Dress of Golconda and Hyderabad : images from miniature paintings

Dress of Golconda and Hyderabad : images from miniature paintings

             The kingdom of Golconda is one of the Deccan Sultanates who ruled the region from 1512 to 1687 under different rulers/kings or Sultans, from the Qutub Shahi dynasty.They had asserted their independence from the powerful but disintegrating Bahmani rule in the Deccan. Their way of life was opulent with emphasis on the growth of art, architecture and literature. Their manners and dress were highly influenced by the Persian court. They encouraged languages like Persian, Telugu and Dakhni. The Sultans were poets themselves .Many works were produced during their time. Also miniature paintings under the Golconda and later Hyderabad school happened during the beginning of Asaf Jahi rule. This article offers glimpses of the dress and textiles in use during the reign of the Qutub Shahi kings and early Asaf Jahis through glimpses from miniature paintings made mostly by court artists. Many travellers who came to the kingdom as diamond merchants have also mentioned some details of the dress and culture of the period in their travelogues. The textiles and fashion at the Qutub Shahi court were of a composite type, a blend of Mughal, Vijaynagara and Telugu styles.

Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah, in white jama having floral design,with a gold coat,patka and shawl, Golconda school,17th century. San Diego Museum of Art, U S A.

    Cotton was grown abundantly given the black soil of the region that they ruled. The weaving community was an important one during the time. The common people also wore differently coloured bright clothes. In summer the lighter shades were preferred and the material used was mulmul (thin cotton) for the dhoti (lower garment) and  regular cotton for the jama (upper garment). The famous Kalamkari textiles were used mostly printed and dyed with madder red colour, an extract of a plant found in Masulipatnam and Palakollu,  with other natural ingredients.

                    

   Bhagmati with her attendant,  miniature painting.

         The image above represents Bhagmati, the beloved of Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah and her companion in a terrace setting. The costume worn by Bhagmati appears to be a precursor to the 'chaugoshia' made up of four different pieces of apparel and was well worn in the Asaf Jahi 'mahallat'. During the Qutub Shahi reign the telia rumal produced at Devarakonda, Pochampalli Hanamakonda and Kurnool were widely used as dupattas, dhotis, sarees, turbans and patkas or waist bands. Qutub Shahi women wore  sarees  made at Paithan. Hyderabad produced awesome himroo and kimkhab fabrics. Also zari work with gold and silver threads. The centres at Dharmavaram and Anantapur too made sarees. Animal and bird motifs were frequently used on the borders. The Kulliyat of Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah mentions... hems of sarees of women adorned with pearls...!

 Dancer, Golconda School, mid 17th century, LACMA, Los Angeles.

lIluminated Manuscript, History of the Qutb Shahi Sultans of Golconda,17th century, LACMA , Los Angeles, U S A. 

Sultan Abul Hasan Qutub Shah, wearing a long jama, patka and shawl, along with a coat with floral designs. miniature painting.

Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I wearing a long robe-jama and a coloured coat, seen with attendants holding flywhisks  and wearing coloured jamas and patkas, miniature painting, 18th century, Hyderabad.

Women on a terrace, wearing long skirts with floral motifs,18th century, Hyderabad.

References :

• Kumari, Meena V/Arts and architecture of Qutub Shahi times : lesser known monuments /Delhi : B. R Publishing Corporation,2014.
• Mittal, Jagdish/Deccani Kalams/Bombay : Marg Publications, Vol XVI,No : 2, 1963.
• Zebrowski, Mark/Deccani painting, New Delhi : Roli Books,1983.
• Images are from Wikimedia Commons

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒauthor