I got into my walking mode and when I reached Ameerpet decided to go on straight and not turn back as I normally do. Past Punjagutta and further on until I came to Red Rose.
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| Hidden from view - can see the old palace behind the trees and the new offices behind it |
That's when I got the thought that I should possibly get a glimpse of Irrum Manzil Palace which which later became the Chief Engineer's Office where my Dad worked in the late 1970s and retired from there. I got into the Metro station thinking I will get a good view from there but I could see nothing. I could see a watchman sitting at the entrance to the hill leading up to the palace and for a moment decided against engaging with him.Then something in my mind said - go ahead and try and let's see.
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| Long and winding road |
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| First glimpse to the left - the heart leaps |
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| View from the side |
So I walked in and past the watchman who only looked at me and let me go in without a question. i could see the palace looming to my left as I climbed (they are also building some major temple there in front of the building). I climbed up and turned into the building area. I clearly remember seeing people playing cricket in nets in front of the building, dressed in whites. So when I went there and actually looked at the building I was amazed at the sheer size and scale of it.
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| As I turned towards the front of the palace |
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| The size gets you - just too big to capture in one frame |
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| From the front - those stairs |
Nawab Safdar Jung Musheer-Ud-daula Fakhrul Mulk built this palace just as he built Irrum Numa (later to become the TB Hospital) much closer to my house and where his tomb lies. Built in Indo-European Baroque style with 150 rooms, furnished with Loiuse XVI furniture, a 9 hole golf course, stables, a dairy farm, the palace was built on a hillock to overlook the Hussain Sagar lake.
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| The left side of the palace |
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| View from the left |
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| The left most part - falling apart |
In later years the palace was taken over by the government and used for keeping old records and then the Public Works Department and now the Chief Engineers offices. Dad worked there as the Chief Engineer, National Highways and I remember staying in the guest house behind the palace from where we would go down to Sabon Bakery which was unfortunately shut down in the 90s.
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| Left to right |
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| A closer look |
Right now the palace looks dilapidated, doors are open leading to musty staircases, no part of it is used in the front nor being restored, the place where they played cricket is a dump yard for old unused cars and vehicles.
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| A temple |
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| Zoom in to see what's written on the left hand side shed - seized and smuggled goods |
I am thinking how wonderful it would be to lease this property out and restore it a bit - make it into a hotel, an outdoor seating place, a tourist attraction. i would happily pay 100 bucks or more to just get a guided tour.
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| Old vehicles in front of the palace |
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| A nice old jeep |
I paid much more when I went to the Baroda Palace and I can easily see how this can be made into a nice tourist attraction with parks, eateries.
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| The backside of the palace - looks like it is being used as an office |
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| And the new - the new Chief Engineer's office |
Juts glad I decided to walk in and take a look.
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