The
Chowmahalla Palace located in the heart of Hyderabad is a magnificent edifice.
It was the seat of power and residence of the Asaf Jahi dynasty (1720-1948) which
ruled over Hyderabad State, a kingdom larger in area than England and Scotland
put together. Asif Jahis are more popularly known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. All
the ceremonial functions of the Nizams used to be held here. The official
guests and the royal visitors were entertained here. The ownership of the
Palace still lies with the family of the Nizam.
It
was restored by the Royal Family and opened to the public as a museum in
January 2005. Since then it has become a must-see landmark, a very interesting
and grand tourist attraction of Hyderabad. The Palace is open to visitors on
all days except Fridays, for a very nominal fee.
Chowmahalla
Palace means a place of four Mahals meaning four Palaces. A plaque at the
Museum introduces the Palace as follows:
It is the Palace
constructed in the year 1750, visited by very high dignitaries of India and
abroad.
It is the
replica of the Palace of the Shah of Iran.
It is the Palace
of emanating invisible Power and stands out for its intrinsic grandeur.
It is the Palace
of regal power and administrative authority.
It is the Palace
that was compared by historians as a ‘Palace of the Arabian Nights’.
It is the only
Palace to get the Award of Merit 2010 by UNESCO which is the first of its kind
in the history of Hyderabad.
It won the
INTACH Heritage Awards in 2002 and 2005 for its best maintenance.
The
conservation works were initiated in Chowmahalla Palace in 2000, and several
conservation architects and experts were involved. The initiative was
undertaken by Princess Esra Birgen, former wife of Prince Mukarram Jah. Before the
commencement of the works, the palace fell into disuse for a prolonged period
and deteriorated over time. The vision for the restoration project was to
rescue the exemplary palatial complex and to establish a contemporary civic use
as a museum showcasing the splendour and valour of Nizams.
The
attached photographs and video are from our visit to the Palace. The Palace consists of two courtyards as well
as the grand Khilwat (the Durbar Hall), fountains and gardens. The Palace
originally covered 45 acres but only 12 acres remain today.
The
heart of Chowmahalla Palace is Khilawat Mubarak – the Durbar Hall. It is held
in high esteem by the people of Hyderabad, as it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi
dynasty. The grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure marble platform on which the
Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. Here the Nizams held their durbar
and other religious and symbolic ceremonies. The 19 spectacular Chandeliers of
Belgium crystal recently reinstalled to recreate the lost splendour of this
regal hall can all be seen in the attached Video and photographs.
CHOWMAHALLA PALACE, HYDERABAD - A VIDEO:
The
focus of the displays in the museum is to depict the origin and evolution of
Hyderabad, achievements and valuable contributions of the Nizams towards the
development of the State and social lifestyle of the royal family.
In
this article, you can have a glimpse of the four Palaces, Afzal Mahal, Mahtab
Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal built symmetrically opposite to each
other. The forecourt in between the palaces is adorned with a pond and a
beautiful garden. The palace also has a collection of vintage cars, including
the Rolls-Royce, which were used by the Nizam Kings.
The
main gateway to the Chowmahalla Palace on the western side has a clock tower
also known as a Khilafat clock. The tower is three storeys high and consists of
balconies and Jharokha of Mughal style same as the style of half domes.
The
museum is distinctively divided into parts arranged around two quadrangle
courtyards in the North and the South.
The
entrance to the museum is through the Northern courtyard. The Durbar Hall or
Kilawat Mubarak is the most spectacular portion of the complex and its grandeur
and intricately ornamented surfaces with magnificent chandelier make it an
object of exhibit in itself, as I mentioned earlier. This building also housed
a rare collection of manuscripts and priceless books. The Nizam often met
important officials and dignitaries here. Today it is a venue for the exhibits of
the treasures of the Chowmahalla Palace Collection, of the bygone era.
While
at Hyderabad one should certainly visit this Palace. Any tourist or casual
visitor to Hyderabad or a local can very conveniently visit this Palace as it
is very close to Charminar the iconic monument of Hyderabad.
Thrilled to be amidst Vintage Cars!
Thrilled
to be amidst Vintage Cars of the Nizams of Hyderabad… Napiers of 1906! Rolls
Royce of 1912! and old Ford, Fiat, Packard, Buick etc. You may see these
gorgeous cars in the following photographs:
