Tag Archives: Paigah Tombs – Hyderabad – Telangana

Spectacular beauty of a serene mausoleum

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

The Paigah Tombs not only symbolise the nobility’s love for magnificient edifices but also represent different styles of architecture.

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Tucked away in the quiet bylanes of the Phisal Banda suburb near Owaisi Hospital, Santosh Nagar, is an architectural marvel, a serene mausoleum which is the final resting abode of erstwhile Hyderabad’s celebrated nobility – The Paigahs. The word Paigah, which means pomp and rank in Persian, was a title given by the second Asaf Jahi Nizam of Hyderabad to the estate of Abul Fateh Khan Taig Jung Bahadur in appreciation of the royal services rendered by him. He was also conferred with the title of Shams-ul-Umra, which gives the tombs their name.

Although the Paigahs were noted and rewarded for their contribution as army officers, ministers and aristocrats, Sir Viqar-ul-Umra is popularly remembered as the man behind one of the finest masterpieces of Hyderabadi architecture – the Falaknuma Palace. Legend has it that the 6th Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan loved the palace so much that Viqar-ul-Umra gifted it to him.

One such masterpiece symbolising the Paigahs’ love for architectural edifices are the Paigah Tombs. The spectacular beauty of the mausoleum is said to have earned it a title of the Taj Mahal of South India among connoisseurs of art and architecture. The Paigah Tombs also include a mosque where prayers are held every day.

The Paigah Tombs were constructed in the late 17th century, and later it was made a family maqbara by his son Fakhruddin Khan Amir-e-Kabir – I. Later, some additions were also made by Sir Viqar-ul-Umra, Sir Asman Jah and Sir Khurshid Jah. The tombs are magnificent structures decorated in stucco work and represented the Mughal, Greek, Persian, Asaf Jahi, Rajasthani and Deccani style of architectures.

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The geometric designs in the Paigah Tombs are unique and the perforated screens are examples of the finest craftsmanship. Some screens have flowers and motifs of fruits; others have serpents, drums, and vases.

There is a great amount of effort put into the detailing of the walls, arches, pillars and even of the graves. Floral and geometric patterns are characteristic of medieval Islamic architecture.

The most striking element of the Paigah Tombs is the intricately carved teakwood doors as entrance to each tomb. The carving of the doors is so fine and so regal it only makes one wonder the way art was encouraged and appreciated in the Asaf Jahi era.

The tomb of wife of Khursheed Jah is the most beautiful of the tombs with exquisite marble inlay work. One can still see the hollows in the marble carvings where precious gems were once encrusted on the grave.

Nawab Bashir-ud-Daulah’s grave stands out with a beautifully carved marble chowkhandi which is adorned by a carved mysterious green stone. Legend has it that the lighting doesn’t strike the place where it is placed.

The Paigah Tombs are under the care of the Department of Archaeology and Museums. As one of the most marvellous symbols of Hyderabad’s rich culture and royal heritage, the Paigah Tombs deserve nothing less than the government’s attention to ensure that it is not just preserved and valued but also promoted and highlighted.

Historian Dr Anand Raj Varma says, “I don’t see much improvement and restoration taking place at the Paigah Tombs; it is in the same state for years now. If you see the entrance, it’s in a very shabby state. There is no significant deterioration but there is also no tourist attraction or promotion of Paigah Tombs either. Most people don’t even know that the Paigah Tombs are located there.”

However, says the historian, the contribution of Rahmatullah, the caretaker of the Paigah Tombs, is appreciable as he keeps it going thanks to his passion and love for the Paigah family and the tombs. “The Tourism Department or the government should take this up as a project. It is the heritage which connects us our past and to our present. It is our treasure, heritage our virasat, and it should be protected,” he adds.

Mohammed Safiullah, managing trustee of The Deccan Heritage Trust, says, “The Paigah Tombs are in desperate need for restoration as the structure is in a dilapidated state and deteriorating. Some places have grown moss all over.  The government should invest in the restoration of the Paigah Tombs because there is a scope of return on investment. Once proper restoration work is done, there will be easily about a 1,000 visitors every day.”

A nominal entry ticket would become a means for generating revenue which would help in future maintenance. Simple things like a cafeteria, a souvenir shop and proper toilets could make it more tourist-friendly.

(The writer is a heritage enthusiast)

source: http://www.telanganatoday.com / Telangana Today / Home> SundayScape> Telangana Diaries / by M D Taher Hussain / November 25th, 2018

The Paigah’s necropolis

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

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A visit to what some call the Taj Mahal of the south

What comes to your mind when you think of Hyderabad? Sumptuous haleem and biryani, perhaps? Or the beautiful icon of the city, Charminar? Or maybe the unique khada dupatta and its accompanying necklaces, if you love clothes and handicrafts. All of these are understandable connections. Few would relate Hyderabad to an exquisite necropolis that is hidden away in the heart of the city, which I discovered recently thanks to a friend.

Dilapidated graves

At the entrance of the Pisal Banda suburb in Santosh Nagar, I stopped at a small café and asked for directions to this necropolis. No one seemed to have a clue. As I was following the GPS, I decided to trust it and ventured deeper into the crowded alley. Soon I saw a modern grave enclosure with the words ‘Paigah Tombs’ written on it there. I felt a little cheated, but then to my delight, just behind the grave enclosure was a white gateway which I entered.

On my right lay many dilapidated graves inside a rectangular enclosure. Some were as new as 2009, while some others were at least a century old and reminded me of verses on the dismaying finality of death and the futility of gathering wealth.

With my loud sighing at this state of disrepair, I managed to attract the attention of a caretaker of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Rahmat, who then gave me a conducted tour.

In the courtyard were intricate work on the walls and small cupolas with Grecian horns on the roof, which were not only breathtaking but also striking in their originality. I had never seen work like this before. There were limestone trellises, ornamented pillars and roundels on the façade of the tombs. “You won’t find such work anywhere in the south or north,” Rahmat said proudly.

And how can it be that we speak of a tomb and someone hasn’t already compared it to the Taj Mahal? This is called the Taj of the south, Rahmat said, which I frankly think is gross injustice. There is no similarity in the architectural styles of the two tombs and this one is beautiful in its own right.

Origin of the name

The Maqbara Shams-ul-Umara, now better known as the Paigah Tombs, belongs to a family which was ranked only second to the Nizam of Hyderabad and to whom it was allied through matrimony. The family members were fierce loyalists of the Nizam and maintained an army to fight for the Nizam.

The word Paigah, which means pomp and rank in Persian, was a title given by the second Asaf Jahi Nizam of Hyderabad to the estate of Nawab Abul Fateh Taig Jung Bahadur in appreciation of the royal services rendered by him. The nawab was also conferred with the title of Shams-ul-Umra, which gives the tombs their name.

The first tomb, built in the 18th century and of Makrana marble, is that of Shams-ul-Umra, or the Sun of the Nobles, himself. It is delicate, with limestone and stuccowork on its enclosures. Twenty-seven members of the Paigah family, including the famous Nawab Sir Vicar-ul-Umra, are buried here.

The tombs all lie in a row under a foliated arched gallery with ornamented pillars and spectacular limestone jaalis on the façade of the buildings.

There are a number of open double storey enclosures that mostly hold several tombs inside. Each enclosure has limestone jaalis on the walls and exquisite carved teak doors as entrances. Each jaali is unique — some have motifs of fruits and flowers; others have drums, serpents, and vases.

The crypts are made of marble with intricately designed qalams (pen made of dried reed) or takhtis (slate) and headstones. A qalam or small raised mound on the cenotaph denotes that the grave belongs to a man, and a flat design of a slate denotes that a woman is buried here.

The architectural style inside the tombs and galleries is a mix of Rajasthani, Deccani and Persian, while the design on the roof is Moorish. The 30-acre compound also includes a mosque. Prayers are still held here. The sounds of the azaan and namaz waft over the graves. The Paigah family has handed over this architectural marvel to the ASI as part of our national heritage for safekeeping.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Opinion> Columns> Where Stones Speak / by Rana Safvi / January 21st, 2018