Seven kings and a Begum -Qutub Shahi Tombs

Hyderabad is a city of history,of culture,of romance,of culinary delights,of pearls,of Dakhni,of tradition and of monuments.The awe inspiring majestic Golconda fort looks down on the city from its perch and was the seat of power of the Qutub Shahi kings of this land.

I have been an ardent fan of the Heritage walks in any city.For the layperson it gives interesting insights into the history and stories that go with each monument.So it was gladly that I signed up for the Jashn-e-Hyderabad trails and joined a large group to discover the very intriguingly titled  "Seven kings and a Begum Sahiba". From the Cantonment side we pass through the Fateh Darwaza of Golconda fort,go pass the fort on the left and reach the Qutub Shahi tombs.It is a royal graveyard where the seven kings and one queen of the Qutub Shahi dynasty are buried along with about 40 other tombs of their relatives and doctors and even two courtesans.

We assemble at the ticket counter and promptly at 4.30pm Gopalkrishna calls us to order.It is a large group and it is a happy thing to see so many people from different spheres showing an interest in the history of the city.We move towards the tombs and assemble in the gardens of the tomb of Abdullah Qutub Shah.

In the days when the city was not so crowded and there were no high rise buildings the eight domes of the bigger tombs were clearly visible from almost anywhere in the city.The tombs are about 2 kms north of  Golconda fort.Going for a Heritage walk is like a moving story telling session.Just before we enter the main gate where our tickets were checked is an unfinished tomb on the left.This is the tomb of Abdul Hasan Tana Shah,the last Qutub  Shahi ruler who died a prisoner of Aurangzeb and is buried in Daulatabad .He lived the life of a mendicant in his early years and was named Tana Shah by a Sufi saint meaning child saint.A benevolent ruler he spent the last twelve years of his life as a prisoner and sadly is not buried with his family.

Incomplete tomb of Tanashah

 We enter the main complex,assemble at Abdullah Qutub Shah's tomb and start a voyage of discovery of the kings who found this remarkable city and gave a century of peace and prosperity.All tombs are surrounded by gardens and are made on raised plinths.Bulbous domes, parapets, columns,arches, minarets and spires on top resembling the spires on Hindu temples.We are introduced to the  lotus designs,pineapple motifs,some blue and green tiles which originally had been used for the overlay design of the tombs,arches,minarets,galleries,Hindu brackets and pendants Gopal points out several unique features of the architecture and the motifs.

We assemble again at Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah's tomb,the man who founded Hyderabad,built the Charminar and whose 453rd birth anniversary is being celebrated this month.We hear of court intrigues and conspiracies and to the south we can see the Golconda fort clearly where Jamsheed Quli Shah murdered his own father to sit on the throne and how Ibrahim Quli Shah was sent to and  brought up in the court of the Raja of Vijaynagar to protect him.He learnt Telugu and literature and became a patron of art and culture. Ibrahim married a Hindu girl and was thus a tolerant loved ruler.He tells how line of sight and being in the visual space is very important and hence all temples or palaces were built on hills. The Charminar, visible from Golconda fort and from even his tomb,  built by Quli Qutub Shah in the village where for a girl he loved lived  so he could see the place always.But that is nother tale with different versions.

Quli Qutub Shah lies here and in the backdrop is Golconda Fort

There is a mortuary bath nearby where the bodies would be dressed before their burial.Interestingly the gate or tunnel once used for a funeral procession from the Golconda Fort to this necropolis would be sealed forever so that spirits of the dead do not go back.The Hamam is in Persian style and hs channels for the water to flow.
We move to an interesting tomb of Hayat Bakshi Begum,the daughter, wife and mother of kings.Stories say that Aurangzeb came to meet her and was so impressed by her wisdom and dignity that he married his son tio her younger daughter and did not trouble Golconda for next thirty years. Her mausoleum is truly befitting such a great lady the Ma Saheba of Golconda.Next to it is a mosque with pineapple motifs, mashaals and corns,two imposing minarets and calligraphic inscriptions Folklore has it the Aurangzeb being an austere Muslim did not want to offer prayers in  a mosque which was so embellished.So there stands a small mosque just at the entrance of Bakshi Begum's tomb,small,simple,built in a day so Aurangzeb could offer namaz. Another account is that one of the motifs on the arch of the wall looks like a lion and hence Aurangzeb did not offer prayers there and got another small mosque built .Whatever be the truth it all adds up to the mystique of these historic monuments.There were times when  days when they would be covered with carpets,ceilings with chandeliers,and tombs with  velvet canopies and tops with golden spires.Readings of the Quran held at regular intervals.Time is a great leveller.

Inside the tomb of Ma Saheba Hayat Bakshi Begum

Some other interesting tombs are those of two physicians in the court of Abdullah Qutub Shah,which are open from all sides because anyone should have access to hakims at anytime.The famous courtesan Taramati and Premmati are also buried here in the complex of their patrons.

We visited the Baoli or step well  three tier structure which has been restored some three years ago by conservation efforts.The rainwater collected here and was used to water the gardens and orchards of this sprawling necropolis.The walls were cool to the touch and the water collected is now being used for irrigation of the place.

Corridors of time and spirits past and present 

The Qutub Shahi tombs covers a vast area and it would take much more than two hours to explore it.Fortunately lot of restoration work is being undertaken  and one can see signs of work going on.This is indeed a boon for the city and monuments. But the graceful tombs of this Royal graveyard warrant another longer visit to appreciate the dynasty that gave Hyderabad to us,the city,its monuments and its culture.
            

There he is on Rainbow Bridge

The doctor told me it is time to let Simba go. She gave him two days or at the most a painful one week. He gave himself just one day and passed away late at night on 17th of January. A tumour in the back pressing his intestine, hind legs weak with arthritis and bearing the weight of his tumour and then two days ago his front legs refused to support his weight. It was time for him to say good bye to us. The doctor had advised us to put him to sleep instead of prolonging his agony and pain. It was a tough decision for which we were unable to prepare ourselves. How could we do this to Simba who just put his head in our lap and trustingly accepted any number of injections in his body when he was unwell. No anaesthesia, no muzzles were ever required. Just our comforting trusting presence. His faith, trust and uncomplaining loyalty towards us could not be broken;we could not even think about it.Through an uncomfortable evening and late night spent with us,he had already decided he would not let us go through this agony and torment. While we slept The Saint just trotted off to the Rainbow Bridge where only goodness, hard-to-guess grins,wagging tails,wise eyes beneath bushy eyebrows,padded soft paws, trusting hearts,tilted heads, belly rubs and friendly growls abound.As they say,“The dog is a gentleman;I hope to go to his heaven not mans". 

 But Simba is to be remembered for all the lovely times he left us with enriching our lives with his hugs and his nuzzles. Full of energy, playfulness and love he was everywhere, wherever he went. In this house in Hyderabad he made each corner of the huge compound and the house his very own territory. He would be with us, with the men working in the gardens, with those taking care of the house inside, with all the visitors who would come, with the trees, with the flowers, the ducks and whatever was left. He loved company and would feel mighty offended and even sulk if we did not introduce him to the guests at a party. A friendly bark here, a step back and a lifting of the head to give a long howl to say this my house and I am the boss here but never a low growl at the guests.And soon he would make himself comfortable in some corner or right in the centre where everyone was sitting.He says I could not help you in preparing the food or doing up the house but surely I can be of help in the conversation!

I look at the corner, empty today,where he would have his food.There was a food corner for him in every house that we lived in and he would not take any titbits from the dining table.You don't serve a gentleman by giving him food under the table! Oh no sir,I will dine in a proper way at the right time and please ensure good clean water.When he was a pup I recall giving him an omelette each day once the kids had left for school.He would be sitting by the kitchen door at 8 am everyday waiting patiently for me to give him his morning breakfast.But never a bark out of him.Not demanding just patience unlimited. That was the way he was.Patient, knowing that his meal would eventually be served. And this was true for everything all the time. And the faith in us that we would not fail to serve him.A faith so immense that he never barked for his food. When he was hungry he would just go stand near his eating bowls and if they were empty at the kitchen door.No barks just patience and trust.A trust I agonise to think we would have been forced to break to save him from suffering. 

His huge body and large size ensured that his presence could not be ignored. Sprawled in the corridor,near the bed,I n the garden, just outside the front door,often outside in the garden, no home was too big for him.In his younger days he would be sitting by the gate at a vantage point to look at the traffic outside Now in his 11^th year he was not bothered. But he waited for all the family members to come and meet him. He waited for Christmas vacations for my daughter to see him,he waited for my son who was to be back in India from Germany in January and he waited for their grandparents who had looked after him when he was a pup. And then after seeing everyone the grand old member of our family made a graceful exit.

I just planted a tree by your grave Simba and I hope you wagged your tail when I did that.