Hyderabad once had beautiful gardens; now a concrete jungle
O Lord, bless my days and nights with contentment,
O Lord, make thou my country prosperous and populous,
O Lord, grant me a hundred years to live,
O Lord, among all the thrones, let my throne be like the gem that adorns a ring,
O Lord, fill this city with people as thou hast filled the ocean with fish.
This is the translation of the prayer (munajat) that Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, said after founding Hyderabad city with the magnificent Charminar.
Now a concrete jungle, Hyderabad city was once a ‘City of Gardens’ and was called ‘Bagnagar’ or ‘Baghnagar’.
Though some attribute the nickname to mystic queen Bhagmati, the beloved of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, it is true that historians over the years were taken in by the gardens of the city that celebrates its 425th birthday on October 9.
Noted historian Dr M.A. Nayeem said Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah’s reign was marked not so much by fresh conquests, as it was by the blossoming of art, literature and architecture. His love for beauty had led to the planning and construction of a new capital, away from the overcrowded Golconda.
“The king ordered architects to prepare plans for a new city that would be a replica of paradise. He constructed several gardens in the new capital. This fascination for gardens continued with the Nizams, especially Nizam VII,” Dr Nayeem said.
He soon named the new capital Haiderabad (City of Haider) after the title of fourth Caliph, Hazrath Ali. Gardens dotted the four sides of Charminar. Bagh-i-Muhamad Shahi, along the eastern bank of Musi river, was full of gardens extending for several miles with date and coconut palms, jamun, champa, pomegranate and Indian almond trees.
Mughal historians and Europeans travellers like Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a 17th-century French gem merchant, in their travelogues call Hyderabad ‘Bagh-nagar’ as it was full of gardens and groves. Rafiuddin Shirizi in Tadhkirat-ul-Mulk said: “The whole city is just one large garden.”
Another French traveller Francois Bernier in 1667, too, called it ‘Bagnagar’. Hakim Nizamuddin Gilani, a contemporary chronicler, in Hadiqat-as-Salatin called Hyderabad ‘qita of bihist (fragment of Paradise)’.
Haiderabad of yore
Courtesy: Daniel Ovelz Michael, Paigahs of the Deccan
The medieval streets lined with stores of silk and
spice led through the chaotic hustling through way of dust and din towards the
mesmerising Charminar fabled to be tunnelled with secret passage ways to
Golconda, Bidar, Aurangabad and Warangal.
Miralam Mandi stocked with piled up rows of vegetables
and greens led beyond the grain market. To the extreme side was the Purani
Haveli lined with nawabi deodis as neighbourhood. Large elephant doorways with
wooden gates marked the landscape of old city.
The side way right street of Charminar led to the
bangle street of Laad bazaar, where the women folk went forth in bustling amuck
strides with their veiled faces to buy sportively the zenana items of bridal
wear, to zardozi hand crafted embroidery clothing.
Gulzar house was where gold merchants sold the shahada
pearl Strings (seven lined) and the emerald crested chocker necklace with a
sarpesh head pendant a must for every wedding with the pearl drop Naath (nose
ring).
The lad bazaar led to the clock tower Kabuthar chowk (I
stand corrected - its Mehboob Chowk) which had all the birds to dine, sold there
and beyond was the metal street where all the Biryani cookware Dekshas and
lagaan and water storing Gangal were made and sold.
The imperial glittering Kilwat stood in all its splendour
with those filigree crested plaster work and dazzling chandeliers.
The road from Charminar culminated at the famed
Falaknuma with its gold furniture embossed with gems and pearls. The beauty of
the Falaknuma palace only added extra charm to the heightened good looks of Mir
Mehboob Ali Pasha who was noted for his generosity and regal spending abilities
which drained the coffers of the state. His graceful lifestyle led him to own
the longest walk-in wardrobe At Purani Haveli.
When the seventh Nizam ascended the throne at Kilwat
he decided to move out of the chaotic old city towards the north of Musi River
beyond the begum bazaar and Feelkhana (elephant stand) towards the Chaderghat
area up-to the Hussain Sagar Lake.
In straight imitation of the Secunderabad lashkar city where the British dwellings and cantonment was located the wilderness zone of Chaderghat was sprinkled with sporadic British elements ever since the British Resident's Kothi was built.
The vast expanse of arid wilderness zone of Chaderghat
was marked with churches and cathedrals for the British officers serving the
Nizam's govt.
On a hill pedestal of Gunfoundry where the guns and
canons were manufactured the St. Joseph's cathedral was built clustered with a
Hamlet of native populace serving the British officers of the Nizams army.
The Wesley church on the way towards Kothi and the St.
George’s Church (Anglican Parish) and the Methodist Church (American Parish)
dotted the skyline.
The seventh Nizam moved to the Chaderghat area from the
old city and built his own Kothi and named it king Kothi (I stand corrected - the
palace was built by Kamal Khan and the Nizam acquired it handsomely) noble men
of the Nizam's establishment also moved to the new city and built their manors
and mansions.
The feudal lords of estate dominions of Gadwal,
Wanaparthy, etc built their castles in the new city. Every mansion was built on
a large piece of land measuring two to three acres.
Each nobleman had his own estate in the sylvan
districts of the dominion. The village connection enabled the noble men to
requisite a retinue of servants from the villages as cooks, as washermen, as
Gardner's, as drivers and as Hand men orderlies.
Each mansion dotting the streets of Hyderabad city was
crafted with an acre of garden in front of the mansion abutting the road. Each
garden with its exotic plants and native flower plants laced with marble
fountains and flower climbers gave a feeling of paradise on earth.
The Eden Bagh palace with its huge garden grounds gave
a resplendent image of dream moment. Every street and every road were marked
with double storied mansions and manicured lawns and ornament gardens.
The city of noblemen rivalled with Secunderabad in its
nightlife and the family parties and wedding celebrations went on all through
the night.
Hyderabad never woke up before noon. And never slept
before predawn.
Hussain Sagar was the focal point for many mansions
that had sprung up in its vantage environs. The Paigas had their innumerable
double storied palaces around the Begumpet area with a clear view of the Hussain
Sagar Lake.
The innumerable lakes were the setting points for many
elaborate shikaar parties. The noble men would camp on lake beds for days
together loathing lazily with loads of village money from vibrant agricultural
boom.
Quails and Partridges were caught around the lakes and
culinary delights were followed with intricate cooking patterns. The nawabs and
their matching friends with their retinue of servers had a rivalrous and
boisterous night parties with nautch girls on the lake bed camps.
When the Arch Duke of Austria toured India, he made it
a point to visit Hyderabad and in his honour the city was painted in Hapsburg
yellow.
The Austrian dignitary was awestruck at the garden lined streets of Hyderabad and the yellow mansions reminded him of Vienna. The eastern Hyderabad starting from Ramkote, Narayanguda, Rajmolla, Vittalwadi and Kacheguda developed into Marathi district of the city. It's this Marathi connection which led to the celebration of Vinayak chaturthi on a scale parallel with Mumbai and Pune.
ASAF JAHI ARCHITECTURE OF HYDERABAD
Story courtesy Outlook
A Brief History of The Nizams of Hyderabad
Splendid palaces, luxury cars and expensive tastes – the Asaf Jahis literally lived life king size
August 5, 2017
A Brief History of The Nizams of Hyderabad
Lavish, opulent, ostentatious, and extravagant are just some words that come to mind when you think of the Nizams that ruled the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad for 224 years.
A book on Telangana or any reference
to its historyand culture is incomplete without a mention of the Nizams, for
their influence on the state and its history is indisputable. Seven Nizams, who
were also known as Asaf Jahis, ruled Hyderabad – the seventh, Asaf Jah Nawab
Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur reigned till 1948.
From 1724 to 1948, Hyderabad underwent immense growth, both culturally and economically. The Nizams were great patrons of literature, art, architecture and food; and were counted amongst the wealthiest people in the world.
In fact, Asaf Jah VII was ranked the fifth wealthiest person in the
history of the world, with his fortune pinned at US$225 billion at its height,
adjusted to today’s value.
The Nizam chose not to join the Indian Union after India gained independence in August 1947. However, his rule ended in September 1948, when the Indian Army launched Operation Polo, led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, then Minister of Home Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of India.
The State of
Hyderabad was invaded and the Nizam was forced to step down. The Asaf Jahis
were allowed to keep their titles even after their reign ended. Asaf Jah VII
chose his grandson Nawab Mir Barakat Ali Khan Bahadur Mukarram Jah as his
successor, but he was Nizam only in name.
Ancestry of the Nizams
Hailing from the region around Samarkand in modern day Uzbekistan, the Asaf Jahi was originally a Turkic dynasty. Khaja Abid, grandfather of the first Nizam, was born in Aliabad near Samarkand in the kingdom of Bukhara.
In 1655 he visited India for the first time while on his way to Mecca and presented himself at the imperial court of the Mughals. He made a favourable impression on the Mughal emperor and was soon granted many favours and given a robe of honour.
He was also offered a position in the emperor’s
service, which he agreed to take on after his return from Mecca. Thus began the
association between the Nizams and Delhi, which would last until the end of
Mughal rule.
In 1657, Khaja Abid returned from his pilgrimage and decided
to throw in his lot with Aurangzeb. At the time, the latter was in the Deccan
preparing for the war of succession against his brothers. Aurangzeb gave Khaja
Abid, a learned man who was equally versed in the art of war, an important
position in the imperial army.
The Portrait Gallery inside Chowmahallah Palace
Syed Saad Ahmed
After successfully defeating his brother to claim the
throne, Aurangzeb made Khaja Abid the governor of Ajmer and subsequently of
Multan with the title Qalich Khan. Qalich Khan later died while leading the
imperial army against the Qutub Shahi king during the siege of Golconda in
1687.
The Mughal Empire
Shah Jahan made Aurangzeb the Viceroy of the Deccan in 1636, where the latter spent many years establishing and enforcing Mughal superiority and sovereignty.
When Shah Jahan died in 1666, Aurangzeb consolidated his power
as emperor and spent most of his reign expanding the borders of his empire.
During that period Hyderabad – ruled by the Qutub Shahi dynasty – was one of
the richest cities in the area due to the Kollur mine on the banks of the
Krishna river, which was the most lucrative diamond mine of its time. The city
was reportedly impregnable due to the majestic Golconda Fort.
Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb’s initial sieges, during the reign of the last Qutub Shahi king Abul Hasan Tana Shah, were failures. However, in 1687, after a nine-month long siege Golconda finally fell.
Legend has it that the fortress
would’ve held on if it weren’t for a saboteur, Abdullah Khan Pani, who was
bribed by Aurangzeb to open the gates at night. Tana Shah was imprisoned soon
after and taken to Daulatabad.
Thereafter, Hyderabad’s importance declined, its flourishing
diamond trade diminished, and the city fell into ruins.
A Dynasty is Born
Although Indian history, spanning from the ancient to the modern, saw large empires such as the Maurya, Gupta and Mughal, ruling over vast areas in the north, it was the region south of the Vindhyas that they never really gained complete control over.
The Deccan region had its own
dynasties, and its fair share of rebellions against the mighty kingdoms that
aimed to capture it. In a backdrop like this, what the Deccan really needed
after the weakening of the Mughal empire (which held it for a short period of
time) was a stable regional force.
The decline of Mughal rule and the rise of the Asaf Jahi
dynasty are inextricably linked; and the Asaf Jahis arrived in Hyderabad and
made it their own, much like the Mughals did with Delhi, not content to be
mere subedars of a larger kingdom. A succession of political
developments resulted in the Nizams ruling over the Deccan.
It all started with Aurangzeb gaining control over Golconda
Fort and subsequently Hyderabad. With the conquest of the Deccan and then the
south, Aurangzeb succeeded in spreading Mughal rule across the subcontinent.
After Qalich Khan’s death in 1687, his grandson Qamaruddin
caught Aurangzeb’s eye when he displayed considerable skill as a warrior.
Aurangzeb gave him the title Chin Qalich Khan (Boy Swordsman) at the tender age
of 19.
Farukh Siyar, Mughal emperor and Aurangzeb’s grandson, gave
Qamaruddin the higher title of Nizam-ul-Mulk Fateh Jung in 1713 and appointed
him subedar of six provinces and Faujdar of Karnatak.
Qamaruddin proved himself to be an excellent administrator. However, the Sayyid
brothers, two powerful generals, conspired to stop him from governing the
Deccan.
Early in the reign of Muhammad Shah (Aurangzeb’s seventh successor) the Sayyids removed Qamaruddin from the post of Faujdar of Muradabad and sent him to Malwa.
There, too, he proved his worth. Alarmed by his rise,
the Sayyids urged him to resign and move to some other province. Disgusted with
these political games, Qamaruddin resigned from his post and headed for the
Deccan where he intended to take up the post of viceroyal once more.
Meanwhile, the Sayyads died, and the new emperor Muhammad
Shah offered him the high rank of Vazir. However, he was disappointed by the
emperor’s close associates and therefore left the post of Vazir and marched to
Aurangabad.
Abul Hasan Tana Shah
The emperor instructed Mubrez Khan, the then Subedar of the
Deccan, to oppose Qamarrudin. In the ensuing battle, Mubrez Khan was defeated
and killed, which resulted in Qamaruddin establishing his supremacy in the
Deccan.
He subsequently streamlined the administrative machinery and finances of the Deccan. Muhammed Shah finally realised that there was nothing to be gained by war and conferred Qamarrudin with the title of Asaf Jah, or equal to Asaf, who was the Grand Vizier or prime minister in the court of King Solomon.
Asaf Jah was the highest title that could be awarded to a subject of
the Mughal Empire. Although for all practical purposes Qamaruddin became an
independent ruler from then on, he never openly declared independence from
Delhi. Thus, was born the Asaf Jahi dynasty that ruled Hyderabad until 1948.
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I (1724–48)
Nizam-ul-Mulk’s greatest achievement was the foundation of the princely state of Hyderabad. As the Viceroy of the Deccan, the Nizam was the head of the executive and judicial departments and the source of all civil and military authority of the Mughal empire in the Deccan.
All officials were
appointed by him directly or in his name. He drafted his own laws, raised his
own armies, flew his own flag and formed his own government.
He divided his kingdom into three parts – one part became his own private estate known as the Sarf-i-Khas; another was allotted for the expenses of the government and was known as the Diwan’s territory; and the remainder was distributed amongst Muslim nobles (jagirdars, zamindars and deshmukhs), who in return paid nazars (gifts) to the Nizam for the privilege of collecting revenue from the villages under them.
The most
important of these nobles were the Paigahs (see p128). The
properties were usually split into numerous pieces in order to prevent the most
powerful of the nobles from entertaining any thought of carving out an empire
for themselves. The system, which continued relatively unchanged until 1950,
ensured a steady source of income for the state treasury and the Nizam.
The Nizam had other sources of revenue as well, which
included the lion’s share of gold unearthed in his dominions, diamonds and gems
from the Golconda mines and the income from his vast personal estates.
While the Nizam did not wage too many battles after becoming
Hyderabad’s ruler, he did clash with the Marathas in 1727 over his refusal to
pay two kinds of levy – Chauth and Sardeshmukhi. After suffering a defeat in
the ensuing war, which ended in 1728, the Nizam had to agree to a number of
terms set by the Marathas, chief of which was recognizing Chhatrapati Shahu as
the sole Maratha ruler.
The Nizam was also a statesman of repute and his support of the Mughal Empire remained unwavered. A prime example of this came in 1739 when Nadir Shah, the ruler of Persia, who was so powerful he was known as Second Alexander or Napoleon of Persia, invaded the Mughal empire.
First, the Nizam sent a huge contingent of soldiers to Karnal where the Mughal army had been stationed to repel Shah’s rampaging advance. However, even the combined forces couldn’t keep the tactically and technically superior Persian army at bay. When Shah reached Delhi, a rumour broke out that he had been assassinated. Enraged, Shah ordered that Delhi be plundered.
It is said that 20,000 to 30,000 people
were killed in a single day. No one from the Mughals’ side was ready to
negotiate a truce with Shah out of fear. It was the Nizam who came forward to
appeal to Shah to end the bloodbath. Somehow, the Nizam convinced him to turn
back.
The Nizam is remembered for having laid the foundation for
what would become one of the most important Muslim states outside the Middle
East by the first half of the 20th century. The kingdom he ruled over was said
to have been close to the size of France.
After a reign of 24 years, the Nizam passed away at the age
of 76 in 1748. His grave is at the mazaar of Shaikh Burhan-ud-din Gharib
Chisti, Khuldabad, near Aurangabad, where Aurangzeb was also buried.
Once again, with the Nizam’s death, the Deccan became the
centre of a power struggle between the British, French, Marathas and the
Nizam’s own sons and grandsons. Nasir Jung, Muzaffar Jung and Salabat Jung all
held the Subhedari of the Deccan at one time or the other for a period of over
14 years. They were confirmed as the Subhedars by the Mughal emperor but for
unknown reasons, were never given the title of Asaf Jah or Nizam and therefore,
they are not referred to as Nizams.
Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah I
Finally, in 1762, the Nizam’s fourth son, Mir Ali Khan, was
recognized at the second Nizam.
Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah II (1762–1803)
Nizam Ali Khan was born in 1734 and assumed the Subhedari of the Deccan at the age of 28 years and ruled the region for almost 42 years.
The reign of Nizam Ali Khan was one of the important chapters in the history of the Asaf Jahi dynasty not only because it was the longest but also because it was the most eventful and challenging.
His greatest contribution was saving his dynasty from both internal and external forces and streamlining the administration of his state. While he settled affairs with the Marathas, he also entered into alliances with the British and the French.
In 1763, Nizam Ali
Khan shifted the state capital from Aurangabad to Hyderabad, restoring the
latter to its original glory. Recognizing the central and strategic location of
this city proved to be a turning point in the rule of the Asaf Jahis.
While his grandfather kept foreign powers out of his empire, Nizam Ali Khan employed a French general as an advisor and military leader and simultaneously sought an alliance with the British East India Company.
It was
this alliance that helped Hyderabad: while the company meddled in the daily
affairs of most of the other princely states, Hyderabad was left to its own
devices even after Indian Independence from the British. Many treaties were
signed between the British and Nizam Ali Khan during this period – firstly, the
Nizam wanted to keep the Marathas away from the Deccan; and secondly, the
British were on hostile terms with Hyder Ali of Mysore. The British also wanted
a close alliance with Hyderabad and the disbandment of the French Corps from
the Nizam’s services.
Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah II
After a long, strenuous and successful reign, Nizam Ali Khan died on 6 August, 1803, at the age of 69. He was buried at Mecca Masjid.
Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikandar Jah Asaf Jah III (1803–29)
The third Nizam inherited a successful state. His succession was ratified by the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II and his father’s titles were also conferred upon him. Sikandar Jah is credited with ushering in a new era of progress for Hyderabad.
In 1806, a large area north of the city was named Secunderabad after Sikandar Jah – it was essentially founded to station 5,000 troops of the British garrison. Secunderabad later became the largest British cantonment in India.
As the cantonment grew rapidly, many locals relocated
there from the hustle of the walled city across the River Musi, thus creating
the twin city of Secunderabad.
Ali Khan Sikandar Jah Asaf Jah III
To improve internal administration and to ensure just means of revenue, Sikandar Jah placed European officers in charge of his revenue.
However, the kingdom went through a severe financial crisis due to Raja
Chandulal, who was assistant revenue minister. Chandulal, who was close to the
British, indulged in large-scale corruption and misappropriation that drained
the Nizam’s finances.
Sikandar Jah died on 21 May, 1829 and was buried in the
royal cemetery of Mecca Masjid, next to his ancestors. He was survived by nine
sons and 10 daughters. His eldest son, Nawab Farkhunda Ali Khan, succeeded him.
Ali Khan Nasir-ud-Daula Asaf Jah IV
Mir Farkhunda Ali Khan Nasirud-Daula Asaf Jah IV
(1829–57)
After the financial turmoil during Sikander Jah’s rule,
Nasir-ud- Daula inherited a troubled state. Moreover, several natural disasters
such as cyclones, epidemics, floods and drought had taken their toll on the
state. Mounting debts forced him to cede Berar and other border districts to
the British.
The Nizam realized that earlier revenue systems and treaties
had begun to weaken the efficient functioning of his state.
With the support and guidance of Siraj-ul-Mulk and Mir Turab Ail Khal Salar Jung I, he implemented a modern and just system of revenue administration.
The state was divided into 16 districts, each under a taluqdar who was responsible for the civil and judicial administration of a district. These reforms brought transparency to the reorganised administrative machinery.
Thus, Hyderabad was safely steered through a critical time. It was also during
this Nizam’s reign that the Salar Jung family (see p124) came
into prominence.
Mir Tahniyat Khan Asaf Jah V
Hyderabad prospered educationally and culturally under this
Nizam’s reign since he ordered the construction of several schools, commercial
centres, churches and bridges. He made Hyderabad the first princely state to
ban the practice of Sati in 1856. He died on 16 May, 1857, at the age of 64.
Mir Tahniyat Khan Afzal-ud-Daula Asaf Jah V (1857–69)
Afzal-ul-Daula retained the services of his father’s prime minister, Salar Jung I. Under him, the dominion was further divided into 5 subas in addition to the 16 districts.
In 1860, the Nizam gave land for the
Bombay- Madras railway line, which was to pass through Hyderabad state. The
introduction of a railway line contributed greatly to the economic development
of the state. He also built the Afzalgunj mosque, Afzalgunj bridge and
Afzalgunj Bazar.
He died at the age of 42 when his son and heir, Nawab Mir
Mahbub Ali Khan, was only about three years old.
Mir Mahbub Ali Khan Bahadur Asaf Jah VI (1869–1911)
The youngest Asaf Jahi ruler, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan was two years and seven months old when he was installed by his co-regents Mir Turab Ali Khan Sir Salar Jung I and Nawab Rasheeduddin Khan, Shams-ul-Umara III. In 1885, when he was 17 years old, he assumed sovereign rights. His kindness was known throughout the kingdom. Several administrative reforms, which the Nizam implemented, included the development of railways, revision of revenue settlements, and establishment of cotton and silk mills.
Mir Mahbub Ali Khan Asaf Jah VI
Education also received special attention and a large number
of schools were set up throughout his lands. Police, judiciary, forest and
excise were reorganized along modern lines. The standard of medical treatment
and medical education reached new highs.
Mahbub’s brother-in-law Viqar-ul-Umara built the Falaknuma
Palace, which was later gifted to the Nizam. Soon after he moved into the new
palace, the Nizam fell down, and suffered a sudden paralytic stroke and died on
29 August, 1911. He was just 46 years old.
Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII
Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur Asaf Jah VII (1911–67)
Born in 1886, Osman Ali Khan was coronated Nizam on 12
September, 1911 and he is the most popular among the Nizam rulers.
Mir Osman Ali Khan was a multi-faceted personality – he was
an able statesman and cared about his subjects. His first act as Nizam was to
abolish the death penalty from the criminal code for civilians in 1911. In
1914, within three years of his ascension to the throne, World War I broke out.
He gave financial, military and material assistance to the British. He was
instrumental in setting up Osmania University in Hyderabad in the year 1917.
The university was the first of its kind in the state and continues to be a
prestigeous centre for education even till date.
He was also the first to separate the judiciary from the
executive in 1921. It would be 53 years before this was implemented in the rest
of the India. He initiated a board which saw to the restoration and erection of
several public buildings, some of which are functional even to this day.
Mukarram Jah Bahadur Asaf Jah VIII
He gave money generously for many charitable cause regardless of caste or religion. Major beneficiaries of his donations were Aligarh Muslim University, Benaras Hindu University, Santiniketan, Shivaji Vidyapeeth, the Bhandarkar Institute, Lady Harding Medical College, Red Cross and the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Not many know that he also donated his last
14,000 acres of land to Acharya Vinoba Bhave for the Bhoodan Movement that
started in Pochampally, 46km away from Hyderabad.
This Nizam’s rule saw the expansion of roads, railways and
the postal system. His contribution to augment irrigation in his dominion by
building various dams was also immense.
In 1948 when independent India was born the Nizam refused to accede to the Indian territory. Instead, he wanted Hyderabad to be recognised as an independent sovereignty.
In September 1948, the Indian government launched a
police offensive – titled Operation Polo – five days after which Hyderabad was
captured. Thus ended the 224-years of Asaf Jahi rule in Hyderabad.
Osam Ali Khan passed away in 24 February 1967 and passed
over his son Azam Jah to make his grandson, Mukarram Jah, his successor. He
ruled Hyderabad until its accession into India in 1948.
Osman Ali Khan was pronounced the world’s richest man by
TIME Magazine with a fortune of US$2 billion in the early 1940s, equivalent to
around $34 billion today.
The Would-Have-Been Eighth Nizam: Mukarram Jah Bahadur
Asaf Jah VIII
After Mir Osman Khan’s death, Mukarram Jah became the titular Nizam of Hyderabad in 1967. In 1971, the Indian government abolished the privy purse to royal families as well as royal titles. He is currently living in Istanbul. However, the Nizam’s still hold some of their prime palaces such as Chowmahallah.
The
History
The
forebears of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty belonged to the Quraish, an Arab tribe from
Samarkhand in the Kingdom of Bukhara, Central Asia. Origins of the dynasty can
be traced back to Khalifa Abu Baker Siddiqui, the first Caliph of Islam.
Shaikh
Shahabuddin Sahrawardy was a descendant of Abu Baker Siddiqui, and belonged to
the southern provinces of Persia. A renowned saint of the 13th century CE, he
was celebrated for his work on Islamic philosophy.
Three
centuries later in 1655, his lineal descendant, Nawab Khaja Mohammed Abid,
travelled to India. He was received with distinction at the Mughal emperor
Shahjahan’s court, where he rose rapidly in the ranks to a high position. In
1660, he was made a Minister, and six years later, the Silledar of Ajmer.
In 1674,
the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb conferred upon him the title of Quilich Khan. As
Commander of Aurangzeb’s army, he was actively involved in the siege of
Golconda in 1687, where he was fatally injured.
He was
succeeded in all honours by his son Mir Shahabuddin Ghaziuddin Khan Feroz Jung.
A gallant warrior, Mir Shahabuddin Khan fought the Marathas in 1682, for which
the title, Ghaziuddin Khan Bahadur was bestowed upon him, followed by the title
Feroze Jung in 1683.
In 1705,
he was appointed Subedar of Berar. During the reign of Bahadur Shah, in 1707,
he was made the Subedar of Gujarat and the Sipah Salar (Commander-in-Chief) of
Malwa.
He was
married to Begum Saidunnisa, the daughter of Shahjahan’s Prime Minister, by
whom he had a son – Mir Qamaruddin, who would become the first Nizam of the
Deccan.
The
Family Tree
HH
Nizam ul Mulk Asaf Jah I
Nawab Mir
Qamaruddin Khan Bahadur (1724 – 1748)
↓
Nawab Mir
Ahmed Khan Bahadur Nasir Jung (1748 – 1750)**
↓
Nawab Mir
Hidayat Mohiuddin Khan Bahadur Muzaffar Jung (1750 – 1751)**
↓
Nawab Mir
Mohammed Khan Bahadur, Salabat Jung (1751 – 1762)**
↓
HH
Asaf Jah II
Nawab Mir
Nizam Ali Khan Bahadur (1762 – 1803)
↓
HH
Asaf Jah III
Nawab Mir
Akbar Ali Khan Bahadur, Sikander Jah (1803 – 1829)
↓
HH
Asaf Jah IV
Nawab Mir
Farkhunda Ali Khan Bahadur, Nasir ud-Daula (1829 – 1857)
↓
HH
Asaf Jah V
Mir
Tahniyat Ali Khan Bahadur, Afzal ud-Daula (1857 – 1869)
↓
HH
Asaf Jah VI
Nawab Mir
Mahbub Ali Khan Bahadur (1869 – 1911)
↓
HEH
Asaf Jah VII
Nawab Mir
Osman Ali Khan Bahadur (1911 – 1967)
↓
General
HH Azam Jah, Walashan Nawab Mir Himayat Ali Khan Bahadur
↓
HEH
Asaf Jah VIII
Nawab Mir
Barakat Ali Khan Walasha Mukarram Jah Bahadur*** ( 1933 – 2023 )
↓
Walashan
Mir Azmat Ali Khan, Azmet Jah Bahadur ( Born-1960 )
( ** Not
recognized historically as Nizams by the Mughal Empire
***
The Seventh Nizam chose his grandson as his successor )
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