5 Places In Hyderabad That Have A History Attached To Their Names

As we all know Hyderabad, a shared capital of 2 Indian states i.e., Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is one of the smart hi-tech cities in India. It is one of the largest cities in South India and so large is its history of being ruled by Mughals and Nizams in past. The city is known for its historical sites, monuments, pearls and years old places or markets that have their names derived from some or the other story in past.

So get in the time machine as we bring to you few places that have an interesting history behind the names they have today.

Famous Historical places in Hyderabad:

CHARMINAR

Charminar was built four hundred years ago in 1591. It is a global icon for Hyderabad and is one of the most recognized sites in India. The monument is a representative of Islamic culture. Historians say that the construction work was completed in 1592. There are many stories related to the building of Charminar. To be precise, the fifth ruler of Shahi dynasty built Charminar after he shifted his capital from Golkonda to Hyderabad.The Charminar was constructed in such a way that it connects the markets of Golkonda with the port city of Machilipatnam. A famous legend about Charminar is that some people believe that there is a secret tunnel from Charminar to Golkonda fort which was perceived to be an escape route for the ruler, yet the existence of this tunnel is still a question. Apart from its long history, it has markets around it famous for jewellery and clothing. Bangles are usually available at cheaper prices. Laad Bazaar a flourishing market around Charminar is famous for its jewellery & Pather Gatti is famous for its pearls.

MECCA MASJID

Mecca Masjid (aka Makkah masjid), is one of the oldest and largest mosques in India. It is a listed heritage and is situated close to Charminar and Laad Bazaar. The bricks used to make the central dome of the masjid are made up of soil brought from Mecca, which is the holiest place of Islam. This is why it is named as Mecca Masjid. Stories say that the ruler himself laid the foundation stone of this building. It is believed that over 8 thousand workers were employed in building this huge structure. The main hall of the mosque can accommodate over 10 thousand worshipers at a time. Ten years ago on 18^th may 2007, a bomb explosion claimed 13 lives leaving a large number of people injured. But such incidents never drive devotees away. According to the legends, there are two stone and slab benches near the pond and a person who sits on it once always returns to sit on it again.

SALAR JUNG MUSEUM

You will be amazed to know that Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad is one the three National Museums of India. Various sculptures, paintings, manuscripts, antique carpets, and clocks are few things of beauty that this museum has. Antique furniture from several countries like Japan, Europe, Persia, Egypt, North America etc., are a point of attraction for tourists. Its collection has centuries-old things. Mir Yusuf Ali Khan a former Prime Minister of the 7^th Nizam of Hyderabad was passionate to make this priceless collection. The museum is semi-circular in shape and has 38 galleries. Adding to which there is a library, reading hall, chemical conservation lab, selling counter and cafeteria.

Statue of Veiled Rebecca by G.B. Benzoni, an Italian sculptor, in 1876, is among the world’s most famous statues. The museum has a wide collection of Quran in different fonts and designs. Ancient sundials and various clocks greet the visitors in the clock room. The most famous is a British Bracket clock, in which a miniature toy figure comes out of an enclosure and strikes the gong and then returns to the enclosure at each hour. The Indian Parliament has declared the museum as an Institution of National Importance.

CHOWMAHALLA PALACE

As the name suggests, the place is a collection of four mahals and has always been a property of Nizams of Hyderabad. Even today it belongs to Barkhat Ali Khan, the heir of Nizams. This place is situated very close to Charminar, in old Hyderabad city. Its construction began in 1750 and was completed by 1869. It has two big courtyards, gardens and fountains to increase the beauty of the palace. The oldest part of the palace is the Southern courtyard which has four palaces built in neoclassical style. Whereas Northern courtyard has a long corridor of rooms opposite to which is a building that is its mirror image. Khilwat Mubarak is known as the heart of the palace. There is a clock above the main door of the palace and is affectionately called Khilwat Clock. It has been ticking for over 250 years now. Council Hall is a place where all important meetings were held but today temporary exhibitions are conducted over there. Roshan Bangla is named after Roshan Begum, mother of the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad. Twelve years ago in 2005, this part of the palace was opened to the public.

GOLKONDA FORT

Golkonda also known as Gol Konda means round shaped hill. It was built in 12^th century by a Hindu dynasty ruler. The place is situated 11 kilometres to the west of Hyderabad and is known for mines that produce gems like a diamond. The Kohinoor, the Hope Diamond, Nassak Diamond and the Noor-ul-Ain were all once located here. Being under the control of many rulers from the time it was built & having seen many battles the fort fell to ruin at the hands of Aurangzeb in 1687. The famous Kohinoor and Hope diamonds were stored in a vault in the fort. Until the Indian Integration of Hyderabad mines brought riches to the state. Golkonda consists of 4 forts within 10kms of the area. Sadly the fort is losing its charm but one can always come here to explore the beauty of the carved stonework and landscaped gardens. It has a beautiful architecture and even today it attracts a number of tourists every day.

History always attracts us, right? It comes with stories and pulls us always. So go ahead, wander around in the history and add something to your present.