When we were going past an old transport and shopping complex selling a range of commonplace things, she halted the taxi and got down. It was Dewan Devdi, a magnificent palace complex where many well-known people of Hyderabad have stayed. The general apathy of the citizens, and their indifference had resulted in the demolition of all buildings within Dewan Devdi – the ‘Aina Khana’, ‘Lakkad Kotha’, ‘Chini Khana’, ‘Nizam Bagh’ and ‘Noor Mahal’. Barring the facade of the gateways, which were built in ‘Regional Mughal Variation’ (RMV) style, the cusped arches, canopied and projected balconies over window openings or ‘jharokas’ lend it a uniquely charming feel.
Envisioned as a replica of heaven on earth, Hyderabad was razed to the ground by Aurangzeb in 1681, after the longest siege of his life. He appointed governors of the city who soon attained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who had been conferred the title Nizam-ul-Mulk, defeated a rival official to gain complete control over the city. Asaf Jah’s successors ruled the land as the Nizams of Hyderabad until a year after the Indian independence. Under the reign of the Nizams, Hyderabad was resurrected economically and culturally and became the largest and wealthiest among the princely states of India. Understandably, Golconda was soon abandoned and Hyderabad became the new capital of the Deccan.
Vidya described the origin and evolution of Hyderabad’s unique composite culture and went on to speak about the Salar Jung Museum’s stupendous collection, rated as one of the world’s largest private collections. Housing India’s largest collections of jewels, the museum reflects the wealth of the Nizams, and more so the penchant of the seventh Nawab – Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889-1949) – towards collecting art curios.
As centuries passed, Hyderabad reinvented itself dramatically from its feudal set-up to become the capital of the first linguistic state of India. In its fascinating march from Bhagnagar to Hyderabad to Cyberabad, the story of this city is replete with diverse, engaging, eccentric, and often daring characters, some of whose lives are stranger than fiction.
A multi-faceted Hyderabadi citizen, enjoys a leisurely lifestyle, which involves a love for clothes, jewellery, food, music, literature, arts, and other such indulgences. One can find him peacefully co-existing with people of other religions, for cultural and religious tolerance is an intrinsic attribute of this city. Hindus and Muslims in this once affluent state of the Nizams, did not waste any time re-enacting the conventional conflict, usually instigated by people with vested interests. The priority of both the people has been simply happiness, and of understanding the beauty of co-existence and living alongside members of other various faiths.
Had I been alone in this sojourn, I might have felt overwhelmed by the nostalgia, and at times a little claustrophobic, as I climbed the narrow and winding steps of the staircases in the closed capsule-like towers of Charminar, Golconda fort and Qutub Shahi Tombs. As I took a well-deserved break with my companion, she rewarded me with tales of the times gone by. She made my hands run over the stones and the arches, my legs walk on the trails of time and how history came alive!
Envisioned as a replica of heaven on earth, Hyderabad was razed to the ground by Aurangzeb in 1681, after the longest siege of his life. He appointed governors of the city who soon attained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who had been conferred the title Nizam-ul-Mulk, defeated a rival official to gain complete control over the city. Asaf Jah’s successors ruled the land as the Nizams of Hyderabad until a year after the Indian independence. Under the reign of the Nizams, Hyderabad was resurrected economically and culturally and became the largest and wealthiest among the princely states of India. Understandably, Golconda was soon abandoned and Hyderabad became the new capital of the Deccan.
Vidya described the origin and evolution of Hyderabad’s unique composite culture and went on to speak about the Salar Jung Museum’s stupendous collection, rated as one of the world’s largest private collections. Housing India’s largest collections of jewels, the museum reflects the wealth of the Nizams, and more so the penchant of the seventh Nawab – Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889-1949) – towards collecting art curios.
As centuries passed, Hyderabad reinvented itself dramatically from its feudal set-up to become the capital of the first linguistic state of India. In its fascinating march from Bhagnagar to Hyderabad to Cyberabad, the story of this city is replete with diverse, engaging, eccentric, and often daring characters, some of whose lives are stranger than fiction.
A multi-faceted Hyderabadi citizen, enjoys a leisurely lifestyle, which involves a love for clothes, jewellery, food, music, literature, arts, and other such indulgences. One can find him peacefully co-existing with people of other religions, for cultural and religious tolerance is an intrinsic attribute of this city. Hindus and Muslims in this once affluent state of the Nizams, did not waste any time re-enacting the conventional conflict, usually instigated by people with vested interests. The priority of both the people has been simply happiness, and of understanding the beauty of co-existence and living alongside members of other various faiths.
Had I been alone in this sojourn, I might have felt overwhelmed by the nostalgia, and at times a little claustrophobic, as I climbed the narrow and winding steps of the staircases in the closed capsule-like towers of Charminar, Golconda fort and Qutub Shahi Tombs. As I took a well-deserved break with my companion, she rewarded me with tales of the times gone by. She made my hands run over the stones and the arches, my legs walk on the trails of time and how history came alive!
Naresh Nunna
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
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