Hyderabad is a city with a history that reads like a love story and a past that sounds like a fairy tale. The rule of the Nizams fill pages and pages of this history with a legendary patronage of arts, architecture and science.
Testimony to this sensitivity are the many exquisite monuments of Hyderabad.
One monument that in its intrinsic grandeur still exudes the power of yore is the Chowmahalla Palace. (Chow means four. And Mahal means Palace. Chow-Mahalla therefore means four palaces).
If you are looking for a party location that’s full of history and heritage. One that would make every guest of yours feel special and also make the evening different, memorable and indeed magical, then just step into the meticulously restored Chowmahalla Palace, You’ll immediately know that your quest has ended. This is the palace that was the seat of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty and was once regarded as the very center of Hyderabad,. This is the palace where the Nizams entertained their official guests and royal visitors.
Built over 200 years ago, Chowmahalla Palace is renowned for its unique style and elegance, and is a synthesis of many architectural styles and influences. The highlight of the palace is the Grand Khilwat, the Durbar Hall. The sheer magnificence of the place is breath-taking. The Courtyard where parties can be held, is a vast expanse of lush green lawns and picturesque water tanks and fountains.And now for the details of what the Palace Authorities can do to make your party one of the most talked about events in town.
In the following pictures you’ll see how Chowmahalla lit up a host’s party plans into a night of festivity that his guests can never forget. And into an evening of celebration that they will always remember. The moment guests walked into the Palace Gates, girls in traditional Hyderabadi attire welcomed them with a grace and charm that set the tone for the evening. A regal touch was added to the welcome by the mesmerizing sound of the Naubat. Then all guests were led to a royal horse driven buggy.
Restored with great care, this was one of the original Palace buggies that transported the Nizam and his guests. And today the whole fleet, with liveried assistants in attendance, demonstrated that hospitality indeed begins with four wheels and four legs. As guests entered the courtyard, what their eyes were immediately drawn to was the Khilwat, the Grand Durbar Hall that was lit up in an ever changing milieu of colours. This served as a unique backdrop to the whole event and the fantastic evening that was poised to unfold.
In the corridors of the Shishe-Alat was a group of ladies offering to decorate the hands of lady guests with Mehendi in different exquisite designs. There was also a photo studio set up by the Raja Deen Dayal family, famous royal photographers of erstwhile Hyderabad. Here guests could get pictures taken wearing the royal costumes provided. The Council Hall and the Roshan Bangla were other buildings that in their softly lit, muted beauty, twinkled the night into a mirror of expectations. (For smaller groups, lunches and tea parties can be organized in these venues).
In front of the haloed precincts of the Khilwat, against the backdrop of the vast expanse of undeniable monarchy, musicians had been placed on a raised platform in front. And as the gentle strains of music wafted through the air, guests could also catch a whiff of the delicacies that were being cooked up for them. On one side there was the Kebab corner grilling exquisitely marinated meat into a repast truly fit for the Kings. On another side was the beverage counter.
The call to dinner led all the guests to the Chowkis. Waiting for them was the most delectable spread that Royalty could dream of. With a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian, soups and shorbas, breads and rice, salads and curries, chutneys and curds and of course traditional mouth watering desserts, dinner promised to be a culinary journey into a regal past. The gently spiced, slowly cooked biryani of course was the cynosure.
While Nizam Salabhat Jung is credited with initiating the construction of the palace complex in 1750, it was Nizam Afzar-ud-Dawla Bahadur who ensured that it was completed between 1857 and 1869.
Extending from the Laad Bazaar on the north to the Aspan Chowk Road on the south, the palace originally covered 45 acres but regretably only 12 acres remain..
The Chowmahalla complex which is a replica of the Shah’s Palace in Teheran, Iran today consists of two courtyards with elegant palaces, the grand Khilwat (the Durbar Hall), fountains and gardens.
Southern Courtyard
The oldest part of the complex currently under restoration, comprises of the four palaces Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal.
Of these the Aftab Mahal is the grandest of them all and is a two storied building with a European façade of Corinthian columns and a parapet without pediment.
Northern Courtyard
The northern courtyard has been painstakingly restored and is now open to the public.
The highlights of this area are the Bara Imam - a long corridor of rooms on the east side that once housed the administrative wing. And the Shishe-Alat or quite literally, the shishe or mirror image which was once used as guest rooms for officials accompanying visiting dignitaries.
The Clock Tower is another impressive construction. It houses what is affectionately called the Khilwat Clock which has been ticking away ever since the Palace was built.
The Council Hall which housed a rare collection of manuscripts and priceless books is where the Nizam often met important officials. Today it is the venue for temporary exhibitions from the treasures of the Chowmahalla Palace Collection that offer you a glimpse of a bygone era.
Named after the sixth Nizam’s mother, Roshan Bangla is another exquisite part of this courtyard.
The centerpiece, indeed the pièce de résistance, is the Khilwat, the grand Durbar Hall.
With its Mughal domes and arches and a distinct Persian influence reflected in the ornate stucco work, this is the heart of the 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. The 19 recently reinstalled chandeliers made of spectacular Belgian crystal recreate the lost splendor of this regal hall.
Chowmahalla, which in its heydays had more than 7000 attendants, has been compared to the ‘Enchanted Gardens of the Arabian Nights’.
Chowmahalla, where the Nizams held their durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies also hosted popular banquets in honour of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in February 1906.
RESTORATION
It gives the Palace authorities great pleasure to place on record appreciation for the unstinting efforts of
Princess Esra who spearheaded the restoration initiative and inspired the team.
No comments:
Post a Comment