Chowmahalla Palace

 

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: