffar Jung, grandson and another son Salabat Jung, Mir Nizam Ali Khan became ruler as Asaf Jah II in 1762. He too was a patron of the arts and during his reign poets, musicians and artists came to his court. His biography Tuzuki-Asafi was written and illustrated by Tajalli Ali Shah in 1793. His court painter was Rai Venkatachalam. Raja Chandulal also patronised the arts and many works were made for Raja Nanak Ram, Rai Rayan and other Hindu noblemen. The political condition during the 18th century was not very stable and this affected the character of the paintings. However lot of portraits were made between the fall of Golconda in 1687 and the beginning of the Asaf Jahi rule in 1724, when the area was ubder the Mughal governors.

    Paintings of the Hyderabad school depict flowers and trees like the palm tree, coconut,plumeria, champa etc. Flowering plants, terraces and parapets made of marble with jaali (trellis) work, doors in brown are seen. Some paintings depict peacocks, ducks and fishes. The sky is blue or blue-green with touches of indigo  to depict clouds. Carpets and rugs are seen in some works. The human figures are tall and have sharp features. Women are shown wearing stringed pearl necklaces. 

     Sikandar Jah succeeded Nizam Ali Khan as Asaf Jah III(1803-1829) and paintings were still being made. Under Asaf Jah IV and Asaf Jah V paintings depicting gardens and harem scenes were made. By the mid-nineteeth century the demand for these paintings reduced and the paintings went into history but give us a glimpse into the life of that time.

Woman with  her attendant, Hyderabad, late 18th century.

By Deccan School [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Woman_and_Attendants_with_a_Bird.jpg

Women on a terrace, Hyderabad,18th century.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Ladies_on_a_Terrace.jpg
See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons





References :

• Mittal, Jagdish/Deccani Kalams/Bombay : Marg Publications, Vol XVI,No : 2, 1963.
• Zebrowski, Mark/Deccani painting, New Delhi : Roli Books,1983.

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

© author

Golconda in art : images of royalty

       Golconda was one among the Sultanates of the Deccan during 16th -18th century India. Known all over the world for its fortifications, big arsenals, ruined palaces, gardens, fountains, pools, mosques and terraces and leader in diamond trade with expertise in cutting an polishing the stone; as it was available in the mines in the bed of the river Krishna. The hill fortress at a height of 400 feet above the ground, housed the king's soldiers, harem, treasury, courtiers and followers. The area within the fort also housed a population which grew too large and a new capital for the kingdom was made at Hyderabad by Sultan Mohammad Quli in 1591.

The kingdom extended over the Southern peninsula starting from the Godavari river upto the Cape Comorin and up to the Indian Ocean in the east.

The art of the Golconda kingdom and some of it's representations are elucidated for an idea of the art of the Golconda and Hyderabad school of Deccani painting. 

Deccani painting evolved when the Deccan Sultanates namely, Ahmadnagar, Bijapur and Golconda started producing paintings of great quality. There was a strong Persian influence on their art. However their art was distinct and has earned itself a unique place in the history of Indian painting. Deccani paintings were not dated or inscribed with the name of the painter as the Mughal ones. 

  Coming to the subject at hand, namely Golconda, it can be said that the Persianate character of their painting can be attributed to the fact that the first king, Sultan Quli had migrated from Persia to Bidar in 1478. The Qutub Shahis maintained close ties; which included matrimony with the Safavids and patronised poets and painters from Persia.

The typicality of Golconda paintings lies in its opulence and vitality which has an Indian flavour of richness.

Portrait, Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah of Golconda.

By Unknown - [flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesandiegomuseumofartcollection/6125086876/in/photostream/], CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24570593

      The Kulliyat-e- Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah , a collection of the Sultan's poetry contains many illustrations which depict the Golconda school of painting. Iridiscent colours including bluish-purple, salmon-red,pricked gold surfaces are typically Golconda style.There are other astonishing and splendorous  examples too.

Illuminated Manuscript of the History of the Qutb Shahi Sultans of Golconda LACMA , 17th century.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIlluminated_Manuscript_of_the_History_of_the_Qutb_Shahi_Sultans_of_Golconda_LACMA_M.89.159.4_(2_of_5).jpg
See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Illuminated Manuscript of the History of the Qutb Shahi Sultans of Golconda LACMA , 17th century.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIlluminated_Manuscript_of_the_History_of_the_Qutb_Shahi_Sultans_of_Golconda_LACMA_M.89.159.4_(3_of_5).jpgSee page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Illuminated Manuscript of the History of the Qutb Shahi Sultans of Golconda,LACMA , 17th century.

By Image: http://collections.lacma.org/sites/default/files/remote_images/piction/ma-2794559-O3.jpgGallery: http://collections.lacma.org/node/177837, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27254257

Illuminated Manuscript of the History of the Qutb Shahi Sultans of Golconda LACMA , 17th century

By Image: http://collections.lacma.org/sites/default/files/remote_images/piction/ma-2794553-O3.jpgGallery: http://collections.lacma.org/node/177837, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27254284

    After the death of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah. Abul Hasan ascended the throne. He was the son-in-law, ie. husband of the second daughter of Abdullah Qutub Shah. He was a follower of Shah Raju, and used to live in Gulbarga. Both of them came to Hyderabad. Shah Raju was a mystic and influenced the new court. Madanna, a Hindu became prime -minister and farmans (royal diktats) began to be issued in both Telugu and Persian. Urdu, Telugu and Arabic literature was patronised. There were influences in art too. Abul Hasan was nicknamed Tana Shah meaning king of taste. Many paintings of the Golconda school can be attributed to his time. The school was kept alive even after the defeat of Tana Shah in 1687 to Aurangzeb.The Mughal governors and local aristocracy engaged painters to work for them.

Visit of Sufi singer Shir Muhammad to Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, later Golconda school,1720.
By Govardhan II - http://expositions.bnf.fr/inde/grand/exp_031.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19082077

Akbar Shah, Son of saint Shah Raju,17th century.


By thesandiegomuseumofartcollection - Flickr, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38309515




Lady with a myna bird, early 17th century,Golconda.

By Deccan School - http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/12-11/features2319.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21077969



Durbar of eighteen princes, Qutub Shahi dynasty,17th century.

By Unknown - http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectNumber=F1997.29, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24823741
References :

• Khan, Nazirul-Islam/Guide to Golconda, Bombay : Thacker & Company Limited,1941.
• Zebrowski, Mark/Deccani painting, New Delhi : Roli Books,1983.

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

© author

Taramati and Premamati : royal dancers at the Qutub Shahi court

Taramati and Premamati : royal dancers at the Qutub Shahi court

       Two beautiful dancers were courtesans at the VIIth Qutub Shahi Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah's court (1626-1672) and during Abul Hasan Tana Shah (1672-1686), the last Qutub Shahi Sultan's reign : Taramati and Premamati. They had beautiful voices and enthralled the kings with their singing and dancing.They had pavillions built for them. Taramati Baradari is two storeyed , square shaped with strong arches on all sides, a typical Qutub Shahi structure with fine acoustics; and is located  some distance away from the Golconda Fort on a hillock. It is believed that when Taramati sang the breeze used to carry her mellifluous voice to the Sultan who was two kilometres away. The sisters have also been said to have danced on moonlit nights on ropes connecting the Baradari to the Golconda fort. Taramati was a dancer and singer par excellence and devoted her entire life to her art. She used to entertain people at the Taramati Baradari. A legend says that Taramati continued dancing even when Emperor Aurangzeb had asked her to stop.

On the opposite side is the Premamati mosque, which is believed to have been used by them for offering prayers. Both the sisters are buried in the royal cemetery of the Qutub Shahis at Ibrahimbagh in Hyderabad.

Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah with attendants, painting, Deccan School, 18th century.

By Deccan School - http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/12-11/features2319.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21077967

 Taramati (probably), artist's representation (image at the Baradari complex,2016)

Pic : Isha Vatsa         

Premamati (probably),artist's representation (image at the Baradari complex,2016)

Pic : Isha Vatsa             



Taramati Baradari near Golconda, Hyderabad

By Chiranjeevi Ranga - I took the snap.., CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15997210



Night view at Golconda Fort.

By Devsneha (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

 

Taramati mosque inside the Golconda Fort complex.

By Bernard Gagnon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34267456

 Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last Qutub Shahi sultan.

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=244237

Tombs of Taramati and Premamati.

Pic source : Isha Vatsa





References :

• Khan, Raza Ali/Hyderabad 400 years (1591-1991), Hyderabad : Zenith Publishers,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by  :


Soma Ghosh

© author

Bhagmati : the Sultan's beloved

        Did Bhagmati really exist or she is a figment of a romantic imagination ?  Most people would like to believe that she did. Historians will agree and disagree and the debate will continue for ever. However there has been found enough evidence including a tomb in the old city of Hyderabad which is supposedly hers, to indicate her existence during the time of the founder of Hyderabad, Sultan Mohammad Quli  of the Qutub Shahi dynasty of Deccan history of India. She was an important presence after whom not only poetry was composed, but a new city was named, Bhagnagar. It was later changed to Hyderabad after her marriage to the Sultan(after she embraced Islam)and her name was changed to Hyder Mahal.

          It all started on a fateful day  in late 16th century, when a beautiful village belle who was also a dancer, was going to a temple in Chichlam (an area close to the Charminar built later). The sound of horse-hooves startled the young girl who stopped in the middle of her tracks, on way to a temple nearby. The person on the horse looked sharp at her. His friends seem to vanish a little into the background. Who could this be, she wondered. He seemed royal and in the prime of his youth with a very handsome face. He could not take his eyes of her and seemed smitten by her beauty. She went in to the temple and came out after her prayer. He began to converse with her. She too spoke back and a tender friendship  took birth.  More meetings followed and continued for 11 years. 

   

      She became his favourite and once when the river Musi was flooded he came searching for her fearing for her life, crossing it in full fury. Seeing his passion his father the Sultan of Golconda, constructed a bridge, the Purana Pul, as it is known now, so that he would not have to risk his life again to meet his beloved. Mohammad Quli became the king after his father Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah died in 1580. This bridge also served to connect the old city with the newer extension of Hyderabad city across the Musi in order to help spread out the over populated fort-city of Golconda.



Purana pul,photograph,Hyderabad,1892.

Lala Deen Dayal [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

  

Artist representation of the meeting between Bhagmati and Mohammad Quli.

Source : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110916

    Bhagmati was given special honours by the new king. Every time she came to visit him, 1000 horses would accompany her Though there was strong opposition as Bhagmati was a Hindu woman, Mohammad Quli married her. After converting to Islam she bcame Hyder Mahal. His Peshwa Mir Momin had an important role in the same. 

Sultan Mohammad Quli bringing his bride Bhagmati, painting.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Wedding_procession_of_Muhammad_Quli_Qutub_Shah.jpg See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Bhagmati in a miniature painting, Deccan school.

Source : Nathan Hughes Hamilton on Flickr via Creative Commons from his album 'Samples of Indian Art'.

Bhagmati has been mentioned directly or indirectly in many historical accounts. Ferishta mentions that the Sulltan was fascinated by her. He mentions Bhagnagar whose name was later changed to Hyderabad. Faizi, Emperor Akbar's resident in Ahmadnagar a kingdom in the Deccan, mentions Bhagnagar as being built after Bhagmati. Tavernier (1648 and 1652) Thevenot(1665-66), Bernier(1667) all refer to Bhagnagar in their travel accounts. Bhagnagar is referred to in Tareekh-e-Qutub Shah by Qader Khan Munshi (1888) and Gulzar-e-Asafi (1844).

References :

• wikipedia.org
• Luther, Narendra/Prince,poet,lover,builder : the founder of Hyderabad, New Delhi : Publications Division, 1991.
• Rao, Bhoopala K.V/ The Qutub Shahi Prime Ministers. Hyderabad : Mahamantri Madanna Trust, 1992.

Posted by  :

Soma Ghosh

© author

Mir Momin Astarabadi: architect of Hyderabad

Mir Momin Astarabadi: architect of Hyderabad 

      Going back in time to the 14th century, the Deccan plateau in Southern India was being governed by the Bahmani Sultanate which had been founded in 1347. People from different parts of the world  were coming here and getting settled in the region after securing good appointments at the Bahmani court.

     Mir Momin Astarabadi was one such migrant who was from Astarabad in Persia (Iran). He was from a family of scholars and his family had instilled him with qualities like discipline and civility. He worked as a tutor to the imperial crown prince, Hyder Mirza but  as the prince died unexpectedly followed by his father Tahmasp Safavi; he left Persia and went to Mecca. Finally he came to Golconda in 1580 when Sultan Mohammad Quli was its ruler. 

     Mir Momin was teaching theology and lecturing in mosques and soon became well known in Golconda. He was of the Shia faith and was soon spotted by the Sultan who appointed him as his Peshwa in 1585. 

   

 Mir Momin Astarabadi (1585- 1624/5 A. D.)

    Peshwa Mir Momin was instrumental in converting Bhagmati, the Hindu queen of Mohammad Quli to Islam and giving her the new name Hyder Mahal. Initially he had tried in vain to wean him away from Bhagmati, the village belle and dancer from Chichlam who was the Sultan's beloved.

      Sultan Mohammad Quli respected his Peshwa who was a spiritual guide to him. Under Mir Momin the Shia faith gained dominance in the Golconda kingdom  and Persian manners and style came to be practised.

     As Sultan Mohammad Quli had no sons he adopted a boy born to his youngest brother Mirza Mohammad Ameen and his wife Khanum Aagha also called Mohammad. He grew up 

learning Persian and Arabic and also learnt fencing, shooting and riding . Mir Momin took it upon himself to bring him up like a prince.  He married Hayat Bakshi Begum, daughter of Mohammad Quli and Bhagmati, with the efforts of Peshwa Mir Momin. On the death of the only claimant to the throne,Khuda Banda, brother of Mohammad Quli he quickly declared the Prince as the next ruler of Golconda. Peshwa Mir Momin thus served two Qutub Shahi Sultans.

  Golconda as capital of the Qutub Shahi kingdom had got too crowded and the Sultan was looking for new space to establish a new city. He found the same to the eastern side of the River Musi (earlier called Muchkunda). The place was lush and very suitable. Peshwa Mir Momin assisted him in his mission. Plans of famous cities like Ispahan were studied and finally the foundation of the Charminar was laid in 1589 and the new city in 1591. The dream city Farkhunda buniyad or Bhagnagar meaning city of fortune was built having palaces, neat roads, gardens,fountains, water supply systems, public health buildings,schools, the royal mint, royal pavillions etc. The Badshahi Ashoorkhana, Jama Masjid, Darulshifa, jilukhana(charkaman)  and palaces like Dad Mahal,Sajan Mahal,Lal Mahl, Chandan Mahal, Khudadad Mahal were made in the new city. Another 14,000 houses were built for traders and people from other professions and given free of cost to them. Thus the city got populated and the capital of the kingdom was shifted to it. 

     Mir Momin was as much a peshwa as he was a great scholar. He is supposed to have had mastery over occult sciences too. In fact he got constructed a black granite pillar behind the western arch and got verses inscribed on it, near the Charminar to ward off evil spirits. Behind this there was a big lofty gate with a gold-cloth curtain studded with precious stones. All his books on the occult are buried with him.

    Mir Momin added many books to the royal library. He authored a book Risal-e-maqdariya in Persian which was in 12 parts on weights and measures. He wrote another book Kitab-e-rajiyath besides composing rubayis(quartrains) and qaseedahs (eulogies).

      Mir Momin got made a grave yard in the southern part of Hyderabad, where he lies buried and so does his son Mir Mohammad Majudduddin ; Daira-e- Mir Momin. Sources say that he was  very distressed by the death of his only son and he too passed way on the fortieth day of his son's death in 1624/5 at Hyderabad at the age of 71 years. He had brought camel-loads of soil from Karbala to fill the excavated site. When Mir Momin acquired this land Shah Chirag ,a religious figure from Najaf (in Iraq) had been already buried here. Many other famous people lie buried here which include poet Mirza Muhammad or Naimath Ali Khan, a high ranking official of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb,the family of the Salar Jungs, Mir Alam, Khan-e-Khanan among others.

Famous Urdu poet Makhdoom Mohiuddin has said :

Shahar baqi hai,mohabbat ka nasha baqi hai

Tu nahin teri chasme-e-nigaran baqi hai !

References :

• Khan, Raza Ali/Hyderabad 400 years (1591-1991), Hyderabad : Zenith Publishers,1990.
• Rao, Bhoopala K.V/ The Qutub Shahi Prime Ministers. Hyderabad : Mahamantri Madanna Trust, 1992.

Posted by  :


Soma Ghosh

© author

Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah : founder of Hyderabad city

Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah : founder of Hyderabad city

          Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah founded the city of Hyderabad in India. It is  425 years old. A bustling metropolis, the old and the new co-exist here. One can still see the vestiges of older days and the edifices of modern times. The city has been witness to ups and downs but its charm lives on. It reflects a composite culture with different religions, communities and groups living and contributing to life here. The flora and fauna are also typical of the Deccan region with varieties of trees, flowering plants adding to the kaleidoscope. The rock-scape is millions of years old and finds mention in writings on the city, adding character and mystique to Hyderabad.

           He was the third son of Sultan Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, born in 1565  and the fifth sultan of the Qutub Shahi dynasty who founded Hyderabad in 1591 and built the famous Charminar. The plan of the city was modelled on the Persian city Ispahan, and a ''replica of heaven''. He ascended to the throne at the young age of 15 and ruled for 31 years.

            There is a beautiful love story attached to the history of Hyderabad. Many question its validity but several historians have claimed it to be true. The young prince Mohammad Quli met a girl, Bhagmati  in Chichlam village who was on her way to a temple; while searching for a new place for establishment of a new city; and was captivated by her charm and beauty. He fell madly in love with her and wanted to marry her. However she was a Hindu and they faced strict opposition  from the Muslims of the time. The city to be built was on the southern bank of Musi river. He is believed to have crossed the river during storm and flood to meet Bhagmati, hearing which his father Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah ordered for a new bridge to be built now known as Purana-pul, made in 1579.

Purana-pul, Hyderabad,photograph,2017.

Image source : Dinesh Singh

Artist representation of the meeting between Bhagmati and Mohammad Quli.

Source : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110916

Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah married Bhagmati in 1589, after waiting for 11 years. He had laid the foundation of Charminar and it was completed in 1591. A plague had ravaged the area and this monument celebrated its ending.  He has also laid the foundation of the new city called Bhagnagar. Bhagmati converted to Islam and her name became Hydermahal. The city was then called Hyderabad after her. 
Bhagmati has a daughter who is named Hayath Baksh. Hayath Baksh went on to be remembered as the mother of a subsequent ruler. Her tomb is a part of the Qutub Shahi tomb complex at Shaikpet at Hyderabad.

      However many believe that the city is named after Imam Ali whose title was Hyder. The word hyder means ''brave'' in Urdu and Persian; abaad means populated.

      Several travellers who came to the city have described it in their accounts. They include the French traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in 1642, Thevenot in 1665-66 and Abbe Carre in 1672. 

        Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah was an able administrator and a great builder. He maintained good relations with Persia and there was extensive trade between Golconda and Persia. Tobacco, gun powder,rubies,textile wooden furniture were exported ; while ceramics, carpets,glass silver,pearls and horses were imported.

The Unani or Greco-Arab system of medicine flourished during this time. There was a continuous inflow of immigrants from Persia and there was Persian influence in fields of education and administration. Land revenue was the chief source of income. There existed tax on tobacco, salt,toddy etc. A tax existed on diamonds; and the diamond mines in the kingdom were given on contract and rent was collected for them.

Exports include steel products and diamonds too. Masulipatnam and Srikakulam were the main ports; Narsapur was known for ship-building and ships sailed in all directions from the ports. The famous blades of Damascus got the raw material from Nirmal and Indur, north of the city; as per historian Jadunath Sarkar.

Portrait, Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=100407

     Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah was a peaceful person and though there were border skirmishes he was not a military conqueror. His involvement with the Mughals was indirect and he managed to keep his sovereignty. He was more involved in poetry, town-planning, architecture and literature. Mohammad Quli wrote poetry in Persian and Urdu. His collection or diwan is called Kuliyat-e-Quli Qutub Shah. Below is a line from a poem composed by Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah.

Translation: The lady asks opulence, " why art thou come?"; opulence laughs and says " it is for Qutub Shah's sake that I am come from eternity"!

By Tarunpant - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27958915

        The Charminar was the earliest aesthetic monument to be built in the newly planned city. According to some it is built like a taziya or a replica of the mausoleum of Imam Hussain. While some opine it is the city centre or piazza. Made of plaster and stone it stands majestically with four tall minarets with heights of 48.7 meters. The minarets have four storeys with 146 steps; while the main building has three floors and a mosque on the western side of the roof. The mosque has 45 prayer niches and open space in front.A school is also belived to have existed on the second floor of the monument. The Charminar is symbol of the city of Hyderabad and is one of India's marvels of architecture.

                                     

Charminar, Hyderabad, built in 1591 by Sultan Mohammad Quli.

By Hoodedemperor - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22763693

     The other structures include the Char Kaman or the four arches, located north to the Charminar about 75 metres away, originally called jilukhana (guard's square). At the centre of it was the char-su-ka-houz,
The western arch led to the palaces. Originally called Sher-e-Ali, it got changed to Sher-e-batil with time. The eastern arch is called Kali Kaman, the northern one Machli Kaman and the southern one Charminar Kaman; though initially they did not have any names. Musicians used to play shehnai (musical instrument)five times a day on the eatern arch. The western arch led to the palace area, where there was a serai (inn) and a hospital. 

    The palace area had an ornate and beautifully decorated gate. The doors were made of fragrant sandalwood studded with precious stones and nails of gold. A screen made of gold-cloth existed behind the doors.The palaces included the Lal Mahal, the Dad Mahal, The Jina Mahal, the Qutub Mandir and the Khudadad Mahal. Of these the Sultan stayed in the Qutub Mandir. The Dad Mahal was used for dispensing justice.Nadi Mahal with its pavillion, was at the bank of the river Musi which the Sultan used for relaxation. Servants attached to the palaces stayed at the Lal-mahal. The Khudadad Mahal had eight storeys and ws built after the marriage of Hayat Baksh Begum. Besides there was also Ala Mahal, the Koh-i-tur pavillion, the Sajan Mahal .The palaces don't exist anymore as they were destroyed during  the Mughal invasion of Hyderbad.
The area has the High Court building, City College etc.in present times, the 21st century.

     Mohammad Quli's poems have references to the palaces. Mohammad Quli built many gardens and pavillions like the Nabat Pahaad. Gardens were made in and around the city. Flowering and fruit trees abounded which made travellers mention them in their accounts.

     Mir Momin Astrabadi of Persia was the chief architect of the city. He was a poet too. He brought expert draftsmen and skilled craftsmen from Persia like Abu Talib,Kamal-ud-din Shirazi and Sheher Yar Jahan.

    The Badshahi ashurkhana is a religious building constructed in 1596 to house the alams (replicas)of the standards carried by the Prophet's grandson Hussain at Karbala. The whole place was lit up with Mohammad Quli lighting 1000 lamps everyday till the tenth day of the month of Moharram. The beautifully enamelled tiles at the Ashurkhana have inscriptions in Persian.



Badshahi ashurkhana with tile work, built in 1596, Hyderabad.

By Madhu vottery - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30298316

    Jama Masjid was built during the reign of Mohammad Quli, the second mosque in the newly founded city. I has a side entrance, and originally having a school teaching Arabic, a monastery and a bath attached.



Darulshifa area in Hyderabad.

By Hadisaab (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Darulshifa meaning house of cure was completed in 1595. It housed a medical college imparting Unani knowledge and a hospital. A salubrious environment was guaranteed to the patients; fresh air from the nearby river Musi. A Turkish style bath also existed but not any more.  
   
     Other than the palaces, inns, gardens etc. 14,000 houses were also built in the new city and allotted free of cost to traders and people from other professions. It took nearly a decade to complete the construction of the capital city, Bhagnagar( later Hyderabad) in order to shift from Golconda.

    Mohammad Quli's tomb was built during his lifetime. There is a double terrace and a colonnade runs around the mortuary chamber in the pillar and lintel style. The tomb itself is made of polished of black basalt on which Quranic verses are inscribed. The tomb mentions his birth-date,period of reign and date of death.





Tomb of Mohammad Quli at Hyderabad.
By Bernard Gagnon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34551238

Hyderabad city around the Charminar.

By Nagalakshmikavuri - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28274186



The founder of Hyderabad passed away in 1612 and had said prophetically in a poem ''Oh God fill my city with people just as you have filled the river with fish''; Hyderabad has thence grown,still developing and ever changing.     

References :

• Luther, Narendra/Prince,poet,lover,builder : Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah, the founder of Hyderabad,New Delhi : Publications Division, 1991.
• wikipedia.org
• http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

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