Hyderabad by Walk - 200 Years of Secunderabad

Secunderabad was established in 1806 by the third Nizam Sikandar Jah as a British cantonment. There is a memorial commemorating the 200th year of Secunderabad in 2006 near the Saidani Ma tomb. I never knew this memorial existed. As memorials sand, this was not very impressive.

Memorial Commemorating 200 Years of Secunderabad

We walked towards the clock tower, past the Gujrathi area, the Arya Samaj building, Bansilalpet, some Art Deco structures and the Mahboob College. Then we turned right past the Natraj theatre which was being demolished.

Arya Samaj Building

Mahboob College High School

Mahboob College High School was started in 1862 by Somasundaram Mudaliar as Anglo Vernacular School. It was renamed as Mahboob College since the 6th Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan made a generous contribution to it - on the occasion of his accession to the Asaf Jah throne. Famous alumni of the college include film director Shyam Benegal, cricketer ML Jaisimha, Admiral Ram Das Katari, bureaucrat Mohan Kanda. Interestingly Swami Vivekananda visited the school in 1893 before heading out to the US to address the Parliament of Religions and even delivered a lecture titled 'My Mission to the West'.

Natraj Theatre under demolition

Iconic Garden Restaurant

We reached the Clock Tower but there is no one angle from where you get a good pic of it nor is there any access to it. The Clock Tower is one of Secunderabad's most iconic landmarks which was established in a 10 acre land in 1860. The 120 foot high clock tower was donated by Seth Lakshmi Narayan Ramgopal.

Something interesting in the Clock Tower Park

The Secunderabad Clock Tower

Walk done we headed back to Paradise for some breakfast and chai.

Hyderabad by Walk - Patton Tank

 The park towards the Secunderabad side is famous for many things but mostly for the Patton tank that is displayed right up there. The Patton tank was captured in the 1971 war against Pakistan and was presented as a war trophy by the 54th Infantry Division after the war. It was one of the 66 tanks captured during the 14 day war.

Nice visual of the tank with the Hussain Sagar in the background

A closer look

The tank

Plaque commemorating the gifting of the tank to the citizens of the twin cities

The plaque says it all - the 54 Infantry Division was raised in Hyderabad- Secunderabad in 1966. The M47 tank was one of the 66 tanks knocked out by the division in the 1971 war. It was gifted in 1973 by the Major General Pinto. Wonderful gesture.

Hyderabad by Walk - Saidani Ma Tomb (Maqbara Saidani Ma Saheba)

 As one gets closer to the Hussain Sagar lake one cannot miss the beautiful structure to the left - the Sadanima Tomb (1883). Built in the memory of Nawab Aabdul Haq Diler Jung's mother Saidani Ma Begum, its a protected monument which reflects the fine craftsmanship of both Mughal and Qutb Shahi architecture with fine decorations and jaalis.

Saidani Ma Tomb

Another view

Stucco work

Jaalis

There is a dargah right next to it and they have built some modern structures right next to the tomb as if to highlight the degeneration in our sensibilities and architecture.

How much ever you gaze at this structure you are left wanting for more.   

Hyderabad by Walk - Seth Ramgopals' Ancestral Home

 We have heard of Ram Gopalpeth in Secunderabad on various occasions so it was good to hear that the person on who it is named, Dewan Bahadur Seth Laxmi Narayan Ram Gopal's residence is still a landmark. One can make out the building which stands out from the rest. Ram Gopalpet famous for its market, the Bonalu procession and the police station. Seth Ram Gopal constructed temples, contributed to the army relif fund, hospital wards, a pavilion at the Fatesh Maidan ground, dharamshalas at Vijayawada, the clock tower at Secunderabad.   

The Seth Ram Gopal residence 

A little further down we cross the James Street Police Station which looks every bit part of the British times. Secunderabad was British area because this is where the British troops were stationed so much of the British influence remains. The most notable thing about the Police Sation apart from the building is the clock which was donated in 1900 by Dewan Bahadur Seth Ram Gopal.

The James Street

James Street Police Station

Further down the road we walk under the railway bridge which has the James Street Railway station which was built in 1874. This was the second station after Secunderabad Railway station and was a self-financed railway line constructed during the time of the 6th Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan. 

Hyderabad by Walk - Parsi Fire Temple

 This would technically be Secunderabad but let's stick to the Hyderabad by Walk motto. Sunnie and I were unsure where to head out when he suggested that perhaps we check out Secunderabad. The idea was to park near Paradise where we would ultimately return to for a breakfast and chai. Being an early hour it was still dark and we got along at a brisk pace - the idea was to walk straight down towards Tank Bund and check out anything of interest on the way.

Parsi temple

Just a little distance into the MG Road, where the popular Universal Bakery with its famous burgers existed, we came upon the Parsi Fire Temple. Obviously it was out of bounds and we could only peek at it through the gates. I looked it up on my favorite source and found that it was believed to be consecrated in 1847. Two brothers Pestonji Meherji and Viccaji Meherji who had settled down in Secunderabad built it. The Parsi population in Hyderabad they say is second largest in India after Mumbai.

The Parsi fire temple in Secunderabad was the first fire temple built in the Nizam's dominion. (A fire temple is a place of worship for the followers of Zoroastrianism.) There is a washing area, a dome called the Quibla where the sacred fire is enthroned in a steel container 'Afargan', made from bark free dried wood. The fire lit in 1847 is uninterrupted till date. The Parsi act of worship is also called the namaz.

Of the 177 fire temples in the world, 150 are in India they say. About 450 Parsi families live in Hyderabad, with a history that's over 175 years old. They seem to have come to Hyderabad from Konkan as cotton traders, and grew to be financially so sound that they would give loans to the Nizam. 

More on this when i get some more info.   

Hyderabad by Walk - Irum Numa

The TB Hospital was a landmark even when we moved into this area in the mid 1970s - little did I know then that it was a massive palace built in 1888 by the Nawab Fakhrul Mulk as a hunting lodge. The TB Hospital was out of the town one could say as the town started withering away after Ameerpet or SR Nagar. The TB Hospital as it was known then was a massive area full of old trees and mysteries, large tracts of land that stretched from ESI Hospital to AG Colony to Vengal Rao Nagar behind. Inside this area was this huge hospital which we never went close to (TB had its own taboos and anyway hospitals did not interest us). 

Irum Numa (1888)

The entrance

But the grounds, the promise of adventure was definitely on and I remember my friend Mohan who egged me on to walk into those grounds with his little dog Jackie in the summer of 1982 and we had to run away from a pack of dogs which did not like us intruding in to their lands. The other memories from the TB Hospital was that of playing cricket matches in the barren grounds to the left - mostly with the much stronger Vengal Rao Nagar team.

Balconies, rooms, terraces

Detailing on the rooftop

Now there was a little break in the wall near ESI Hospital side to facilitate an easier entry to the hospital - rather than the main gate which required a longer walk so everyone took this wall entry. There were a couple of quarters if I remember right and we would trudge across the path, cross the road leading to the hospital and go across to where the grounds were. No one would stop us, there would be cricket balls matches on matting, cork ball games and such. I remember watching Kumar, Hayagriv and other such seniors playing. Then playing against Benny and Sriram, two very good left arm fast bowling all rounders, winning a game and losing one perhaps.

At dawn

Anyway, its only now, fifty years later that I realise that this was a palace called Iram Numa (Image of Pradise) built by Fakhr ul Mulk who also built the Irrum Manzil palace and several others in the city and who lies in the wonderful tomb constructed by the road after one passes Vengal Rao Nagar. From what I learned from the net the palace was inspired by a scaled down version of a palace in Paris with a strong Moorish influence. Was used  to film movies for a bit in the 80s. It was a 65 acre wooded area - our grounds went off when they planted trees all over the grounds then. In its best days the palace boasted of tennis courts, a large dining table, a sub station (still there), terraced gardens and the works. It was original used as a hunting lodge, then for some reason not used much, was used a a resting place for RAF pilots during WW II and then in 1970 converted into the TB Hospital which it served as an in patient ward till 2011 when it was declared unfit for use.

From the side

The Irum Numa sub station to the right

I recently discovered the tomb of Fakhrul Mulk and then slowly discovered his passion for building palaces. But now the Chest Hospital is out of bounds with huge construction activity going on and security all around it. On one such walk I decided to chance my luck and walked in and told the security guard that I would like to see the old structure and he let me in after some thought. I noticed many old trees getting chopped off and walked right up to the old palace at 630 am. Little life.

The tomb of Nawab Fakhrul Mulk Bahadur

The building coming up in front of the TB Hospital 

Where we played is now full of trees and shrubs, the old build was to the left, the new buildings to the right. It looked so beautiful that I wondered why I never walked in here then. Tall, large trees, a serene atmosphere. The palace itself looked so imposing, though in its dilapidated condition. I could see some terraces, stairways, rooms, corridors, even the sub station. It must have been beautiful.

Now the new building is cominng up - an imposing super speciality hospital which is perhaps the need of the hour but then one sees that hundreds of trees must have been felled to bring this up. Its a barren place now.

But I am glad that the palace has not been brought down and it has been retained. And I am glad I could see it and admire it.             

Hyderabad by Walk - The Nizam's Museum

 The Deccan Archives had advertised a walk in the Nizam's Museum aka HEH (His Exalted Highness) Nizam's Museum is located in the Purani Haveli from where the Nizam's (the sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan) ruled for a short while. 

Purani Haveli

HEH Nizam's Museum

I had been to the Purani Haveli twice, once with the Tourism Department's Heritage walk which ends there - but then the museum opens only at 10 am so we could not get in. Another time with Sunnie recently which also happened to be at an early hour. So when i saw this opportunity I jumped at it and showed up.

Cradle

Map of Nizam's Dominion

The museum is to the left of the palace compound and though one can see the palace buildings at a distance, we are not allowed on those parts. There seems to be a college and a school on the premises as well as the offices of the Nizam's Trusts. Anyway a good crowd had assembled and I joined them. Tickets were bought for entry and cameras and away we were. We went up a wooden staircasr and as explained by the guide, there were three parts to this walk - the silver room, the golden room and the wardrobe room. Other interesting items are a 170 year old manually operated wooden lift and 200 year old proclamation drums.

Silver model of the High Court 

Silver model of an aircraft

Silver model of the Minicipal Office

Silver model of Moazzamjahi market

Painting depicting Nizam-ul-Mulk (the first Nizam) requesting Nader Shah to stop killing people in Delhi

The museum mainly has artifacts commemorating the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan's silver jubilee as the Nizam (1937). A large number of dignitaries, royal families and government departments attended an elaborate function which was held at the Jubilee Hall in Public Gardens (specially constructed for the occasion). The event was grand - a gold plated throne, regalia, a show by the Nizam's army and so on. 

Nizam's contribution to the China war 

3D painting

Among the artifacts are silver models of buildings, planes, institutions, dams, paintings, daggers, swords etc. It is managed by the Jubilee Pavilion Trust and the Trust opened the museum to the public in 2000. The museum shot into national limelight thanks to a daring theft by two petty thieves who stole a gold tiffin box and were later caught while trying to sell it.

Silver model of the Arts College, Osmania University

The famous gold tiffin box that got stolen in 2018

The ventilator from which the thieves hung ropes and slid into the museum

The moment you enter you see a map of the Nizam's kingdom which enclosed Aurangabad, Raichur, Gulbarga, Guntur and so on. They say that of the 103 buildings built by the Nizam's 48 were donated to the Government of India and 55 were left with the Nizam's. One can see gifts given on the silver jubilee such as a gold threaded citation form the Saudi Arabia, a silver cradle, silver models of planes of the Deccan Aircraft, a silver model of the High Court, a silver model of Arts College, a silver model of the Moazzam Jahi market, of the Nizam Sagar dam.

The gold coin shot by the 6th Nizam

Walking stick studded with Golconda diamonds

There is a 3D painting on glass of the 7th Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan which has been painted in brilliant colours, a gold plated throne on which he sat during the silver jubilee ceremony, the stolen god tiffin box (and the marks at the ventilator from where the thieves came into the room from), walking sticks with original Golconda diamonds, a panting of the Nizam where his sons are painted in his two eyes and the other Nizams painted in the head gear. A painting where the Nizam Ul Mulk pleaded with Nader Shah to stop the carnage he had ordered in Delhi which the Persian king heeded and put a s top to the killing (which was also the 55 day campaign when he took the Koh-i-Noor from Mohammad Shah Rangila and away from India). There are coins of the Bahmani kingdom, the Qutb Shahi kingdom and the Asaf Jahi rule. 

Replica of the throne used for the silver jubilee function

The gold plated throne

Replicas of the Koh-i-noor and the Hope diamond

In the wardrobe room one sees a wooden wardrobe which is huge in size - 55 cupboards with clothes, shoes and all that the sixth Nizam needed. Apparently he never used the same clothes twice. There's stuff I might have missed which I will add in later. 

The wardrobe hall (176 feet long) 

Shoes

          

A view of the Purana Haveli from a distance

The guides were well read and knew a lot of historical context. The whole thing probably took a little longer than two hours. Time well spent.