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Hyderabad,
the capital of Andhra Pradesh, along
with its twin sister, Secunderabad, are
endearingly called 'Twin Cities'. The
400-year-old metropolis, a mixing pot of
varied cultures, magnificent monuments
and mansions speak the language of glory
of the past heritage.
The history of Hyderabad is inextricably
bound with the rise and fall of various
kingdoms, which flourished in the Deccan
plateau region during the medieval and
modern times.
It was the rule of the famous Qutub
Shahis which opened a glorious chapter
in the annals of Hyderabad. Quli Qutub
Shah seized the reigns of power from the
Bahamani dynasty in 1512 and established
the Fortress City of Golconda. During
the reign of the fifth descendant of
this dynasty, Mohammed Quli, Hyderabad
got its name.
The City of Hyderabad, or Bhagyanagar,
was named after a local dancer named
Bhagmati. Md.Quli Qutub Shah loved this
lass who lived in a cottage in the
village of Chichlam, where the great
edifice of Charminar stands.
Legend has it that the young Sultan rode
out from the Golconda Fort to meet his
beloved, braving the flood waters of the
river Musi. He then re-christened her
Hyder Mahal, and thus the name Hyderabad
came into being. The seed of cultural
tolerance and cosmopolitanism too were
seemingly sown at the inception itself.
During the early part of his reign,
Golconda became famous for its diamonds,
steel and printed cloth. Commercial
activity drew merchants from Asia and
Europe, Hyderabad's fame, strategic
location and Golconda's legendary wealth
attracted Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, who
captured Golconda after a long siege.
In 1687, it was annexed into the Mughal
empire, with Asaf Jah as part Prime
Minister of the Deccan. As the Mughal
empire began to disintegrate and decay,
Asaf Jah proclaimed himself the master
of Deccan. This marked the end of the
medieval period in the history of Deccan.
The end of Mughal hegemony also marked
the definite establishment of the Asaf
Jahi rule.
The State and Dynasty so founded by Asaf
Jahi I witnessed many eventful things in
the evolution of Hyderabad State. He
instituted the title of Nizam, which had
become since then dynasty title of
successive rulers of the State. He thus
became the founder of the House of the
Nizams.
In 1798, a subsidiary alliance for
military and political cooperation was
signed between the Hyderabad Nizam and
the British East India Company.
Thereafter, an area north of what is now
the Hussain Sagar Lake was established
as a cantonment. After the Nizam
Sikander Jah, the area was named as
Secunderabad.
The Asaf Jahi dynasty, ruled by the
Nizams, continued until the State was
merged into the Indian Union in 1948,
after the Police action against the then
Nizam, who refused to merge with the
Indian Union.
Hyderabad, significantly, was the
largest Princely State in India, with
its own flag, currency and coins, postal
system, railways and even its own radio.
After the reorganization of States in
1956, Hyderabad city was merged with the
new State of Andhra Pradesh, carved out
of the composite State of Madras and the
city became the new capital of Andhra
Pradesh.
Though the cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad are twins, they are
different in their layout of buildings,
the style of life and the very
atmosphere. The cities present different
fusion of cultures one been the capital
of princely state and the other under
the direct rule of British till 1948.
People of the Twin Cities are proud of
the history and heritage, their unique
blend of cultures, the relaxed pace of
life, and lifestyle, and their cuisine. |
