27 Hyderabad monuments to get facelift

HYDERABAD: Better late than never. The department of heritage Telangana has finally decided to give a facelift to 27 monuments in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Though this is a truncated list and excludes most of the monuments built during the Asaf Jahi period, heritage experts welcome the move as the department has turned its attention to conservation after a long time.
The decision to protect, conserve and give a facelift to the monuments, mostly built during the Qutub Shahi period, comes after the high court earlier this year pulled up officials concerned over the neglect of heritage and historical structures.Heritage experts suggest that the department of heritage Telangana include all the structures of the Qutub Shahi and the Asaf Jahi periods to give a holistic approach to conservation of city’s heritage, culture, history and architecture.
They argue that unless all the monuments, big and small, are brought into the protected list, it would be difficult for Hyderabad to bag the Unesco’s world heritage city tag. Hyderabad has everything to qualify for a world heritage city, but what is required is removal of encroachments, protection of the monuments and conserving them for the posterity.
Hyderabad has hundreds of monuments including the not so famous. Every heritage monument and site in the city speaks volumes of the engineering and architectural advancement of those days. They have their own heritage tales to tell. If the tomb of Hakim brings forth the history of the medicine in Hyderabad, the tombs of Kulsum Begum and Khairati Begum give a glimpse of the women power in the Hyderabad of yore. The Shamsheer Kota and Khazana building tell about the weaponry and economic and military prowess of old Hyderabad.
“Hyderabad has witnessed three different styles of architecture – Qutub Shahi, Asaf Jahi and Osmanian. They are a synthesis of Indian and Persian styles of architecture. We need to protect prehistoric sites too. The monuments built during the Nizam VII should also be protected,” said P Anuradha Reddy, convener of city unit of INTACH. She said the Osmania General Hospital building should be included in the state heritage list.
Dr Mohammad Safiullah of Deccan Heritage Trust said though the decision to conserve 27 monuments is a welcome move, the department of heritage Telangana should ensure that all monuments of the Asaf Jah period are also protected. The department should expand the list of heritage sites in twin cities. “The state government is keen to secure world heritage city tag for Hyderabad. Heritage and history of Hyderabad should not be seen in isolation or limited to a certain period. The continuity should be maintained and the best way is to protect all the Qutub Shahi, pre-Qutub Shahi, Asaf Jahi and Osmanian monuments,” Safiullah said, adding that continuity of city heritage and history would only fetch Hyderabad the heritage city tag.
The monuments protected under state archaeology (heritage Telangana) are Chennakesava Swamy temple, Chandrayangutta; Shamsheer Kota, Golconda; Premamathi mosque, Ibrahimbagh; Khairati Begum’s tomb and mosque, Khairatabad; Kulsum Begum mosque, Kulsumpura; Old Idgah, Madanapet; Miya Misk mosque, Puranapul; Badashahi Ashoorkhana, Pattarghatti; Toli masjid, Karwan; Dargah Hazrat Saidanima, Tank Bund; British Residency, Koti; Gunfoundry, Abids; Reymond's Obelisk, Moosarambagh; old gate of Dabirpura, Dabirpura; Mecca masjid at Charminar; Qutb Shahi tombs, Golconda; Khazana building, Golconda; Taramati Baradari, Ibrahimbagh; Khairat Khan’s tomb, Sultan Shahi; Dargah Hazarat Syed Shah Raziuddin, Gazi Banda; Puranapul gate, Puranapul; Armenian Cemetery, Uppuguda; Sir Ronald Ross building, Begumpet; Shams-ul-Umra tomb (Paigah tombs), Santoshnagar; Musheerabad mosque, Musheerabad; Shaikpet mosque and serai, Shaikpet; and Hakim’s tomb, Toli Chowki.
Heritage experts also call for a reconciliation of monuments listed in HMDA and heritage Telangana. The state archaeology should work in tandem with the archaeological survey of India (ASI) to brighten the chances of Hyderabad getting the world heritage city status.