Khajaguda Hills

Khajaguda Hills located in Khajaguda also known as Khojaguda is a Village in Serlingampally Mandal, Rangareddy district, Telangana State, India. It is part of the old city of Hyderabad. The site is a popular spot for outdoor activities, such as hiking and bouldering.

Khajaguda hills is one of the most popular weekend spots near Hyderabad. It is known for its magnificent viewpoint of Golconda and Durgam Cheruvu, peacocks, and naturally formed rocks and boulders that facilitate thrilling activities like rappelling.

The hilltop offers a breathtaking view of the city below with its lush green surroundings. It is a perfect place to spend some quality time with your friends or family away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. The area also has several other attractions such as temples and caves that make it an ideal spot for nature lovers. With its pristine beauty and adventure activities, Khajaguda hills has become one of the most sought-after weekend spots in Hyderabad.

Hidden away from all the hustle and bustle of city life, these majestic hills offer breathtaking views and a chance to explore a fascinating part of history. Get up close and personal with nature while you learn about its ancient origins!

One of the finest prehistoric heritage sites, the Khajaguda Rock Formation is spread across 180 acres in Nanakramguda in Hyderabad, Telangana

The Fakhruddin Gutta granite rock formations, popularly known as the Khajaguda Hills, are a geological marvel that are estimated to be around 2.5 billion years old! It is a part of the Deccan Plateau and is also one of the oldest rock formations in India.

Telangana's Khajaguda Rock Formation is as old as the Earth's crust!

Around 4.4 billion years ago, the formation of Earth’s crust took place and soon after that, the formation of what we know today as the Khajaguda Rock Formation started. One of the oldest forms of rocks, these are formed of gneissic granite, one of the hardest forms of rocks on earth.

Usually, newer rocks form over these tough base rocks over a period of time. But, in Khajaguda, this didn’t happen and the billion years old rocks stand exposed till date, albeit in a poor condition.

As per the geologists researching the area, there are boulders, castle koppies, nubbins, inselberg, peneplains, kluftkarren, corestones, pans, fracture valley, runnels, balancing rocks, pseudobedding, pits, tafoni, plinths, rock doughnuts, caves, splits and wedges, and chaos – all these are different kinds of rock formations. What a field day it would be to get a chance to explore the site with researchers!. While we can’t say much about exploring the area with geologists, what you can certainly do is hike the area and take in the moment as you stand in the presence of something that is as old as our planet!

Khajaguda Lake, also known as Bhagirathamma Cheruvu was built during the reign of 6th Nizam Nawab Mahboob Ali Khan in 1897 and is spread over an impressive 618-acre. Surrounded by lush greenery and open skies, it provides a serene setting for visitors to sit back, relax and take in the natural beauty. Not only that, it also supplied water to 900 acres of Ayakattu in Kamareddy, Sarampally and Narsampally areas!

The tomb of Saint Hazrat Baba Fakhruddin Aulia — spiritual mentor of Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (founder of the Bahmani Kingdom) who was buried here in 1353 AD

800-year-old Annatha Padmanabha Swamy Temple and a cave where the revered saint, Meher Baba had meditated are situated on Khajaguda Hills.

The caves in the area are another interesting thing to explore. Remember how we said earlier that these rocks are the hardest forms of granite? Cave formation would be the last thing to expect of these hard rocks. But they are there, much to the surprise of geologists. Something rare, is what they say about these Khajaguda caves.

The forest patch at Khajaguda is home to several species of plants, that just like the rock formations, are difficult to find near Hyderabad. The Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, popularly known as the parijata or the night-flowering jasmine, is found in abundance at Khajaguda (there are three national parks around Hyderabad and the Parijata cannot be found in any of these three parks).

The other important plant species at Khajaguda is the Helicteres isora, also known as the Indian Screw Tree. These trees have not been recorded by the Botanical Survey of India in any areas around Hyderabad. Khajaguda is the only place where these can be found.

Best Time to visit

Sunrise and Sunset. Sunrise as you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the sun rising above the hills with the rays piercing through the morning clouds Relish Sunset at the summit . Sunset point for photoshoot in Hyderabad

Monsoons are the time when nature is at its best. Mercury levels having dropped a few notches and the lush greenery make it the best time to visit any tourist destination. One such place, whose beauty is heightened in the monsoon, is the Khajaguda Hills in Hyderabad. 

How to get there

There are two ways to reach this place: take the ORR and drive to the bottom of the hill or reach Khajaguda village and follow the path that leads to the hills. The trek to the top of the hills is easy and does not require professional hiking gear.

Use Google Maps, not Apple. Map directly to Delhi Public School. If you map to the exact location, you may be brought in the back way, which is not a way at all. Take Old Mumbai Highway or Outer Ring Road to Khajaguda Road. Follow it to Lanco Hills Road (large silver structures on this intersection). Turn onto Lanco Hills Road. When the divided road ends, take the second right (the first is immediately at the ending of the division). After taking this right, take the first left. The road turns dirt here and heads up the hill. The road is rough but passable. If you wish to walk from here, it is maybe a 10-20 minute approach up hill. If you follow the road (by car or foot) stay right at the fork. You'll reach the top and there is an open area. Park here. The approach from here varies, but should be no more than 10 minutes (to the farthest rocks).

Improvements
In October 2023, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) started work to fence the 2.5 billion-year-old Khajaguda rock formations and limiting access to motorists, visitors, an effort to keep the encroachers at bay.

Outer Ring Road -Lanco Hills link road is under construction as part of Corridor 39B. This 3.89 km long link road is constructed alongside the Khajaguda Heritage Rock Formation.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/telanganas-khajaguda-rock-formation-is-as-old-as-the-earths-crust/articleshow/95272121.cms

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Pratapgiri Fort

Pratapgiri Fort is located on Pedda gutta near prathapgiri village, Kataram Mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, Telangana State, India.

The undated six-line inscription available on the fort wall tells that the fort was constructed by Muchanayanimgaru, also known as Muppa Nayakudu lieutenant of Prola Raja-I.  Since Prataparudra, the last king of Kakatiya dynasty, who faced the might of Delhi Sultanate, used the fort frequently; it acquired the name of Pratapagiri fort.

The ramparts of Pratapagiri hill fort nestled in the impenetrable jungle 240 kilometres northeast of Hyderabad is one such a fortification aimed at foiling enemies' invasions especially the Muslim armies on Kakatiya capital, Warangal.

Afar and tough to reach even today, the Pratapagiri fort, believed to have built by Kakatiya king Prola Raju-I, located on a hillock locally known as Pedda Gutta, is said to be the first line of defence before the invading forces make any surge onto the terrain. The fort is strategically located to keep a round-the-clock surveillance of enemies invading from the north India. The hill fort offered a superb view of enemies crossing the River Godavari, which is 3 kilometres, so that they could plan an attack.

The fort has a tunnel, an escape route used by the kings in case of emergency in those days. The exit of the tunnel, which was filled with vegetation and silt, is only seen these days. The locals believe that the Kakatiya kings hid treasure in the tunnel fearing invasions from Delhi Sultanate – Alauddin Khalji. 

The fortification strategies of Kakatiyas, who sagely used forests, hillocks and river banks, indicate the kind of warfare they adopted, he said. The Gonthemmagutta (hillock), which is three kilometres away from Pratapagiri fort, also has 1.5 kilometre fortification wall. It's easy to scale and deal for adventure sports, Aravind said.

Pratapgiri fort is located about 35km from the District headquarters Jayashankar (Bhupalpally) town in the dense forests of Kataram and Mahadevpur area near prathapagiri and and Rapallekota villages

Visitors have to walk at least 5km from Prathapagiri village through dense forest to reach the hillock,

it is referred to as Vana Durgam and also Giri Durgam.

https://www.thehansindia.com/telangana/an-impregnable-fort-amid-dense-forest-in-bhupalpally-525904

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Sir Ronald Ross Building

Sir Ronald Ross Building or Heritage Building of World Medicine or Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Parasitology is a malaria research institute located in Begumpet, Secunderabad (Mandal), Hyderabad, Telangana State, India.

Major Ronald Ross (13 May 1857 – 16 September 1932) was a British Doctor born in Almora, in current Uttarakhand, India. He was the first of ten children to be born to General Sir Campbell Claye Grant Ross, a British officer stationed in Secunderabad as as Duty Medical Officer for the Military.

At the age of eight, he was sent to England to be educated and spent much of his childhood with an aunt and uncle on the Isle of Wight.

He commenced the study of medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London in 1875; entered the Indian Medical Service in 1881. 

He served in the third Burmese War in 1885 as a member of the Indian Medical Service. After studying bacteriology in London from 1888 to 1889, he returned to India and commenced the study of malaria in 1892.  

Built in 1895, this building was surrounded by marshes which proved rather helpful for his research experiments. 

It was in this building on 20 August 1897 that he made the discovery of the malarial parasite inside the body of a mosquito. His study confirmed that mosquitoes were the carriers of malaria parasite using birds that were already sick with malaria, Ross clearly showed that the disease could be carried in the insects’ salivary glands and transmitted to healthy birds through mosquito bites.

20 August is celebrated as the World Mosquito Day.

Ross returned to England in 1899 and joined the faculty of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He later taught at the University of Liverpool. Ross married Rosa Bessie Bloxam in 1889. They had two sons, Ronald and Charles, and two daughters, Dorothy and Sylvia. 

For his work in demonstrating the life-cycle of the parasites of malaria in mosquitoes, and thus establishing the hypothesis of Laveran and Manson, Ross was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine in 1902.

His book The Prevention of Malaria was published in 1910. 

He was knighted by the British government in 1911 for his achievements in medical research. 

In 1912 he became physician for tropical diseases at King’s College Hospital in London. When the Ross Institute and Hospital for Tropical Diseases was founded in his honor, he became its director.

His wife died in 1931, Ross survived her until a year later, when he died after a long illness, at the Ross Institute, London, on September 16, 1932.

In 1935, the Secunderabad Cantonment Board, the local civic agency, installed a marble tablet in appreciation of Ross' achievement.

In 1955, Satyanarayan Singh, a Professor of Zoology at Hyderabad's Osmania University acquired the building from the then Deccan Airlines and established the Malaria Research Institute in this building.

Research scholars from Osmania University and Osmania Medical College worked here until the building was taken over by the Airports Authority of India. 

A pilot training center was set up in this building. Former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, was trained in this building. 

In 1979, Osmania University took over the building and continued research here

In 1997, about 700 scientists from 30 countries gathered at this building to commemorate the centennial of Ronald Ross' discovery. On this occasion, the building was renovated at the cost of ₹4.1 million(US$51,000) by the British High Commission. Being a heritage building, the Archaeological Survey of India granted ₹ 650,000 for its further development. In addition, a plan was announced to convert the facility into a center of excellence and develop the landscape around the building. Despite spending money on renovation, the building was not properly maintained.

In 2008, the state government formed a committee for the restoration, conservation and promotion of the building as tourist destination. A grant of ₹ 4 million was to be utilised for developing a horticulture park and relocation of airport offices. Upon the completion of restoration, the local tourism department was set to promote the building and its heritage as a destination for national and international tourists. Despite several attempts to revive the facility, the building lies secluded and devoid of academic or research activity and without steady source of financial support. Lack of political will and lack of bureaucracy was blamed for its current state.

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Errum Manzil

Errum Manzil or Iram Manzil is an expansive palace s located on top of a hillock off the Irram Manzil Colony, Panjagutt, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India.

It was built around the year 1870 by Nawab Safdar Jung Musheer-ud-daula Fakhrul Mulk, a nobleman of Hyderabad state. The story goes that Errum Manzil was the result of a wager between the Nawab and Sir Vicar ul Umra as to who could build a higher palace.

One of the first palaces to come upon a hillock facing the Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad, Iram Manzil (meaning heavenly abode), has been a silent surveyor of the city ever since it was built.

The mansion is located atop a hillock known as Erragadda or "red hill" in the native Telugu language. For this reason, nawab Fakhrul Mulk decided to name the new palace "Iram Manzil" (Persian for 'Paradise Mansion'), because the Persian word 'Iram' (ايرام), meaning 'Paradise,' sounds like "Erra" (ఎర్ర), the Telugu adjective meaning "red." He also had the building painted a shade of red in order to emphasize the link, and thus the red-coloured palace can be found on top of Erragadda hill. The nawab intended that the mansion be known by two similar-sounding names: 'Iram Manzil' for the Persian-friendly Muslim nobility of the state and 'Erram Manzil' for the local Telugu people. In time, the latter name has prevailed, and "Erra Manzil" is now the official name of the palace. Alternative spellings include "Irrum Manzil" and "Irram Manzil"

Errum Manzil was used for royal banquets and other grand events. Later, the palace was taken over by the Government to be used as a records store-house. After some years it was again transferred into the hands of Public Works Department. Presently the land on which the palace is located houses offices of the Engineers-in-chief and the Chief Engineers of the Roads and Buildings and Irrigation/Command Area Development Departments.

Built in the Indo-European Baroque style of architecture, during its heyday the palace had over 150 rooms furnished with Louis XVI furniture, nine-hole golf course, polo ground, stable for horses and a dairy farm. The palace was full of stucco and ornamental works. The palace used to overlook the Hussain Sagar, but this view has now been blocked by other buildings.

The Erram Manzil building has rich architectural features exhibiting a multitude of cultural influences. The architecture is a symbiosis of Indo Persian and Saracenic features, blended with classical Greek, Roman, Gothic, Regency, and Baroque styles.

The two-storeyed palace, a listed heritage building spread over 1,13,793 square feet, was full of stucco and ornamental works, and had huge banquet halls, over 150 rooms, and was furnished lavishly with Louis XVI furniture.

Hyderabadi lore has it that Errum Manzil was the result of friendly competition between the Nawab and Sir Vicar ul Umra (The prolific Paigah aristocrat/builder from the city who also built the Falaknuma Palace) as to who could build a higher palace. Due to Fakhrul Mulk’s originality and creativity, the mansion was a blend of unique architectural styles, making it stand out from other palaces.

Dr Mir Asghar Husain, a direct descendant of Nawab Fakhrul Mulk, Former Director of Education, UNESCO-Paris, recalls his great grandfather as someone who dedicated his life to secularism, public service, and the state of Hyderabad. He adds, “A consummate builder, he always wanted to construct monuments that last, and as a heritage for the future. When the city of Hyderabad was expanding, he chose a spot (near Punjagutta) which was then at the outskirts, and being a visionary and nature lover, built a house that was in harmony with its natural environment and ecology.”

The mansion soon became the nucleus of a small village which sprung around it to cater for Fakhrul Mulk’s family, which consisted of five sons and four daughters. Soon, polo grounds, stable for horses and elephants, a dairy farm, and a tennis court were added as was a shooting range, and the Nawab held court twice a day.

Nawab Fakhrul Mulk was among the first noblemen in Hyderabad to adopt Western dress and styles while keeping the strict oriental code of conduct in domestic matters. His cultural ingenuity and openness of mind enlarged his vision to include architectural styles from Europe. A popular story goes saying that he used to explain his ideas to the architects by drawing the outline on sand with the help of his walking stick, and expected the engineers and the masons to give shape to it.

Errum Manzil was specifically placed atop a hill to stand out in its surroundings. Dr Er Ar SP Anchuri, Architect and Structural Engineer, explains, “The height of the building was about 36 feet elevated compared to the present main road level. The height was chosen to indicate the power of the area to dominate the surrounding environment, providing a peaceful environment and isolated atmosphere from the busy road and streets.”

Several entrances are seen to the building, and were used for different purposes. Each entrance of the manzil has a unique architectural character that highlights from other immediate surfaces. Anchuri adds, “The building is in U shape with a three-side enclosed courtyard towards west. The central wing acted as the barricade between the mardana and zenana. Special female servants called mamas acted as messengers between the two blocks.”

With contours which slope naturally towards eastern side, giving a magnificent view of Hussain Sagar, the best suitable structural system was adopted in construction of the palace. The staircases and balconies are made of wood. Even today, one can catch a glimpse of Romanesque semi-circular arches, Indo Saracenic rounded horseshoe openings, and elliptical Gothic arches based on Indo-Islamic architecture.

Dr Husain says that the palace was a unique futuristic model of construction, which was self-sufficient and even had its own water bodies built as a part of its estate. He adds, “Impressed by the stark beauty of Errum Manzil when they passed by during their visit to Hyderabad, Yasser Arafat and Jacqueline Kennedy asked what this impressive monument was!”

The palace was in the possession of the Nawab’s descendants till late 1940s, when it was taken over by the government, and used for storing records. Then the erstwhile Government of Hyderabad purchased the building and the surrounding land belonging to Nawab Fakhar ul Mulk Bhadur, when Sir Mirza Ismail was Sadar-i-Azam (prime minister) of the State in 1946.

In the year 1956, after the formation of Andhra Pradesh, the State government quarters were constructed in the open land, and the same is known as the Erum Manzil colony.

Later, it was transferred to the Public Works Department, and now, the Roads and Buildings and Irrigation/Command Area Development departments share it. In 2017, KCR’s government wanted to demolish the heritage building to construct a new State Legislative Assembly, and only a huge public outcry resulted in the government changing its initial proposal.

Today, the building is in a state of disuse and neglect but used for occasional heritage walks. Anuradha Reddy, Convenor, INTACH Hyderabad, says that the palace has substantial architectural and historical value, being a legacy building. Having conducted a building structural condition assessment in 2019, she calls for the adaptive reuse of the palace, and says, “The structure can be reused in a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable manner. Well executed adaptive reuse can restore an old building not only for new use, but also for the community to continue appreciating the site's historical significance and maintain links to the past.”

Errum Manzil is one of the best examples of the time which informs the present generation of the historical, architectural, and aesthetic importance of such monuments.

Anchuri says that proper repairs and rehabilitation of the Errum Manzil can bring back its erstwhile glory. He adds, “The palace can serve a few more centuries, keeping its heritage alive. Based on the observations of the existing structure on preliminary visual inspection, the Errum Manzil building is an important heritage asset, can be structurally sound after rehabilitation, repairs, and partial reconstruction undertaken after proper in-depth analysis, and can be used for a number of probable adaptive reuses before this architectural marvel and its style disappear.”

Currently, the heritage monument is known to many only because of the metro station named after it. Husain adds, “The whole world is looking for architecturally original monuments for tourism. Erram Manzil is unique because it blends major architectural styles of the time, and there are few other buildings like it that reflect the creative originality of the Deccan. Restored, it can be a powerful magnet on the tourist circuit.”

Errum Manzil is a perfect example of the old Hyderabadi architecture which has stood the test of time. With its integrated design blending the best of structural systems, architectural style, and interiors, the need of the hour is to conserve it.

Renovation
Feb 2, 2022: Irrum Manzil Palace abuzz with film shoots

https://www.firstpost.com/art-and-culture/iram-manzil-palace-overlooking-hussain-sagar-in-hyderabad-has-been-a-silent-surveyor-of-the-city-10076191.html

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Shamsheer Kota

Shamsheer Kota is located in Golconda, Hyderabad district, Telangana State, India.

During the reign of Ibrahim Qutb Shah, royal arms and weaponry were stored in this building.

There are many historic monuments near Golconda fort of Hyderabad and one of them is Shamsheer Kotha monument which is located near Khazana Building on the main road from the Fateh Darwaza to Bala Hissar. There are series of rooms for storing arms and weapons and a masjid, constructed in Qutb Shahi style.

There is a large cannon on display at the entrance gate here that reflects the glory of historic era of Qutb Shahis who had ruled this region for nearly two centuries.

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Khursheed Jah Devdi

Khursheed Jah Devdi a beautiful two-story structure is a European styled architectural palace located on Government Degree College Rd, Murgi Chowk, Charminar, Hussaini Alam, Hyderabad, Telangana 500064, India

The palace, built by Paigah noble Nawab Fakhruddin, is European-styled and is considered as one of the best examples of Palladian architecture.  

Nawab Khursheed Jah Paigah was the maternal grandson of the third Nizam of Hyderabad. Khursheed Jah Baradari was his residence, near the Charminar. It is a gorgeous Palladian mansion with imposing pillars and a strikingly European design. While it is commonly referred to as a baradari (literally means having 12 doors) or a devdi (sort of like a haveli) it is counted as one of Hyderabad's best palaces.

The construction of the palace was started by Sir Khursheed Jah's grandfather, and completed by his father. It is said, that when the Paigah family lived in this palace, it was full of expensive furniture, chandeliers and paintings, and that the extensive grounds adjoining it, had immaculately kept gardens with fountains and little reservoirs. Apparently, in addition to the horses in his stables, Sir Khursheed Jah also kept ostriches!

Khursheed Jah Deroi was the Baradari of Nawab Khursheed Jah Bahadur (15 October 1914 – 3 August 1975). It was originally designed by Nawab Khurshid Jah Bahadur’s grandfather, Shams-ul-umara Amee-e-Kabir and was completed by his father – Rashiduddin Khan in the late 19th century. It houses the Hussaini Alam Government Girls College in the same compound.

Despite the name, Baradari which literally means 12 doors, the palace only has 5 doors. It is commonly known as Khursheed Jah Devdiin which Devdi means “Lord’s house”. The building which is influenced by European architecture, and is similar to Koti Women’s college which is was then knows as British Residency. The entrance has eight Corinthian pillars about 40 feet in height and the inside of the building has Elliptical arches and some areas have wooden flooring. The verandah has beautiful multi-colored floor tiles.

There used to be the Ishrat Mahal (courtroom) as a part of the same compound.

The playground which is under the government school right now, was actually a beautiful garden with Tara Hauz which is means star shaped fountain.
As you enter the building, you can well imagine how grand it would have been at the time when the Paigahs lived here.

Khurshid Jah Bahadur was born in Rang Mahal, Delhi the only son of Mirza Muhammad Fayazuddin. He was recognized as head of the Timurid Dynasty, in 1931 by the Government of India. He emigrated to Lahore in Pakistan following the independence of Pakistan in 1947.

He was married to Nawabzadi Arghwani Begum Sahiba (born 2 January 1920) and they had two sons and four daughters, with his eldest son succeeding him as head of the Timurid Dynasty on his death on 3 August 1975.

Restoration

Dec 30, 2022 : Khursheed Jah Devdi to be restored to original grandeur
Dec 31, 2022 : Though listed as a heritage monument, Khursheed Jah Devdi, situated just a kilometre away from Charminar, has been lying in neglect. 

Jan 30, 2023 : 138-year-old Khursheed Jah Devdi to morph into cultural space with Rs 12 crore facelift in Hyderabad

Jul 19, 2023 : Restoration works at Khursheed Jah Devdi finally begin

https://www.thehansindia.com/news/cities/hyderabad/hyderabad-khursheed-jah-devdi-to-be-restored-775694

https://unseenhyderabad.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/khursheed-jah-devdi/

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Shaikpet Mosque and Sarai

Shaikpet Mosque and Sarai are located at distance of nearly 11 km from the centre of Hyderabad in Shaikpet, Hyderabad district, Telangana State, India.

The Sarai was built on the way to Bidar, capital of Barid Shahis, for the traders to halt at night, before obtaining permission to enter into the fort from Quiladar of Golconda Fort.

The Sarai complex was initiated by Ibrahim Qutb Shah (1550 – 1580 CE). The Sarai gradually came to provide amenities like sarai blocks, mosques, a tomb, stables for horses and camels and other minor structures. It is a typical, large caravan Sarai constructed in Qutub Shahi style of architecture consisting of a two storied building exclusively meant for traveller’s rest.

An inscription indicates that a larger part of the Sarai complex was built by Abdullah Qutb Shah in 1633 – 34 CE. Shelter for horses and camels was also added to the Sarai towards southern side.

The sarai had 30 rooms, stables for horses and camels, a mosque and a tomb of an unknown Sufi saint. It could accommodate 500 people.

The terrain around Golconda and its traverse formed the basis of an important trade route from Ahmednagar. It passed Bidar, Patancheru, Golconda and on- wards to Machilipattnam on the east coast. By its side lay the dargah of Hazrat Syed Hussain Shah Wali - a revered Sufi saint during the reign of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and descendant of Khwaja Banda Nawaz (Gesu Daraz) - the most influential Sufi saint of the Chisti order in South India. Hazrat Syed Hus- sain Shah Wali is credited with building the Hussain Sagar Tank at Hyderabad (1562), which served as a water reservoir for the city till the 1920s.

Renovation

October 26, 2017: Crumbling Shaikpet Sarai & mosque crave attention

April 28, 2018: Broken and cracked: Shaikpet mosque, a protected mosque now in shambles

March 25, 2021 : One of the oldest mosques of Qutub Shahi era and an archaeological grandeur is slowly giving away to the sands of time in Hyderabad. 

The centuries-old mosque, which once housed hundreds of worshipers, has been neglected by authorities.

Recent conservation works by Government of Telangana included structural restoration and protection from encroachments.

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Akkana Sarai

Akkana Sarai is located in Maisaram, Maheswaram, Rangareddy district, Telangana State, India.

Akkana's Sarai is a square shaped sarai dedicated to Akkana, a senior officer who served the Qutb Shahi Empire from 1674 CE to 1686 CE. It is surrounded by a huge compound wall with built-in cubicles facing inner side of the compound, which was probably used as rest house. There is a palatial building situated in the middle. There is another pillared structure, probably used as meeting hall. The compound wall consists of some cubicles near the gate, constructed on the outer side. A small Hindu temple is also present on the first floor of the square shaped Sarai enclosure.

There is a huge compound wall, constructed as a supporting back wall with large number of cubicles present in the sarai. Some cubicles are much bigger in size, provided with small niches, some cubicles are smaller in size and these rest rooms are provided in the masjid area also. Some of the rest rooms are constructed like dormitory places. All these structures are constructed on huge rocky pillars and even the roof is made with huge stone slabs. It is a huge resting place designed as cubicles, dormitory and open verandah and the total resting place is supported by huge stone pillars built as per the Hindu art and architecture. The floral designs are also observed on the walls and roof and also on the pillars. The pillars are quadrangle in shape.

Madanna and Akkanna were two Brahmin brothers who rose to prominence in the 17th-century in the final two decades of the Golkonda sultanate. Madanna started as a clerk with the Golconda Sultanate and moved higher up through talent. At some point Madanna and Akkanna came into the service of Sayyid Muzaffar a nobleman of Persian descent. After sometime Sayyid Muzaffar had brought bul Hasan Qutb Shah  to the throne. He made them responsible for collecting jizya taxes from the Hindus predominant part of the Sultanate's population. Then official Madanna and brother locked him up in his house and took over the charge of the treasury. As a treasurer Madanna became more and more powerful until he practically ruled the Sultanate in all but name till his death assisted by his brother Akkanna and his nephew Rustam Rao. Akkanna was appointed General of the Army not so much to conduct military operations, but more to keep it from waging war.

By the 1680s, according to the colonial era Dutch India archives, they controlled all the tax collection and the exchequer of the Golkonda Sultanate. According to Gijs Kruijtzer – a historian specializing in Deccan Sultanates, the Madanna and Akkanna brothers can be viewed as early "nationalists" seeking the welfare of their people and the general public. They can also be viewed as "communalists" who criticized the Muslim elites as exploitative who do not care about non-Muslims, who serve the interest of their holy land in Arabia, and seek personal gain. The two brothers spent the taxes they collected in Golconda on the "welfare of the public", states Kruijtzer, which included furthering trade with the colonial Dutch, building public sarai (resting place for travelers), as well as restoring and building temples. Their remarkable rise to power and public priorities in the Golconda Sultanate, whose elite predominantly were Muslims, became a folklore among the Hindus. Muslims reached out to Aurangzeb, who in 1683 sent his army to attack Golconda Sultanate. The brothers attempted for peace with a deal to pay a large annual tribute to the Mughal empire. In 1685, Aurangzeb sent a regiment led by his son to end Golconda Sultanate, absorb it into the Mughal empire. This time the Mughal army captured and beheaded Madanna and Akkanna. The two brothers remain popular among the Hindus in the modern era Telangana, with many monuments named after them. They were also the maternal uncles of the popular Bhakti saint Bhadrachala Ramadasu.

Restoration

Oct 20, 2009: The Department of Archaeology and Museums is all set to renovate the erstwhile group of temples -- Maheshwara, Kondandarama, Rajarajeshwara and Rajarajeshwari of Maheshwram in Rangareddy district which was believed to be built by Akkanna and Madanna, Ministers in the court of Abdul Hasan Tanisha, the last ruler of the Qutub Shahi dynasty.

Feb 1, 2011:From being a popular place of worship in the 17th century, the Akkanna Madanna sarai has now turned into an abandoned and dilapidated structure, waiting to crumble any moment. 

Sep 1, 2023: The State government is initiating measures for beautification and restoration of the historic Akkanna Sarai

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7491563.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

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Mian Mishk Mahal

 Mian Mishk Mahal is located in Attapur, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India.  In the area between Golconda and Purana Pul, at a tranquil and deserted place, stands “Mushk Mahal”

In 1678, the palace was constructed by Miyan Malik Mishk, a commander of the Carnatic Forces of Abul Hassan Tana Shah, the last of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. In it’s time, it was a grand three-storied garden pavilion with waterways and gardens spread over a 10-acre area from where one could see the Golconda fort on one side, Musi river on another and the emblematic Charminar from another.

Attapur is an old locality on the right bank of Musi, before Charminar. While one road is dotted with ancient temples, nothing much remains of the other old structures that would have existed in the area — except a grand palace complex whose hulk can still be seen once you enter the inner lanes on the left side of the main road. Surrounded by tall grass, the grandeur of the building can still be evidenced from the shape of the balcony or the staircase. This is the Miyan Mishk Mahal built by an African soldier in the employ of Abul Hasan, the last ruler of Qutb Shahi dynasty.

A few kilometres away, in the Malakpet area of the city, is another grand old structure. A building in ruins that has virtually been boxed in by a housing complex built by the Andhra Pradesh Housing Board. This is the Mahbub Mansion built by the sixth Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan.  

Need of Renovation

24 June, 2018: GHMC to the rescue.The fate of Miyan Mishk Mahal, in Attapur seemed to be like that of scores of historical monuments in the city. Years of neglect by successive governments and encroachments eating up their spaces, the building lies in a sad state of ruin.However, things on Saturday offered a glimmer of hope to heritage activists in the city. Hours after activists took to Twitter to complain about the dumping of sewage on the property of the Qutub Shahi era palace, the state government sprung into action and cleared the area.

March 1, 2021: Hyderabad’s 300-year-old Mushk Mahal needs urgent attention

Stones are used as a cornice for the roof of the first floor projected with brackets which are in a better shape. The inner walls are damaged. The central portion distinct with an octagonal drum shape lost its sheen. The upper portion typically reflects the architectural style of the Qutub Shah. Two rows with Arches façade jutting out is attractive.

The top of the structure, designed to lead to Zenana (ladies) toilet is seven meters high with a large balcony and a stair case leading to the roof opening. The ground floor has large bedrooms with low walls that are probably used as resting chambers. 

According to the Department of Archaeology, this monument had a beautiful garden with a fountain in front which has now disappeared. While the first floor is relatively in a better shape, the other parts have lost their luster and are in ruins. 

Nov 17, 2021: Do we transform a 300-year-old building into a heritage site or do we let it be used as a thunder seat by the neighbourhood

Jan 13, 2022: Miyan Mishk Mahal is a picture of neglect

https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/living-hyderabad-lost-link-to-the-past-miyan-mishk-mahal/article24240357.ece

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2018/jun/24/miyan-mishk-mahal-ghmc-to-the-rescue-1832822.html

https://www.siasat.com/mushk-mahal-in-malodorous-and-dilapidated-condition-2100359/#google_vignette

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Mesolithic paintings of Mancherial

Mesolithic cave paintings found in Thaatimattayya hills of Buggagattu forest in Mancherial district of Telangana State.

Historian Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana has claimed that he explored the site in the Buggagattu forest area with the help of the local Naikpod tribes.

He said cave paintings at Thaatimattayya are dated to be 13,000 years B.P. According to Satyanarayana, he came across the ten types of paintings drawn in five colours.

Dr Satyanarayana said ‘even today families of Naikpod worship the ‘Thaatimatayyah’ or Thaadu which means palm tree. One of the most striking features of the cave paintings is the drawings of perfect circles. 

It seems that the prehistoric artist had used geometric measurements to draw the circles. The circles represented human heads, womb/vagina, flying saucers, dumbbells/tool kits, sun and moon discs.

The Mesolithic Age people inserted the small chips of chert stone (one-inch long and centimeter width) in the full cleavage of fist fit logs to make knives, sickles, etc. sharp implements, in between 8,500 B.C. to 3,000 B.C. 

It also appears that the caves were inhabited the people during the subsequent ages – Neolithic and Megalithic – as it is revealed by the human paintings with metal weapons and physical grinding stones, the historian concludes.

The prehistoric paintings were drawn at five places on the sand rock walls of the 50 yard long cave. The first space has only one petroglyph of an ox engraved in one foot length. The second and third spaces are the main chittaruvulu on which several tens of red ocher paintings were drawn.

The most important paintings of the spaces include the animals – horned bulls in rows, deer, antelopes, porcupine, and big lizard (Udumu). Some men were depicted as controlling the oxen with weapons.

The paintings also include a priest with thick red ochre halo around his head. Similar painting is also found nearby but in fainted red color.

The Naikpod tribals of the region, who invoke the deity Chittarayya for three days in every three years, call the priests as tappeta goollu (big dappulu in Telugu). The fourth and fifth spaces are expressing only fainted red ochre oxen, the historian explains.

But unfortunately most of the prehistoric paintings depicted on its wall spaces have been dimmed due to the recent distilleries cooked here for illegal liquor. 

Only a half-foot long ox figure in red ochre color at one place and a foot-long ox in white color at another place are clearly visible on the 30 feet-long wall space of the cave.

But there appears every possibility to retrieve several paintings by way of scientific / expert chemical cleaning of the cave wall, he said.

With regard to the corroborative evidences of the paintings fortunately one can find hundreds of microliths in front of the caves. 

Renowned historian Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana found these sites near in the Buggagattu forests located at a distance of some 10 km from the district headquarters.

According to Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana, the first cave is locally called Chittarayya Gundu is oriented towards northward and located at a distance of one kilo meter from the Buggagattu Anjaneyasvami temple in its north western corner.

While explaining about the second cave, Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana said that Paatha Chittarayya Gundu, which is located in the deep forests at a distance of two kilometers from the first cave has projection towards northward is more than the first cave and hence it seems to have provided more safe accommodation to the humans.

Since the cave painting sites are located in a distance of ten km drive from the District Headquarters Mancherial the Government may develop the sites as historical and adventurous tourist sites so as to protect the rare and rich heritage of Telangana, Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana appeals.

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/221017/13000-year-old-cave-paintings-found-in-thaatimattayyah-hills.html

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Khammam-Tab/2017-01-11/Mesolithic-paintings-found-near-Mancherial/273074

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Ringing Rocks of Telangana

Ringing rocks, also known as sonorous rocks or lithophonic rocks, are rocks that resonate like a bell when struck are found in the borders of Jangoan and Siddipet districts of Telangana.

The sonorous rock formation stretches over 25 kms and state government should declare this stretch as a heritage park and promote tourism like in Musical Stones of Skiddaw in the English Lake District; the stones in Ringing Rocks Park, in Upper Black Eddy, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; the Ringing Rocks of Kiandra, New South Wales; and the Bell Rock Range of Western Australia. Ringing rocks are used in idiophonic musical instruments called lithophones.

They are locally called Solamile Ene which are discoverd by reddy ratnakar reddy. Physicists say that

these rocks may have formed 200 million years ago due to lave ejecting on to the surface. The sound of the rocks depends on the density of ferric oxide in them. Usually, the ferrous percentage is is 9 to 12 percent in them.

They pass through Bonakollur, Bandnagaram, Katkur and Padamatikesavapur in Siddipet district and Veerannpet, Chunchanakota, Nagapuri, Jangamredy palle in Jangoan district.

History of ages is told along these rocks. There are cairns(locally known as rakasi gullu). Researchers found a stone age axe here. In Siddipet Verannapet researchers found groves which signify the sharpening of stone tools. “They belong to the Neolithic age".

Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/63707952.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_rocks

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Taramati Baradari

Taramati Baradari is a historical sarai as part of Ibrahim Bagh, a Persian style garden built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, the second Sultan of Golconda

The Baradari was constructed on the banks of the Musi river. Today, the region comes under the city limits of Hyderabad, India. The tourism department attributes the name to the reign of the Seventh Sultan of Golconda, Abdullah Qutb Shah who as an ode to his favorite courtesan, Taramati, is said to have named the sarai Taramati Baradari.

The tourism department promotes the location by romantic stories linking the then-Sultan with a courtesan named Taramati.

One such story goes that during the reign of Abdullah Qutb Shah, he used to hear Taramati’s voice as she sang for travelers at the serai, while he sat two kilometers away at Golconda fort. Her melodious voice was carried by the breeze, reaching the prince’s ear at the fort. There is no recorded report of the same.

Another fable tells of two ravishing dancing sisters, Taramati and Premamati, who danced on ropes tied between their pavilion and the balcony of the king and patron, Abdulla Qutub Shah.

About half a mile north of the fort lies his grave amid a cluster of carved royal tombs. Here lie buried the Qutub Shahi kings and queens in what once their rose gardens.

As a tribute to Taramati and Premamati, they both were buried in the royal cemetery of the Qutub Shahi kings.

Taramati Baradari pavilion has 12 doorways and was constructed to allow cross ventilation and is one of the most indigenous techniques to have been used at that time.

The open pavilion includes other facilities like an air-cooled theatre with capacity of 500 people, open-air auditorium with capacity of 1600 people, Banquet Hall with capacity of 250, and multi-cuisine restaurant.

Taramati Baradari is an attractive destination in Hyderabad. It is also a perfect way to spend an evening or a weekend. Haritha Resort run by Telangana Tourism here has all the amenities, which can give you a fresh lease of energy for a nice sojourn.

The rooms of the resort are spacious and user friendly. The resort has an Open Air Auditorium, which is ideal for corporate gatherings and private events. It also has an Air Cooled Theatre and Banquet Hall that are a perfect fit for special events, conferences and exhibitions. It comes with an attached pantry, a multi – cuisine A/C restaurant and a 50 PAX A/c Bar for spending some quality time.

The resort also has a souvenir shop and swimming pool that comes with a modern health club with best facilities for fitness and leisure. There are A/C suites and A/C rooms that can be an ideal way to enjoy luxury in the vicinity of a prominent monument. Spending time close to a heritage destination with best accommodation and quality food, with all trappings of a resort has never been this wonderful!

Address: Near PBEL City, Ramdev Guda, Ibrahim Bagh, Hyderabad, 500031, India

Source

http://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/stay/hyderabad/haritha-taramati-baradari-resort.html

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