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.