Some Aspects Of Hyderabad

CHAPTER IV

THE OSMANIA UNIVERSITY

The Osmania University whicli was eia~
blished by a Royal Charter in 1918 is the first
attempt in India to impart University Educa-
tion through an Indian language, while retaining
English as a compulsory subject of study. For
over half a century, higher education in the State
was controlled by the Madras University, but
the results were so discouraging that in 1917, the
Right Hon'ble Sir Akbar Hydari, Kt., P. c.,
D. c. L., LL. D , then Secretary to His Exalted
Highness' Government in the Educational
Department, submitted a memorandum to His
Exalted Highness in which after surveying the
existing conditions and discussing the disadvant-
ages of imparting knowledge through the medium
of a foreign language, he recommended the in-
auguration of a University which should be both
an examining and a teaching body and in addi-
tion to this should undertake to compile and
translate books, using Urdu as the medium of
instruction and examination, as it is the official
language of the State and is widely understood

Dr. B. R. AMBEDKAR
OPEN UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY

HYDERABAD-500 033

Dr. B. R. AM8EDKAR OPEN UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Call No. " ' ' Access/on No.

4

Author : _. K- 1^4 <v

Title : ,Y :((^ C J ^tC , ( ^ . L

This book should be returned on or before the date
last marked below.

i:. ii. Tin: M/\M or in nu; \i; \n AND i;i:i; \i:

PREFACE

)

This book has been published by the
Information Bureau of H. E. H. the Nizam's
Government, for the use of the members of the
llth All-India Oriental Conference and the 5th
All-India History Congress which are meeting in
Hyderabad in December 1941 under the auspices
of the Osmauia University. Thanks are due to
Mr. G. Yazdani, Professor Haroon Khaa Sherwani,

Dr, Syed Husain, Professor Hanumanth Rao,

J > m ^*+ '

Dr. Yusuf Husain Khan, Dr. Ishwar Nath Topa
and Mr. Abdul Majid Siddiqi for contributing the
articles which <o to make up this small volume.

DIRECTOR, INFORMATION BUREAU,

CONTENTS

CHAPTER Page

I. GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES . . 1

II. A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE DECCAN

1. ANCIENT PERIOD . . 13

2. MEDIEVAL PERIOD .. 17

3. MODERN PERIOD .. 24

III. PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS . . 30

IV. THE OSMANIA UNIVERSITY . . 45

V. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS .. 55

VI. PLACES OF INTEREST

A. THE CITY OF HYDERABAD AND

ITS SUBURBS . . ..76

B. PLACES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST

OUTSIDE THE ClTY OF HYDERA-
BAD AND ITS SUBURBS . . 87

ILLUSTRATIONS

\ Pacing Page

1. H. E. H. the Nizam of Hyderabad

and Berar . . . . . . Frontispiece

2. H. H. the Prince of Berar . . 6

3. Sir Ahmad Said Khan, the Nawab of
Chhatari, K.C.S.I., K.C.I. E., M.B.E., LL.D.,
President of H. E. H. the Nizam's
Executive Council and Chancellor* of the
Osmania University . . *< 30

4. The Hon'ble Nawab Mahdi Yar Jung
Bahadur, Finance and Education
Member, Vice-Chancellor, Osmania
University . . 33

5. The Rt. Hon'ble Sir Akbar Hydari,
Nawab Hyder Nawaz Jung Bahadur,
P.O., Kt., D.C.L., LL.TX, ex- Chancellor of

the Osmania University . . 34

H. The Demonstration Plot of Gaorani (12)

Cotton on Chalka Soil in Telingana . . 35

7. A Cadet of the Indian Air Force receiving
instruction in Flying at the Elementary
Flying Training School in Hyderabad . . 39

8. Ten-Rupee Currency Note, the most *
popular denomination in circulation in

H. E. H. the Nizam's Dominions . . 42

9. Postal Stamps of Hyderabad .. 44

10. The Arts College, Osmania University .. 50

11. The Kailasa (Ellora) .. ..62

12. Map of the City of Hyderabad and its
Suburbs .. .. ..76

13. -H>, Jhisattva Padmapani (Ajanta) . . 87

14. The Great Mosque, Fort (Gulbarga) . . 97

15. Map of H. E. H. the Nizam's Dominions
(Hyderabad and Berar) . . . . End

CHAPTER I
Geographical Features

Extent and Character : The Dominions of
H. E. H. the Nizam form the Eastern portion of
what is generally called the Deccan 1 , and even if
we exclude Berar 2 , they lie between 15 10' and
20 40' N. and 74 40' and 81 35 r E. covering an
area of 82,698 sq. miles, i.e., more than the area
of England and Scotland put together. They are
bounded on the north by the districts of *1HBtern
Khandesh (Bombay Presidency), Chanda and
Wardha (Central Provinces), on the east by Chanda,
Bastar State and the district of Masulipatam
(Madras Presidency), on the south by the districts
of Krishna, Guntur, Karnul and Bellary (Madras
Presidency), and on the west by the districts of
Nasik, Ahmadnagar, Sholapur, Bijapur and
Dharwar (Bombay Presidency).

1 It may be interesting to know that the word dakshina,
the original form of the word deccan, means the right hand and
denotes that direction as the Aryans entered the Punjab fro or;
West. Later, the word came to have the definite meaning of
South. It -may he that dakshina is connected with the Persian
dayan and the Hindustani dahina, both meaning the direction
of the right hand.

* Although Berar is jointly administered with the Central
Provinces, there are geographical, historical, cultural and

Surface: A very large part of the area of
the Dominions consists of an extensive plateau of
an average elevation of about 1,250 feet above the
sea level, with certain eminences rising to 2,500
feet and in one instance to 3,500 feet. It will,
therefore, be seen that there are no 'hills' worth
the name, although there are certain midenuded
portions of a series of flat-topped plateaus apper-
taining to the great tableland, which might be
called 'hill ranges' for our purposes. Of these, the
Balaghat range, well-known to Beraris, runs from
Naiieb^ district through Parbhani reaching the Bir
district with a length in the Dominions of about
200 miles. The Sahyadri Parbat, famous in the
annals of the Maharatta race, runs from the
Nizamabad district, and, passing through Parbhani
district and Berar, reaches Ajanta, world-famous
for its caves. Proceeding further west, it enters
the Bombay Presidency after running 250 miles in
the Dominions. There are many spurs and
isolated summits scattered throughout the State,
the most famous of which perhaps are those on

political ties connecting it with the rest of H. E. H. the
Nizam's Dominions. By the agreement entered into between
H. M. the Kins-Emperor and H. E. H. the Nizara on the 20th
of October 1936, by which the lease in perpetuity of 1902 was
abolished, these political ties have been further strengthened.
The area of Berar is 17.710 sq. miles, t. <?., slightly larger than
the area of Switzerland.

which the great forts of Golconda, Daulatabad
and Bhongir are situated, but these are the only
two ranges of importance.

Rivers: While the Dominions have com-
paratively insignificant hill ranges, they are
traversed by some of the most important rivers of
India, at least one of which, the Godavari, is held
sacred by vast masses of people. The river system
consists of two great basins, that of the Godavari
and of the Krishna, neither of which "rises within
the State. The Godavari enters the Drt&krions
in the Aurangabad district, and, after forming the
boundary of eight districts and the Hyderabad-
Bastar frontier, leaves the Dominions. Like ita
sister-river, the Krishna, it flows out into the
Northern Circars. In the course of its flow of
more than 600 miles across the Dominions it
attracts a number of tributaries, the chief of which
are the Painganga, the Ward ha and the Parentha
in the north, and the Manjira and Manor in the
south. The Krishna is the other great river of the
Dominions. Rising near the summer resort of
Mahabaleshwar in the Bombay Presidency, it
passes through the State, forming, like the
Govadari, the boundary of a number of H. E. H.

the Nizam's districts and also part of the
southern frontier of the Dominions, and falling
into the sea near Masulipatam after a flow of
nearly 700 miles. Among its tributaries the most
important are the Bhima, known to all students
of Maharatta history, the Musi, on which stands
the ancient capital of the Dominions, and the
Tungabhadra which forms the southern boundary
of the Raichur-Mudgal Doab, once the scene of
incessant struggles between the Bahmani and the
Vijiayanagar Empires.

Regions The Dominions may be divided
into two fairly definite regions, the western,
generally called the Mahratwada, and the eastern,
generally called theTiiangana although it contains a
considerable sprinkling of Canarese-speaking people
as well. If a line were drawn from the confluence
of the Tungabhadra and the Krishna in the south
to the confluence of the Munjira and the Godavari
in the north, and extended up to the Hyderabad-
Berar boundary, this would serve as a good
demarcation of the two tracts. These regions
differ not only in their racial and linguistic
characteristics but also in their physical formation,
for the Mahratwada is covered by tfappean rock,
while the Tilangana has granitic and calcareous
formation. The western trap or black cotton

soil region (which is continued northwards
into Berar) is the land of wheat and cotton,
while the granitic Tilangana is the land of
rice and juwar. Moreover, the former is cover-
ed with luxuriant vegetation, cliffs, crags and
undulating hills, while in the granite and lime-
stone region the hills are bare of vegetation, and
the land is covered with huge fantastic tors and
boulders apparently piled one over the other.
Similarly, while in the west the soil resulting from
the decomposition of the trap is dark end fertile,
in the east it is formed mainly from graniteand is
sandy. In this eastern part, rivers dry up in
summer, and storage of water in tanks and artifi-
cial lakes is required for irrigation. The
Dominions are thus the natural meeting-place of
different physical formations as well.

Artificial Lakes : The tanks and artificial
lakes that abound chiefly in the Tilangana region
have been constructed largely for purposes of
irrigation. Some of them are historically inter-
esting while most of them considerably add to
the varied and delightful scenery of the Dominions.
Among the historical lakes may be mentioned
the Pakhal lake in the Warangal district which
dates back to the Andhra dynasty of the

6

Kakatiyas, the Naldrug tank of the time of 'All
'Adil Shah of Bijapur, the Husain Sagar, stretch-
ing between the city of Hyderabad and the
adjacent town of Secunderabad, built in the time
of Ibrahim Qutub Shah, and the Mir *AIam tank
about four miles from the capital city,
representing the first effort at providing its
inhabitants with fresh water in sufficient
quantities, constructed by the Prime Minister of
the third Asaf Jah. Two great artificial lakes
near the c capital they are in fact too large
to botfigjled tanks were constructed during the
present period of rule, one to ward off the
recurrence of the floods of the Musi which had
played havoc so many times in recent history,
and the other mainly for purposes of irrigation.
These lakes, called the Osmansagar and the
Himayatsagar after H. E. H. the Nizam and his
Heir- Apparent, form a picturesque sight in the
vicinity of the capital, the former, 18 sq. miles in
area, serving at the same time as a reservoir of
drinking water for the city and suburbs of
Hyderabad. These lakes are, however small com-
pared to the Nizam sagar, constructed recently by
command of His Exalted Highness 'by damming
the river Mdnjira by an embankment more than
two miles long and covering an area of more than

II. 11. THE PK1NCK OK BERAK

THE COMMANDER 1X-( 1 HIEF OF H. E. II. THE
NIZAM'S REGULAR FORCES

50 sq. miles. This lake is intended to irrigate
an eventual area of nearly three hundred thousand
acres, and one of its immediate results is the
development of extensive sugar-cane cultivation
and the establishment of a successful sugar factory.

Minerals : The Dominions abound in
minerals of various grades and values. Among
these coal is of great economic value, with mines
at Singareni, Tandur, Sasti and Paoni. Gold
used to be worked in the Raichur Doab but
ceased to be profitable. Deposits of iron ore of
varying quality are widely distributed ffver the
laterite and the granite tracts and in the sand-
stone formations of the Gondwana valley. Among
other minerals may be mentioned mica, corundum
and garnets in Warangal district and graphite in
Karimnagar district. Limestone is extensively
quarried at Shahabad near Gulbarga and is widely
used for flooring purposes and also as the base of
the well-known Shahabad cement. Quite recently
marble rock has been discovered in the Warangal
district and is being worked by a company.
Although once famous for its diamonds, there are
few diamond layers left in the Dominions, the
chief diamond bearing area having been situated
in what are now called the Ceded Districts.
Meanwhile, it has not proved profitable to work

8

the small diamond layers still found round about
Partyal near the Krishna, as the diamonds imbed-
ded there under black cotton soil have proved
too small to be of much value.

Climate: The climate of the Dominions is
pleasant and agreeable during the greater part of
the year. There are three marked seasons, the
winter from the beginning of October to the end of
January, summer from February to June and
rains from June to September. The mean
temperature of the Dominions is about 89, the
hottest parts being situated in the south-east and
the coldest in the north-west. The climate of
Maharatwada is generally hot and dry from
March to the end of May and temperate during
the rest of the year, while that of Tilangana is
hot and damp from March to the end of Septem-
ber and temperate during the remaining months.
More than three-fourths of the total rainfall,
which is about 33 inches on an average, is gener-
ally received between June and September, the
rest falling in the winter months. The following
tables will show the temperature and rainfall for
the different localities specified :

9

fc OOO-<cQ^HCD-tCOOCD

SQOQOOiOOCiGOQOQOOJaO

10

Population : As is well known, H. E. H. the
Nizam's Dominions lie almost in the centre of
India, and it is inevitable that here should be
found representatives of almost all the races
which go to form the Indian people. Besides the
Dravidian Telugu and Canarese, and the
Prakritic Mahratti and Urdu, which are the chief
mulki languages of the Dominions, we find
languages so much geographically apart as Tamil
and Punjabi, Malayalam and Rajasthaniand even
Arabic and Persian spoken in the large cities of
the State. It is only natural that the population
of the provinces which are adjacent to the
Dominions should be represented here to a greater
extent than those more distant. Thus in 1931
the residents of the Dominions from Madras
numbered 13,20,000, those from Bombay 68,000,
from the Central Provinces 14,000, from the
United Provinces 8,000 and from the Punjab
3,000. Moreover, we find quite a large number of
people descended directly from the Persians,
Arabs and Turcomans who came over to the
Deccan in the days of the Bahmanis, the c Adil
Shahis and the Qutub Shah is, or from those who
came here from Delhi and the North along with
the founder of the present dynasty, the great
Nizamul Mulk Asaf Jah I.

11

Similarly, practically every religion found in
India is represented here. Apart from the
Hindus and the Muslims, who form the major
part of the population, it is interesting to note
that the number of Parsis (nearly 2,000) in the
State exceeds their number in any province of
British India except their 'homeland' Bombay,
while, as Nanded is the burial-place of the last
Guru of the Sikhs, the Dominions are a kind of
second home of the followers of Guru Nanak. It
has been the traditional policy of the Muslim
rulers of the Deccan for centuries ^ast that
their governments should be thoroughly impartial
in their dealings with votaries of different
faiths, this tradition of impartiality and toleration
has been followed by the rulers of the Asaf Jahi
dynasty from the time of its great founder
right up to the reign of its present illustrious
and distinguished representative His Exalted
Highness Sultanul 'Uliim Asaf Jah VII, the
present sovereign of these Dominions.

It will thus be seen that the State of Hyder-
abad forms a very interesting part of Indian sub-
continent. Owing to its very position the land is
the meeting-place of practically all the races,
languages, religions and cultures of India. The

12

Dominions form a healthy buffer between these
elements, presenting a synthesis of Hindu and
Muslim, Northern and Southern, ancient and
modern cultures which no other part of India can
claim at present.

CHAPTER II

A HISTORICAL SKETCH
1. Ancienf Period

The earliest rulers of the Deccan known to
history were the Andhras, a Dravidian people,
now represented by the large population speaking
the Telugu language and occupying the deltas of
the Grodavari and Krishna rivers. The Andhra
kingdom included thirty walled towns,- besides
numerous villages, and the army consisted of
100,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 1,000
elephants. They ruled the country independently
for four centuries and a half, but in the reign of
Chandragupta Maurya (323-298 B. c.) and
Bindusara (298 B.C.) the Andhras were compelled
to submit to the irresistible forces at the com-
mand of the Maurya kings and to recognise the
suzerainty of Magadha. In Asoka's edicts
(256 B. c.) the Andhras are mentioned among the
tribes resident in the outer circle of the empire,
but subject to the imperial influence, a fact which
is proved among other things, by the presence of
a rock edict recently discovered at Maski in the
Raichur district. The withdrawal of the strong

14

arm of Asoka gaw the disruption of his vast
empire. The Andhras were not slow to take
advantage of this opportunity and very soon
after the close of his reign, or possibly even
before its close, set up as an independent power
and extended their sway rapidly right up to
Nasik in the west.

The causes which led to the downfall of the
Andhra kingdom need not detain us, and for
nearly three centuries after its extinction in
225 A.D. there is a complete blank in the history of
the country. The next rulers who appeared on the
scene were the Chalukyas who claimed their
descent from the Rajputs. The founder of the
dynasty was a chieftain named Pulakesin I, who
made himself master of the town of Vatapi, the
modern Badami in the Bijapur district, in about
550, and established a principality of modest
dimensions. His sons extended the possessions of
the faimly both eastward and westward, but the
golden period of their rule is identified with the
reign of Pulakesin IT, who ascended the throne in
608. He ruled practically the whole of India south
of the Narbada, and even came into conflict with
Harshavardhana of Kanauj. The fame of the
king of the Deccan spread beyond the limits of
India, and reached the ears of Khusrau II, king

15

of Persia, who in the thirty-sixth year of his reign
(625-6) received a complimentary embassy from
Pulakesin. The courtesy was reciprocated by a
return embassy sent from Persia which was
received with due honours at the Indian court. A
fresco painting in Cave I at Ajanta has been
identified by some scholars as representing the
ceremonial attending the presentation of their
credentials by the Persian envoys.

The Chinese pilgrim, Hiuen-Tsang, visited
the court of Pulakesin in the year 641, and he was
profoundly impressed by the military powers of
the king who was obeyed with 'perfect submission'
by his numerous subjects.

The Chalukyas,in their turn, were overthrown
by the Rashtrakutas who remained supreme in
the Deccan for nearly two centuries and a quarter
(973). The reign of Krishna I, a king of this
dynasty, is memorable for the execution of the
famous rock-cut Kailasa temple at Ellora. Many
other temples were the outcome of his royal
munificence, and Sanskrit literature of the artifi-
cial type, then in vogue, was liberally encouraged
by this prince.

The last of the Rashtrakuta kings was
Kakka II, who was defeated in 973 by Taila or

16

Tailappall, a scion of the old Chalukyan stock,
who restored the family of his ancestors to its
former glory and founded the dynasty known as
that of the Chalukyas of Kalyani, which lasted
for over two centuries. Among the most import-
ant rulers of this family was Vikramaditya VI, who
came to the throne in 1076, and is recorded to
have captured Kanchi. The celebrated jurist
Vijnanesvara, author of the Mitakshara, lived at
the court of this king.

After the death of Vikramaditya VI, the
Chalukya power declined, and by the end of the
12th century their kingdom was absorbed by the
Yadavas of Deogiri on the west and the Hoysalas
of Dwarasamudra on the south. The first of the
line to attain a position of importance was
Bhillana, but the most powerful Raja was
Singhana who invaded Gujarat and other coun-
tries, and established a kingdom almost rivalling
in extent the Dominions of the Chalukyas and
Rashtrakutas. In 1294 'Alauddin Khalji crossed
the Narbada, the northern frontier of the Yadava
kingdom, and marched to Deogiri which he
seized after a slight opposition. It is said that
the reigning Raja, Ramachandra, presented him
an enormous amount of treasure consisting of six

17

hundred maunds of pearls, two maunds of
diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires and
other precious stones. When the Sultan's
incursion was repeated by Malik Kafur in 1307,
Ramachandra again refrained from opposition
and submitted to the invader.

2, Medieval Period

This incursion of the invaders from the North

was a movement which, after a gap of several

centuries, again brought Southern India in contact

with Delhi and after the lapse of about ^a quarter

of a century we find Mubarak Shah Khalji and

Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq advancing to the far

south. The new conquests achieved by these

invaders were, however, separated from the North

by a long distance of several hundred miles, and

by a number of natural barriers, and therefore

they lacked durability. Moreover, they were not

so firmly administered as to link them properly

with the North as permanent annexations. With

the exception of a decade, when Sultan

Muhammad Tughlaq made a strenuous effort to

make Deogiri or Daulatabad the capital of the

Indian Empire, the country was only nominally

under the northern rule. But it is an undeniable

fact that new conceptions of life and politics which,

18

blended with the local traditions, prepared the
Deccan for a higher and nobler ideal, were the
product of these expeditions.

When the great Tughlaq Empire broke up,
owing to the disruptive-forces which were then at
work, the "centurion nobles" in control of the
Southern provinces, founded the nd&v independent
state in 1345 called the Bahmani kingdom with
'Alauddin Bahman Shah, sometimes, Jipown as
'AlauddinJIasan Gangu Bahmani, as the first king.
Disloyal though the rebels might seem to the cen-
tral cause, Bahman Shah and his successors were,
however, the great history- makers of the Deccan,
to whom the country owes all its medieval glory.
The dynasty produced a number of great persona-
lities and some of them like Muhammad Shah IT
and Feroz Shah have a just claim to immortal
fame by virtue of their valuable contributions
to learning and politics.

It is not possible to attempt, in a short space,
an adequate appreciation of what the Bahmanis
did for the political and social reconstruction of
the Deccan. It was they who gave a . national
basis to the policy which they followed to guide
their adopted country. They bestowed upon the
country a sound constitution, which was framed

19

by the veteran statesman of the age, Malik
Saifuddin Ghori, with adequate provision for the
central and provincial governments, suited to the
national and geographical conditions of the place
and naturally tended to forge firm ties between
the Hindus and the Musalmans and to organise
a common Deccani culture. They also took much
pains to develop the moral and mental capacities
of their subjects, irrespective of their caste or
creed, by propagating Art, Science and Literature
throughout the kingdom and invited and
patronised a host of scholars from abroad which
made their capitals, Gulbarga and Bftlar, the
great academies of Asia. Celebrated scholars like
Mir Fazlulla Inju, who represented the best
literary traditions of the day, are still remember-
ed with affectionate pride, and statesman such as
Mahmud Gawan, the founder of the great seat
of learning at Bidar and the conqueror of the
Konkan and Goa, were leaders of literary circles,
educationists and diplomats, and their achieve-
ments were known the world over.

. ! ;

Though the kingdom dragged on up to 1527
with titular, kings who succeeded Muhammad
Shah Lashkari, it really succumbed to the party
jealousies of the Deccanis and "afaqis" and these

20

factions were to a large extent responsible for
the downfall of the kingdom. The disruptive
effects of this rivalry were hardly noticed in the
beginning but they became so acute in the latter
period that they were almost out of control. As
the central government lost its power and
prestige, the provincial governors, who had their
following in one party or the other, divided the
kingdom among themselves, and consequently
five kingdoms of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, Gol-
conda, Ber^r and Bidar, rose on the ruins. With
the exception of the Qutub Shahi kingdom of
Golconda, which declared its independence two
decades later, these kingdoms came into exis-
tence almost simultaneously about 1490. The
two last named, 'Imadshahi kingdom of Berar
and Baridshahi kingdom of Bidar, were too
small to withstand their powerful neighbours,
and the result was that the former was absorbed
by Ahmadnagar in 1574 and the latter by Bija-
pur in 1619. But the other kingdoms of Bijapur,
Ahmadnagar and Golconda, which continued for
two centuries, have left a long history of war
and peace behind them. It may appear, at the
very outset, that their history is nothing but a
record of inter-state warfare, caused by jealousies
and religious differences, but behind these war

21

scenes, there is a peaceful development of art
and general well-being going on behind the
scenes, contributing a great deal to the stock of
culture which they had inherited from their
mother kingdom.

The Nizam Shahi kingdom of Ahmadnagar
being situated in the north was the first to face
the Mughal onslaught and was soon absorbed
by the North in 1633, that is to say, half a
century before her sister kingdoms met with the
same fate. But the kingdom still lives in the
records of the heroic deeds of Husain* Nizam
Shah I, who won the battle of Talikota, and of
those of Ch and Bibi and Malik *Ambar, who re-
vived and defended their kingdom to the last
breath of their life. The cultural achievements
of Malik 'Ambar in town planning, water works
and agricultural reforms are national assets of
the Deccan. The *Adil Shahi kingdom of Bijapur
was consolidated in the reign of 'AH 'Adil Shah
I who, with his heroic wife Chand Bibi, formed
a strong bulwark which was almost invincible.
His successor, Ibrahim 'Adil Shah II, was a
great representative of his house. He raised
the *Adil Shahi kingdom to the highest pinnacle
of glory by his valuable achievements in the

22

domain of Art and Science. It was in his reign
that Bijapur was regarded as an asylum of art
and culture, and jie was known throughout the
Deccan by tfye popular title of Jagat Guru, the
" Preceptor of the World ".

, The Qutub Shahi kingdom of Golconda
which mainly occupied the Telugu-speaking
region of the Deccan did not declare its indepen-
dence till 1518. As a matter of fact the king-
dom had Ijttle direct relation with the party
cliques which were responsible for the downfall
of the Bahmanis. The founder of the kingdom,
Sultan Quli Qutub Sknh hailed from Hamadan.
He came and joined service in the later period
of Mahmud Shah Bahmani's reign first as a
head of the army and afterwards as a governor
of the Telugu-speaking Provinces of the Bah-
mani kingdom. He remained faithful to
the kingdom so long as his king and
patron lived.. The kingdom of Golconda, so
established by Sultan Quli, was consolidated by
his youngest son, Ibrahim Qutub Shah, who
fought against Vijianagar on the south and
Ahmadnagar and Bijapur on the . north, and
extended his territories in Carnatic. He also
introduced a sound administration in his kingdom

23

which was exceptionally peaceful and orderly.
His successors, Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah
(1580-1612) and Muhammad Qutub Shah (1612-
1626), who had inherited a well-established
kingdom from their predecessors, were in a position
to develop it internally, whiph they really did by
their unceasing efforts. The city of Hyderabad
was founded by Muhammad Quli in y>91, and
was regarded as a medieval wonder due to v tyie
art of rectangular town planning and construction
which was far ahead of the age. The city was
lavishly decorated and equipped with Dwelling-
houses and inns, baths and hospitals in an
efficient manner.

The kingdoms of the Deccan maintained their
independence for 300 years after the down-
fall of the Bahmani dynasty. History was,
however, again repeated and internecine feuds
among them led to their ^absorption firstly by the
stronger among them and then by the great
northern power of the Mughals who had from the
time of Akbar begun to penetrate s outh of the
Narbada. The final downfall of the kingdoms of
Bijapur and Golconda came in 1686 and 1687
when the Emperor Aurangzeb annexed them to
the Indian Empire.

24

3- Modern Period

The House of the present rulers of Hyder-
abad was founded by Nawab Asaf Jah I, a
distinguished general of Aurangzeb. Distinguished
alike in war and political sagacity, he was
appointed, after a long service under the Delhi
Emperor, Viceroy of the Deccan in 1713, with
the title of Nizamul Mulk, which has since
become the hereditary title of the rulers of Hyder-
abad. The Mughal Empire at this period was on
the verge of decline and amid the general
confusion, Nawab Asaf Jah had little difficulty
in asserting himself against the advisers of the
weak occupants of the throne of Delhi, and to
repel the inroads of the Mabarattas who were
harassing the western parts of his newly acquired
territory. His autonomy was the cause of much
jealousy at Delhi, and the court party secretly
instructed Mubariz Khan, Governor of Khandesh,
to oppose him by force of arms. A battle was
fought at Shakarkheda (now in the Buldana
District of Berar) in 1724, when Mubariz Khan
was totally defeated and lost his life. The battle
established the autonomy of Nawab. Asaf Jah
Bahadur, who had meanwhile annexed Berar, and
fixed his residence in Hyderabad. At the time
of his death in 1748, he was recognised the ruler

25

of "a territory which included not only the present
Dominions but Khandesh, Berar, Carnatic and
practically the whole of southern India, except a
small strip in the far south.

The death of Nizamul Mulk Asaf Jah I gave
rise to dynastic disputes in the Deccan, which
were complicated by somewhat similar dissensions
in the Carnatic. The English and the French,
who had by now established their garrisoned
factories on the eastern coast of India, thought it
opportune to intervene as allies of one or the
other of the warring rulers in the Deccan^and the
Carnatic. The French had at first a temporary
success in the Deccan but ultimately the English
succeeded in ousting their rivals and establishing
themselves as the paramount power.

Nawab Salabat Jung Bahadur (1751-1761)
had assigned the districts of the Northern Circars
to the French for the payment of their troops.
When Clive turned the tables on the French he
ordered that Northern Circars should be occupied
by the British troops. Later on by the treaty of
Allahabad he obtained a grant of these districts
along with the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and
Orissa from the titular Emperor Shah 'Alam.
When Nawab Nizam All Khan Bhahdur Asaf

2S

Jah II (1761-1803) became Nizam, he was not at
first prepared to acquiesce in the grant of the
Northern Circars, and the Government of Madras
thought it expedient to conclude a treaty with
him, by which they agreed to hold the Circars
from him in return for an annual Peshkash. Both
parties agreed to offer mutual assistance in time
of war.

Nawab Nizam Ali Khan Bahadur was
extremely disappointed at the refusal of Sir John
Shore, the then Governor-General of India, to
help him at Kharla against the Maharatta Con-
federacy, and his defeat at Kharla estranged him
completely from the English and compelled him
to seek friendship with the French. He increased
the French battalions in his pay and assigned for
their maintenance districts bordering on the
Carnatic. It was then that Monsieur Raymond,
a French soldier of fortune, won a powerful
position at the court of Hyderabad.

When Lord Wellesley came to India, .he was
anxious to conciliate the Nizam somehow or other.
Fortunately for the English, Monsieur Raymond
had died in 1798 without leaving any competent
French officer to take his place. Wellesley took full

27

advantage of this state of things in Hyderabad
and succeeded in persuading the Nizam to consent
to the disbandment of the French troops and
sign a treaty of subsidiary alliance with the
British. In 1800, the Nizam agreed to surrender
to the Bast India Company all the territories
that he had got from Mysore in 1792 and 1799 in
lieu of the payment of the arrears of the subsid-
iary force agreed on by the treaty of 1798.

During the rule of Nawab Nasirujl Daulah
Bahadur Asaf Jah IV (1829-1857) the Govern-
merit of Nizam had to raise money by loans to
meet the exorbitant expenses of the subsidiary
force. An English Banking House at Hyderabad,
Palmer & Co., made large advances and acquired
control over the Nizam's Government. The
usurious dealings of the firm were so repulsive
that Metcalfe, the British Resident at Hyderabad,
had to bring the whole affair to the notice of the
Government of India and it was decided that
under instructions from the Court of Directors,
the debts due to Palmer & Co. should be paid
off from the accumulated tribute due to the
Nizam from the Northern Circars and the annual
Peshkath for the assigned districts of Northern
Circars was to be dicontinued.

28

The State finances were now on the lowest
ebb. The Nizam owed a huge sum of money to
the British Government for the financing of the
contingent. The Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie,
despatched Sir John Low to Hyderabad with a
draft treaty formally transferring the possession
of Berar in order to provide for the maintenance
of the contingent. Sir Salar Jung I tried his best
during his Premiership to have it altered in the
interest of Hyderabad State but he did not
succeed. In 1902 the territory of Berar was
assigned to the Government of India and the
ceded territory was attached to the Central
Provinces. 1

1 Under the treaty entered into between His Imperial
Majesty the King and His Exalted Highness the Nizam in
1936 it has been decided that in future His Exalted Highness
would be addressed as His Exalted Highness the Nizam of
Hyderabad and Berar and the heir-apparent of Hyderabad
would be addressed as His Highness the Prince of Berar.
Moreover, the suzerainty of His Exalted Highness .over his
territory of Berar has been definitely recognised and made
effective in a number of ways.

29

Hyderabad administration owes a debt of
gratitude to Sir Salar Jung I for his untiring zeal
to reorganise the entire system of Government. A
regular system of revenue collection, survey and
settlement along with the organisation of Police
department and the establishment of criminal and
civil courts in the districts went a long way in
imparting efficiency to the entire administra-
tion of the Dominions.

When the present ruler H. E. H. Nawab Sir
Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur Asaf Jah VII
succeeded his father in 1911 the condition of
administration called for a new orientation of
policies and method of governance. As will be
seen from the next chapter the 28 years of His
Exalted Highness' rule have been a period of
great progress in all branches of administration
and in the general well-being of the people of his
Dominions. The personal interest His Exalted
Highness has always shown towards the blending
of all that is good in western and eastern methods
and in the synthesis of cultures that has been the
pride ffrid mainstay of Hyderabad, led to the
consolidation of a system which is almost unique
in modern India.

CHAPTER III

PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS

The Administration: Since 1919 the
administration of H. E. EL the Nizam's Dominions
is vested in an | Executive Council consisting of a
President and six Members. This Council has
been granted most of the powers formerly exercis-
ed by the Prime Minister. The Legislative Council
consisting df elected and nominated members has
been in existence for a much longer time and has
provided the State with a body of laws sufficient
for its needs in every sphere of life.

In order to afford the people more effective
association with Government, constitutional re-
forms of a far-reaching character were announced
on 17th July 1939. They are based for the most
part on the recommendations of a predominantly
non-official Committee. Under the new reforms
scheme, a much enlarged Legislative Assembly,
with an elected majority and a specific list of
matters within its purview, is to be established.
The basis of representation both for the Assembly
and for all the local bodies will be functional with
joint electorates. The new constitution also

tflR ATTMAT) SAID KHAN, THE NAWAJ* OF THHATARI

K. ( 1 . S T., K.(\ I. E., M. B. E., LL. 1)., PRESIDENT OF

U. E. JT, THE NIZAM'S EXECUTIVE ( 1 ()UNCIL AND

(CHANCELLOR OK THE OSMANMA i:\IVKRSITY

31

provides for the setting up of a number of
Advisory Committees on such subjects as Religious
affairs, Finance, Education, Agriculture, Indus-
tries, etc., to advise the members of Government
concerned on those matters, for the reconstitu-
tion of the Hyderabad Civil Service Committee,
the setting up of Appointment Boards to control
recruitment to Government services, and the
establishment of Panchayats and the reconstitu-
tion and expansion of existing District Boards and
Town Municipalities. A new press legislation is

also on the anvil.

Local Government: The beginning of Local
Self-Governmnnt can be traced to the last quarter
of the 19th century when there was a Municipality
at the capital and District and Taluqa Boards for
each District and Taluqa, consisting of officials
and non-officials all nominated by Government.
But with the passage of time and in pursuance of
the present policy, the Municipal Corporation of
Hyderabad has been remodelled on the lines of
the Bombay Corporation and, with a majority of
elected members, enjoys extensive powers of
control in matters of finance and administration.
The Municipal Power Regulation was passed in
1936 and granted to a number of Municipalities

32

elected majorities with the right to manage their
own affairs. Special care is being taken to ensure
an increased representation of the agricultural
population on the District Boards. Government,
however, continue to take an interest in the
Civic progress of the towns and districts and have
provided some of them with electric light and
water-supply systems on modern lines. In the
Capital itself a body called the City Improvement
Board consisting of officials and non-officials has
been entrusted with the work of improving and
beautifying the city and clearing the slums. It is
impossible to do full justice here to its stupendous
work which will be apparent to the visitor
wherever he goes in the city.

Justice: The Judicial administration of
the State is controlled by a High Court the
independence of which has been secured by a
Royal Charter. Under the High Court there are
the usual Sessions Courts, Districts Judges' Courts
and Munsiffs' Courts manned by graduates in law
or members of the Hyderabad Civil Service. One
of the most important reforms in the Judicial
administration of the State has been the separa-
tion of the judicial and the executive functions
without in any way undermining the prestige or

HOX'HLR XAWAU MAHDE YAH JHKG

MNAN'CE AXI) KOrCATIdN MKMBKR
rfK rilAXCKLLOR, OSMANIA T'XIVERSrTV

33

the authority of the Revenue Officers who at one
time exercised Magisterial powers. Another impor-
tant reform has been the introduction of trial by
jury in the Original side of the High Court.
The course of justice has been made more speedy
and on an average nearly 77 per cent of the
Civil and 95 per cent of the Criminal Cases are
disposed of before the year is out.

Finance, Revenue and Taxation: Hyderabad

is one of the most lightly taxed States in the
world. The principal sources of income is land
revenue which is supplemented by inccline from
Excise and 5 per cent ad valorem Customs duty
on imports from which many articles are exempt
on economic grounds. The budget for the
current year (1941-42) estimates the total receipt
at Rs. 915.73 lakhs, while the total expenditure
is calculated at Rs. 913.77 lakhs.

The income of the State has been steadily
and progressively increasing during the last 19
years chiefly owing to the introduction of the Rt.
Hon'ble Sir Akbar Hydari's budgetary system
known as the "Departmentalisation of Finances' 5
underwhictf allotments for various departments
are made under triennial contracts on the basis
of their annual average expenditure. As a result

34

of this scheme substantial reserves have been
built up, e.g., the Famine Reserve of nearly 3
crores, the Industrial Trust Fund Reserve of over
2i crores, the Debt Redemption Reserve of nearly
3i crores, the Paper Currency Reserve of over 18
crores, the Osmania Sicca Stabilisation Reserve
of 3j crores and the Deposits and General Reserve
of over 11 crores.

Agriculture Rural Reconstruction: Agricul-
ture is the basis of the economic life of the State
and Government are utilising all their resources
to ameliorate the condition of the peasant. The
State Agricultural Department has, by research,
demonstration and propaganda, succeeded in
making the peasant familiar with improved seeds
and modern methods of cultivation. By an
enactment called the Marketing Act he has been
enabled to sell his produce at a maximum price.
Various measures have been adopted to give
relief to agriculturists especially in times of
scarcity, and a Famine Relief Fund now amount-
ing to nearly 3 crores has been created for the
prevention of famine and giving relief to sufferers
from its ravages. Moreover, special reinissions
have been sanctioned owing to seasonal conditi&ns
and a remission amounting to forty lakhs of

irr. lioN'uu-: MI; XKHXK IIVDXIM
\ XXYAP. iiVDKU v v\\ xz .n ,;
ADru, i*. <^ 1., D. < . -, 1-1-. i>.
L.^H: r i in: <K\I XMA
rxiv.;u-;i rv

THE DEMONSTRATION PLOT OF GAORANI (12)
COTTON ON CHALKA SOIL IN TELINGANA

35

rupees was granted in commemoration of His
Exalted Highness' Silver Jubilee 4j years ago.
In addition, by recent legislation of Land Alien-
ation, Debt Conciliation and Mony -lenders'
Acts, the rights of the tenants have been greatly
protected.

Apart from encouraging nascent village
industries, the State has formulated a comprehen-
sive scheme of Rural uplift and a Central Board
for Rural Reconstruction serves as a co-ordinating
agency for the work of District and Taluqa
organisations consisting of official and non-official
members. It is hoped that improved methods of
cultivation and cattle-breeding and the encourage-
ment of remunerative cottage industries will be
greatly facilitated through this organisation along
with rural education, public health and general
welfare. The number of villages selected for the
rural uplift work is 120. And the selection is so
made that in each of the 104 Taluqas of the State,
one or more villages are taken up for the purpose.
The number of Co-operative Societies has now
reached 3,638 and the total working capital of all
the Societies amounts to nearly 3 crores. It is
gratifying to. observe that this useful movement
has become self-supporting and in spite of serious
handicaps has made considerable progress.

36

Industrial Development : Government have
set apart a crore of rupees to form an Industrial
Fund. The Government have further advanced
loans to this fund and with the profits added on,
the corpus of this fund now amounts to over 2
crores. The corpus of this fund is invested in
large scale industries like the Shahabad Cement
Company (now amalgamated with the Associated
Cement Co.), the Osman Shahi and Azam Jahi
Mills, Wazir Sultan Tobacco Co.), the Nizam
Sugar Factory and Sirpur Paper Mills and the
interest accruing from these investments is used
for heljftng small scale industries and students
desirous of obtaining industrial education. The
Shahabad Cement Company has the most modern
cement-making and power-producing plant avai-
lable and yields an annual output of 140,000 tons
of Portland cement which is used by Railways and
Public Works Departments both in and outside
the State. There are a number of weaving, ginn-
ing and pressing mills, factories for the manufac-
ture of cigarettes and matches, rice and oil mills
and button factories. There are six textile mills
situated in the Dominions which are producing
approximately 15 million Ibs. of cloth and 21
million Ibs. of yarn annually. Of these the Osman
Shahi Mills at Nanded and the Azam Jahi Mill*

37

at Warangal annually producing between them
nearly 10 million Ibs. of cloth deserve special
mention. A very large sugar factory with
a share capital of 35 lakhs has been erected
at Bodhan in the Nizam sagar canal area.
The Paper Mills which are being construct-
ed at Sirpir with Government support
are expected to produce 5 to 6 thousand tons of
paper. There are a number of cottage industries,
the economic and artistic value of which cannot
be exaggerated. The State takes pride in the
fine workmanehip of its Bidri-ware, its Warangal
Carpets, its Karimnagar Silver Work, its Nirmal
Toy industry, the Gold Lacework of Paithan and
the Himroo weaving of Aurangabad.

Communications : The State of Hyder-
abad is in the proud and unique position of having
within its limits the largest system of railway in
any Indian State and of being the pioneer in the
field of Road Transport operated and controlled
by a State Railway Administration.

State Railway: The Nizam's State Railway
System, comprises 1,360 miles of open line, 688
miles being of 5 ft. 6 in. or broad gauge, and 672
miles of 3 ft. 5-3/8 in. or metre gauge. The Railway
system connects with the adjoining railways

38

at five junctions situated at or near the State
boundary and affords excellent facilities for the
import and export trade of the State and in
addition, forms portions of through routes bet-
ween Northern and Southern India and between
the East and West coasts. Of the 1,360 miles of
Railway, H. E. H. the Nizam's Government owns
1,302 miles, the balance of 58 miles being owned
by the Government of India but worked for them
by H. E. H.'s Government.

The total capital investment by H. E. H.'s
Government up to end of March 1941 in the
1,302 miles of Railways owned by them amounts to
15 crores of rupees and the gross earnings for the
year ending 31st March 1941 were approximately
Rs. 254 lakhs and the net earnings Rs. 136 lakhs
representing a return of 9 per cent of the capital
investment.

State Road Transport Services. The State
of Hyderabad has also given a definite lead in
India as a result of the comprehensive scheme for
the co-ordination of Rail and Road transport
which has been introduced by H. E. H.'s Govern-
ment. A small beginning was made in 1932 by
operating 27 vehicles over 280 route miles and by
the end of 31st March 1941 the total fleet increas-

e
6,"

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J

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5

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H

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39

ed to 342 motor vehicles and the route mileage
served reached 4, 142 miles representing over 80
per cent of the total length of main roads in the
Dominions.

This Rail and Road Transport co-ordination
in Hyderabad State has eliminated wasteful com-
petition, has provided cheaper and better means
of transport and opened up hitherto inaccessible
regions to trade and traffic. The State Railway
Bus services run to scheduled advertised times
and the advantages of regular time-table services
providing both comfort and reliability Imve been
fully realised and appreciated by the travelling
public.

Air Transport Services. A further develop-
ment in the co-ordination of all forms of transport
in Hyderabad State was achieved by the forma-
tion early in 1938 of an Air Department under
the State Railway Administration. This Depart-
ment has been responsible for the training of per-
sonnel for air line operation, for the operation
of charter services, for the loan of machines and
technical staff to the State Aero Club and for the
construction of aerodromes in districts. Landing
grounds at Aurangabad and Adilabad were con-
structed and opened to traffic in February 1941

40

and the construction of a landing ground at Bidar
is now in progress. The aerodrome at Begampet
serving the capital ranks is one of the largest and
best equipped aerodromes in India.

Public Health : Adequate facilities exist for
medical relief. At the Headquarters of every dis-
trict there are hospitals in charge of Civil Sur-
geons with high qualifications, and dispensaries in
every Taluqa. besides 151 Unani and other dis-
pensaries interspersed in the Dominions. Fifteen
"travelling dispensaries" carry medical aid to the
villages and a cinema van is constantly on tour
exhibiting propaganda films on health subjects.
The increase in the health service which is now
readily available to areas threatened by serious
outbreaks of epidemic is producing good results.
Two Tuberculosis Clinics were started in Hyder-
abad city. A Sanatorium is under construction
at Anantagiri hills which will accommodate 250
patients. There is another Tuberculosis Hospital
at Lingampalli. Lady Assistant-Surgeons are
attached to all hospitals for the treatment of
women patients. Apart from the special female
ward attached to the splendidly equipped
Osmania General Hospital, there is a separata
Zenana Hospital, while a hospital for children is

41

shortly expected to come into existence. The
Hyderabad Medical School, founded in the thir-
ties of the last century, has provided medical men
for the State for a century and has recently
developed into the Osrmania University Medical
College, recognised by the British Medical Associa-
tion.

More than 105 lakhs have so far been
spent on drainage works, while the total length
of sewers completed is about 149 miles 6 furlongs
being definitely the largest gravitation system in
India. Already over a crore of rupees &as been
spent on it and the complete scheme will cost
more than a crore and a quarter. Nearly 32'73
miles of cement concrete dustless roads have
been constructed at a cost of more than 30 lakhs.
Parks and playgrounds have been provided and
modern appliances have been supplied for child-
ren's exercises and recreation.

Education Fully convinced of the impos-
sibility of effecting enduring reforms without
rousing the consciousness of the people by a judi-
cious system of education, the authorities have
devoted attention to its wide diffusion among the
masses. Early in the reign of His Exalted High-
ness a drastic reorganisation of the whole educa-

42

tional system was undertaken at the suggestion
and under the guidance of the Rt. Hon'ble Sir
Akbar Hydari with the result that during the
first 27 years of His Exalted Highness' reign, the
number of schools rose from 1,052 to 5,224 and
that of scholars from 65,104 to 3,84,696 and the
total expenditure from 9J lakhs to over a crore
of rupees, that is, nearly 12i per cent of the gross
Revenue of the State. Government have sanc-
tioned a new scheme for Primary Schools which
provided for the conversion of all Local Fund
Schools into Shahi Schools and the expansion of
Primary ^Education under a five-year programme.
Girls' .education has also made a satisfactory pro-
gress, "the number of students having increased
from 6,000 to 57,592, attending 783 Girls' schools.
The Osmania University College for Women forms
the apex of female education in the State and
teaches in certain subjects up to the M. A. and
M. Sc. standard. Recently a scheme has been
passed by the University whereby it will be pos-
sible to group domestic science as an alternative
to some other subjects right up to the B. A.
degree.

With a view to preventing possible unem-
ployment among the educated classes and in
order to equip them better to face the exigencies

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43

of modern economic life, an Official Employment
Bureau has been set up and a comprehensive
scheme for the reorganisation of education pro-
mulgated. According to this scheme, education
in the State is being organised in four stages each
with a definite aim, and facilities will be provided
for the training of boys with a practical aptitude
who wish to proceed beyond the primary stage,
but have no literary bent. The high and techni-
cal stage will be followed at special situations for
preparing students for the University, clerical,
agricultural and technical training. Lfnder the
new scheme the University stage will be unbroken
by any intermediate examination and a student
will be able to finish the University education in
3 years.

Broadcasting The State has a Broadcasting
Department under which there are two trans-
mitting stations, one at Saroornagar near the
capital and the other at Aurangabad. The
fprmer started functioning in 1939, while the
latter has been opened by the Rt. Hon'ble Sir
Akbar Hydari, in April 1941. The power of the
.transmitter installed at Saroornagar is 5 kwt.,
or 25 times more than that of the old transmitter.
The Aurangabad Station which is of 1/2 kwt., is

44

primarily meant to cater for local needs with
emphasis on rural broadcasting. Programmes
from the Hyderabad Station are issued in Urdu
and English, while the Aurangabad Station
broadcasts in Urdu and Marathi.

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Cf2

CHAPTER IV

THE OSMANIA UNIVERSITY

The Osmania University which was esta-
blished by a Royal Charter in 1918 is the first
attempt in India to impart University Educa-
tion through an Indian language, while retaining
English as a compulsory subject of study. For
over half a century, higher education in the State
was controlled by the Madras Unive^pity, but
the results were so discouraging that in 1917, the
Right Hon'ble Sir Akbar Hydari, Kt., P. c.,
D. c. L M LL. D>, then Secretary to His Exalted
Highness' Government in the Educational
Department, submitted a memorandum to His
Exalted Highness in which after surveying the
existing conditions and discussing the disadvant-
ages of imparting knowledge through the medium
of a foreign language, he recommended the in-
auguration of a University which should be both
an examining and a teaching body and in addi-
tion to this should undertake to compile and
translate books, using Urdu as the medium of
instruction and examination, as it is the official
language of the State and is widely understood

46

and spoken not only in the Dominions but
throughout India. The standard of English
which is compulsory is nearly the same as in other
Universities. The alumni of the University are
thus enabled to keep in touch with the cur-
rents of thought in the English-speaking world
as they can freely consult English books on the
subjects they study.

Constitution. The Council which is the
governing body of the University is entrusted
with general supervision and control over the
constituent colleges. It consists of His Excel-
lency the President of the State Executive
Council, the Hon'ble Members of the Council in
charge of the Educational, Finance and Ecclesias-
tical Departments, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the
Secretary to Government in the Educational
Department, the Director of Public Instruction,
the Principals of constituent colleges and five
members nominated by Government. His Exalted
Highness is the Patron of the University, H. E.
the President, the ex-officio Chancellor and
Hon'ble the Education Member, the ex-officio
Vice-Chancellor. A paid Pro-Vice-Chancellor is
in administrative control of all institutions under
the University.

47

\

The Senate which is supreme in academic
matters consists of not less than 40 and not more
than 70 members. The Syndicate is the busi-
ness committee of the Senate and consists of not
less than five and not more than seven members
of the Senate. The Faculties which consist mainly
of the professorial staff are the Academical Com-
mittees of the Senate entrusted with the framing
of the curricula and arranging for examinations
and other cognate matters.

Faculties. The University is of the unitary
teaching type, providing instruction in all sub-
jects of University* study. The Faculties of
Theology, Arts, Science, Law and Engineering
are located in the University area at Adikmet,
while the Medical and Training Colleges are
located in the City owing to the absence of neces-
sary facilities in the University campus for the
present. The Women's College which has Inter-
mediate, B. A., B. Sc. and M. Sc. classes is also
located in the City. All these Colleges will be
transferred to Adikmet as soon as their projected
buildings are constructed. Besides Intermediate
classes 'attached to the University, there are four
Intermediate Colleges at Aurangabad, Warangal,
Gulbarga and in the City of Hyderabad.

48

The University commenced its tutorial work
with the opening of the Osmania University
College in August 1919. A beginning was made
with the first year class and higher classes were
added year by year till the fiwt B. A.
Examination was held in 1923 and the first
M. A. and LL. B. Examinations in 1925. The
University now confers the degrees of B. A., M. A.,
B. Sc. and M. Sc., LL. B., M. B. B. S., B. E., Ph.
D., Diploma in Education and the degree of M. Ed.

Bureau for Translation & Compilation. The pro-
vision of text-books required for the University
courses was the first necessity of the Osmania
University and accordingly a Bureau for the trans-
lation and compilation of suitable books on the
higher branches of knowledge was established in
1918. This institution has been instrumental in
enriching the Urdu language with books on various
subjects and has already published 291 books in
Arts and Sciences, while 65 books are in the Press
and 63 are being compiled, translated or revised.

Staff and Students. The sanctioned strength
of the Teaching Staff is at present 160 of Whom 33
are in the professorial grade, while 42 are Readers
and 85 Lecturers. Out of these 23 Professors, 29

49

<\

Readers and 35 Lecturers are attached to the
University College. The number of students at the
beginning of the academic year 1940-1941 was
2,256 of which 1,789 were reading in the Faculties
of Arts and Sciences, 49 in the Faculties of Theol-
ogy, 159 in the Faculty of Law, 159 in the
Faculty of Medicine, 61 in the Faculty of Engineer-
ing and 39 in the Faculty of Education.

The Library. There are nearly 45,000 books in
the University Library almost equally divided
between the Western and the Oriental
Sections, the books in both Sections
being classified and catalogued according
to the Dewy decimal system of classification. The
Manuscript Section is also rich, possessing a large
number of rare works in Arabic, Persian, Urdu,
Sanskrit, Telugu and Kanarese. The recently
acquired collection of Palm Leaf MSS. in the local
languages is very valuable and a short descriptive
catalogue of the MSS. in all these languages is
under preparation. The Library is thus well
equipped for research in various branches of study.

University Training Corps. The University
possesses, a Training Corps which came into exist-
eace'in February 1936. A member of the staff is
in charge of it and he is assisted by two Instructors
deputed by the Army Headquarters.

50

/

Hostels. It is the aim of the University to
provide residential accommodation to all its
students ultimately. For the present there are two
well-built double storied hostels and three "tempor-
ary hostels which provide accommodation for
about 500 students. These hostels which are
lighted with electricity and are provided with
modern sanitary conveniences are now entirely
full. In addition to the College fees, the boarders
pay an inclusive charge of Rs. 17 p. m'., while in
two of the temporary hostels (cheaper hostels)
they pay Rs. 9 p. m. only which covers dining
hall, establishment, light, water and other charg-
es. No charge is made for rent, medical assistance
or medicines. Each hostel is managed by a
Warden under the general supervision and control
of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

University Buildings. A site of about 1600 acres
was selected near Adikmet, a suburb of the City,
for the University Town, where buildings of the
University are being constructed at an estimated
cost of two crores of rupees. As these buildings
would take some time to be built, temporary
buildings were constructed at a cost of 10 'lakhs of
rupees. The Science Departments, the Engineering
College, the Translation Bureau and the University

p
to

ta-4

%
*t

X E H

.* HH -^

I 5 ^ UH

i5 -r ^ w

51

Press are housed in the temporary buildings.
Amongst the permanent buildings the Arts College
representing a blending of the old Hindu and
Muslim styles of architecture was completed in
December 1939 at a cost of 29 lakhs of rupees. The
Faculties of Theology, Arts and Law as well as
the Library and the University offices are housed
in this building. Two commodious double-storied
hostel buildings are also ready. The permanent
buildings of the Physics, Chemistry and Biology
Departments are nearing completion and the con-
struction of the permanent Engineering College
and additional hostels is proposed to be laken up
shortly. Among the proposed buildings on which
work has not been started yet are the Senate
House, the Library, the Museum, Training, Law,
Agriculture and Medical Colleges, the Hospital,
Stadium, Swimming pool and the Professors'
quarters.

Nizamiah Observatory. The Nizamiah Obser-
vatory which was established in 1908 was trans-
ferred to the control of the Osmania University
in 1919. The principal equipment consists of two
equatorial telescopes, an 8-inch photographic and
a 15-inch visual refractor together with a small
transit instrument and Chronograph, and some

52

other miscellaneous apparatus. The Observatory
is one of the institutions participating in the
great International undertaking of the Carte de
Ciel and has completed the measuring of the
photographs in the section allotted to it, viz.,
Decl. 170 to 23 and is now engaged in the Cata-
logue of the section 36 to 39. The 15-inch teles-
cope erected about ten years ago, is used for visual
observations, especially for observing systematic-
ally variable stars with faint minima. The
principal publications of the Nizamiah Observa-
tory consist of eight volumes of the Hyderabad
Astrographic Catalogue and a number of short
papers in the leading Astronomical Journals.
The Observatory is also equipped with two Milne-
Shaw Seismographs for recording earthquakes and
the readings of the seismograms are forwarded to
Oxford for inclusion in the International Seismo-
logical Summary. There is in addition a Meteoro-
logical Observatory as well as a pilot balloon
station, the observations being taken in co-opera-
tion with the Meteorological Department of the
Government of India.

The Dairat-ul-Maarif. The Dairat-u]-Maarif
was founded in 1886 for the publication of rare
Arabic books. The institution has an endowment

53

of Rs. 5 lakhs which brings an annual income of
Rs. 30,000. It was placed under the control of
the University on the death of its founder Nawab
Imadul Mulk Bahadur in 1926. H. E. the Presi-
dent, Executive Council and Chancellor of the
University, is now the Chairman of the Executive
Committee and Hon'ble Nawab Mahdi Yar Jung
Bahadur, Education Member and Vice-Chancellor,
is its Secretary. The total number of Arabic
books published by this institution is 114 and
some of these are in four to twelve volumes. Its
publications are in great demand not only in
India but in Egypt, Arabia, Afghanistan and
Europe.

Research. The University Library and
Laboratories are well equipped and provide ample
facilities for original work in many subjects such
as, History, Philosophy, Persian, Arabic, Urdu,
Telugu, Marathi, Kanarese, Sanskrit, Theology,
Chemistry, Physics, Botany and Zoology. A
candidate has to submit a thesis for his M. A. or
M. Sc. degree. The degree of Ph. D. has been
instituted in the Faculties of Arts, Science and
Theology. Research Scholarships of the value
of Rs. 50 per mensem are granted to deserving

54

students working for Ph. D. degrees. Special
Scholarships are set apart for Research in Telugu,
Marathi and Kanarese. The Research Journal
of the Osmania University, issued once a year,
publishes the original work carried out by mem-
bers of the staff and research students.

University Budget. The University Budget
for 1350 F. (Oct. 1940 -Oct. 1941) amounts to
0. S. Rs. 21,16,819 (equal to B. G. Rs, 18,14,416)
out of which over 7 lakhs are allotted to the
University College, one lakh to the Women's Col-
lege, about 2 lakhs to the Medical College and
about 3 lakhs to the Engineering College.

CHAPTER V
Archaeological Monuments

Archaeological work in Hyderabad. His

Exalted Highness the Nizam's Government has
always shown a deep interest in the exploration
and conservation of the archaeological remains of
the Dominions ; and as early as 1840 large sums
of money were spent on the survey and trie copy-
ing of the Ajanta frescoes under the expert guidance
of Sir James Fergusson and Major Robert Gill.
Later, the Hyderabad State financed liberally the
various archaeological missions which carried out
exploratory work and recommended conservation
measures for the important monuments of the
Dominions. These missions were headed by Major
Cole, James Burgess, John Griffiths and Lady
Herringham. But as the preservation and study
of monuments require systematic and continuous
work the State authorities, among whom the
name of the Right Hon'ble Sir Akbar Hydari, for
initiation and keen interest, must be mentioned,
in 1914 entered into correspondence with the

56

Director General of Archaeology in India and
with his advice and co-operation constituted an
Archaeological Department in the Dominions and
appointed Mr. Ghulam Yazdani as its first
Director.

The Department has, since its inauguration,
not only preserved all the principal monuments
of the Dominions, but made excavations at
several prehistoric and protohistoric sites and
established a museum in Hyderabad for the
exhibition of genuine specimens of the local arts
and crafts. A vast literature in the form of
monographs, guide-books and illustrated articles
has also been compiled, in which the requirements
of the serious student and the ordinary reader
have been fully considered.

As several of the monuments have an import-
ant bearing on the art and culture of the East
and even of the West, utmost care has been
observed and every scientific method has been
employed by the Department to preserve such
relics of India's past glory. Take, for example,
the conservation of the frescoes of Ajanta which
by the passage of time and the inclemencies of
weather had decayed to such an extent that the

57

painted surface was falling off in flakes and
perished at the gentlest touch.

To give an idea of the expenditure incurred
and the solicitude shown, mention may be made
of the appointment with liberal remuneration of
two Italian experts, Professor Cecconi and Count
Orsini, for the preservation of Ajanta frescoes for
two seasons 1920-21 and 1921-22. But this
expenditure was, however, very small in compari-
son with the vast sums spent on the building of
roads and bridges in order to make Ajanta easily
accessible to tourists and lovers of ftrt. The
newly constructed road through the Fardapur
Ghat which leads from Aurangabad to Ajanta is
now a most pleasant drive, offering lovely views
of the Ajanta valley and the Khandesh plains.

The concern and anxiety for the conservation
and study of the Ajanta frescoes has been so great
that along with the measures enumerated above a
systematic scheme has been carried out to repro-
duce the frescoes by photographic process, in
order to keep for posterity an authentic record of
this priceless heritage of Indian art. The scheme
has been eminently successful; and the two
volumes (Oxford 1930-33), containing the photo-
graphic copies of the frescoes of Caves I-II with

58

an authoritative study of them from the artistic
and iconographic points of view, have been wel-
comed by scholars and connoisseurs all over the
world.

Richness of Archaeological remains in the Domi-
nions . H. E. H. the Nizam's Dominions possess a
vast array of archaeological remains, varying from
pre-historic and protohistoric antiquities to
Buddhist, Hindu and Jain pagodas, and Moslem
shrines, and even Christian tombs. Among pre-
historic antiquities agate knives, chipped imple-
ments of white quartz, and polished celts and
axes have been found in the Aurangabad, Karim-
nagar, Warangal, Raichur and Gulbarga Dist-
ricts. The megalithic tombs exist in great
abundance in Telingana and the southern parts
of the Dominions, and when excavated they
disclose a large variety of polished pottery,
weapons, and iron and bronze utensils. The
Archaeological Department, Hyderabad, has also
discovered certain 6 marks ' on the pottery dug
out from these graves which on account of their
lose resemblance to the Pali and also to the
old Cretan and Mycenian characters have been
considered by some scholars to be the original
form of the Indian alphabet.

59

Among the Buddhist monuments the rock-
cut temples of Ajanta and Ellora are well-known.
The caves at the former place consist of twenty-
four monasteries (viharas), and five cathedrals
(chatty as), all of which have been excavated in
a wall of almost perpendicular rock, about 259
feet high, sweeping round in a hollow semi-circle
with the Waghara stream below and a wooded
rocky promontory jutting out of its opposite
banks. The chaityas are usually about twice as
long as they are wide, the largest being 94 r -6 lf by
41 f -3". The back or inner end of the tihaityas is
almost circular, the roofs are lofty and vaulted,
some originally ribbed with woods, others with
stone cut in imitation of wooden ribs. A colonnade
hewn out of the solid rock runs round each,
dividing the nave from the aisles. The columns
in the most ancient caves are plain octagonal
pillars without bases or capitals, while in later
excavations they are elaborately carved. With-
in the circular end of the chaitya stands the
daghoba (relic-holder), a solid mass of rock, con-
sisting of a cylindrical base supporting a cupola
(garbha), which in turn is surmounted by a
square capital or * tee ' (tor an). The twenty -four
viharas, or Buddhist monasteries, containing cells

60

are usually square in form, supported by rows
of pillars, either running round them separating
the great central hall from the aisles, or disposed
in four equi-distant lines. In the larger caves
of this type, a veranda cut out of the rock, with
cells at either end, shades the entrance; the
great hall occupies the middle space, with a
small chamber behind and a shrine containing
a figure of the Buddha enthroned.

The carvings in the earliest caves represent
the umbrella the daghoba (relic-holder), the chailya
(window) and the rail-berm, which are all
emblematic of the Buddha and of the religious
shrine dedicated to him. In the later caves the
walls of the aisles, the columns and entablatures
of pillars and the relic shrines are covered with
belts of elaborate tracery, pretty statuettes,
lively and well executed elephants, hunting
scenes, human figures and faces all tastefully
rendered.

The paintings at Ajanta which originally
existed in almost all the caves there, supply a
more vivid picture of the feelings and aspirations
of the Buddhists, during the period of their
greatest prosperity in India, than can be obtained
from any other source, and their artistic value is

much higher than that of the sculptures. "I find
the work,'* writes Mr. Griffiths, "so accomplished
in execution, so consistent in convention, so
vivacious and varied in design, and full of such
evident delight in beautiful form and colour that
I cannot help ranking it with some of the early
art which the world has agreed to praise in Italy.
The Ajanta workmanship is admirable, long
subtle curves are drawn with great precision in a
line of unvarying thickness with one sweep of the
brush, the touch is often bold and vigorous, the
handling broad, and in some cases the impasto is
as solid as in the best Pompeian work. The
draperies too are thoroughly understood, and
though the folds may be conventionally drawn,
they express most thoroughly the peculiarities of
the oriental treatment of unsewn cloth. For the
purposes of art education no better examples
could be placed before an Indian art student than
those to be found in Ajanta."

The temples and monasteries of EUora, to
which the three great religious sects the
Buddhists, the Hindus and the Jains have each
contributed in an almost equal degree, have
been mentioned in history by the celebrated Arab
Geographer Mas'udi in the tenth century. The

62

Buddhist caves, twelve in number, are situated at
the south-end of the series; the Indra Sabha or
Jain group, consisting of five caves, lies at the
other extremity (north); the Brahmanical caves,
which number seventeen, are between the other
two groups. In age the caves vary from about the
fifth to the ninth century, and important inscrip-
tions have been found in them. The most inter-
esting cave at Ellora is the Kailasa temple, one of
the most wonderful specimens of architectural art
in India. It is an immense monolithic temple
separated from the surrounding rock, and elabor-
ately carved outside and inside. The court in which
it stands is two hundred and seventy feet long,
and about a hundred and fifty feet wide. Portions
of the temple in the centre have at some period
been most elaborately painted, and even now there
are some fragments which still retain much of their
original beauty. "The lofty basement of the
temple", says Mr. Burgess, "isof itself a remarkable
conception, with its row of huge elephants, lions
and griffins in every possible attitude tearing one
another or feeding. And then the great hall
above with its sixteen pillars and more pilasters,
all carved with different details of sculpture, its
balcony porches at the sides, and double pavilions
before the front porch, its vestibule to the

63

sanctuary with large sculptures on each side and
its five shrines round the platform, all testify
to the attempt made to rival and outdo all
previous temples of the kind. 1 '

The structural temples of the Dominions are
no less magnificent than the rock-cut pagodas,
and the Naganatha temple of Aundh'i (Parbha-ni
District), the Great Temple of Palampet (Waran-
gal District), the Mahadeva temple of Tttagi
(Raichur District), and the Vishnu temple of
Dichpalli (Nizamabad District) are each a gem of
the Mediaeval Hindu architecture. The Naga-
natha temple has a close resemblance in architec-
tural design and sculpture decoration to the
famous temple at Halebid, and the remarks of
Fergusson on the latter building may appropriate-
ly be quoted here as they fully apply to the
Naganatha temple.

" It must now, however, be considered that
it is only for patient industry that this building
is remarkable. The mode in which the eastern
face is broken up by the larger masses, so as to
give height and play of light and shade, is a
better way of accomplishing what the Gothic
architects attempted by their transepts and
projections. This, however, is surpassed by the

64

western front, where the variety of outline, and
the arrangement and the subordination of the
various facets in which it is disposed, must be
considered as a masterpiece of design in its class.
If the frieze of gods were spread along a plain
surface, it would lose more than half its effect,
while the vertical angles, without interfering with
the continuity of the frieze, give height and
strength to the whole composition. The disposi-
tion of the horizontal lines of the lower friezes is
equally effective. Here again the artistic com-
bination of horizontal with vertical lines and the
play of outline and of light and shade far
surpass anything in Gothic art. The effects are
just what the mediaeval architects were often
aiming at, but which they never attained so
perfectly as was done at Halebid."

The salient feature of the Palampet temple is
the figure-brackets, which spring from the should-
er of the outer pillars and nominally support the
ponderous Uhh'ijja beams. The brackets consist
of female figures which remind one of their pro-
totypes at Sanchi and other early Buddhist sites.
The poses of the body are extremely graceful, but
the features and the expression of the face are less
successful and one is tempted to think that the

65

artists were guided by some religious convention-
alities in their work. The floral designs and
figures of animals carved on the temple are
exceedingly fine and represent art of a high order.

The Mahadeva temple at Ittagi and the
Vishnu temple at Dichpalli besides exhibiting
ingenuity of design in the arrangement of their
structural parts have a wealth of carving which
is extremely crisp and fine. The late Col.
Meadows Taylor remarking on the Ittagi temple
wrote : 4 *The carving on some of the pillars and
of the lintels and architraves of the doo is quite
beyond description. No chased work in silver or
gold could be finer."

In the domain of Moslem architecture some
monuments of the Dominions take rank among
the greatest architectural creations in the East
to wit, the Jami* Mas j id of Gulbarga, the Ohand
Minar of Daulatabad, the Madrasah of Mahmud
Gawan at Bidar and the Char Minar of Hyder-
abad. The peculiarity of the Mosque at Gulbarga
is that its entire area, 36,720 sq. ft., unlike any
mosque in India, is roofed over. The building is
also, important as being the earliest Moslem
mosque in the Deccan built of original material
and representing the principal architectural

forms the dome with a long clerestory, the tall,
slim pointed arch, and the squat arch, which we
see repeated over and over again in later Moslem
buildings of Bijapur, Bidar and Golconda.

The Chand Minar of Daulatabad is a tall, but
slender minaret, 210 ft. high and 70 ft. in
circumference near the basement. It has a
conical apex and three large galleries built on its
outside at various heights. The form of the apex
and the galleries suggest Persian influence
because they are so unlike anything in India.

The chief importance of the Madrasah of
Bidar, which was built in the middle of the
fifteenth century, lies in the encaustic tiles which
adorn the facade of the building and display a
perfect revelry of colour. The Madrasah was in
a flourishing condition in the time of Ferishta,
staffed as it was by professors and divines from
the most distant countries of Asia, and equipped
with a library of 3,000 manuscripts.

The Char Minar or * four minarets, ' built in
1591, is a unique monument of its kind in India
and in the grandeur of its conception and the
just balance of its structural masses, combined
with picturesqueness of detail, far surpasses the

67

Atala Masjid gateway and the Baland Darwaza
of Northern India 9 and the lofty but monoton-
ous and heavy gopurams of the south. The
plan of the building consists of a square hall,
having an arch in each of its faces and a lofty
decagonal minaret at each of its angles. The
minarets, 180 ft. high, are surmounted by small
domes with gilt terminals, and each is surround-
ed by three galleries. The parapet of the build-
ing is adorned with panels of lattice work, in
great variety of design, and below it runs a
small arcade. Next comes an ornamental
cornice, and below this again a larger arcade
and another ornamental cornice. The Char
Minar was originally designed as a gateway
in front of the Char Kaman piazza on which
the lofty portals of the royal palaces opened.

Among the monuments of Hyderabad City,
the Mecca Masjid, the Mushirabad Mosque, the
Toli Masjid and the Golconda tombs are worthy of
notice. The Mecca Masjid, situated to the
south- west of the Char Minar, is a spacious build-
ing, 225 ft. long, 180 ft. broad, 75 ft. high. It i*
built entirely of stone and occupies a paved
quadrangle 360 ft. square. Fifteen arches support
the roof, which is flanked by two large towers

88

rising 100 feet above the pavement of the
quadrangle. The mosque can accommodate
10,000 worshippers. Muhammad Qutub Shah
(1612-26) commenced the building, and after his
death its construction was continued by his
successors, Abdullah Qutub Shah and Abul Hasan,
but Aurangazeb completed it. The Mushirabad
Mosque and the Toll Masjid situated in the
suburbs of Hyderabad, are typical of the Qutub
Shahi style, having somewhat slender minarets
and adorned with a lavish use of cut-plaster work.
The former building, up to a few years ago, had a
leaning Minar which was an object of curiosity to
the sightseers of Hyderabad. The Minar had an
iron core which through weight became bent at
rather an unusual angle on one side and ultimate-
ly broke causing the destruction of the Minar
which now has however been thoroughly repaired.

The tombs at Golconda form an extensive
group, but their architecture shows evident signs
of the decadence that was too surely invading
art at the time they were erected. Their
general plan is a dome standing upon a
square base which is surrounded by an arcade of
pointed arches. The arcade is single storied in
the smaller tombs, but doubled in the larger

6(1

mausolea and flanked with minarets. The interiors;
of the domes are laid out with intersecting arches
in infinite variety and the middle of the floor is
occupied by the grave which is of polished black
stone. The shape of the grave is oblong and
stepped with six or eight slabs diminishing above.
The top is either bombe or flat, and the sides bear
mortuary and devotional inscriptions in Naskh
characters. At one time the walls and cupolas of
all the principal tombs of Golconda were adorned
with glazed tiles the fragments of which can be
traced on some tombs to this day.

Among the places of interest in Hyderabad
the H usa in Sagar lake, the Mir Alam's tank and
Monsieur Raymond's tomb also deserve to be
mentioned. The first of these is a pleasing expanse
of water 11.16 miles in circumference. A broad
road built on the bund connects the City and
Suburbs with Secunderabad. The bund, which is
1 mile and 2,280 ft. long, was constructed by
Ibrahim Qutub Shah (1550-80) at a cost of
Rs. 254,636.

The Mir Alam tank is a most picturesquely
situated sheet of water being bounded on two
sides with gently sloping undulation, beyond
which rise low ranges of granite rocks. At the

70

west end is a pretty wooded island on the summit
of which is the tomb of a Musalman saint. The
tank is about eight miles in circumference, and
its bund was constructed by French engineers.
The bund is 3,360 ft. in length and consists of 21
large granite arches laid on their sides with the
semicircular projection opposed to the body of the
water. The tank was built by Mir Alam, who led
the Contingent forces of H. H. the Nizam during
the war with Tipu Sultan in 1799.

Monsieur Raymond's tomb consists of a
granite obelisk 23 ft. high standing in the centre of
an oblong platform, 180 ft. by 85 ft. broad. The
obelisk contains no inscription, but simply the
letters J. R. (Joachim Raymond). In front of
the tomb is a small; flat-roofed open sided build-
ing, supported on a number of small pillars, with
a small recess used for the reception of the lamps
and other articles used in decorating the tomb.
The view from the summit of the platform is one
of the most charming about Hyderabad. Michel
Joachim Marie Raymond was born in France in
1 765 so he was about forty-three years of age at
t>he time of his death. He came to Pondicherry
with the intention of engaging in mercantile
pursuits in 1775, but he soon abandoned trade

71

for the more enticing profession of arms and
entered the service of Tipu Sultan. He subse-
quently joined Bussy on the return of the latter
to India in 1783, and on Bussy's death at
Pondicherry two years afterwards Raymond, who
held the rank of Captain, succeeded to the
Command of the corps and entered the service
of H. H. the Nizam. Each anniversary of
Raymond's death is celebrated at the tomb by a
grand Urs, which is attended by some thousands
of the Irregular Troops to whom his memory is
still sacred. ,

Recent Excavations of Historic Sites. Apart
from the preservation of monumental antiquities
the Department is carrying out a systematic
programme in exploring and excavating such sites
as will throw light on the past history of the
Deccan. Among the latest results of the excava-
tions conducted by the Department is the discovery
of an Andhra town which is described here briefly.
The site is situated some 41 miles to the north-
west of Hyderabad City, and consists of a large
mound covering an area of nearly 100 acres and
rising some 25 ft. higher than the adjoining
ground. The mound is situated along the bed of
a stream across which in comparatively recent

72

times, a dam has been built for storing water.
The land above the mound was under cultivation
until last year (1940); but occasionally after the
rains Andhra coins of the 2nd century A. D. and
earlier, used to be found in the area. The Depart-
ment at once submitted proposals to the Govern-
ment for the acquisition of the land and the
excavations of the site. The Rt. Hon'ble Sir
Akbar Hydari, as President of H. E. H. the
Nizam's Executive Council, readily sanctioned the
proposal and through the active help of Sir
Theodore Tasker, the lie venue Member, the
acquisition of the land was speedily arranged,
and the excavation operations started. The
most notable among the linds is a large number of
terracotta figurines showing highly developed skill
in modelling, a keen sense for realistic effect, and
lively imagination for inner expression and
artistic detail. These figurines represent gods and

religious personages of Mahay ana school of the
Buddhist faith, comprising the representations of
the Buddha, a large number of Yakshas and
Yakshinis and some worldly characters having a
striking resemblance in a few cases to European
sculptures of the classical and even later periods
in points of technique and general expression.

73

The excavations have exposed to view a
number of architectural remains, such as the bases
of Chaityas, apsidal temples, stupas, circular relic
chambers, and viharas, monasteries. They are
built of large thick bricks laid in mud. Some of
the bricks used at corners are square in design,
measuring about 20 inches each way and 3 inches
in thickness. The bases of ordinary houses have
rubble foundations and the rooms are rather of
small size, 10 to 12 ft. in length and 6 to 8 ft. in
breadth. In some houses there are wells with
baked-clay rings used in construction. t

From the general character of the finds it
appears that the people had a considerably deve-
loped artistic taste; the principal occupation was
agriculture, but skill in jeweller's work and pot-
ter's craft had reached a high level. The excava-
tions at Kondapur have just been started and
the plan of the old town is being gradually ex-
posed, which is calculated to unveil the early
history of the people of this part of the world.

Survey of prehistoric and protohistoric anti-
quities. A systematic survey has also been
made of the prehistoric and protohistoric antiqui-
ties of the Dominions and a map prepared showing
the settlements of the early man in the Deccan

74

with reference to his occupations and conditions
of life in different periods. As a result of this
survey the megalithic remains of the Dominions
have been classified ; the principal types among
them being cairns, cromlechs, dolmens, menhirs
and avenues. Some examples of the 'urn-burial'
have also been found, the urns being large enough
to hold the body in a crouching position. In some
urns bones in a calcined condition have been
found, showing that the body was first cremated
and bones afterwards placed in the urn and
buried. As in the megalithic tombs iron imple-
ments, such as daggers, hatchets, axes and scythes,
have been invariably found, it is inferred that the
tombs belong to the Iron age. In rare cases
bronze articles have also been found, but they
are always of a small size, such as ferrules of
sticks, bells and small cups. Recently the Depait-
ment has also discovered three copper swords in
the Raichur district which bear a striking resemb-
lance to the swords found in the Fategarh district
some forty years ago. As these swords show a
high class of workmanship they are apparently of
a later date than the iron implements found in
the megalithic tombs which are always of a crude
type. Further, as the number of copper and
bronze articles found so far in the Dec-can is very

75

small, it will not be safe at the present stage to
infer that in India like Europe the Copper age
preceded the Iron. A vast collection of Neolithic
implements has also been made and as they have
generally been found on surface and mixed with
such antiquities as beads, conch ornaments and
glass bangles it appears that the practice to make
stone implements continued among primitive
tribes even up to historic times 1000-500 B. C.

CHAPTER VI

PLACES OF INTEREST

A- The City of Hyderabad and its

Suburbs

Golconda. Golconda, the ancient capital
of the Qutub Shahi kings and the seat of the
provincial governors of the still earlier Kakatiyas,
is well-known on account of its diamond mines,
which are exhausted now. The town fell into
comparative insignificance after the foundation
of its rival, Hyderabad, in 1589. Golconda still
has a hill fort, the walls and bastions of which
are built of large blocks of masonry, some of
them weighing several tons. The gates are stud-
ed with iron wrought into various fanciful
devices and huge sharp- pointed spikes, which
were intended to prevent elephants from batter-
ing them in. Formerly there were eight gates,
but the most important now are the Fateh
Darwaza, through which the Mughal forces, after
their victory in 1687, entered the Fort, and the
Banjara, by which the visitor generally passes
when proceeding from the fort to the tombs
of the Qutub Shahi Kings. Inside the fort, be-

MAP OF

HYDERABAD CITY
& SUBURBS

Scale 9600-1

<'

GA6.

77

sides the remains of old Qutub Shahi buildings,
there is a group of palaces called the Nau Mahla.
They are comparatively modern, having been
built by the earlier Nizams, but Jd^orr-jgUns are
very artistic and their

**

pleasantness of the garden^ In-' which
situated.

About three

Golconda Fort stand
Qutub Shahi kings, who

1687. The general plan of

built upon a square base which is surrounded by
a gallery of pointed arches. The gallery is single-
storied in the case of the minor tombs, but it is
doubled in the larger tombs, and the architectural
effect is quite good, giving a certain elegance
combined with balance. The tombs of Sultan
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth king of
the dynasty and *Abdulla Qutub Shah, the
seventh monarch, are the most
group.

There is a mosque attacl

Hayat Bakhshi Begum (mo^kw^oj^ ttte- ^Seyenttt
king), the architecture of whiVh snows "ttf&t und/hj
the Qutub Shahi Kings even ir&OTcmgious

78

ing Hindu motifs and decorative devices were
freely used.

Hyderabad. Hyderabad, although the
fourth city of India in respect of population,
appeals most to the tourist on account of its
still retaining an Oriental glamour, which is not
to be found in the larger cities of India. Hyder-
bad at the same time is considered to be the most
progressive as in excellence and beauty its roads
and public buildings stand second to none of the
other great cities of India.

AraoTig its archaeological monuments the
Char Minar, the Char Kaman, the Mecca Masjid,
the Badshahi 'Ashur Khana and the Mushirabad
Mosque are the most important. The Char
Minar is a stately gateway built in the middle of
the town. Its four arches face the four principal
thoroughfares of the city. The Mecca Masjid is a
grand but sombre building, begun by Muhammad
Qutub Shah in 1614 and completed by Aurang-
zeb in 1692. It has an extensive court (360 ft.
square), on the southern side of which the tombs
of all the Nizams, from the time of Nizam 'AH
Khan, who died in 1803, are built. The Mushir-
abad Mosque and the Toli Masjid are very
characteristic of the Qutub Shahi style, which is

79

marked by a profusion of plaster decoration and
love of minor architectural detail, such as slender
minarets, tiny kiosks and delicate parapets and
screens.

His Exalted Highness the present Nizam of
Hyderabad is fond of architecture, and during
his reign a large number of palatial buildings
have been constructed. As examples of these
mention should be made of the High Court, the
City College, the Osmania General Hospital and
the Town Hall. In all these buildings due regard
has been paid to the old architectural- styles of
Hyderabad, but at the same time modern build-
ing materials, such as cement and steel, have
been fully utilised, and up to date principles of
hygiene and comfort duly observed. The build-
ings of the Osmania University, partly construct-
ed and partly under construction, when complet-
ed may add a new chapter to the history of the
architecture of the Deccan, for they have been
designed with due observance of the tradition
and culture of Hyderabad as well as with strict
regard to the scientific requirements of modern
times.

The following is a brief list of the places of
interest in the City of Hyderabad and its suburbs:-

80

BadshahS 'Ashur Khana. The inner hall has
beautiful tile-work. It was built by Muhammad
Quli Qutub Shah in 1594.

Baradari of Raja Chandulal. Maharaja
Chandu Lai was the Minister and Peshkar of the
Nizam from 1806-43. The house is highly
ornamented and a good example of the Asaf
Jahi architecture.

Char Kaman. The four arches on the four-
sides of a piazza which originally was laid out in
front of the Royal palaces. The arches are of
colossal size and were built in 1593.

Char Minar. The most imposing Muslim
building in South India. It is a gateway with
four arches facing the four principal roads of the
town. Built 111 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutub
Shah, the founder of Hyderabad.

Chau Mahala. The palace has four
quadrangles, one behind the other, with halls
around them. The Durbars and all important
State functions are held here.

City College. Built daring the reign of
the present Nizam.

Daru-sh-Shifa. An old hospital built by
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah in 1599.

81

Falaknutna Palace. Built by Sir Viqar-
ul-Umara, one of the ministers of Hyderabad, as
a private residence. The late Nizam purchased it
for the sum of Rs. 35 lakhs in 1897. It has a
beautiful facade in Grecian style, the cornice
resting on a double row of Corinthian pillars. The
staircase to the upper floor is of marble, with
beautiful carved balustrades supporting at inter-
vals marble figures with candelabra. The Ball-
room, the Dining-room, the Smoking-room and
Bed-rooms are all artistically furnished.

Fateh Maidan. The military sports and
parades of His Exalted Highness the Nizam's
birthday are held here. The name is associated
with Aurangzeb's victory over the Qutub Shahi
forces.

Golconda Fort. Particulars above.

Goiconda Tombs. Particulars above.

Gosha Mahal Baradari. It was built by
King Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last ruler of
Golconda. It is a massive structure, now used
for masonic purposes. The building is open to
public during the daytime,

Hashmatpet Cairns. Two cairns of
this site have been excavated and preserved for
the benefit of visitors.

82

High Court. It is a modern building con-
structed during the reign of His Exalted Highness
the present Nizam at a cost of Bs. 19 lakhs. The
style is based on the old architecture of the
Deccan.

Himayat Sagar Tank, The lake has been
named after the heir- apparent. The dam has
been built across the river 'Isi and the water stor-
ed is utilised partly for irrigation and partly for
drainage.

Himayat Agricultural Farm. It has been
established to initiate the Ryot into up to date
scientific methods of land cultivation and farm-
ing.

Husain Sagar. A pleasing expanse of water,
11.16 miles in circumference, between Secunder-
abad and Hyderabad. The dam was built by
Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah in 1575.

Hyderabad Cottage Industries. The institu-
tion has been established to revive old cottage
industries of Hyderabad. Visitors may purchase
here the articles which are manufactured at the
institution.

Jami Masjid and Hammam. They were built
by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah in 1598.

83

Lakkar Kot. A fine specimen of the wood
architecture of the Asaf Jahi period.

Masjid and Hammara of Miyan Mishk. They
were built by an Abyssinian valet of King Abu)
Hasan Qutub Shah in 1678.

Maula <Ali Hill. On the top of the hill is a
shrine belonging to Shiite faith. At the foot of
the hill towards the west and the north are some
cromlechs and cairns.

Mecca Masjid. It is a massive building the
construction of which commenced during the reign
of 'Abdulla Qutub Shah. The building was com-
pleted by Aurangzeb after his conquest of Hyder-
abad.

Mint. H. E. H. the Nizam's Government
have a large mint of their own to coin money.
The Osmania Sicca rupee, as the Nizam's rupee is
called, weighs 172.5 grains and contains 2 mashas
of alloy to 9 of silver.

Mir 'Alam Tank. It is a most picturesquely
situated sheet of water, about 8 miles in circum-
ference. Its dam was constructed by French
engineers.

84

Mu'Azzam Jahi Market. It has been built
during the reign of the present Nizam at a cost of
of Rs. 4 lakhs.

Museum. It has well-equipped sections of
Pre-historic implements, Sculpture, Painting,

Inscriptions, MSS., Coins, Old Arms, Bidri-ware,
Old China and Textiles. The Museum is open to
public from 9 to 12 in the morning and 2 to 5 in
the afternoon on all days except THURSDAY.

Mushirabad Mosque. It is a typical building
of the Qutub Shahi style, having somewhat slen-
der minaiets and adorned with a lavish use of cut
plaster work.

Naubat Pahar. 'Band Rock 9 so called from
the fact that in olden times all official communica-
tions of the Mughal emperors were proclaimed
from this rock to the sound of music.

Osmania General Hospital. Built during the
reign of the present Nizam at a cost of Rs, 23
lakhs. It is perhaps the largest hospital in South
India.

Osmania University. It was inaugurated in
1918. The special feature of the University is to
teach all subjects through the medium of Urdu
which is the language of the court and of the

85

educated classes of the Dominions. English is, how-
ever, taught as the compulsory second language
and the standard aimed at is the same as in other
Indian Universities. Education is imparted in the
faculties of Theology, Arts, Science, Law,
Medicine, Engineering and Education.

Osmansagar Tank. The river Musi on the
banks of which Hyderabad City is situated was
liable to floods ; the last of which in 1908 caused
great loss of life and property. To make this
impossible in the future and at the same time to
provide a plentiful supply of pure drinking water
in the City and suburb a dam has been built
across the river at a place called Gandipet. The
dam is an interesting piece of modern engineering
and has cost Rs. 54 lakhs.

Panch Mahala. One of the old palaces of
the Nizam. It is called Panch Mahala on account
of its being divided into five apartments.

Public Gardens. They have rare plants
and well laid out beds of flowers. The ga rdens
are open to the public from 6 a. m. to 9. p. m.

Raymond's Tomb. Michel Joachim Marie
Raymond was born in France in 1755. He came
to Pondicherry in 1775 and entered the service

86

of Tipu Sultan. He subsequently joined Bussy on
the return of the latter to India in 1783 and on
B assy's death two years afterwards he entered
the service of the Nizam. The tomb consists of
a granite obelisk standing in the middle of an
oblong platform.

Salar Jung's Palace. The house was built
by the late Sir Salar Jung in the fifties of the last
century. The grandson of the builder, who enjoys
the same title, has vast collections of Jade. Old
Arms, Textiles, MSS. and Old China. Visitors
may see the palace by arrangement with the
Private Secretary to the Nawab Saheb.

Victoria Memorial Orphanage. Children
whose parents die early and who have no relatives
to look after them, are sent to this institution
under an Act of Government. The Orphanage
has adequate arrangements for literary as well as
industrial education under the superintendence of
a European.

Zoo (Public Gardens). It has a good
collection of wild animals and birds.

BonmSATTYA PAD

(A.1ANTA)

B. Places of historical interest outside

the City of Hyderabad and its

Suburbs

Ajanta . 45 miles north of Aurangabad has
obtained world-wide fame for its Buddhist cave
temples, with fresco paintings. Hewn out of
solid rock, these temples belong to a period of
about 800 years, from the 2nd century B. C. to
the 7th century A. D. The painting of the great
Bodhisattva Padmapani, the lotus handed, in the
Vihara cave No. 1 is regarded as the finest expres-
sion of Indian art. Mr. Yazdani writes, "The
name and history of the artist who painted this
wonderful subject will never be known but the
fading fresco, as long as it survives, will tell the
story of the genius and skill of its author in most
eloquent terms". There is a striking resemblance
to the representations of the Madonna in Italian
art, in the painting of the mother and the child
offering alms to Buddha, when he revisits his
native city after his enlightenment. The Toilet
scene is another graceful painting. Mr. Gladstone
Solomon writes, "I can think of no parallel to
this frank and chivalrous woman worship at

88

Ajania. Nowhere else perhaps has woman
received such perfect and understanding homage".

Hieuen Tsang, the Buddhist Chinese traveller
of the 7th century A. D., probably visited Ajanta.
Some of the most beautiful sculptures are to be
seen in cave No. 26. The death of Buddha is
represented by a reclining sculpture, 23 ft. 3 in.,
in length. Above and below the dying Master
are hundreds of natural-sized figures of monks
grief-stricken over the passing away of Buddha.

The inscriptions at Ajanta disclose the
existence of the Vakataka dynasty, one of the
most important dynasties that followed the
Andhra dynasty.

Alarapur. It is situated on the western bank
of the River Tungabhadra, in the Raichur
District. The fort in the town contains ruins of
temples. The principal temple bears a striking
resemblance to the Papanatha temple at
Pattadakal in the Dharwar District. The inner
plan and decoration of the temple bears a striking
resemblance to the plans and carvings of some of
the rock-hewn temples of western India. In the
interior of these temples one is often likely to
forget whether he is in a rock-hewn shrine or in
a structual temple. The decorations and
sculptures remind one of the Gupta Art,

89

Anagundi. It is one of the feudatory
Samasthans in H. E. H. the Nizam's Dominions,
situated on the left bank of the River Tunga-
bhadra. On the opposite bank of the river are
the ruins of Hampi-Vijayanagara. The neighbour-
hood has been identified as the Kishkindha of
the Ramayana. In the llth century, it formed
part of the Chalukyan kingdom and was known as
Kampila. The city was burnt by the Cholas in
1068. In the 12th century, the country passed
into the hands of the Hoysalas. The Yadava
king, Mahadeva ruled over it in the 13tb century.
About 1310, its ruler, Vira Kampila Deva, assert-
ed his independence. In 1327 Muhammad Bin
Tnghlaq sent an expedition and annexed it to his
Empire. About 1344 Kampila again asserted its
independence and became the nucleus out of
which Vijayanagara was born. Anagundi or
Kunjara Kona means The Elephant Corner. After
the battle of Talikota, it again passed into the
hands of the Sultans. In 1776 Tipu Sultan
captured it. In 1800 it passed into the hands of
the Nizam and the River Tungabhadra formed
the natural boundary between the Nizam's and
the Company's territories.

90

Nine tombs or Brindavanas of the Madhwa
Saints are situated on a rocky island, near
Anagundi.

Aurangabad. It is the headquarters of the
district bearing the same name. It was founded
by the famous minister of the Ahmadnagar kings,
Malik Arnbar, about 1610, and was known as
Khirki. The present name, Aurangabad, was
given to it during the viceroyalty of Aurangzeb
in 1653. His first wife, Rabia Daurani Begum,
died at Aurangabad and to her memory was
erected ftie beautiful tomb known as Bibi-ka-
Maqbara. It was intended to rival the celebrat-
ed Taj Mahal at Agra, and like it, is visible for
miles in every direction. The mausoleum stands
within an enclosed area, 500 yds. long and 300
yds. broad. The entrance gate contains an
inscription giving the architect's name 'Ataullah
and the Hijri date 1071. Beyond the gate is a
spacious porch, surmounted by an arched dome.
The walls and ceiling are tastefully ornamented.
The Maqbara stands on a raised platform about
20 ft. high, flanked at the four corners by
minarets. The tomb is surrounded by an octagonal
marble screen which is most elaborately pierced
and carved. The screen at Agra is inlaid with

91

precious stones and various coloured marbles,
while that in the Maqbara is constructed of purest
white marble.

About 2 miles north of the city are situated
the cave temples of Aurangabad, belonging to the
6th or 7th century A.D. They contain massive
sculptures, the most important being the figure
of Avalokiteswara with the eight scenes of the
Buddhist prayer in which the Bodhisattva is
invoked thus, "All hail ! great compassionate
Padmapani Bodhisattva, Mahasattva ! From the
devouring fire, merciful one, deliver us: "from the
sword of the enemy, merciful Lord, deliver us!
From captivity and slavery, merciful one, deliver
us ! From shipwreck, compassionate Lord, deliver
us! From wild beasts, posionous reptiles and enrag-
ed animals, great compassionate Lord, deliver us!
Hail ! Padmapani Bodhisattva ! Hail ! Amitabha
Buddha. (See also Daulatabad and Raoza.)

Bhadrachellum. The temple of Rama at
Bhadrachellum is under the jurisdiction of
H. E. H. the Nizam's Government. The govern-
ment spends annually 25 to 30,000 rupees on its
upkeep. To reach the temple, travellers have to
alight at the Bhadrachellum Road Rly. Station
and cross the River Godavari by ferryboats.

92

According to tradition, Rama, during his exile,
built his cottage, known as Parnasala, near
Bhadrachellum. Sita was carried away by
Ravana from this place. The scene of the fight
between Ravana and Jatayu, the vulture is near
Dummagudem, (the place of Dust), 16 miles from
Bhadrachellum. The temple of Rama at Bhadra-
chellum was renovated by Ramdas alias Gopanna,
the Tahsildar, during the reign of the QutubShahi
king, Abul Hasan Tana Shah. The Telugu ballad,
Ramdas Charitra, is very popular in the Telin-
gana. A picture in the temple is shown as that
of Ramdas. Ramdas was the nephew of the two
famous Brahmin ministers of the last Qutub
Shahi king, Akkanna and Madanna.

Bhongir. Town and fort, 36 miles east of
Hyderabad, is one of the earliest Deccan forts.
Like the Warangal fort, it was once protected by
a strong mud wall. In building the fort, advant-
age was taken of a high rock, rising about 500
ft. from the surrounding country and having
steep sides all round except towards the south-
east, in which direction the approach to the fort
has been built. At a height of about 125 ft. the
first gateway is reached, which is of Muslim
style. The arch of the gateway has very fine

93

proportions. On the top of the hill, are the
remains of the Baradari or the hailed pavilion.

In 1709 a free booter named Paparai raided
Bhongir and the neighbouring territory. Even-
tually he was captured and executed.

Bidar. It is built on an elevated and healthy
plateau, 2330 ft. above sea level and has been
identified as the ancient Vidarbha. In 1323 it
passed into the hands of the Muslims. In 1429,
the Bahmani Sultan, Ahmad Shah W^li, trans-
ferred his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar. The
fortifications of the place are very strong and
present a striking appearance as they are
approached. Several gateways lead to the fort,
the most massive being the Gumbaz gate, with a
huge dome covering it. Adjoining this gate are
the ruins of royal palaces. The Rangin Mahal
is, so called from the coloured tiles used in its
construction and reveals Persian influence, in the
elegant floral and calligraphical devices. What
was known as the Zenana Mahal, is an audience
hall, 109 ft. by 52 ft. and is decorated with
exquisite tile work. The Takht Mahal, built on
the brink of a precipice, was used as the Throne
room.

94

The fortress has a circumference of 4500 yards
and is thirty-six feet high. There are 37 massive
bastions, the strongest of which rises to a height of
120 ft., being known as the Kalyani Burj. There
is a cannon mounted on one of the bastions, 28
ft. 11 inches in length, perhaps, the longest gun
in India.

Two miles from Bidar are the tombs of the
Bahmani kings. It is interesting to read the
inscriptions on the tomb of Ahmad Shah Wali,
the founder of Bidar, imbued with a strong Sufi
spirit, *

"In every form of creation I discerned
Divine grace,

In all I have seen love and adoration."

By far the most remarkable monument in
Bidar, is the college or Madrassah built by
Mahmud Gawan, the famous minister of the
Bahmanis, (1472 A.D.). The building rises to
three stories in a most imposing pile. Its entire
length extends to 205 ft., with a width of 180 ft.
and is divided up into apartments comprising a
mosque, a library, lecture halls, professors'
quarters and students' cubicles.

95

To the west of the town are the tombs of the
Barid Shahi kings, of which the most beautiful
is that of *Ali Barid, the third ruler of the line.

Daulatabad. A hill fort 10 miles from
Aurangabad was known as Deogiri in early times
and was the capital of the Yadava kings in the
12th and 13th centuries. In 1338 Muhammad
Bin Tughlaq transferred his capital from Delhi to
Deogiri and changed the name to Daulatabad.
Ibn Batuta, a native of Tangiers, who visited the
Sultan's court at Daulatabad, described it as an
enormous city which rivalled Delhi in importance
and in the spaciousness of its planning. The
Badshah Nama describes the fort as "standing on
a rock which towers to the sky. In circumference
it measures 5,000 legal gaz and the rock all round
is smoothed so carefully, from the base of the
fort to the level of the water, that a snake or an
ant could ascend it only with great difficulty.
Around it there is a moat, forty legpl^xards in
width and thirty in depth, cut i
In the heart of the rock there
passage, like the ascent of a
is needed to see one's way ir
The steps are cut in the
bottom is closed by an iron

96

road that the fortress is entered. Beside the
passage a large iron brazier has been constructed,
which, when necessary, could be placed in the
middle of it and a fire being kindled in this
brazier, its heat would effectually prevent all
progress." In 1032 Daulatabad passed into the
hands of the Mughals.

An object of great interest at Daulatabad is
the tall minaret erected by Sultan 'Alauddin in
1435 A.D. The minaret is 210 ft. in height
and its circumference at the basement is 70 ft.

Ellon. Represents the synthesis of Hindu-
ism, Jainism and Buddhism and is famous for its
titanic sculptures. The massive sculpture of
Ravana shaking the Kailasa is compared to the
art of the great French sculptor, Rodin. An
unusual sculpture is that of Narasimha in the
Dasavatara cave, full of expression and suggestive
of energy and vigorous action.

Golconda. (See under The City of Hyder-
abad and its Suburbs.)

Gulbarga. It was the first capital of the
Bahmani Sultans who rose to power in the 14th
century. There is an old fort and in its neigh-
bourhood are the tombs of the early Bahmani

97

kings. They greatly resemble the contemporary
Tughlaq buildings in Northern India.

Some little distance from these tombs is the
darga or shrine of Banda Nawaz or Gisu Daraz,
a celebrated Muslim saint, who came to Gulbarga
during the reign ofFiroz Shah in 1413. The
shrine is held in great veneration. Its walls are
decorated with Quranic texts in gilt letters and
there is a Persian couplet, praising the virtues of
the saint.

The great mosque in the fort is oije of the
most remarkable buildings in the Dcccan. Some
writers have compared it to the great Moorish
mosque at Cardova in Spain. It is very spacious
being 216 ft. in length from east to west and 176
ft. from north to south. Its great peculiarity
is that alone of all the great mosques in India,
the whole area is covered in. Its architecture
shows strong Hindu influence, both in building
methods and decoration.

The Bahmani dynasty reached the zenith of
its power during the reign ofFiroz Shah (1397-
1422 A. D.) and his decorated tomb vividly
depicts the free intermingling of Hindu and
Muslim art.

Kalyani. It is the ancient capital of the
western Chalukyas. The city became famous
during the reign of Vikramaditya VI, (1076-1127),
and was the home of poets like Bilhana and
Jurists like the celebrated Vignaneswara, the
author of Mitakshara, who wrote, " on the sur-
face of the earth, there was not, there is not, and
there will not be a town like Kalyana : never was
a monarch like the prosperous Vikramarka seen
or heard of. May the Lord Vikramaditya pro-
tect this whole earth as long as the moon and
stars endure."

The present Nawabs of Kalyani are great
patrons of art, especially painting.

Kopbal. It is now a Jagir of Nawab Salar
Jung Bahadur and the town of Kopbal has been
identified as the ancient Kopanapura, an import-
ant Jain centre of the 10th and llth centuries
A. D. Two minor inscriptions of Asoka have
been recently discovered on two rock boulders
near Kopbal. One of them is completely legible,
unlike the other inscriptions. There is a strong
fortress, described by Sir John Malcolm in 1790
as the strongest place he had seen in India. In
1786 it was occupied by Tipu Sultan. In 1790
it was successfully besieged by the forces of the
British and the Nizam.

99

Malkhed. It was the ancient Many akh eta, the
capital of the Rashtrakuta kings of the 9th cen-
tury A. D. The Chola invasions of the 10th
century led to the transfer of the capital to
Kalyani, 48 miles north-eastwards. There is an
old fort on the River Kagini. Of the Rashtra-
kuta king Amoghavarsha, (814-880 A. D.), the
Arab merchant Sulaiman, who travelled in wes-
tern India in 851 A. D. 9 has written : " He is
the fourth of the great monarchs of the world,
the other three being the Caliph of Baghdad,
the Emperor of China and the Emperor of
Constantinople. " *

Malkhed is now a place of pilgrimage for
followers of the Madhwa sect. The tombs of
their fifth and sixth Gurus, Akshobya and Jaya
Tirtha, (1388 A. D.), are at Malkhed.

Nanded. About halfway between Hyder-
abad and Aurangabad, is an ancient town. Its
original name, Nau Nanda Dehra, is associated
with the nine Nandas who preceded Chandragupta
Maurya about 325 B. C. It is now an important
place of pilgrimage of the Sikhs. The remains of
their last Guru, Guru Govind Singh, who died in
1708, are interred there. His Exalted Highness
the Nizam's Government has set aside the reve-

100

nue of five villages, yielding about Rs. 18,000 per
year, for the maintenance of this shrine of Guru
Govind Singh. Macauliffe quotes Guru Govind
as having said : " The temple and the mosque
are the same : the Hindu worship and the Mussal-
man prayer are the same : all men are the same :
it is through error they appear different "\

Paithan. On the River Godavari, 32 miles
south-west of Aurangabad is one of the oldest
cities of the Deccan. It was well known to the
ancient Greeks and Romans for its textiles, em-
broidery yvork, bead industry and particularly for
its export of onyx stone, through Barugaza or
Broach. It was one of the capitals of the
Andhra-Satavahana kings, known as Pratishtana.
Excavations recently carried out have disclosed
16ft. below the surface level the remains of
structures, built of burnt bricks of 14 to 16 inches
in length. Andhra coins, bearing the emblem of
the Bodhi tree and the Swastika, similar to the
Andhra coins found at Taxila, have been dis-
covered.

Pakhal. About 40 miles from Warangal is
the village of Pakhal, famous for the largest Ikke
in Telingana, covering an area of 13 square miles.
This was constructed during the reign of Gana-

101

pathi Deva, the Kakatiya king of the 13th cen-
tury A. D. The bund on the western side is
about a mile in length. On every side there is
far stretching jungle. There is a local saying
that a squirrel could reach Bhadrachellum from
the neighbourhood of Pakhal by leaping from
tree to tree.

Palampet. It is another village, about 40
miles from Warangal, on the shores of Ramappa
lake, 8 square miles in extent. The temples of
Ramappa in the village are described as the
brightest stars in the galaxy of mediaeval
Indian temples. They contain extremely artistic
sculptures. No mortar was used in the construc-
tion of the temple. The main temple has porti-
coes on 3 sides. On either side of the doors
of the porticoes, under the eaves are female
figures arranged in pairs in the form of brackets.
They are almost life size and are made of highly
polished black basalt. Their poses are extremely
graceful. The ceiling of the temple is full of
ornamentation. Scenes from the Ramayana and
the Puranas are represented in sculpture. The
pillars are rich with subtle ornamentation. The
figures of animals are also very fine.

Raichur. It is an old town of the Deccan and
figured prominently in the Bahmani-Vijayanagar

102

contest for the Raichur Doab. There is an in-
scription in the old fort, dated 1294 A.D.,
recording its construction by one of the Kakatiya
subordinates. The inner wall of the fort is con-
structed of large blocks of gneiss, many of which
are 12 ft. long and weigh upwards of 10 tons
each. No mortar is used in this wall. The in-
scription is engraved on a stone 41 ft. 5 inches
long and over 3 feet deep. Close to this big
stone, is a smaller one with a drawing, describing
the manner in which the big stone was conveyed
to this place. It was loaded on a four wheeled
cart drawn by a long team of buifaloes with men
driving the animals and applying levers at the
wheels to push the cart forward.

Raoza or Khuldabad. It is situated 14 miles from
Aurangabad and has attained fame as the burial
place of several distinguished personages, the
most important of them being Emperor Aurang-
zeb. It is remarkable for its austere simplicity.
Near by are interred the remains of his second
son, Prince Azam Shah. Opposite to these tombs
is the tomb of Nawab Asaf Jah Bahadur, Nizam -
ul Mulk, the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty.
He was the most distinguished general of the
Mughals, who proclaimed his independence in

103

. After a long and most remarkable career,
he died at Burhanpur on the 19th June, 1748, at
the age of 79 years. His remains were sent for
interment to Raoza. Close by is the tomb of
his second son, Nawab Nasir Jung Bahadur. A
mile outside Raoza, are the tombs of the famous
minister of Ahmadnagar, Malik Ambar, and the
last Qutub Shahi king, Abul Hasan Tana Shah.

Warangal. This town was known as
Orukallu or Ekasila or the Single Rock. The
fortress of Warangal was constructed during the
reign of Ganapati Deva (1198A.D.). The capit-
al of the Kakatiyas, before the construction of
this fort, was at Hanamkonda, now a suburb of
Warangal, famous for its magnificent temple,
known as "The thousand pillared temple".
The sacred bull in front of the temple is a splen-
did specimen of a monolith. Several Jaina carv-
ings are found on the rocks at Hanamkonda.

Queen Rudramamba, the daughter of Gana-
pathi Deva surrounded the city with a massive
outer mud wall and completed the construction
of the inner walls. The stone walls have 4
gateways, remarkable for their strength.
A special feature of the fortifications is a long
flight of steps extending several hundred yards

104

on each side of the gateways, probably meant to
enable the garrison to rush in large numbers to
the ramparts to check a sudden attack from the
enemy.

The most remarkable monuments in the
fort are the four large elaborately carved gate-
ways, carved in black stone. They bear a close
resemblance to the famous gateways at Sanchi.

Excavations recently carried out in the fort
have disclosed the remains of an unfinished
temple. Artistic pillars, ceiling slabs very tastefully
decorated and beautiful sculptures have been
unearthed. They have been taken to
the museum at Hyderabad and used for the
construction of a Mantap, to illustrate the art of
Warangal.

Warangal passed into the hands of the
Bahmani kings in the 14th century. There is a
large hall, 86ft. by 24 ft., known as the Darbar
hall of Shital) Khan, the governor of Warangal.