Paigah Tombs

I have been meaning to go to the 200 year old Paigah tombs for a while and kept putting it off for want of company. But now the realisation is that if an idea seizes you please go ahead and do it. Can always revisit later. So drove down to Phisal banda and on the road opposite the massive Owaisi Hospital one can see a small lane. I parked on the main road since the lane was too small and did not seem to have much space for parking.

A small walk and we see a tomb on the road which says Paigah tombs and then we realise there is a small gate that leads into the necropolis. Its a little unkempt but you can instantly see the grandeur of the  lime and mortar structures which reflect the Indo-Islamic architecture, the lattice work, the pineapple motifs etc. 

There is one to the right which is not in very good shape, one to the left which is well maintained. I walked around the structure to the left - the tombs are inside the structure which has lattice work walls and beautiful stucco work on the walls. The tombs are open to the sky.

I walked around and saw this beautiful mosque inside the necropolis and since it was afternoon and namaz time there were people coming in for their afternoon prayers. The mosque is a miniature version of any big mosque with a beautiful pond to wash. Right in front of the mosque are more ornate tombs.

The Paigah tombs are also known as the Maghbara Shams al-Umara. The Paigahs were nobles and were considered fierce loyalists of the Nizams with their own private palaces, courts and armies even. Other famous structures built by the Paigahs are the Falaknuma Palace, Asmangarh Palace, Khursheed Jah Devdi, Vicar-ul-Umrahi palace. 

The necropolis was built by Ami-e-Kabir Nawab Sir Khursheed Jah Bahadur and has the tombs of Abul Fatah Khan Shams ul Umra I to Shams ul Umra V, Sir and Lady Asman Jah, Sir and Lady Khursheed Jah, Sir and Lady Vicar ul Umra and most interestingly for me, Moin Ud Dowla who contributed so much to cricket in Hyderabad. 

Some of the tombs have names written in English with dates but most are in Urdu so I could not make out then.

Definitely a place to visit.