Asaf Jah II : the second Nizam of Hyderabad

Asaf Jah II : the second Nizam of Hyderabad

     Asaf Jah I ruled the state of Deccan as an able statesman. He died at Burhanpur in 1748 at the age of 78. After he died there was a struggle for the throne. The following thirteen years saw different rulers for short spans of time. During this time foreign powers had started gaining some control of Indian affairs. The second son of Asaf Jah I, Nasir Jung was supported by the British. The grandson Muzaffar Jung, his grandson was supported by the French. Nasir Jung succeeded in occupying the throne for some time, but but was killed at Arcot in 1750 in an encounter with the French. Muzaffar Jung occupied the throne but was murdered the following year. Then his son Salabat Jung occupied the throne. He was dethroned by his brother Nizam ali Khan in 1762. He died in confinement at Bidar in 1763.

     Nizam Ali Khan born in 1734, was Nawab Mir Nizam Ali Khan Siddiqui Bayafandi Bahadur Asaf Jah II, became ruler in 1762 and ruled for forty years. Initially he was the faujdar of the Deccan in 1759. He had earned a good reputation by fighting the Marathas. However, he faced some defeat at the Battle of Udgir after the assasination of Alamgir II. Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II made him subahdar of the Deccan after Nizam Ali Khan siezed the Bidar Fort and confined Salabat Jung.In 1763 the Nizam was defeated by Madhavrao II at the Battle of Rakshabhuvan  and entered in to an agreement with the Marathas. His military guide was Monsieur Raymond, a French General in his army. He was the founder of the Gunfoundry in Hyderabad. Son of a merchant,he had come to India along with his brother from France in 1775. He became a soldier under General Bussy at Pondicherry.  However later in 1786 he met the Nizam and joined as a soldier. Again in 1795 at the Battle of Kharda the Nizam  lost  to the Marathas and had to cede Daulatabad,Aurangabad and Sholapur. Monsieur Raymond became Amar-e-jinsi or Comptroller of Ordinance in 1796.  Monsieur Raymond died mysteriously  in 1798 when he was a commander of 14,000 men. He was fondly called Mussa Ram or Mussa Rahim (Monsieur Raymond ) and the area where his tomb is located is called Moosarambagh at Hyderabad.

Nizam Ali Khan, painting, late 18th century,Hyderabad.

Av Ukjent - The San Diego Museum of Art, Offentlig eiendom, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28942229



Asaf Jah II,portrait.

By Unknown - hyder5, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27106739

   Later the Nizam Ali Khan entered in to an alliance with the British East India Company and Hyderabad became a large princely state within the British Raj. Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II died in 1803 at Chowmahalla Palace at Hyderabad.

Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad.

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

Top ka sancha or Gunfoundry at Hyderabad.

By MIT Libraries - http://dome.mit.edu/handle/1721.3/20032, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25279442

Monsieur Raymond's tomb,Hyderabad.

By Bhaskaranaidu - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21465339

References :

• Hyderabad : a city  in history/Khan, Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Services,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author

Hyderabad's history :the Mughal connection

Hyderabad's history : the Mughal connection

         The Mughals tried to capture Golconda on two occasions. First in the year 1656, and then in the year 1687. Aurangzeb attacked  Golconda for the first time during the reign of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah. At that time his prime minister was Mir Muhanmmad Sayeed Mir Jumla. He was a very able person and under him a large part of the Karnatak province was annexed to the Golconda kingdom. However due to certain circumstances,  son of Mir Jumla was imprisoned by the Sultan. This led to a misunderstanding between them. Mir Jumla then appealed to Aurangzeb for release of his son. This gave him an opportunity to attack Golconda.

 Sultan Abdullah had to release Mir Jumla's son and pay a heavy indemnity in offer for peace. He also gave his daughter in marriage to Aurangzeb's eldest son.

 Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah died in 1672. He was succeeded by his son-in-law Abul Hassan. During his rule Aurangzeb again attacked Golconda and was victorious in 1687. The siege had lasted for 8 months. Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah was taken prisoner and kept at Daulatabad Fort where he died in 1699.

Mughal amir on horseback,painting,17th century.

By Mughal School - bridgeman berlinfrom the Large Clive Albumhttp://www.art-prints-on-demand.com/a/mughal-school/a-mughal-amir-on-horsebac.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16873985

     Kilich Khan was an important commander in the Mughal army. His actual name was Hajji Nawab Khwaja Abid Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi. He was given the title Kilich Khan by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. He lost his life in the battle for Golconda. His son was Ghaziuudin Khan Firuz Jung. He was made Subahdar of Gujarat Subah  during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I.

      In 1690s, Ghaziuddin Khan had founded a madarsa, Madarsa Ghaziuddin Khan named after him. It became  Delhi College which eventually paved way for the present Zakir Hussain College, under University of Delhi.In 1986, it shifted to a new building outside Turkman Gate; the old structure in the Madrasa Ghaziuddin complex  still houses a hostel for the college and also has Ghaziuddin's mausoleum who had died in Ahmedabad in 1710.  His son was the famous Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi, Asaf Jah I the first Nizam of Hyderabad who was born to Ghaziuddin Khan and Wazirunnisa Begum at Agra in 1671.The name Mir Qamaruddin Khan was given by Emperor Aurangagzeb.

Kilich Khan, Mughal,painting, 1900,Smithsonian collections.

By Mughal dynasty - http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectNumber=S1986.441, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php? curid=18230169

        When Mir Qamaruddin Khan was six the emperor gave him a mansab. He grew up to be a skilled warrior. He began to join his father in battle when he was still young. At 17 he joined in the assault at the Fort of Adoni. At 19, he was given the tilte Chin Fateh Khan by Aurangzeb.AT 20 was given the title of Chin Kilich Khan after the siege of Wagingera Fort. By 26 he was Commander-in-chief and Viceroy at Bijapur. He was later Viceroy at Malwa and finally of the Deccan. 

     After Emperor Aurangzeb died the Mughal empire began to lose its grip and was on the decline. Lot of confusion followed. Farukhshiyar who was Mughal emperor for some time gave him the title of Nizam-ul-mulk Fateh Jung. Later Emperor Muhammad Shah gave him the title Asaf Jah.

Emperor Farukhshiyar,painting,18th century.

By Attributed to Chitarman II (Kalyan Das) (active ca. 1700–45) - http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/60050361#fullscreen, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18138484

     When Qamaruddin Khan was the subahdar of Malwa he had stated asserting himself.  After the death of Emperor Muhammad Shah, Farukhshiyar the sixth of Aurangzeb's successors  called him to take on the Sayyid borthers but Farukhshiyar was killed in the strife. Mir Qamaruddin Khan was made vizier in the court of Muhammad Shah but got disgusted soon and resigned his post in 1724 and marched towards the Deccan, Mubariz Khan, the subahdar of Deccan, who had been appointed by Farukhshiyar, refused to vacate and opposed him; a battle followed at Shakarkhleda at Berar. Mubariz Khan was killed. The emperor gave him the title Asaf Jah, sent him jewels and an elephant. He was the Viceroy of the Deccan and the Mughal authority in the Deccan. In 1725 the Marathas demanded chauth (a tax)  but the Nizam refused. A battle took place in 1727 near Nasik with Peshwa Bajirao. The Nizam also sent his troops to the aid of emperor Muhammad Shah to combat Nader Shah from Persia.The combined troops could not face the superior weapons and war tactics of the opposing forces. It is believed that the words of Asaf Jah I convinced him to stop his relentless massacre of Delhi.

Asaf Jah I ruled his territory well. In 1742 the British sent him him a hamper with goodies like 

a gold throne,silver threaded silk from Europe,yards of velvet, brocades,Persian carpets,rose 

water bottles, rose water etc. In return he sent a horse, a piece of jewellery and asked them not

to print their own currency. The British complied with the same. He died in 1748. Nizam-ul-mulk is well remebered 

for laying the foundation of the Hyderabad State His descendants ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad

of the Asaf Jahi dynasty till the Indian Independence.

Portrait, Nizam-ul-mulk,Mir Qamaruddin Khan,Asaf Jah I.

By Unknown - 1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1022094

References :

• Hyderabad : a city  in history/Khan, Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Services,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author

Gates of Golconda : the darwaza at the fort

Gates of Golconda : the  darwaza at the fort

       The darwaza or the doors or gates of any fort  or palace have played an important role in its history. Besides being functional, they add character and mystique to the appearance of the structure they are a part of; sometimes with its own unique architecture.They seem to entice the visitor to enter through them and find a new experience or sight within.

        There are eight important gates at the Golconda Fort. Bala Hissar Darwaza, Fateh Darwaza, Banjara Darwaza,Moti Darwaza, Patancheru Darwaza, Mecca Darwaza,Yali Darwaza, etc.   Through these gates an elephant with its mahout would easily pass. The doors are made of teakwood. The entrance doors of the gateways have large iron studs and iron spikes in order to prevent elephants from damaging the fort; relevant at the time they were built. The gates are tall and colossal.

      The Bala Hissar Gate depicted below shows Indo-Islamic design in stucco between the arch and lintel with a heraldic lion and some mythical animals. The peacock motif had been used  decoratively above the door. This gate leads to the second level of fortification.

Bala Hissar Darwaza,Golconda Fort.


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



Entrance door, Golconda Fort.

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

Fortifications, Golconda Fort.

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




 Gateways inside the Golconda Fort.

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

  The Fateh Darwaza is the gate through which Emperor Aurangzeb's forces entered the fort. it was opened by bribing a Qutub Shahi official Abdullah Khan Panni.The gate is on the south through which one can enter the fort. This gateway is 13 feet wide and 25 feet high It has iron sheets with spikes stuck on its teak doors. A strong wooden bar was sued to secure the door , with two sockets on each side. An open space between the first entrance and second entrance; where guards used to be posted. Makka Darwaza has an covered space between its outer and inner entrance. The Moti, Patancheru and Banjara Darwaza too have a covered space between its entrances. Link roads connect all the gates to the Bala Hissar Darwaza.

                                                                

Door, Fateh darwaza,Golconda Fort.

Pics Source : Vartika Singh

Doors, Moti darwaza,Golconda Fort.

Pics Source : Vartika Singh

Doors, Banjara darwaza, Golconda Fort.

Pics Source : Vartika Singh

Door, Makka Darwaza,Golconda Fort.

Pic Source : Vartika Singh

  
      Below is depicted the Yali darwaza. It pierces the middle fortification and has an interesting broad lintel which has a lotus medallion with mythical animals on it's side, probably yalis.  Swans with worms in their beaks are also seen. On top is a pointed space surrounded by animal and bird motifs.



Yali Darwaza,Golconda Fort.

By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons




References :

1. wikipedia.org
2. The heritage of the Qutb Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad/Nayeem,M.A,Hyderabad : Hyderabad Publishers,2006.
3.  Marg, Vol XXXVII No:3, Bombay : Marg Publications.

Posted by :


Soma Ghosh


Ⓒauthor

Seige of Golconda : end of an era

Siege of Golconda : end of an era

  The last ruling sultan of Golconda was Abul Hasan Tana Shah. By 1687 the Mughal forces had already conquered two Deccani kingdoms the Adil Shahi and Nizam Shahi sultanates with their capitals at Bijapur and Ahmadnagar respectively. in January,1687, Emperor Aurangzeb led the Mughal forces to capture the Golconda Fort. The siege lasted eight months. Golconda Fort was very strong fort with many bastions. The walls were made of granite.There was an excellent acoustic system in place for communication. The front gate had spikes to stop the elephants. Golconda was the only centre for diamonds at that time with the Kollur mine under them which has given the world many famous gems !

Golconda Fort.

By Thariqmirza94 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

   The painting below shows Aurangzeb with attendants supervising cavalry and artillery as they attack the fortified city in the background. A breach has been made in the sandstone walls which the Mughal troops are traversing. The painting is from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection at the Brown University Library, Rhode Island, USA. The Mughals had finally entered the fort by bribing a Qutub Shahi official, Abdullah Panni, who opened a khirki in the Fateh Darwaza at the fort.

Aurangzeb at the siege of Golconda,painting,18th century.

See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

     The Mughal forces were driven by Ghaziuddin Khan Firuz Jung who was to bombard the fort's strong wall with cannons. The Fateh rahbar and Azhad-e-paikar were used. The cannon balls were heavy and used to shoot, during the siege. Kilich Khan, father of Ghaziuddin also took part in the siege. He was an experienced commnader of the Mughals. Munawwar Khan, the Mughal admiral ensured food and supply of weapons to the invading forces. Shaista Khan, Murshid Quli Khan and Ibrahim Khan were commanders in the Mughal army who positioned soldiers all around. Abdul Razzak Lari, also called Mustafa Khan from the Golconda front was a brave soldier who defended the fort during the siege and fell down seriously wounded at Nagina Bagh. He was later nursed back to health on the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb. He is well-remembered for his loyalty to Sultan Abul Hasan Qutub Shah.

Kilich Khan, Mughal commander,painting.

By Mughal dynasty - http://www.asia.si.edu/collections/singleObject.cfm?ObjectNumber=S1986.441, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18230169

Elephant with mahout, Mughal, painting, 18th century.

By Unknown (production) - http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73158/painting/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17701060



Shaista Khan,Mughal commander,painting.

By Mughal Style - http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=231822&partid=1&searchText=mughal&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&numpages=10&images=on&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx&currentPage=34, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17774211

  The siege lasted for eight months. The Qutub Shahis defended their fort to the maximum. Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah was in no mood to surrender, even though one of his commanders Muqarrab Khan changed loyalties. High intensity rockets were fired on the Mughal camps around the fort, from inside. The Mughals face many difficulties in capturing the fort. Cannon fire from the Golconda fort deterred the Mughal forces. Kilich Khan,long time commander and father of Ghaziuddin Firuz Jung, died during the siege.  

    However they did not give up. When supplies arrived they would start fresh attacks. Finally they could enter the fort when they could bribe a Qutub Shahi official Sarandaz Khan to open a gate by which the soldiers entered the fort, lead by Ghaziuddin Firuz Jung. The Sultan was captured and so was the Kollur mine by the Mughals. The Sultan was taken to Daulatabad fort. Some important diamonds were handed over to Emperor Aurangzeb which included the Noor-ul-Ain, Kara Diamond, Hope diamond, Dariya-e-noor and the Regent diamond. Mir Qamaruddin Khan, son of Ghaziuddin Firuz Jung became the viceroy, also called Asaf Jah I as Ghaziuddin Firuz Jung had died of natural causes. He was the viceroy of the Deccan appointed by the Mughals. He was given the title Chin Kilich Khan by emperor Aurangzeb in 1690, Nizam-ul-mulk by Farukhshiyar in 1713 and Asaf Jah by Muhammad Shah in 1725. He  started the line of Asaf Jahis or the Nizam rule in the Hyderabad-Deccan.

Mir Qamaruddin Khan, Asaf Jah I, Viceroy of the Deccan,painting, 1800.

By Unknown - 1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40816594

References :

• History of the Qutub Shahi dynasty/Sherwani,H.K,New Delhi : Munshiram Manoharlal,1974.
• M.A.Nayeem/The heritage of the Qutub Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad,Hyderabad: Hyderabad Publishers,2006.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author

Kingsmen of Golconda ; Prime ministers and nobles

Kingsmen of Golconda : prime ministers and nobles

    The Golconda kingdom attracted many traders,merchants, artists,intellectuals and scholars from faraway lands like Persia. Many of them entered the service of the Qutub Shahi kings. Some of them became prime ministers and held many high posts in the government. Historians have mentioned them in their narrations of Golconda.

•  Mir Jumla Musatafa Khan(1550-1565) 

          His origin was from Persia and he migrated to Golconda and joined the army. He rose to become an Amir. Along with a few more Amirs  he received Mohammed Ibrahim,youngest son of Sultan Quli on the outskirts of the kingdom with an army. He invited him to ascend to the throne. All this was in 1550. Ibrahim soon became the Sultan and he was made Mir Jumla Mustafa Khan soon after. He displayed great  political talent and wisdom to bring about some unity among the Deccan Sultans of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmadnagar. However Mustafa Khan seemed to have acted independently in the handing over of the land between rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra to the Adil Shahis. This angered Nizam Shah who complained about him to the Golconda Sultan and ensured his exit from Golconda. He was asked to leave to Mecca with his personal belongings which included pearls,gems, camels and men. However he went to Bijapur and stayed there for 12 years. He was not favoured by the prime-minister of Bijapur,Kishwar Khan, and was was surreptitiously murdered in a forest in 1577.

•    Meer Shah Meer (1579-1582)

   His name was Meer Taqi and he was from Persia. He too came to Golconda for better prospects. He joined the service of the Qutub Shahis under Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah and by 1579 he became a commander in his army. He took possession of the Kondaveedu Fort in April, 1579. The title Meer Shah Meer was conferred on him by the Sultan. and Meer Taqi's daughter was engaged to the Sutan's second son and crown prince Hussain Quli. However circumstances changed and Mohammad Quli the Sultan's third son became the king. Golconda lost at Naldurg, Bijapur though the new king himself joined the invading armies. In 1682 the Sultan dismissed Meer Taqi and sent him back with his daughter. He died a broken hearted man on the way.

•    Mir Momin Astarabadi (1585-1624)

  Mir Momin Astarabadi 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 was the chief architect of the city of Hyderabad. He is buried in Daira-e-Mir Momin which was developed by him as a graveyard during his lifetime.

        




Mir Momin Astarabadi.

• Shaikh Mohammad Ibn-e-Khatoon (1629-1649)

   He was first a minister and ambassador in 1615 A.D. under the 6th Sultan Mohammad Qutub Shah. He went to Persia and returned to Golconda after the Sultan's death. He was made Peshwa in 1628. He died on his way to Mecca. However his body was brought to Hyderabad and he is buried near Purani Haveli at Hyderabad.      

• Mir Jumla Muhammad Sayeed (1643-1656) 

               He was from Isfahan in Persia. He came to Golconda as a trader and became a wealthy diamond merchant. He later joined the service of the Sultan to become a general and was a appointed as governor of Karnatak. However he fell out with the Sultan when his son Mohammad Ameen was arrested. He appealed to Mughal Emperor Shahjahan; Aurangzeb attacked Golconda in 1656. Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah entered into a peace treaty. His son was released. He joined the Mughals and died as a governor of Bengal. A tank in Hyderabad is named after him.

    

Mir Jumla Muhammad Sayeed,painting,17th century,Golconda.

By Golkonda Painters - http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=265604&partid=1&searchText=mughal&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&numpages=10&images=on&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx&currentPage=87, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17783132

• Neknam Khan

    He was a prime minister in the Qutub Shahi reign, his original name was Raza Quli and he had come from Persia. He became Neknam Khan for his loyalty during the rebellion of Muhammad Sayeed. He was scholarly, a poet and an administrator. He was an accomplished general who commanded 40,000 troops. He was posted in the Karnatak province during the reign of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah. He died in 1672. His tomb is at the necropolis at Ibrahimbagh in Hyderabad.

• Khairat Khan

     He was first ambassador under Sultan Abdullah to Persia.He returned in 1634 and was made a minister.He died in 1655. He is buried at Gowlipura in Hyderabad.

• Musa Khan

   Musa Khan was a mahaldar  and a general during the reign of Sultan Adullah. He built the Musa Burj at the Golconda Fort and the Toli Masjid. He defended the fort during the first attack by the Mughal forces in 1656. He was later disloyal and was confined in 1674.

• Syed Muzaffar

    He was close to the royal family of Persia. He was the first minister of Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah. He was later dismissed because of disloyal acts. He is buried at Hari- Bowli in Hyderbad.

• Madanna and Akanna

    Madanna was a Hindu from Hanamakonda. The family had links with the Qutub Shahi rulers. Madanna was made peshwa under Abdullah Qutub Shah. Later he became dewan (1674-1686) under Sultan Tana Shah. His brother Akanna assisted him as his secretary. Both were killed in a conspiracy.

References :

• The Qutub Shahi prime ministers/Rao,Bhoopala,K.V, Hyderabad : Mahamantri Madanna Trust,1992. 
• M.A.Nayeem/The heritage of the Qutub Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad,Hyderabad: Hyderabad Publishers,2006.

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒauthor

Golconda times : mosques and mystics

Golconda times : mosques and mystics

    The Golconda times saw the building of many mosques, serais, commercial centres and palaces. Some can still be seen today in different states of preservation and glory at various locations in and around Hyderabad.

   There are many mosques in addition to the Mecca Masjid and the Jami Masjid near Charminar. Outside and within the fort complex are many mosques.The Jami Masjid or Masjid-e-safa is outside the fort which was built by Sultan Quli, when he was a governor under the Bahmani Sultanate in 1518. The mosque has a single dome and painted arches. The 15 bays of the mosque have stucco decorations at the apex.  The  spandrels of the arches of the mihrab too has stucco ornamentation.

 The Khairatabad mosque was built for Mulla Abdul Malik in 1612, the tutor of Khairatunnisa who was Sultan Muhammad Qutub Shah's daughter. It has a small prayer hall and its facade has three arches. There are two minarets on the sides.



Khairatabad mosque.

By Lala Deen Dayal (1844-1905) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

   Toli Mosque  was built by Musa Khan, mahaldar of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah in 1674. It is located at Karwan, 2 km from Golconda Fort. The mosque has a double prayer hall and two high minarets and a five arched facade. There are ornate decorations on the facade of the mosque.

Toli Masjid, Hyderabad.

By Aditya369 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

     The mosque below is attributed to poet-laureate Mullah Khiali located between Jallad Burj and Anankob burj. The facade has three arches with stucco motifs. the mihrab has an inscription calligraphed by Syed Sadruddin. The mosque was built during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah.

Mullah Khiali mosque, Golconda Fort.

Source : dreamstime.com/stock-photo-ancient-mosque-golconda-fort-hyderabad-image23855290

    The Hayat Bakshi Begum mosque is at Ibrahimbagh in the Qutub Shahi tomb complex.It was built in 1667 along with her mausoleum. The mosque has a prayer hall with three aisles. The facade has ornate stucco decorations with five arches. The mosque has two tall minarets with a dome at the top set on circular lotus base.

Hayat Bakshi Begum's mosque, Ibrahimbagh,Hyderabad.

By SharadaAnnamaraju - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21505978

            Heera Masjid is located near the Moti darwaza, built in 1668 under Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah specially for the diamond merchants. There is a serai within the precincts of the mosque.

         Ashrafi Masjid  is located on the distance between the Fateh darwaza and Bala Hissar darwaza between the Shamsheer kotha and the Khazan shahi. The mosque has three arches in the facade and Quranic verses on the mihrab. This mosque is dated to 1589.

       Chini Masjid  is a small masjid near the Khazana Shahi, built around 1589, with a facade of three arches.

       Baridi Masjid  is a mosque close to the Banjara Darwaza built by a Baridi Sultan who took refuge at Golconda. The mosque is plain , the facade has three arches but no minarets. The roof has six shallow domes. the mihrab of the mosque is made of black stone.

       Miyan Mishq Masjid is located opposite the Puranapul. Built by Miyan Mishq in 1674, who  was a Qutub Shahi commander of the Krnataka troops, secretary, keeper of keys; the facade has three arches and two minarets at the sides.The mosque has large cistern. Some rooms are present at the back of the verandah on the south and the east. There is a hammam  behind the mosque. There is a mortuary chamber with a verandah around it. At different places are insriptions in different calligraphic styles on black basalt stone. He has built another mosque at Attapur associated with Miyan Mishk Mahal. The facade of the mosque has three arches with octagonal minarets at the sides. The mahal built by him is a small palace, two storied with arches and a balcony projecting in front.

        Shaikpet Masjid, built in 1633/4 by Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah is a mosque, a Jama Masjid having high minarets with a facade of three arches. It is a part of the the serai complex built for traders, which had 30 rooms and stables for horses and camels. Inscriptions of Quranic texts are present on the western wall, also some Persian verses all calligraphed by Hussaini Tabrizi. The mosque has a stone platform. The traders could pray at the mosque. There is a tomb of a Sufi saint in the premises.

    Kulsum Begum's Masjid  was built by Princess Kulsum Begum, daughter of Sultan Mohammad Qutub Shah.The area is called Kulsumpura. It is  is located on the way to Puranapul from Golconda. It is fairly large mosque with a facade of three arches and octagonal minarets at the sides. 

Shaikpet masjid and serai, Hyderabad.

Source of image : https://telanganatoday.com/shaikpet-sarai-ravaged-nature(public domain)

          The Qutub Shahi times were highly influenced by the presence of Sufi saints who preached from their khankhas and were approached by people for all sects for guidance and solace. After they passed away, their dargahs are visited by followers. Both Sunni and Shiah sufis were popular. Many sufis visited Golconda The Qutub Shahis were tolerant kings; majority of the Sufi saints were from the Sunni sect. Some of their tombs and dargahs are revered since the Golconda times. 

Visit of Sufi singer Shir Muhammad to Abul Hasan Tana Shah,painting,1720, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.

By Govardhan II (http://expositions.bnf.fr/inde/grand/exp_031.htm) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Hussain Shah Wali was appointed as sipahsalar (commander)  and made in charge of public works. He was from the family of Khwaja Banda Nawaz of Gulbarga. He belonged to the chishti order. The Hussain Sagar at Hyderabad is named after him. Hussain Shah Wali's tomb with its attached mosque was built by Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah. The tomb has a single dome and the entrance to the main tomb is through a wooden gateway. He was married to Khairatunnisa Begum, daughter of Sultan Ibrahim. He passed away in 1620.He is believed to have performed miracles. His dargah is in Toli Chowki.


Syed Hussaini Barhana Shah or Barhana Shah sahib, who came from North India during Sultan Abdullah's reign was a disciple of Sufi Sarmad of Delhi. He died in 1653. His disciple Malik Parast Khan who was a minister of Sultan Mohammad Quli and Sultan Mohammad Qutub Shah, a commander of the royal bodyguard of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah, built a rectangular tomb with twelve arches over his grave. A mosque is attached to the tomb and a naqarkhana is present over the gate.

Mir Momin Astarabadi  was the chief architect of the city of Hyderabad. He had migrated from Persia and had become peshwa or prime minster at the Golconda kingdom. Sultan Mohammad Quli respected his peshwa who was a spiritual guide to him. He has built a necropolis Daira-e-Mir Momin  at Sultanshahi area in Hyderabad.He had acquired the land for burial purposes.He died in 1624/5.His tomb is rectangular structure. The second storey has an ashurkhana  where alams (standards) belonging to him are kept. The tomb has four minarets and a flat roof.

Shah Miranji Hussain Chishti was a sufi from Hyderabad who played a major role in enriching the sufi literature in Dakhni Urdu. He died in 1659. His tomb is near the Puranapul.

Shah Raju Qattal was the guide and mentor of Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah. He belonged to the Chishti order. Abul Hasan spent 14 years at his khankhah and served him. Shah Raju died in 1681. A three storied tomb was built over his grave. The tomb has an open verandah on all sides. Some of his personal belongings are kept in a hall at the tomb.

References :

• History of the Qutub Shahi dynasty/Sherwani,H.K,New Delhi : Munshiram Manoharlal,1974.
• M.A.Nayeem/The heritage of the Qutub Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad,Hyderabad: Hyderabad Publishers,2006.

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Soma Ghosh

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