Cultural heritage of Hyderabad

Subject: Arts and Culture

Context:

Ministry of Tourism’s DekhoApnaDesh Webinar Series reached a landmark of 50th session with the webinar titled “Cultural heritage of Hyderabad”.

Concept:

• Hyderabad is “City of Pearls” and the “City of Nizams”, and has been the centre of a vibrant historical legacy, ever since its inception by the QutubShahi dynasty.
• The city was later conquered by Mughal Empire and finally falling in the hands of AsafJahi dynasty.
• Muhammad QuliQutb Shah established Hyderabad in 1591 to extend the capital beyond the fortified Golconda.
• In 1687, the city was annexed by the Mughals.
• In 1724, Mughal governor NizamAsaf Jah I declared his sovereignty and founded the AsafJahi dynasty, also known as the Nizams.
• Hyderabad served as the imperial capital of the AsafJahis from 1769 to 1948. As capital of the princely state of Hyderabad, the city housed the British Residency and cantonment until Indian independence in 1947.
• Hyderabad has been selected as a creative city in the category of gastronomy by UNESCO
• The following important cultural sites of Hyderabad were highlighted in this session:
  • Golconda Fort, Hyderabad– A massive fortress whose ruins stand proudly even today displaying the glory of its rich past and some untold sagas of the city’s history. The place oozing charm is a must visit historical place in Hyderabad.MohammedQuli understood the need of a new City and made Bhagnagar (after the name of his beloved) with Charminar in its centre.
  • Chowmahalla Palace– Once the seat of the AsafJahi Dynasty, the Chowmahalla Palace was built in Hyderabad and is located near the famous monument, Charminar and Laad Bazar. The palace is designed very intricately and holds that Nawabi Charm in itself. Chowmahalla Palace, the seat of power of Nizams, has bagged the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Merit Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.
  • Charminar– The monument was erected when QuliQutab Shah shifted his capital from Golcondo to Hyderabad. The monument got its name from its structure as it consists of four minarets.
  • Warangal Fort– This fort appears to have existed since at least the 12th century when it was the capital of the Kakatiyadynasty. The fort has four ornamental gates, known as Kakatiya  KalaThoranam, that originally formed the entrances to a now ruined great Shiva temple.