Chowmahalla Palace
When we talk about HYDERABAD the rule of
the Nizams fill pages and pages of this history with a legendary patronage of
arts, architecture and science.
Hyderabad is a also the city with a history
that reads like a love story and a the past that sounds like a fairy tales from
the books
The testimony to these tales and romance
are the many exquisite monuments of Hyderabad, which talk about their
easy-going happy life style that is even are followed till today.
One monument that in its intrinsic grandeur
still exudes the power of yore is the Chowmahalla Palace. (Chow means four. And
Mahal means Palace. Chow-Mahalla therefore means four palaces). It is a group
of palaces
While Nizam Salabhat Jung is credited with
initiating the construction of the palace complex in 1750, it was
NizamAfzar-ud-DawlaBahadur who ensured that it was completed between 1857 and
1869.
Extending from the Laad Bazaar on the north
to the AspanChowk Road on the south, the palace originally covered 45 acres but
regretably only 12 acres remain..
The Chowmahalla complex which is a replica
of the Shah’s Palace in Teheran, Iran today consists of two courtyards with
elegant palaces, the grand Khilwat (the Durbar Hall), fountains and gardens.
Southern Courtyard
The oldest part of the complex currently
under restoration, comprises of the four palaces Afzal Mahal, MahtabMahal,
TahniyatMahal and AftabMahal.
Of these the AftabMahal is the grandest of
them all and is a two storied building with a European façade of Corinthian
columns and a parapet without pediment.
Northern Courtyard
The northern courtyard has been
painstakingly restored and is now open to the public.
The highlights of this area are the Bara
Imam - a long corridor of rooms on the east side that once housed the
administrative wing. And the Shishe-Alat or quite literally, the shishe or
mirror image which was once used as guest rooms for officials accompanying
visiting dignitaries.
The
Clock Tower is another impressive construction. It houses what is
affectionately called the Khilwat Clock which has been ticking away ever since
the Palace was built.
The Council Hall which housed a rare
collection of manuscripts and priceless books is where the Nizam often met
important officials. Today it is the venue for temporary exhibitions from the
treasures of the Chowmahalla Palace Collection that offer you a glimpse of a
bygone era.
Named after the sixth Nizam’s mother,
Roshan Bangla is another exquisite part of this courtyard.
The
centerpiece, indeed the pièce de résistance, is the Khilwat, the grand Durbar
Hall.
With its Mughal domes and arches and a
distinct Persian influence reflected in the ornate stucco work, this is the
heart of the Chowmahalla Palace.
It is held in high esteem by the people of
Hyderabad as it was the seat of the AsafJahi dynasty.
The grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure
marble platform on which the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. The 19
recently reinstalled chandeliers made of spectacular Belgian crystal recreate
the lost splendor of this regal hall.
Chowmahalla, which in its heydays had more
than 7000 attendants, has been compared to the ‘Enchanted Gardens of the
Arabian Nights’.
Chowmahalla, where the Nizams held their
durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies also hosted popular banquets
in honour of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in
February 1906.
Hyderabad is a also the city with a history
that reads like a love story and a the past that sounds like a fairy tales from
the booksThe oldest part of the complex currently
under restoration, comprises of the four palaces Afzal Mahal, MahtabMahal,
TahniyatMahal and AftabMahal. Named after the sixth Nizam’s mother,
Roshan Bangla is another exquisite part of this courtyard.
Princess Esra who spearheadeds the
restoration initiative and inspires
the team.
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