Holi in pics

Then there was Holi. Less said the better. I was roped in by Anjali to help her or rather to be her team. Her whole idea was to play with her brother Chimu and his freinds. My job was restricted to carrying water etc. The pictures say it all.

Okay. I am ready!

Outside activity

Inside activity

Action!

Mayhem

War!

Reloading!

The enemy breaches

Warrior returns

Collateral damage

Last ditch effort

Tired troops

All ammo gone?

Take that

Alls well and that ends well

Chowmahalla Palace in pics

It is surprising how much we ignore things around us and crave for all that is faraway. Travel is one of those things. For an imaginative and curious mind there can be nothing more interesting than exploring the neighbourhood and finding out the history of the place (I hear there is a name for it these days). After more than three decades of living in Hyderabad I am wondering at how much of the glorious history that Hyderabad offers has not yet been explored by me. Some corrections are taking place which is a positive sign.

Chowmahalla palace from the entrance

On a rather warm Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, Raja and Shobha and I went to visit the Chowmahalla palace which is located close to the Charminar. Now I had been here once before thanks to Huma Kidwai, a wonderful writer and a fine soul, but we'd merely seen only the outer part of the palace. This time I wanted to explore it more leisurely. I found two eager and enthusiastic supporters in Shobhs and Raja. 

Raja and the Chowmahalla palace

Clock Tower

The Chowmahalla palace was built by the Nizam's of Hyderabad as their official residence after they moved away from the Qutb Shahi palace in the Old City (now which one is that I wonder). It was built as an exact replica of the palace of the Shah of Iran. The construction of the palace was initiated by Salabath Jung (who does not figure as a Nizam though he was a ruler for a short period after the death of the first Nizam) in 1750 and was completed by the Asaf Jaf V, Afzal Ud Dowlah in 1857. In many ways it was the seat of the Nizam's empire.

Gardens and the palace buildings

The highly impressive Khilwat durbar

It might help to outline the Nizam dynasty's rule for a bit to get it under perspective. After the Qutb Shahi's were conquered by the Moghuls in 1687, the Deccan was ruled over by viceroys of the Mughal empire. However after the death of Emperor Aurangazeb, the Moghuls in Delhi lost power and it was then that the first Nizam, Mir Quamaruddin was given the title Nizam Ul Mulk as a viceroy of the Deccan region after he asserted his supremacy in battle. Subsequently the title of Asaf Jah was also conferred upon the Nizam dynasty. The Nizams or the Asaf Jahis ruled Hyderabad from 1724 to 1948, a period of 224 years.

Shobhs checking out the photos on display

Looking out of the window

Nizam ul Mulk (1724-1748) was an able and strong ruler who established the Hyderabad dominion and made it a power to reckon with in Deccan. He shifted the capital of the Nizam state from Aurangabad (where Aurangazeb had shifted it to) back to Hyderabad. Nizam Ul Mulk held fort until 1748 when he died. There followed a turbulent 13 year period after the death of the first Nizam where three rulers ruled, none of them being conferred the title of Nizam.

Check the steel almirahs

Heading to the Chowmahallas

The second Nizam, Nizam Ali Khan (1762-1803) ascended the throne in 1763 and ruled for 40 years. He died in 1803 and was followed by Sikandar Jah (1803-1829), the third Nizam, after whom Secunderabad is named. His minister Mir Alam was an able administrator (the Mir Alam tank near the zoo is probably named after him). Sikandar Jah died in 1829 and was succeeded by his son Nasir Ud Dawlah (1829-1857). Nasir Ud Dowlah had the wise counsel of Salar Jung as the Prime Minister (not to be confused with the other Salar Jung of the museum fame) who took diplomatic relations with the British to a new level.

One of the mahals

Inside the Mahtab mahal

Check out the fan - it has a nice cooling effect

Green is the theme

Upon Nasir Ud Dowlah's demise in 1857 his son Afazal Ud Dowlah (1857-1869) became the fifth Nizam. When he died in 1869, his three year old son Mahboob Ali Khan (1869-1911) was installed on the throne with a council of advisors to guide him until he came of age. After he grew up Mahboob Ali Khan ruled wisely and well and was highly respected and loved by his population. He died in 1911. Upon his demise the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan (1911-1948), the richest man in the world in his time, ruler of one of the largest dominions in India came to the throne and he ruled until Hyderabad was annexed by the Indian republic as a result of Police Action or more precisely, Operation Polo.

Towards the cars

Known to be prolific builders, the Asaf Jahis built several buildings during their reign including the palaces at Chowmahalla, Purani Haveli, Mahboob Mahal, Chiran Palace, Bella Vista, Osmania Universiy, High Court among other structures. They hold great promise for tourism.

Purple haze

The Chowmahalla palace's showpiece is the Khilwat Mubarak or the pavilion where the durbar was held. This was built in 1780 during the reign of Nizam Ali Khan and was the grand seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The marble platform, the Takht-e-Nishan, the chandeliers make the Khilwat an awe inspiring sight. The four palaces behind the Khilwat, Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal, lend the name to Chowmahalla, and were built in Afzal Ud Daulah's reign, the fifth Nizam, during 1857-1869. From the second Nizam onwards, it appears that the Nizams, until the sixth Nizam Mahboob Ali, lived in the Chowmahalla palace, though a palace, the Purani Haveli, was built for the third Nizam. It was the sixth Nizam, Mahboob Ali Khan, who made Purani Haveli his residence and used the Falaknuma palace as his guest house. The seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali lived in the less ostentatious King Kothi palace until his death in 1967.

The showpiece - The Nizam's Rolls Royce

A visit to Chowmahalla palace will take in a good two-three hours. It is very well preserved, there are good displays the explain the history of the place and there is little display of the neglect that we see associated with historic monuments (though I heard an NRI complain loudly about how we Indians cannot do anything right).

On the steps of Aftab Mahal

A view from Aftab Mahal

 The grandeur of the place can be felt even in its desolation and one can only wonder how it would have been at its peak. The palace has been thrown open to the public in 2005 and I am so glad that this decision has been taken to preserve this piece of our history. The Nizam's cars which are on display behind the last palace are certainly worth a look, the Rolls Royce standing tall and taking pride of place there. The palace is open for public events too and it might be a good idea to attend a concert there one of these days. But for all who have not yet been to the Chowmahalla palace, please do. Also make time to shop through the Laad bazaar, gape at the Charminar and the Mecca masjid as well.

The Ghost Protocol - Movie Review

Watched it finally. Borrowed from Chimu. Ghost Protocol or Mission Impossible IV brings on full scale action in the James Bond style, only this is American, so there is no British humour to offset the action. Sadly no romance either as Tom Cruise is devoted to his wife unlike Mr. Bond who is not devoted to anyone and therefore, is far more interesting.

Tom Cruise replays Ethan Hunt the IMF agent who along with his disavowed team of four (one good looking girl agent, one analyst who is an ex-agent and a British gadget guy who brings on the funnies) have to stop a nuclear war between Russia and America. Activation codes are required to start the nuclear war and the exchange of codes for diamonds is the place where Hunt and his associates must strike.

Head to Dubai from Moscow and some super action sequences on the Burj Khalifa and we are soon heading to Mumbai to meet the Indian playboy tycoon Brijnath played by Anil Kapoor. Anyway after a lot of arm twisting and running about and all that, the team stops the nuclear warhead from firing - which we all knew would happen anyway. But who's complaining. There is much action, not a moment to relax and the world is safe.

I am glad that there were no snakes and charmers and no monkey brains this time, no kings and elephants either - but we have Anil Kapoor who portrays a weak, juvenile kind of a villain who is easily infatuated by attractive women. Typical, stereo typed, yuppie Indian? Perhaps. Who cares? Corny dialogues too but we don't go to watch intense dialogues in these movies. The back stories of the agents, their families and love lives drag us here and there. Overall it's a watch once and then watch the action scenes if you want kind of a story. But like I said - no complaints.

The Qutb Shahi tombs in pictures

Though Raja, Shobha and I visited the Qutb Shahi tombs after we visited Chowmahalla palace, I'd rather start with these tombs because they appear first chronologically, in the history of Hyderabad. In fact the city of Hyderabad came into existence during the reign of the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (who also built the Charminar).

An unfinished tomb outside the tomb garden

Set outside the Golconda fort, the Qutb Shahi tombs are imposing structures that bear the tombs of seven Qutb Shahi rulers. The Qutb Shahi rulers, rulers of Golconda, were Sultan Quli Qutub-ul-Mulk (1518-1543), Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah (1543-1550), Subhan Quli Qutb Shah (1550), Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah (1550-1580), Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (1580-1612), Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah (1612-1626), Abdullah Qutb Shah (1626-1672) and Abul Hasan Qutb Shah (1672-1689). 

The Qutb Shahi dynasty ruled Golconda for 171 years (1518-1687) until their defeat at the hands of the Moghul emperor Aurangazeb's army. It is said that the Golconda was breached only through treachery, else Aurangazeb's army laid siege for almost a year without a breakthrough. The Quli Qutb Shah kings were a Turkman Muslim dynasty with Persian leanings and were instrumental in bringing Persian culture to Hyderabad. 

The first ruler Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk originally served the Bahmani sultan Mohammed Shah. When the Bahmani sultanate disintegrated into five Deccan sultanates (Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar and Berar) he broke away from the Bahmani kingdom and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda. They were known for their patronage of fine arts, were not a heavily militarised state and were overall a peaceful state. The Qutb Shahi rulers were Shia muslims who were conquered by the Sunni Moghul armies of Aurangazeb.

Tomb of Hayath Bakshi Begum

The first tomb of sultan Quli Qutub ul Mulk was built in 1543 by the sultan himself during his lifetime as was their custom. All the sultans of the Quli Qutub Shahi dynasty, except the last sultan Tana Shah, are buried here. The second sultan Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah’s tomb was built in 1550 A.D. and this tomb rises in two stories unlike the others. His tomb stands midway between his father’s and grandfather’s. 

 

Tomb of Sultan Quli Qutb Shah

The third sultan Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah’s tomb was built in 1580 after his death. The sixth sultan Muhammed Qutb Shah’s tomb was a grand tomb built in 1602. We can see some of the fabled enameled tiles still. The last tomb to be built was that of Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah in 1626. The last sultan Abul Hasan Qutb Shah (Tana Shah) was held prisoner in Daulatabad fort near Aurangabad by Aurangazeb where he died.

Shobha framed in the stairway

Shobha gazing at the tomb of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah

There are tombs that belong to other family members and friends of the royal family as well. The tomb of Fatima Sultan, sister of Muhammed Qutb Shah, stands near the entrance to the tomb-garden. Tombs of royal doctors (hakims) - Nizamuddin Ahmed Gilani and Abdul Jabbar Gilani - built in 1651 also stand there just as the tombs of Premamati and Taramati, the courtesans of Sultan Abdullah Shah. Another tomb belongs to Neknam Khan the commander-in-chief of the Carnatic built in 1672.

 

The Golconda fort looming in Raja's background

There is a dargah of the Sufi saint Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali, the builder of Hussain Sagar in 1562. There is a mortuary bath opposite the tomb of Mohammed Quli where the royal bodies were washed - which is built on the lines of the Persian baths. The tomb-garden houses a masjid too. 

The tomb of Hayat Bakshi Begum, daughter of the fifth sultan, Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah, wife of the sixth sultan Sultan Muhammed Qutb Shah, and mother of the seventh sultan, Abdullah Qutb Shah, deserves mention. Interestingly the tomb-garden of the sultans of Golconda was used to entertain the poor every day, free of cost, through song, dance and plays.

It is a magical experience to walk by in the tomb-garden and it is a place that could be vastly improved by taking better care of the lawns and gardens. 

Tombs of the courtesans Taramati and Premamati

There are cultural events that still take place at these tombs. In fact since the tomb garden was a place meant for entertainment for the general public they should have more music, dance and plays here. Even without, the tombs offer a great opportunity for photographers, many of whom were busy taking pictures, lots of entertainment for children and for tourists.Go early or later in the evening or better still, plan it in such a way that you can get to see Golconda fort as well. But prepare for lots of walking and climbing if you're doing both.