Hyderabad: The restoration of two key monuments in the city – Baadshahi Ashurkhana and Shaikpet Sarai – have hit roadblocks as work is yet go begin on the sites by the state government and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
The Telangana government had announced that it would restore the Baadhshahi Ashurkhana, Shaikpet Sarai and the Saidanima’s Tomb last year in May. While work on the Saidanima’s Tomb was commenced and the site was even inaugurated, restoration work on both the other heritage sites, which go back to the Golconda period of Hyderabad, is yet to begin.
Sources said that the change of government since last year has caused a delay in restoration, as heads of departments have changed ever since the Congress came to power last year. The previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had in May 2023 made the announcement about the restoration work.
Ex-principal secretary Arvind Kumar, who was overseeing the projects, had visited the heritage sites and announced the projects. Soon after it was announced, AKTC personnel even visited the Baadshahi Ashurkhana and conducted surveys of monument, which was originally built with Persian mosaic tiles by the founder of Hyderabad.
The source added that another reason behind the delay in starting the restoration works of the heritage sites is funding, which has also hit a roadblock. It is to be seen if the Telangana government speeds up restoration of historical sites in the coming days. However, it may be noted that the AKTC is currently restoring the Paigah tombs as well, and last month also held the formal completion ceremony of the Qutb Shahi tombs, which it has been working on since 2013.
Historical importance of the heritage sites
Badshahi Ashurkhana: The site is a protected heritage site and is the second oldest monument of Hyderabad, as it was built immediately after the Charminar, which was constructed as the city’s foundation in 1591 by Mohd Quli Qutb Shah of the Golconda or Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518-1687). Construction of the site began in 1592.
Though some ancillary structures in the open ground like Naqar Khana, Abdar Khana and Niyaz Khana have suffered intense damage, however, the main hall of the Badshahi Ashoorkhana remains intact. Walls decked up with multicoloured tiles and the dominant theme of flaming Alams is the cynosure of all eyes here.
A mosaic of staggered hexagons with jewel-like shapes fills the arch on the southern wall. Typical Indian colours like mustard yellow and brown add vibrancy to the panel on the western wall while the north-west wall sports a large ‘Alam’ in the centre of the side panels. Circling swirls of flowers and leaves surround the compositions.
The walls of this historic heritage structure were damaged during the floods of 1908. and were temporarily repainted in a similar design.The Badshahi Ashurkhana was constructed between 1592-96, sometime after the Charminar was built in 1591. Like other Ashoorkhanas, this one too saw bad days for nearly a century after the Qutb Shahi dynasty fell to Aurangzeb’s army in 1687. And it wasn’t until Nizam Ali (the second monarch of the Asaf Jahi dynasty) came to power that the Badshahi Ashoorkhana was given an annual grant.
Shaikpet Sarai: The Sarai is a heritage or historical resthouse in Hyderabad. Built by the sixth Golconda king Abdullah Qutb Shah (1626-72) in the 17th century, the Sarai has 30 rooms, stables for horses and camels, a mosque, and a tomb. Located a few kilometers away from Golconda Fort, the Shaikpet Sarai can accommodate 500 people. It was built for traders who used to visit Hyderabad from across the world.
