Hyderabad: In spite of its remodelling and supposedly new drain lines, the historic Gulzar Houz (fountain) near the Charminar has once again fallen victim to rainwater. On Monday, workers could be seen physically removing rainwater which was clogged up inside the monument. This has only raised questions about the work that was carried out last year during its restoration.
The monument was restored only last year and was inaugurated with much fanfare as well. It may be recalled that Gulzar Houz’s ‘restoration’ was also peculiar, as it was remodelled as it remodelled rather than preserving its original appearance. Only 19th-century photos of the fountain exist, which was much bigger than what it is now.
Moreover, with water accumulating inside the fountain, something that had been happening in the past as well, it also raises the question of how monuments are restored in Hyderabad with fanfare, but often fail to live up to standards. Even the 19th-century Moazzam Jahi market, which was restored a few years ago, had its roofs leaking soon after it was inaugurated.
Gulzar Houz and why it is important
One of the important things to understand about Hyderabad is that we do not know how the city looked originally. It was destroyed by the Mughals in 1687 (the Nizams, who were Mughal-appointed governors, came after that) much after it was founded in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. The city was built as a grand city, with the Charminar as its centre.
Muhammad Quli was the fourth king of the Qutb Shahi or Golconda dynasty (1518-1687), who decided to move out of the Golconda fort and hence founded Hyderabad. The fort was a walled city and its construction began after Muhammad Quli’s grandfather Sultan Quli founded the kingdom in 1518.
History books talk of the grandeur that Hyderabad once had, and among the initial monuments built within the first decade of its foundation was the Gulzar Houz. Most Hyderabadis and even tourists would usually overlook it, given that in recent public memory the fountain was in a sorry state. Over decades, it became infamous for its neglect, and sewerage water inside it.
That is the story of Gulzar Houz, and last year’s restoration seemingly had put the issue of its neglect to rest. However, the case seems to be otherwise.
