The High Court - imposing domed building of judicature at Hyderabad

The High Court of Hyderabad - imposing domed building of judicature at Hyderabad

      The High Court building across the Musi river at Hyderabad is an awesome structure with a story to  tell, standing for over 100 years. It is built in pink granite and sandstone in Indo-Saracenic style of architecture over nine acres of land near the river Musi which flows through Hyderabad. The structure was built by the VIIth Nizam, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan. A ''hukum'' of the Nizam of Hyderabad was in place to appoint judges and the court was governed by the Civil Service rules of the time. The building has served the erstwhile state of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and now Telangana State.The Andhra Pradesh High Court was renamed as High court of Hyderabad in view of bifurcation of the State into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; from 2nd June 2014 after the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 came into force. It was renamed and served as a common high court for both the states. But Andhra Pradesh has now got its own High Court and the building is now the High Court of Telangana State which came to existence on 1st January 2019.

High Court of  Telangana State, Hyderabad, image, 21st century.

'Loyaulte Me Lie'

Echoes through history

A sacred oath, a blessing

A cry for truth and justice

Of equality and freedom

That lies at the heart of

Kingship and of princes and men.

Let justice prevail in all its form

Let the truth be known

That Loyalty Binds Me. 

.........................David Wood

      

High Court of  Telangana State, Hyderabad, image, 21st century.

 On 20 April 1920 the High Court building was inaugurated by VIIth Nizam of Hyderaabd State, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan. The plan of the High Court had been made  by architect Shankar Lal of Jaipur. The civil engineer who executed the design of this awesome building was Mehar Ali Fazil, the chief engineer was Nawab Khan Bahadur Mirza Akbar Baig. The construction had started on 15 April 1915 and was completed on 31 March 1919, thus it took five years to build. Vincent J. Esch, British architect and engineer, had provided expert guidance. The building could accommodate six judges,  Record Rooms and Advocates' Hall besides accommodation for the office staff. The number of judges incresed over time and was 12 when Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956. Additional buildings had to be built during 1958-9.

       The High Court used to function at Patthergatti and other places before this building was made.There was a judicial system in place by the efforts of Sir Salar Jung I, Prime minister of Hyderabad State from 1853 to 1883. 

      The decorated entrance trefoil arch is on one of the tallest in India, with medallions on the spandrels. Rows of lotus petals around the base of domes add beauty and mystique to this already graceful structure.  A silver model of the High Court building, with a silver key, was presented to  Nizam VII, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan by the Judiciary during his reign's Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 1936. The facsimile of the buildings was perfectly carved in a thick sheet of silver weighing about 300 kg. The model is now kept along with other artefacts in the Nizams' Museum at the Purani Haveli palace in the old city, Hyderabad.

High Court of Judicature, Hyderabad, image, 20th century.



High Court of  Telangana State , Hyderabad, image, 21st century.



Entrance, High Court of  Telangana State, Hyderabad, image, 21st century. (Sakshi newspaper image)

        When the foundation was being done, there came to light the existence ruins of two Qutub shahi palaces, interestingly called Hina Mahal and Nadi Mahal. The High Court building forms an excellent backdrop to the setting sun, with its domes at different levels giving an ethereal experience everyday, and one cant help but gaze at it !



Sunset view, High Court of  Telangana State, Hyderabad.





References :

• wikipedia.org
• www.thehindubusinessline.com
• www.thenewsminute.com
• https://telangana.gov.in/judiciary
• poetryhunter.com
• Images from Wikimedia commons

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Soma Ghosh


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