Aadab Hyderabad

Lotus Pond

2011-12-07T08:31:00.001-08:00

Hyderabad's soul is in the old city, but the newer parts are pretty rocking too - I hardly ever talk about them on my blog, so let me take you to the Lotus Pond in Banjara Hills.

This eco-preservation initiative by the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad is a water body in the heart of Banjara Hills, surrounded by lush greenery and Hyderabad's trademark rocks, and inhabited by dozens of species of birds. There weren't any lotuses when I went, I'll have to go back to take some more pictures when they are in full bloom. The park is open from 6 to 10 in the morning and ~~4 to 8 in the evening~~. The perfect place to go for a relaxed walk, or sit and watch the water or lie on the grass reading a book.

Edited to add: The park is open from 4 to 6 in the evening, not 4 to 8. Thank you Rohini, for the correction.

This bird is apparently a Little Cormorant:

The tiled walkway around the pond is beautifully maintained. I love this spot where a tree blocks the path almost horizontally, and you need to bend under it to get past. Very aptly, a sign on the tree reads " Let's bow down to nature" :) Cute touch!

Prayer of the Forest :)

Some more pics...

And this, was my favourite picture of the day...

Unadulterated Splendor!

2011-12-05T07:29:00.001-08:00

I have had hardly any time to post anything here in the last couple of months - I miss my blog and hope to resume posting later this week. In the meanwhile, Arif shared this gorgeous gorgeous video on Facebook that I HAD to share with you! Hyderabad really takes royalty to a whole new level!

Hum Mein Hai Hero

2011-10-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the recent Hero MotoCorp ad? Hum mein hai hero? When I saw it, I was delighted to see a bit of Hyderabad in it!

This is the commercial:

At 1:40, of course, is the one and only Charminar. And at 1:46, do you see something like this:

This somewhat European looking palace is the Sardar Mahal. The sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan built it for his wife Sardar Begum in 1900. But she didn't particularly like the palace, so it remained unoccupied for a very long time. At present, GHMC has its office in Sardar Mahal, but there are plans to set up a museum in the palace: More here.

I shot these pictures more than a year ago, but I never got around to posting them, because I sort of agree with Sardar Begum that it isn't a very pretty palace :P But this ad gave me the perfect reason to post them :)

Nawab Fakhr ul Mulk Bahadur

2011-10-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

Nawab Fakhr-ul-Mulk II was one of the Umra-e-Uzzam, the Great Nobles of Hyderabad, whose place in the aristrocratic hierarchy was right after the Nizams and the Paigahs. He inherited his fondness for the Western way of life from his father Fakhr-ul-Mulk I, who had been responsible for the security of the Englishmen in Hyderabad, during the first war of independence in 1857. The Nawab was known for his flamboyant lifestyle and his love for entertaining. He threw the most lavish dinner parties, ate mostly European food, had his European clothing sent to Paris for washing, etc. He was also known for his kindness, and charity to the poor - he'd regularly distribute money, goods and food cooked in his own home to the poor.

He initially lived in the Asad Bagh Palace (now the Nizam College). Later, in 1870, he built the spectacular Erum Manzil palace. It is said that Nawab Fakhr-ul-Mulk and Sir Vicar-ul-Umra (the Paigah Nawab) had a competition to see who could build the higher palace. Since both built their palaces on hilltops, it ended in a tie. Fakhr-ul-Mulk built Erum Manzil, while Vicar-ur-Umla built the Vikhar Manzil.

Erum Manzil is unbelievably huge, with around 600 rooms, and my wide angle lens at its widest could not capture even half of the palace's length. It is said that the in the good old days, the palace had plenty of gardens, a pond for boating, tennis courts, polo grounds, tons of animals, and an army of servants to perform various jobs. Today, it is used as the Chief Engineer's Office, but the area around the palace is very quiet and peaceful on holidays and weekends, and is DEFINITELY worth a visit.

The Nawab also built the Erumnuma palace, which is now part of the government Tuberculosis Hospital in Erragadda. We did go to take pictures, but on realizing that we were the only ones not wearing masks, I got paranoid about catching an infection and decided to go home and come back later. I spent the next two days getting suspicious whenever one of us even coughed randomly :P

A few buildings away from the TB hospital is this beautiful granite structure:

This is where the Nawab, his wife and relatives lie buried. It is said that the construction of the tomb complex was supervised by the Nawab and his wife before their death.

Colours of the streets

2011-09-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Aadab Hyderabad is FIVE!

2011-09-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Aadab Hyderabad turned 5! F.I.V.E!!!!!

Thank you all soooo much for your unconditional support, kind comments, sweet emails and constructive feedback. I want to specially thank all you Hyderabadis living outside Hyderabad, who wrote to me saying that my blog transported you home for a few brief moments - your mails mean SO MUCH to me. And those of you who shared intriguing trivia and tips about so many less-known places in Hyderabad with me - thank you for your generosity:) And of course thank you soooo much dear family and friends who've had the misfortune of being dragged along for photowalks with me :)

This post is dedicated to the people of Hyderabad. Because, like Shakespeare said, what is the city but the people?

H.E.H. The Nizam's Museum

2011-08-29T00:52:00.000-07:00

Every time I passed this beautiful yellow door, I'd wonder what lies behind it, in the galleries of H.E.H. The Nizam's Museum, but never managed to make a visit, until yesterday.

The Purani Haveli palace was built in 1777 by the second Nizam of Hyderabad for his son, Sikandar Jah. The Haveli grounds contain several structures, including Princess Esin women's educational center, the Durrushehwar hospital, Mukarram Jah Junior college and the main palace.

A portion above the junior college now houses H.E.H. The Nizam's Museum, a museum of artefacts from the good old days in the Haveli. The highlight of the museum, is without a doubt, the spectacular 240 feet long wooden wardrobe built by Mahboob Ali Khan, Hyderabad's sixth Nizam.:

It is said that when he went shopping, he'd buy entire bundles of fabric, so that nobody else had the same kind of outfit :) The unused fabric was stored in the wooden shelves above the main wardrobe, along with his caps/hats, perfumes and other accessories. Considering that he never repeated an outfit, it is no wonder that he needed such a huge wardrobe. Come to think of it, this might have been as cramped as our own tiny cupboards :)

He was very fond of hunting and spent months at a stretch in the forests. Some of his hunting boots:

Another highlight of the museum (that I didn't take pictures of) is a 150-year old manually operated lift, that took the Nizam to his wardrobe on the first floor of the building!

Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, sat on this throne made of pure gold and wood, during his silver jubilee celebrations, that were held in the Jubilee Hall in the Public Gardens. (A wonderful read if you're interested)

Perfume bottles:

A dagger with a handle studded with precious stones:

Playthings for children of the royal family:

Gold cup and saucer studded with precious stones:

Diamond studded cups to hold qahwa or coffee decoction:

The most beaaaauuutiful mirror ever :)

Gold tiffin box studded with diamonds and the qahwa cups again:

These swords with verses from the Quran inscribed on them, were meant only for self-defence and never to be used to attack.

Gold books!!

The Nizam's walking sticks, with handles profusely decorated with precious stones and pearls. The huge pearl on the handle on the right is said to be the world's biggest pearl. It's natural shape resembles that of a woman.

A painted photograph of the last Nizam:

The museum is quite small, and it took us less than an hour to see everything. It isn't like Salar Jung museum or Chowmahalla Palace in the vastness of its collection, but it offers a tantalizing glimpse into the opulence and elegance of the past. All the gold, silver, diamonds, pearls and ivory make you come out feeling like you just took a tour of Bellatrix Lastrange's vault :)

Spanish Mosque

2011-08-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yeah, you read that right - Spanish Mosque! Without a doubt, the most unusual mosque I have ever seen. If you've been to the old airport in Begumpet, chances are, you've spotted the golden minarets of this little mosque glinting in the sunlight.

This gorgeous example of Moorish architecture in Hyderabad was built in 1906 by the Paigah Nawab Iqbal-ud-Dowla. He is said to have built this, inspired by Spanish architecture after a tour of Europe.

Check this out if you'd like to read more about the mosque.

Unlike most other mosques, there is no ablution tank:

Octogonal pyramid shaped domes on graceful minarets:

I wasn't at all happy with the pictures I got - I shot these pics hopping on one foot at a time because I went to the mosque on a scorching day in summer, and the floor felt too hot under my bare feet. I'd love to go back on a rainy day, I bet it'll be divine :)

Hands at Work

2011-08-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

It's so much fun to watch people doing their jobs - especially when their jobs involve creating beauty with their hands. Here is a series of photos I've shot over time, in and around Hyderabad, of hands at work. Obviously, it is a work in progress like any other collection.

Lac bangle maker, Mitti Ka Sher:

Waraq maker, Shah Ali Banda:

Paan maker, Shah Ali Banda:

Flower seller, Jambagh Market:

Cloth dyer, Pathergatti:

Embroidery artist, Mangalhaat:

Bidri craftsman, Bidar:

Before and After

2011-03-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Early yesterday morning at the Moazzam Jahi Market:

70 seconds later:

Paigah Tombs Revisited

2011-01-02T21:46:00.000-08:00

I wish you all a very happy 2011! May all your dreams come true this year :)

For my first post of 2011 on this blog, I picked one of my favourite places in Hyderabad, the Paigah Tombs. I've posted about them before here. These tombs where the Paigah nobles of Hyderabad lie buried, are exquisite structures in marble and lime, so profusely decorated with stucco work, that you need to go more than just once to really notice all the fine details.

Some images from my latest visit there:

Arches galore...

The tombs have some of the richest carvings in all of Hyderabad. Patterns are almost never repeated in more than one area!

Ever seen this much attention to detail?

These are holes for water to drain through!

Intricate jali work on perforated marble screens

creates delightful light and shadow effects:

The beautiful textures on the weather-beaten old green door

at the entrance to the tombs:

Moazzam Jahi Market

2010-12-08T03:39:00.000-08:00

Usually, my visits to the Moazzam Jahi Market have only one purpose - to feast on Famous Ice Creams' delicious fresh fruit ice creams, for which I have an insatiable appetite. However, a few weeks ago, I went there early in the morning, to shoot some pictures. The colourful shops around the market selling all sorts of things including ice creams, attars, spices, different kinds of tea and even furniture, were closed, but on the inside of the maze-like market, the day's activities had already begun.

The Moazzam Jahi market was built in 1935, during the reign of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of the state of Hyderabad, and named after his second son, Nawab Moazzam Jah Bahadur. The outer circumference of this stone and granite structure is triangular, and the facade that faces the main road is adorned with a clock tower with a high dome.

The origin of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty

2010-11-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

In a way, the medieval town of Bidar has a lot to do with the origin of the kingdom of Golconda.

The Golconda region had been under the control of the Chalukyas and then the Kakatiyas until the 14th century, when Alauddin Hassan Bahman Shah revolted against the Delhi Sultanate and founded the Bahmani Sultanate, the first Muslim kingdom of the Deccan with Gulbarga as its capital. However, the capital was soon shifted to Bidar.

In the 16th century, Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk who was sent by the reigning Bahmani Sultan to Golconda as a governer, established his base here, strengthened and expanded the existing mud fort, and declared independence from Bidar. That marked the begining of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty. The Bahmani Sultanate broke up into the five Deccan Sultanates of Ahmednagar, Berar, Bijapur, Bidar and Golconda.

Here's a collection of images from this little-known, but historic town in Northern Karnataka, with whom five powerful sultanates of South India share a history. As you can see, I went on an arch-shooting-spree - the town is an absolute delight for anybody who loves history, art and architecture. If you are interested, here's a link to a more detailed post on my other blog!

Zaheerabad

2010-11-07T07:11:00.000-08:00

We went on a one-day road trip to Bidar during the long Diwali weekend. Bidar, the seat of the Bahmani dynasty and later the Barid Shahi Dynasty, is a town in northern Karnataka, about 140 kms from Hyderabad. I'll share some pictures I shot there soon, but now I want to share some images from a small town on the road from Hyderabad to Bidar - Zaheerabad.

Zaheerabad was named after Nawab Zaheer Yar Jung Bahadur, the oldest son of Sir Asman Jah Bahadur, from Hyderabad's Paigah family.So I thought it was appropriate to post about it on this blog :)

While driving past Zaheerabad, we saw these pretty ruins right on the highway:

I have no clue what these are, or who built them. All the locals knew was that they were built a very long time ago, and housed some sort of a market. But they looked more like a residence to me. If you know what they are, do tell us!

The Walled City

2010-10-22T03:23:00.000-07:00

With the conquest of Golconda by Aurangzeb, the reign of the Qutb Shahi dynasty came to an end. Later, in the early 18th century, when Farrukh Siyar was the Mughal emperor, his subedar Mubrez Khan started the construction of a wall around the city of Hyderabad. A part of the wall was the already existing stretch built from Purana Pul to the Delhi Darwaza during the reign of Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last Qutb Shahi ruler.

The wall around the city was completed only during the reign of Asaf Jah I, the first Nizam of Hyderabad.

At the time, the wall had 13 gates (the Delhi gate mentioned above was one of them), of which only two now remain:

The Dabirpura darwaza:

The Purana Pul Darwaza:

Sadly, Hyderabad is no longer a walled city, as large stretches of the wall were washed away during the 1908 floods, and some of the darwazas became victims of modernization. But do check out this article with some really gorgeous photographs of walled cities around the world.

A little bit of randomness...

2010-10-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from all the building shots I've been sharing, here's a picture of Hyderabadi Bagarey Tamatar that I made all by myself:

I'm a complete novice at cooking, and don't even enjoy it much, so I was thrilled that it came out tasting quite nice :) While this is a very simple recipe that I got from a book, do check out Zaiqa, a beautiful food blog by Mona, where you can learn to cook some awesome Hyderabadi dishes.

A photo that I shot in Shilparamam long ago during the annual arts and crafts festival there, was published in the October issue of Jade magazine - the Buddha image (only image, not text) on the right is mine:

I ran into this very sweet boy at the Shah Raju Qattal Hussaini Dargah. He saw me with my camera and said didi, mera bhi photo liyo na :) And after I shot the picture, he said mera photo sambhalke rakho, so I HAD to post it :)

Chowmahalla Palace II

2010-09-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

Some images from the Chowmahalla Palace that I had posted about earlier.

The Homes of Hyderabad's Nobles

2010-09-18T00:04:00.000-07:00

This post is a little late, considering that I've already posted about a few devdis and baradaris in the last few weeks - anyway, better late than never :)

Baradaris have existed in Hyderabad right from the Qutb Shahi period. The Taramati Baradari and the Goshamahal Baradari are examples that still stand. Their distinctive feature is that they have twelve doors (Baradari literally means having twelve doors).

The practice of building devdis, the palatial homes of Hyderabad's nobles, is relatively more recent, originating during the rule of the Nizams. These homes had ornate gateways, tall enough for their owners to pass through on their elephants, and were surrounded by high walls to provide security. Often, devdis either had baradaris attached to them, or were built in a baradari style.

While there were over a thousand devdis in Hyderabad once upon a time, only a handful remain today. Of the devdis I have been posting about, the Iqbal-ud-Daula Devdi and the Khursheed Jah Baradari, although dilapidated, are among the ones still standing. Other devdis like the Asman Jah Devdi, however, haven't been so lucky. Some were demolished, some were sold off in bits and pieces by the families that owned them, and the rest succumbed to the ravages of time. In this post I am sharing images of the remnants of some such devdis.

Diwan Devdi
The Diwan Devdi was the residence of the illustrious Salar Jung family. This was one of the gates of the Diwan Devdi, and is the only surviving portion of the devdi today.

Malwala Palace
The Malwalas took care of the revenue records of the Nizam's dominions. Their grand devdi, one of Hyderabad's finest buildings famous for its grand wooden pavilion made out of teak wood, from Burma, has now been demolished, and this is all that remains:

Rai Rayan Devdi
The Rai Rayans were also daftardars or revenue officials of the Nizam's empire, but were higher in the aristrocratic hierarchy than the Malwalas. Their devdis is in a slightly better state than the others - but only slightly. The home has been sold off in bits and pieces by the family, and new constructions and modifications have distorted it beyond recognition. However a few parts of the original structure remain, giving us a small glimpse into its former glory.

The gate with a clock:

The inner portions of the devdis - now, different portions are occupied by different families:

Akram Ali Khan Devdi
As I often do, I photographed this gate-like structure not knowing what it was, only because it looked very old and interesting. All I was able to find out is that it is the gate portion of the devdi of someone called Akram Ali Khan. I have no clue who he was or what he did.

In addition to the devdis I've been posting about, there are a few more in fairly good shape - I'll be sharing about them in later posts.

Iqbal-ud-Daula Devdi

2010-09-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Eid Mubarak and Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone celebrating!

I posted about a couple of devdis in Hyderabad - the Khursheed Jah Baradari and the Asman Jah Devdi. Completing the trio of Paigah devdis located in the vicinity of the Charminar, is the Iqbal-ud-Daula devdi.

Nawab Vicar-ul-Umra, who was given the title Iqbal-ud-Daula, was the maternal grandson of Hyderabad's third Nizam. The palatial Iqbal-ud-daula devdi stretches along almost an entire street. Like the other two Paigah devdis nearby, it is built in a fusion of Oriental and European architectural styles.

I'm sharing some images that I shot of the devdi, but I don't think they do justice to the beautiful devdi - it's way too big.

Look at how huge it is:

The entrance to the devdi:

The inner courtyard:

Besides a small school, this devdi is also home to several families:

This is one building you have to see in person - I think it's one of Hyderabad's most beautiful structures.

Asman Jah Devdi

2010-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Erratum:

What I had written in my previous post about the origin of the Pathargatti market wasn't entirely correct:( The antechambers of the Qutb Shahi palaces do exist, and are used as shops to the south of Gulzar Hauz, but I am now not sure if the shops of Pathargatti are also part of them, as I read some accounts that say they were built during the Asaf Jahi rule, by the City Improvement Board. I am sorry about the confusion - I have removed the misleading part from the post, until I get the facts right.

Today I want to share a couple of images of another devdi I visited recently. When I shot these images, I actually didn't know whose devdi it was :)

It is very close to the devdi of Paigah noble Sir Khursheed Jah Bahadur, and is the devdi of another Paigah noble, Nawab Asman Jah Bahadur. The grandson of the third Nizam and the son-in-law of the fourth, he served as co-regent to Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan (who became the Nizam when he was just a little child), and then as the Prime Minister of the state of Hyderabad.

An admirer of all things English, he built his devdi in a very European style. But very little remains of it today - only the main entrance, a part of the outer wall and an abdarkhana across the road. An abdarkhana was essentially a structure used to store water.

What remains of the devdi:

The abdarkhana:

Gulzar Hauz and Char Kaman

2010-08-30T03:42:00.000-07:00

The city of Hyderabad was created by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, with his Prime Minister Mir Momin in charge of the design and construction of the new city.

After the construction of the Charminar, the piece de resistance of Hyderabad, about three quarters of a kilometer to its north, this is what Mir Momin built:

This is the Gulzar Hauz.

Mir Momin, the Prime Minister of Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the king who founded the city of Hyderabad, had this octogonal fountain built at the intersection of four wide roads from the four cardinal directions. A few metres into each of these roads, he built four arches, through which one needs to pass, to go to different parts of the city - these are called Charkaman (four arches). The fountain and the arches together formed a piazza or the town square, of the newly built city.

Originally, there were four streams originating from the fountain, dividing each of the radial roads into two halves., representing the four rivers in the Islamic description of paradise, carrying water, milk, honey and wine.

The arches to the North, South, East and West of the fountain, are called Machli Kaman, Charminar Kaman, Kali Kaman and Kaman Sher Dil respectively.

Clockwise from top left:
Charminar Kaman (South), Kali Kaman (East), Machli Kaman (North) and Kaman Sher Dil (West)

The Kaman Sher Dil on the west, led to the palaces of the royal family, that overlooked the piazza. They were all destroyed by Aurangzeb during his seige of the kingdom. It is said that the antechambers of the palaces are used as shops - Maybe this is a part of it? Not sure.

Reason #159462 I love Hyderabad - even a simple fountain you pass so frequently, and ignore most of the time, has a story behind it, and a reason for existence :)

Mishk Mahal

2010-08-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

The Mishk Mahal in Attapur was built during the reign of Sultan Abul Hassan Tana Shah, the last Qutb Shahi king. Malik Mishk, also called Miyan Mishk, was an Abyssinian slave of the Sultan and the keeper of the Royal Key. Before coming to Golconda, he was the commander of the Carnatic troops. He built this palace during the second half of the 17th century, with a view of the Golconda fort on one side, and the Charminar on the other.

What was once a grand garden pavilion surrounded with fountains and fruit trees, is now a picture of despair and dilapidation. It is set in the middle of a huge piece of land, which is overgrown with shrubs and grass with the heavy rains Hyderabad has had lately. The palace is in ruins, because of neglect and vandalism. It is a two-storey building with a large hall in the ground floor, and a staircase leading to the floor above. An attractive octagonal balcony on the upper floor protrudes out of the front of the building. I read accounts suggesting that the upper floor may have been the zenana, or the portion where the women lived, but there was no confirmation anywhere.

It is heartbreaking that nothing is done to protect and preserve these monuments - most palaces from the Qutb Shahi era were destroyed by Aurangzeb after his siege of the kingdom of Golconda. And some fell prey to "development" in modern Hyderabad. If the government doesn't do everything it can, to preserve what remains, we will have very little to show, from that golden phase in Hyderabad's history.

Khursheed Jah Baradari

2010-08-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

I had written here long ago about the Paigah family of Hyderabad. The Paigahs were passionate builders, and erected several beautiful palaces in the city, including the famous Falaknuma Palace.

Nawab Khursheed Jah Paigah was the maternal grandson of the third Nizam of Hyderabad. Khursheed Jah Baradari was his residence, near the Charminar. It is a gorgeous Palladian mansion with imposing pillars and a strikingly European design. While it is commonly referred to as a baradari (literally means having 12 doors) or a devdi (sort of like a haveli) it is counted as one of Hyderabad's best palaces.

The construction of the palace was started by Sir Khursheed Jah's grandfather, and completed by his father. It is said, that when the Paigah family lived in this palace, it was full of expensive furniture, chandeliers and paintings, and that the extensive grounds adjoining it, had immaculately kept gardens with fountains and little reservoirs. Apparently, in addition to the horses in his stables, Sir Khursheed Jah also kept ostriches!

Visiting this baradari was an experience I'm glad I had. The contrast between "what it was" and "what it is", is so striking. If you stand there and close your eyes for a minute, you can almost imagine the palace in all its splendour, with its gardens, fountains, glass chandeliers and rich furnishings. And when you open your eyes, reality hits you - the realization that all that remains is the dilapidated old building in front of you. I don't want to exaggerate, but there was this little tug at the corner of my heart, and I don't know what to call it.

The grounds of the palace are now full of children playing cricket. We saw a painted sign that said "Khursheed Jah Cricket Club". Here's a bunch of cute kids we met, who call themselves the Deccan Chargers!

Puranmal Samadhi

2010-08-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

In the Asif Nagar area of Hyderabad, in a lush green garden near the Sitaram Bagh temple, are two fluted, domed pavilions constructed in tthe mid 1800s, in the memory of Seth Puranmal Ganeriwala and his son Premsukh Dasji.

Seth Puranmal was a prominent banker in Hyderabad, during the reign of the fourth Nizam, Nawab Mir Nasir-ud-doula. He constructed the famous Sitaram Bagh temple in Asif Nagar.

The pavilions are built in a fusion of South Indian, Rajasthani, Mughal and European architectural styles.

Jham Singh Balaji Mahadev Temple

2010-08-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

It is true that the nearer the God, the farther is the faith. There is a temple over 200 years old right in the very neighborhood I grew up in, and it has taken me almost four years to blog about it!

The Jham Singh temple in Gudimalkapur, Mehdipatnam, has a very interesting story behind it. Jham Singh, a Rajput soldier from UP, was a commander in the army of Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of Hyderabad. Since he loved horses and had the gift of being able to pick the best ones, the Nizam put him in charge of purchasing horses for his army.

It is said that he yielded to temptation and used some of the money meant for buying horses, to build a temple - the Jham Singh Balaji Mahadev temple. When the Nizam heard of this, he was furious and nearly sent him to the gallows. It was only when his Prime Minister Raja Chandulal intervened, that he relented and ordered Jham Singh to build a mosque beside the temple, instead. That was how the Jham Singh mosque, also a protected monument, came into existence. I'll post some images of the mosque in a day or two.

While the main deity in the temple is Lord Balaji (Vishnu), there is also a Lord Mahadeva (Shiva) shrine beside it. Right outside the temple is its exquisite naqarkhana, a place for drum beaters. To be honest, I found the naqarkhana with its aged walls more beautiful than the brightly painted temple, that almost looks new :)

The temple:

The naqarkhana:

It was interesting (although not surprising) to see the similarities in the way the temple and the naqarkhana are built., especially the almost identical balconies and elevated platforms in front.