Tree of life : images from Golconda textiles

Tree of life : images from Golconda textiles

      The art of Kalamkari  originated in Machilipatnam, Pallakolu and other places along the Coromandel coast during the 17th century.  It originated as a religious tapestry and later became a secular craft under Muslim rule. The kingdom of Golconda in the Deccan, India was a trading centre for diamonds, gems and textiles. The word Kalamkari or working with the pen evolved when the Golconda Sultans called the craftsmen as ‘kalamkars‘. ‘Kalamkari‘ thus literally means, art work done using a pen. The craft continues to this day with many families devoted to this art. Natural substances from plants, trees and seeds are used in the art and called painted using resist and mordant technique. Depicted are some images using this technique, of the tree of life, a unique and universal concept.

        

   The tree of life is a concept mainly from mythology, a sacred belief connecting all forms of creation. it is depicted in various cultures and traditions of the world. The tree of life is thought of as related to the eternal, a destroyer of sorrow, health, fertility, wisdom and calmness. In the Hindu faith it is the wish fulfilling Kalpavriksha which grants every wish. In Christianity the tree is the source of eternal life. The tree of life is the tree of immortality in Islamic faith. The concept spans across cultures. It is asymbol of connectivity, having roots with the soil; the leaves and branches reaching to the sky, receiving the sun and air. The tree of life represents continuity as it grows from a seed and creates a fruit with seeds, which again gives birth to the new. The tree of life is a symbol of rebirth, the leaves fall in autumn or hibernate in winter and in spring the new leaves appear like being born again. 

Tree of life,  Tent Hanging or Curtain, late 17th century, Golconda, LACMA, U. S. A.
 

    Charles Darwin proposed a tree of life which is symbolic of the source of all living things. In Chinese mythology,a dragon and phoenix are depicted in the tree of life. The dragon represents immortality. The Bodhi tree is the wisdom tree under which Siddharta Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. This tree is seen as one where once can seek refuge from worldly desires. the Celtic tree symbolises the forces of nature joining together to maintain balance in the universe. Many animals are are also seen in the tree of life depictions. Birds too are seen on the branches. sometimes the underworld is shown with a water-monster. All forms of life are connected and humans should live in harmony with the world. Everyone has a right to exist and grow as we are children of the Universe.

                The block-printed and dyed textile from the Coromandel coast depicted below consists of a tree of life within ovoid medallions, flanked by cobras and peacocks, the border is of a continuous floral garland. Originally this technique of painted resist and mordant happened under the rule of the Golconda kingdom (1512-1687). However the practice continued in the following centuries with ups and downs, but continues to this day though the designs have changed over the years. The technique was called Kalamkari which is still prevalent.

Palampore, painted resist and mordant, dyed textile, Coromandel coast, 19th century.

Image sourced from Christie's.com

Palampores were a regular feature of the 18th-century chintz trade to Europe, where they were used as wall hangings and bed-covers and table-cloths. The embroidered palampore below was chain stitched in silk on cotton to create a painted effect. The craftsmen have worked out white silk stitches within the flowers to simulate the tiny white  patterns that appear on painted textiles. Instead of shown as emerging from the usual hilly mound, this tree grows out of an interpretation of a Chinese scholar’s rock, highlighting the overlapping of Chinese, Indian, and European motifs in 18th-century exotic textiles from the East.

Palampore, embroidered textile, cotton with silk, Coromandel coast, mid-18th century, Met Museum, U S A

Palmapores depicting the tree of life show a central flower-and-fruit-bearing serpentine tree emerging from a hillock with stylized peaks or rocks. In addition to those produced for the Dutch and English markets, a class of smaller palampores was made expressly for the intra-Asian trade. This painted version depicted below was originally sourced to Sri Lanka, maybe produced for the European communities in Batavia and Colombo.

Palampore, painted resist and mordant, dyed textile, Coromandel coast, early 18th century, Met Museum, U S A.

      

 The textile piece below is a tree of life depicting the mound, peacocks and flowering tree. The border is an ornate double floral scroll. Done using the Kalamkari technique it is an exquisite work.

Tree of life, Kalamkari hanging, 21st century. 

Image : Jaypore.com



References :

• wikipedia.org
• wootandhammy.com
• spiritualray.com
• old-earth.com

Posted by:

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒauthor

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

Coinage of Golconda ; striking copper

Coinage of Golconda : striking copper

     The Qutub Shahi dynasty dominated entire Andhra-desa or Telugu country from the beginning of the 16th century to the end of the 17th century. The founder was Sultan Quli who had migrated to India from Hamadan,Persia and had finally came to the Bahmani court during the reign of Mohammad Shah III. During his reign many foreigners came as he welcomed them generously. He impressed the Sultan with his various talents and was appointed governor of Telangana in 1496.This included the areas of Warangal and Golconda.He decalred independence in 1518, but remained loyal to the Bahmani Sultan. He did not strike any coins in his name. He issued coins in the name of the Bahmani Sultan from the Golconda mint.

         The throne was taken over by his son Yar Jamsheed Quli after his assasination in 1593 which he himself got done. He ruled for seven years. During this time he issued coins in his own name. They were made of copper and bear the name of Mohammadnagar. The  round coins weighed differently and the size too varied. The coins had both the titles Sultan and Shah at the end.

Qutub Shahi coin, image 

Picture credit :https://indiancoinmart.com/product/abdullah-qutb-shah-copper-1-falus-golkonda-sultanate-shahr-i-haidarabad-mint-1626-1672-ad/

   The rule of Sultan Jamsheed Quli in 1550 gave way to the rule by an young boy Subhan Quli who was Jamsheed Quli's son,with the help of a regent. However this arrangement did not work and Ibrahim Quli ascended the throne who was the sixth son of Sultan Quli, ending his exile at the Vijyanagara kindom. However there were coins issued in his name during the time of Subhan Quli's short reign of six months.

   Sultan Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah ruled for thirty years 1550 to 1580 A.D. He is remembered as a great Qutub Shahi Sultan as there were many developments during his reign. He issued coins in his own name from the Golconda mint.

    The next king was Sultan Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah whose reign was from 1580 to 1612 A.D. He was a poet and a keen builder. He founded the city of Hyderabad. He built the Charminar,Jama Masjid, Darushifa and Badshahi Ashurkhana. the coins issued during his reign are both round and square issued from the Golconda mint. The weight is variable. There were coins issued from the mint at Hyderabad with the legend Abul Muzaffar Quli Qutub Shah on the obverse with date 1012 A.H on the reverse, ie. in 1603 A.D.

    His nephew and son-in-law Mohammad Qutub Shah succeeded Sultan Mohammad Quli and ruled from 1612 to 1626 A.D. He started building the Mecca Masjid at Hyderabad. His was apeaceful reign. Coins were struck in his name in copper with the legend Abul Muzaffar Sultan Mohammad Qutub Shah on the obverse and date and name of the place of the mint ie. Hyderabad on the reverse (Darussultanat Hyderabad), For eg. : 1025 A.H. 

     The next ruler was Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah who ruled between 1626 and 1672 A.D. The kingdom was attacked by Aurangzeb during his tenure and he had to enter a treaty with the Mughals and give his daughter in marriage to Aurangzeb's son and name him his heir. The copper coins of his time bear the legend Sultan Abdullah Badshah Ghazi or Sultan Abdullah Badshah or Abdullah Qutub Shah on the obverse and  the place of mint, Hyderabad on the reverse. They resemble Mughal coins. Another variety was issued without the name of the Sultan with the legend Qutama Bilkhar-e-vassadath but the date is of his reign. The coins of all rulers show ornamentation like the half moon symbol, small circle, elongated 'v' among  others.

  The last ruler was Sultan Abul Hasan between 1672 and 1686/7 A.D.He was the son-in-law of Sultan Abdullah. His was a steady rule and was ended by the siege of Golconda by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. Coins were issued during his time had the same legend as in Sultan Abdullah's time  with a difference only in the date. Coins were also minted at Pulicat by the Dutch. Many coins are available at the State Museum at Hyderabad, Telangana.



Dutch Golconda map,1706.

By Leiden, Van der Aa [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

   There were other coins which were current in Golconda which included the Mughal coins of gold and silver,dinar,mohammadi of Gujarat,Larin of Persia, abbasis,tanknama,tanka, tretels of Siam, ducts of Hungary, sequins of Venice etc.The local name for the gold coin pagoda was hun.

References :

• Qutub Shahi coins in the Andhra Pradesh Government Museum/Khan,Md. Abdul Wali, Hyderabad-Deccan : The Government of Andhra Pradesh,1961.
• M.A.Nayeem/The heritage of the Qutub Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad,Hyderabad: Hyderabad Publishers,2006.

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

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.

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒauthor

Reign of Ibrahim : the fourth sultan of Golconda

Reign of Ibrahim : the fourth sultan of Golconda

     After the demise of Sultan Quli, the founder of the Qutub Shahi Kingdom,his son Jamsheed Quli ruled for 1543 to 1550.  When Jamsheed took over Ibrahim had resented. He had left for Vijayanagara during the turmoil following Sultan Quli's death.  Jamsheed Quli had made some administrative reforms during his tenure and Hindus took active role in the administration. During his illness Mustafa Khan was regent. After Sultan Jamsheed Quli  died of cancer  in 1550,his son Subhan Quli who was barely seven ruled was put on the throne by Mustafa Khan and Salabat Khan. However the queen calle Saif Khan or ain-ul-mulk from Ahmadnagar and become Peshwa and Vakil. He became like a ruler. This was resented and Daulat Khan, a brother was favoured by the Naikwaris. Many of them along with Jagadeva went to Bhongir to bring Daulat Khan to Golconda and make him Sultan. However Daulat Khan himself did not want to become king. A battle ensued at Bhongir between Jagadeva and Saif Khan. Saif Khan emrged victorious.However Jamsheed Quli's brother Ibrahim Qutub Shah came back from exile in Vijayanagara and usurped the throne from him and became the fourth Sultan of Golconda on 27th July 1550. When he set foot back on Golconda at the age of 21 he paid respects to his father's grave by lighting thousand golden lamps and distributing food to the poor.

      He ruled for thirty years, 1550-1580. The Golconda kingdom was at it's height during his reign. He was a great patron of literature. During his stay at Vijayanagara with Aliya Rama Raya he became highly appreciative of the Telugu language. He patronised many Telugu poets; Singanacharyudu,Gangadhara Kavi, and Kandukuru Rudrakavi. The poet Gangadhara Kavi was his court poet and dedicated a poem to him in 1560. In Telugu literature he is known and Malkibharam.  Sultan Ibrahim's court was frequented by scholars in the Vedas, Puranas.Many Persian scholars were also patronised who composed prose and poetry. There were many afaqis or foreigners in his state. It  was due to his literary patronage that the languages intermingled and the Deccani evolved, a proto-Urdu language. Mulla Khiyali, Firoz Mahmud were early-Deccani poets in his time.

   His reign saw the making of the Purana Pul, Hussain Sagar and fortification of the fort at Golconda. He developed  Ibrahimbagh.  The town of Ibrahimpatnam is named after him. During his time the population of Golconda grew which necessitated founding of another city across the river Musi, namely Hyderabad. The area Chichlam was the place around which the new city was envisioned. Sultan Ibrahim was not into many battles and did not look much beyond his kingdom.

Sultan Ibrahim's mosque ,Golconda Fort.

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

Tile-work remains on Sultan Ibrahim's tomb, Ibrahimbagh,Hyderabad.

Source :flickr.com/photos/nagarjun/6781312293

Image by :Nagarjun Kandukuru

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

Sultan Quli : the first ruler of Golconda

Sultan Quli : the first ruler of Golconda

        Sultan Quli was the first ruler in the Golconda line of kings. He was called Qutub-ul-mulk. He had come from Hamadan in Iran/Persia. He was known as Khawas Khan Hamadani. Though he arrived in Delhi with some relatives and friends, he came to the Deccan and started working for the Bahmani Sultan towards the end of the 15th century. He was adept at hunting and good at mathematics. He impressed the Bahmani Sultan with his talents.The Bahmani Sultan trusted him and allowed him to lead an expedition to rid the region of thieves. He also helped to fight off the Dakhni rebels and saved the life of the Sultan. He was made the tarafdar  of Telangana in 1496.

     After the Bahmani Sultanate disintegrated into five Deccan sultanates,he declared independence and took the title Qutub Shah, and founded the  Qutub Shahi dynasty of Golconda. The kingdom of Golconda happened from the jagir  of Golconda which belonged to Sultan Quli. In 1518 he amde it his capital and renamed it as Mohammadnagar which was some distance from the Golconda Hill.,building afort of granite. He however remained loyal to the Bhamani Sultan. Many people thronged the fort area and it turned into a fort-city.Sultan quli undertook several military campaigns in Telangana,Odisha and Vijayanagara. He annexed many surrounding areas from different rulers. He was a contemporary of Krishnadevaraya and his brother Achyuta Devaraya of Vijayanagara kingdom. He defeated Shitap Khan and captured the fort of Khammam. He captured the forts at Rajkonda,Devarkonda. He subdued Panagal and it became part of Golconda. Sultan quli subdued Elgandal,Malangur,Belomkonda etc. A battle between Golconda and Vijayanagara took place in which Golconda won and the opposing Vijayanagara retreated to Kondaveedu and ruler Achyuta Raya agrreed to pay an indemnity annually to Golconda. Later however Achyuta Raya joined with Ismail Adil Khan of Bijapur by sending gifts and they attacked Kovikonda, A long drawn battle followed and Golconda emerged vistorious. GOlconda subdued Kohir, a Baridi stronghold. Golconda had conflicts with both Bijapur and Bidar. Sultan Quli's rule extended up to coastal Andhra.He ruled for 50 years,24 as governor and 26 as ruler. In 1542/3, his younger son, Jamsheed assasinated him, another son  being blinded. Jamsheed Quli was the next to rule Golconda, while his other son Ibrahim fled to Vijayanagara. His tomb is  at Ibrahimbagh in Hyderabad. 



Portrait,Sultan Quli.

Attribution : https://az.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=367947

Tomb of Sultan Quli, Ibrahimbagh, Hyderabad.

By Bernard Gagnon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34550873

References :

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

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒauthor