Hyderabad Heritage Walk

From My Blog-

An Account of Heritage Walk NO.3

The third walk as usual started off from charminar.This time I had my friend,Shoaib for company.
Compared to the last two walks this time there was a much larger gathering of people.Most of them were carrying DSLRs with them and they looked like a part of a group or something.Because of the large number two groups were made.Our guide for the day was Mr Qayyum.
We started off after a brief explanation of Hyderabad's history, towards maidan chowk road.The first stop was the Nizamia Hospital or the Unani hospital as it it popularly known.

Name- Unani Hospital
Built by- Nizams in 1929
Designed by - Vincent Esch
Indo Saracenic Architecture
Even though it is surrounded by buildings of Qutb Shahi times,Charminar and Mecca Masjid,it fits in quite well due its architecture and colour.


While passing towards the next structure,the Sardar Mahal, we came across the Rath Khana,which is nothing but a European style gateway.

Name- Sardar Mahal
Built by-6th Nizam in 1900
Named after- Sardari Begum, wife of 6th nizam
European Architecture but planning is indigenous as can be seen from the design of inner courtyards which used to have fountains and green shady trees.Presently occupied by GHMC(south zone office)


Between the next structure and the Sardar Mahal there used be a palace known as Malwala Palace.This was supposed to be the only wooden palace in Hyderabad.I should add here that two years back shoaib and myself spent an hour wandering through these streets to find it.The locals werent that helpful as it looked like nobody knew anything about this Palace.Finally our search lead us to Masqati Milk's office who were occupying the area formely enclosed by the palace.They refused permission saying that nothing was left to see except a big wall.I said no problem, Il take a look at that.So we saw whatever that was left of the palace which was nothing but a big wall,as the person at Masqati's told us.
Coming back to our walk,it led us to the Mansoor Khan's Mosque which is a Mosque from the Qutb Shahi times.Nothing spectacular about it.

Next was the Bargah Panj e Shah e Vilayat
Built By- Qutb Shahis( Abdullah Qutb Shah)
Structure related to the Shia sect of muslims.
Here a caretaker of the Bargah related the events that led to its creation.The huge stone houz(meaning a container)here was impresssive.Those who wanted a closer look went inside the structure meanwhile I took some pics of the place and the locality surrounding it.


Walking ahead we came across the Khadm-e-Rasul Alwa
Built in the time of Qutb Shaihs in 1575(before hyderabad was formed,only golconda city existed then) .This is another important religous site of the Shias


Moving ahead we came across yet another mosque of the Qutb Shahi times,the Mandi Jama Masjid and then we passed under the Mir Alam Mandi Kaman.(Kaman means Gateway)
It has a pointed arch and tall wooden door in it.From here we came into the Mir Alam Mandi (Mandi means a market)It was built in 1804, making it the oldest market in Hyderabad.As can be expected from a market there were people everywhere selling everything from kothmeer to kaddu.We passed this and walked some distance in the bylanes till we emerged on to the main road leading to the last structure, the Purani Haveli.


Before that we passed by the Devdi of Inayath jung Bahadur.
Built in European style
Inayth jung was a famous scholar who tranlated the persian map of Hyderabad Deccan

After taking a few pics here, we came to the last stop. the Purani Haveli.
This site was initially earmarked by Mohammed Quili Qutb Shah(Who founded Hyderabad) for his peshwa,Mir Momin.After wards the Nizam aquired it for his son Sikander Jah from the decendents of Mir Momin.The Palace was built but the Nizam moved in the much more impressive Chowmohalla Palace and this remained unoccupied for many years.It gained prominence again when the fouth Nizam added many structures to it ,then the Fifth nizam was born here and finally the sixth Nizam made it his permanent residence.The plan of the palace is Symmetrical with a fountain in the large courtyard.It was inpired by the palladian villas of Europe.


Presently one part of it has been converted into museum,H.E.H Nizam's museum.Another part has Princess Esin's women's Education Institute.
Here our walk ended.We had our free breakfast and just wandered around for sometime.After sitting there to our heart's content we made our way back to Charminar.I boarded the bus back to Mehdipatnam pleased with myself,knowing that I can cut off some more monuments from my 'heritage structures to see'

http://heritagehyderabad.blogspot.in/

Have been in Hyd for two years some time back before my transfer. Knew some of the buildings but did not know about many of them. Good report. Thanks.

Thanks harshad! you can check out my blog for info related to many other buildings

which is what I was doing

Nice pics.

Thanks Capt Mahajan!!

Nice. Do post a Charminar pic too.

I visited Hyderabad round about 1981 or so, loved it and am waiting to return.

Iam not able to upload any pics.there seems to be some proble.i will post them as soon as i figure this out.

Heres the most recent pic I took of the Charminar.Dont have any more.

Nice. Are all those interesting stalls around it still there?

For inserting photos and attachments, see this:
http://www.indiamike.com/india/forum-help-and-announcements-f53/when-help-is-needed-shout-out-loud-how-to-insert-photos-in-a-thread-t157142/

If u mean the lad bazaar and various other small petty shops,yes they are still there.

Theres a Big project going on around Charminar called Charminar Pedestrianization project.They have put granite stones at one stretch of the road,but they are soon going to replace that with Cobblestones.

Initially the plan was to make the whole place Vehicle free and introduce horse driven carriages but the plan couldn't materialize due to the stiff resistance put up by the traders and shopkeeprs around.

and thanks for that very helpful link!

This would be useful info! Thanks for posting, razzaqfccf!

@snonymous, I had visited Hyderabad may be in 1997 when my daughter was about 3 yrs old and just cannot forget the incident which took place near 'Charminar'! razzaqfccf, kindly excuse me for diverting the topic a bit, but it is about 'Charminar' so I need to write this!

So, as I was shopping around for bangles, my kid was completely bored and was crying incessantly! Suddenly she saw a person selling brooms near 'Charminar' and wanted one badly for herself....I just could not believe it! Outcome of the trip, she swept the lane in front of 'CHARMINAR' as I shopped for bangles and my poor hubby hid behind one of the pillars of Charminar !

@naveenamohanrao
No problem at all.In fact it was interesting to read about your incident.
Very funny:-) So since then,the word charminar reminds of that incident, isnt it? haha! I suppose your daughter had fun too!

By the way You can checkout my blog for info on other Historical buildings in Hyderabad.

Thanks Razzaq, yes those bangle stores are what I remember.

Sweet story Naveena, such incidents become cherished memories.

Thanks for mentioning the blog, too!

It was not just that incident, the whole trip was a wash out for us! We were there for about 8 days, and with 3 year old cranky kid and the accommodation completely a nightmare (our's was a impromptu visit), I did not want to come to Hyderabad any sooner.

EDIT: My daughter had loads of fun sweeping the whole street, psst pssst, I got good discounts too on the bangles I bought, from the stores there !

But I liked the 'Birla Mandir' and drive on the Tank bund road was very enjoyable. My hubby did his schooling from Secunderabad, incidentally. He has a lot of fond memories of the twin cities. But the lure of Mangalgiri cottons is too much to resist , my favorites!

! She hates it when I remind her, though! But it surely is one of the sweet memories!