Chowmahalla Palace - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat (4 Palaces), was a palace belonging to the Nizam

Nizam

Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...

s of Hyderabad state

Hyderabad State

-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...

. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizam.

In Persian

Persian language

Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...

, Chahar means four and in Arabic Mahalat (plural of Mahal) means places, hence the name Chowmahallat/four places, or four palaces.

All ceremonial functions including the accession

Accession

Accession has different definitions depending upon its application. In Property law, it is a mode of acquiring property that involves the addition of value to property through labor or the addition of new materials. In English Common law, the added value belonged to the original property's owner,...

of the Nizams and receptions for the Governor-General were held at this palace.

The prestigious UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on March 15, 2010. UNESCO representative Takahiko Makino formally handed over the plaque and certificate to Princess Esra, former wife and GPA holder of Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur.

History

While Salabat Jung

Asaf ad-Dawlah Mir Ali Salabat Jang

Asaf ad-Dawlah Mir Ali Salabat Jang was the Nizam of Hyderabad. He was the third son of H.H. Asaf Jah I Nayab, Subedar of the Deccan. He was appointed as Deputy Viceroy to his elder brother, Ghazi Uddin, in 1751...

initiated its construction in 1750, it was completed by the period of Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V

Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V

Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V Mir Tahniyath Ali Khan Siddiqi was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad from 1857 to 1869...

, the V Nizam ensured its completion between 1857 and 1869.

It is believed to be modelled on Shah of Iran

Qajar dynasty

The Qajar dynasty was an Iranian royal family of Turkic descent who ruled Persia from 1785 to 1925....

's palace in Tehran

Tehran

Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...

.

The palace is unique for its style and elegance. Building of the palace began in the late 18th century and over the decades a synthesis of many architectural styles and influences emerged.

This palace consists of two courtyard

Courtyard

A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....

s, southern courtyard and northern courtyard. They have elegant palaces, the grand Khilwat (the Durbar Hall), fountain

Fountain

A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....

s and garden

Garden

A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...

s.

The palace originally covered 45 acres (182,108.7 m²), but only 14 acres (56,656 m²) remain today.

Southern courtyard

This is the oldest part of the palace, and has four palaces Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal.

It was built in the neo-classical style

Northern courtyard

This part has Bara Imam, A long corridor of rooms on the east side face the central fountain and pool that, once housed the administrative wing.
and Shishe-Alat meaning mirror image.

It has Mughal domes and arches and many Persian elements like the ornate stucco

Stucco

Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...

work that adorn the Khilwat Mubarak. These were characteristic of buildings built in Hyderabad at the time.

Opposite to the Bara Imam is a building that is its shishe or mirror image. The rooms were once the used as guest rooms for officials accompanying visiting dignitaries.

Khilwat Mubarak

This is heart of Chowmahalla Palace. It is held in high esteem by the people of Hyderabad, as it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure marble platform on which the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. Here the Nizams held their durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies. The 19 spectacular Chandeliers of Belgian crystal recently reinstalled to recreate the lost splendor of this regal hall.

Clock Tower

The clock above the main gate to Chowmahalla Palace is affectionately called as Khilwat Clock. It has been ticking away for around 250 years. An expert family of clock repairers winds the mechanical clock every week.

Council Hall

This building housed a rare collection of manuscripts and priceless books.The Nizam often met important officials and dignitaries here.Today it is venue for temporary exhibitions from the treasures of the Chowmahalla Palace Collection that of a bygone era.

Roshan Bangla

The sixth Nizam is believed to have lived here and the building was named after his mother Roshan Begum.

The present Nizam (Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah

Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah

Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah Asaf Jah VIII, Beyefendi , less formally known as Mukarram Jah, has been the titular Nizam of Hyderabad since the death of his grandfather in 1967...

, Pretender

Pretender

A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....

) and his family decided to restore the Chowmahalla Palace and open it to the public in January 2005. It took over 5 years to document and restore the palaces of the first courtyard to its former glory.

External links

Photos of Chowmahalla Palace on HyderabadPlanet.com
Khilwat (Chowmahalla Palace)
The lost world Article by historian William Dalrymple, from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...

, about the last Nizam of Hyderabad and the restoration of Chowmahalla Palace
Chowmahalla by night
Khilawat Mahal at Chowmahalla
Tour of Chowmahalla (main courtyard and Khilwat Mahal) on Youtube
Chowmahalla Palace Official Website

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