Hyderabad by Walk - Paigah Palaces

 So the second walk of the weekend was the Paigah Palaces which are at Begumpet - not too far from home. Landed up at 830 at the Spanish Mosque at Begumpet adjacent to the new KIMS hospital which looms over it. The people at the mosque opened the gates so we could park inside. It was a pretty big crowd today, some 25 plus I guess. 

Spanish Mosque - looks like a 2d picture

A bit about the Paigahs (Pai Gah means pomp and rank in Persian, someone said something about Pai meaning foot and Gah meaning something else) first. The Paigahs were army chieftains but over time became the second most powerful family next to the Nizam - they were the only family which had marital alliances with the royal family.

Another shot

Without going too far back into their history let's start with Abul Khair Khan who was brought along by Nizam Ul Mulk, the first Nizam, who was Viceroy of the Deccan for the Mughals. Now, from what I have read so far, Nizam Ul Mulk chose his men carefully and well. He and Khair Khan fought many battles including those against Marathas. When Nizam Ul Mulk had to go to Delhi to help the Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah Rangila against Nader Shah, the Persian warlord (a war they lost badly - however Nizam Ul Mulk they say succeeded in stopping Nader Shah's forces from completely massacring Delhi's populace by pleading with him to stop the killing), Nizam Ul Mulk's son Salabat Jung tried to overthrow his father. That was when Khair Khan stepped in and safeguarded the throne for the Nizam. He was then appointed Faujdar of Mandu, then Khandesh and Aurangabad. 

Interior of the Spanish Mosque

Doorway

Khair Khan's son Fateh Khan, known as Tegh Jung Bahadur, was a loyal soldier and they say he was offered the role of a Prime Minister for his loyalty and good work but he refused saying he would like to remain a soldier. Another story I heard - when asked to raise gardens in his residence he apparently said he would rather raise soldiers instead. The title of Paigah was given by the Nizam to Tegh Jung Bahadur.

Windows

Sunlight streaming in

The Paigahs had their own court, a standing army of 14000 infantry and cavalry. Tegh Jung Bahadur's son Fakhruddin Khan, known as Amir-e-Kabir Shams Ul Umra I (there's a street named after him in the old city) had two sons Rafiuddin Khan and Rashiduddin Khan. Somewhere at this stage the Paigah estates split into three estates. Rafiuddin's sons Salabat Jung and Asman Jah (also known as Basheer Ud Daula) and Rashiduddin's sons Viqar Ul Umra and Khurshid Jah split the estates up into Asman Jahi, Khusheed Jahi and Viqar Ul Umra. Of these three Asman Jah and Viqar Ul Umra served as Prime Ministers to the Nizam. The Amirs of their estates were appointed by the Nizam at his discretion. 

Chandelier

The Paigahs were prolific builders, so much so that they went into debt. From Falanuma Palace, Basheerbah palace,  Asman Garh Palace, Paigah Palace, Khursheed Jah Devdi, Iqbal Ud Daula Devdi, Jahanuma Palace, Vikhar Manzil, Vilayat Manzil, Saroornagar Palace, Begumpet Paigah Palace are some of their palaces. Viqar Ul Umra built the grandest - Falanuma Palace, Paigah Palaces in Begumpet while Asman Jah built Basheer Bagh Palace and Asman Garh Palace.

Lamp

Areas we know that are named after the Paigahs include Vikarabad (Viqar Ul Umra founded the town), Shamshabad (Shams Ul Umra), Moinabad (Moin Ud Dowla, keen sportsman and son of Asman Jah after whom our MoinU Ud Daula is named)), Begumpet (Begum of Shams Ul Umra who owned that land), Basheer Bagh (Asman Jah, also known as Basheer Ud Dowla).

Now, back to the walk. The people at the mosque were very courteous, offered water, put chairs to sit etc. Mostly thanks to the presence of Anuradha Reddy of INTACH who is our foremost heritage activist and historian. The Spanish mosque is right next to the road and is also known as Masjid Iqbal Ud Daula or Jam-e-Masjid or Aiwan-e-Begumpet. Originally it was within the Paigah Palace area. Now this whole Begumpet area was apparently gifted as dowry to Begum Basheer Unnisa Begum (the daughter of the sixth Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan who married Shams Ul Umra Amir e Kabir).

Chairs

The mosque was built by Shams Ul Umra's grandson, Viqar Ul Umra who started it in 1900 (he passed away in 1902) - the mosque was completed in 1906. Inspired by the Cathedral Mosque on Cordoba, Spain when Viqar Ul Umra visited Spain, the mosque is unique as it has spires instead of minarets. We were allowed inside the mosque which had a beautiful cathedral, lovely windows and had a very different vibe from most mosques. Small yet very beautiful.

We walked onwards to the Paigah Palace (1900) in the next lane which was the place where the US Consulate functioned from until 2023. Viqar Ul Umra moved here after the Falaknuma Palace was sold to the sixth Nizam. Once again we received a nice welcome. There were people maintaining the gardens, sweeping away leaves and stuff. The building had well maintained lawns to the right, an imposing front. 

Paigah Palace - former US Consulate

We walked in and found all the trappings of an office - desks, computer wiring and air conditioning wiring and so on which the Consulate people had left behind I guess. We hopped across this and that and got a general idea - most of it imagined because it looked every bit of a government office inside. We walked right up to the first floor and then came back down. There is another smaller building next to it.

Painting

Smaller building 

Then we walked to the lane off the Ministers Road (apparently it was named Ronald Ross road before the Ministers felt they deserved it) towards the Paigah Palaces. 

Pink was the Paigah color - every important family was given a color apparently

Now this palace has been converted into a function hall, one portion where the family lives and one portion of which has been sold off to become the Chiraan Fort Club. A wall separates the Chiraan Fort and the place where the family lives. In front was the function hall which was having a loud party. 

The zenana of the Paigah Palace where the family still lives

That wall perhaps separates the Chiraan Fort Club from the palace

Anuradha Reddy once again got doors to open and also got Sara Mathews, writer and activist, who knew the Paigah family well and also knew their history. She gave us a brief about the history of the Paigahs, told us some stories, took us upstairs from where we had a nice view, even got permission for us to enter a couple of rooms - one sitting room with the gold musnad, portraits of the Paigahs and the Begums, swords and such, and another with the dining hall.

Paigah insignia

It was a beautiful and unique experience. Sara said that the US Consulate building was the mardana and this was the zenana or something to that effect. The only other palace we did not see was the Vikhar Manzil which is apparently by the Hussain Sagar. Maybe I will just drive down one day and see it.

That gives me a decent idea about the Paigah Palaces. It was one of the longer affairs - started around 9 and went on till 1230. Thanks Deccan Archives, Anuradha Reddy and Sara Mathews. 

   

  

      

Hyderabad by Walk - Naya Qila

Deccan Archives had two interesting walks  last week - one at the Naya Qila area of Golconda and the other at the Paigah Palaces in Begumpet, both of which I had planned to walk with Kiran. However fate ordained differently and I joined the Deccan Archives walk owing to Kiri's busy schedules. The Naya Qila one started at 430 pm. It was threatening to rain but I decided to brave it and headed off.

Golconda fort from the Naya Qila area

The Naya Qila gate is easily found on Maps - turn left immediately after the Banjara Darwaza and keep going straight in narrow lanes. To the left I passed the Jamali Darwaza and plodded straight on. The Naya Qila Darwaza leads into the Hyderabad Golf Club area so there is some amount of security there - however it is open from 9-5 every day for locals and tourists to check in on the fort and the elite playing golf.

Naya Qila gate

I parked inside the fort gate on the road leading to the Naya Qila garden and joined the heritage walkers. People come in pairs or threes or a few like me in ones. Everyone sticks to themselves and does their own thing - some take pics (some have huge cameras and some like me only have phone cameras), some just listen, some make notes, some check notes with their books, some just walk and so on. I take pics, listen and smile at anyone who is willing to smile back at me.

Spot the strange figure engraved - warrior

Right at the beginning, on the fort walls on the right side, Sibghat showed us a sculpture/carving on a rock - of a warrior, Veera something he said. The left side of the road is fully taken over by the Hyderabad Golf Club which pretty much has occupied the Naya Qila area and made it green (which otherwise would have been occupied by illegal houses anyway I guess going by what's happening in this area, so can't say which is better or worse). There is a little pond which was once a lake said Sibghat from where water flowed over to a small dam and then into a bathing area for the Sultan. Whatever it was, it sounded like it must have been a pleasant experience for the Sultan.

The Dal Badal Chabutra - Naya Qila Hbaitat Centre

The Naya Qila Habitat Centre was the next attraction for us - standing atop the Dal Badal chabutra (if I am not wrong). It gives a general idea of what this place is about and has a model - only thing it is so badly maintained that we cannot read much (good intentions, bad maintenance). However the main attractions seemed to be - Dal badal chabutra, storage tank, water cascade, baradari, octagonal pavilion, hamam tank, Majnu bastion, fort wall rooms, the two mosques, the tree, Moti darwaja burj, Nishan burj and Nav burj (steps).

All you can see here

A model of the Naya Qila bagh

The Naya Qila or New Fort is an extended part of the fort built in 1656 by Abdullah Qutb Shah, the seventh Sultan, after an attack by Aurangzeb on the fort. The four month long attack on the Golconda was not successful as the fort withstood the cannon fire, but was left weakened as the walls were damaged. Aurangzeb withdrew after a treaty, but Abdullah Qutb Shah realised he needed to fortify Golconda some more before another attack. After strengthening the existing walls, he extended the fort to include the elevated portion to the North Eastern side from where Aurangzeb had attacked, thus making it that much more difficult to attack Golconda. As mentioned earlier, strange figures and animals are sculpted into the stone walls.

The baradari

Over the embankment of the Dal Badal Chabutra (the dal (guards) would change here if I remember right) we looked at the bagh area which is modelled on the char bagh style - with a large square tank at the end where the Sultan would bathe. Another interesting tidbit I learned was that the Durgam Cheruvu was at a higher sea level than this lake which allowed water to flow with gravity and that all water sources were kept separate to minimise risk of water poisoning (which would have crossed the mind of all aggressors). Apparently there are broken earthen pipes of those days lying about somewhere. I could see the baradari hidden in vegetation, and some other structures behind it, not very clearly because they were inaccessible due to heavy vegetation.

Majnu burj

A small gateway led us closer to the golf course which now crisscrossed our commoner path. If Golconda's soldiers had to face Aurangzeb's cannon balls, we had to escape the flying golf balls of golfers, who were not on target as I heard one caddy grumbling - yeh kaha kaha naye jagon pe marre ji (where all new places are they hitting the ball to). Anyway we made it safely across and climbed a bit to the right and landed up near a cannon which lay at the bottom of a bastion called Majnu bastion (there is a Laila bastion in the opposite direction, the two lovers damned for separation here also). 

Majnu burj and the fallen cannon

Cannon

Apparently the cannon was at the top of the Majnu burj until the floods of 2020 in Hyderabad caused a part of the burj to collapse and the cannon was left hanging mid air (sometimes my suspicious self wonders if these collapses are engineered by some interested parties - why would these bastions fall otherwise). Anyway the powers that be managed to lower the hanging cannon to the ground - but modern technology could not get it back up again. So it lies on the ground until some elephants and such other old techniques come by perhaps. Right now it served as a seat for the tired ones in our group.

Mustafa Khan mosque

Further up we walked to the Mustafa Khan mosque (built in 1561/62), built by the same royal architect who according to the plaque outside the mosque was a minister in the court of the fourth Sultan Ibrahim Qutb Shah between (1550-1561). It is a structure with no minarets, lovely arches, perfectly aligned walls and arches and three graves made of granite inside. Sibghat told us stories of djinns that come at night and eat up sweets that are left inside for them.

View of Mustafa Khan mosque

From outside

The entrance

Three granite tombs with exquisite carving

   We walked around the mosque and towards a fort wall where we saw Hanuman sculpted into the rock, lying by the side of the wall. Kota Hanuman or something he said. While we were walking back another caddy was muttering - there are snakes there! From that elevated part where the Majnu burj and the fallen cannon are located, one gets a view of the Qutb Shahi tombs rising over local housing which has crept up all around them and soon look like they will engulf them. 

Hanuman

Qutb Shahi tombs in the background

Heritage walkers

Gateway to golf

Then we walked down that little mound and towards the Hathiyan ka Jhaad, the famous 400 year old baobab tree which was brought by Arab traders as a gift to Mohammed Qutli Qutb Shah the fifth Sultan and has grown and continues to live quite well after all those souls departed. Its growth is stunted a bit says Sibghat - normally baobab trees grow much taller. There is a story of how 40 thieves hid in its trunk and go out at night to commit robberies - (thereby making it an accessory to crime). It was an impressive tree, hard as rock, with a circumference of 25 metres they say (which makes it difficult to hug it unless we have long long hands). A couple of the more adventurous and athletic ones in the group climbed up, assisted by a helpful assistant from the administration (normally the tree is shut off from outsiders with a fence, but they opened it for us - heritage wale, they called us).

400 year old baobab tree - Hathiyan ka jhad

Elephant tree

Outside, in the same complex was a beautiful mosque built by Mulla Khayali in 1569, a well known courtier, poet, and calligrapher from the Ibrahim Qutb Shah times. The mosques were built in earlier times (during Ibrahim Qutb Shah's reign of 1550-1580) and the fort later (1656). 

Mulla Khayali mosque - picture perfect

Clouds above Mulla Khayali mosque

Golconda fort beyond the golf course

Then we climbed up the burj which was the tallest point on this side of the fort from where we had great vies of the Golconda fort straight ahead and of the Qutb Shahi tombs to the right (and the golf course right in front). Outside the fort walls was a lake, the Shah Hatim talab, which had crystal clear water at one point they say and we cannot say the same anymore because it is covered with water hyacinth. The colonies that have cropped up around it get flooded every monsoon as they are constructed on the lake bed.

The Qutb Shahi tombs in the background

Golconda looming

The green you see is the Shah Hatim talab - a hyacinth filled lake

A cannon - so many lying around

Couldn't resist this - cannon with Golconda behind 

With darkening clouds everything looked more and more dramatic and I realised I had almost a kilometer or more to get back to the car and took off before the others. I had to half run once it started to rain and was pretty wet by the time I got into the car. I need to do more running.

A long drive back in the rain and traffic. But fully worth it. Thanks team Deccan Archives.