Heritage Walk 3

The third walk as usual started off from charminar.This time I had my friend,Shoaib for company.
Compared to the last two walks this time there was a much larger gathering of people.Most of them were carrying DSLRs with them and they looked like a part of a group or something.Because of the large number two groups were made.Our guide for the day was Mr Qayyum.
 We started off after a brief explanation of Hyderabad's history, towards maidan chowk road.The first stop was the Nizamia Hospital or the Unani hospital as it it popularly known.

Name- Unani Hospital
Built by- Nizams in 1929
Designed by - Vincent Esch
Indo Saracenic Architecture
Even though it is surrounded by buildings of Qutb Shahi times,Charminar and Mecca Masjid,it fits in quite well due its architecture and colour.

While passing towards the next structure,the Sardar Mahal, we came across the Rath Khana,which is nothing but a European style gateway.

Name- Sardar Mahal
Built by-6th Nizam in 1900
Named after- Sardari Begum, wife of 6th nizam
European Architecture but planning is indigenous as can be seen from the design of inner courtyards which used to have fountains and green shady trees.Presently occupied by GHMC(south zone office) 

Between the next structure and the Sardar Mahal there used be a palace known as Malwala Palace.This was supposed to be the only wooden palace in Hyderabad.I should add here that two years back shoaib and myself spent an hour wandering through these streets to find it.The locals werent that helpful as it looked like nobody knew anything about this Palace.Finally our search lead us to Masqati Milk's office who were occupying the area formely enclosed by the palace.They refused permission saying that nothing was left to see except a big wall.I said no problem, Il take a look at that.So we saw whatever that was left of the palace which was nothing but a big wall,as the person at Masqati's told us.
Coming back to our walk,it led us to the Mansoor Khan's Mosque which is a Mosque from the Qutb Shahi times.Nothing spectacular about it.

Next was the Bargah Panj e Shah e Vilayat
Built By- Qutb Shahis( Abdullah Qutb Shah)
Structure related to the Shia sect of muslims.
Here a caretaker of the Bargah related the events that led to its creation.The huge stone houz(meaning a container)here was impresssive.Those who wanted a closer look went inside the structure meanwhile I took some pics of the place and the locality surrounding it.

Walking ahead we came across the Khadm-e-Rasul Alwa
Built in the time of Qutb Shaihs in 1575(before hyderabad was formed,only golconda city existed then) .This is another important religous site of the Shias

Moving ahead we came across yet another mosque of the Qutb Shahi times,the Mandi Jama Masjid and then we passed under the Mir Alam Mandi Kaman.(Kaman means Gateway)
It has a pointed arch and tall wooden door in it.From here we came into the Mir Alam Mandi (Mandi means a market)It was built in 1804, making it the oldest market in Hyderabad.As can be expected from a market there were people everywhere selling everything from kothmeer to kaddu.We passed this and walked some distance in the bylanes till we emerged on to the main road leading to the last structure, the Purani Haveli.

Before that we passed by the Devdi of Inayath jung Bahadur.
Built in European style
Inayth jung was a famous scholar who tranlated the persian map of Hyderabad Deccan 

  After taking a few pics here, we came to the last stop. the Purani Haveli.
This site was initially earmarked by Mohammed Quili Qutb Shah(Who founded Hyderabad) for his peshwa,Mir Momin.After wards the Nizam aquired it for his son Sikander Jah from the decendents of Mir Momin.The Palace was built but the Nizam moved in the much more impressive Chowmohalla Palace and this remained unoccupied for many years.It gained prominence again when the fouth Nizam added many structures to it ,then the Fifth nizam was born here and finally the sixth Nizam made it his permanent residence.The plan of the palace is Symmetrical with a fountain in the large courtyard.It was inpired by the palladian villas of Europe.  

       Presently one part of it has been converted into museum,H.E.H Nizam's museum.Another part has Princess Esin's women's Education Institute.
      Here our walk ended.We had our free breakfast and just wandered around for sometime.After sitting there to our heart's content we made our way back to Charminar.I boarded the bus back to Mehdipatnam pleased with myself,knowing that I can cut off some more monuments from my 'heritage structures to see' list

Click Here for Walk 2