On the south bank of Musi near the Salarjung bridge, the Aza-Khana-e-Zahra stands peacefully amidst the chaos of the old city. Its bright green domes never fail to grab the passerby’s attention. Designed by Zain Yar Jung and funded by Nizam Osman Ali Khan, this house of mourning bears the…

Sitambar, the Urdu/Hindi word for the month of September. Sitam also means oppression, injustice and tyranny. Every Deccani surely remembers Sitambar for the repeated oppression the month has put them through. An incident that took place on 17 September, 1948 (also remembered as the “Police action”) put their state on…

Make my city full of people, Like you keep the river full of fish. These were the couplets said by Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah whilst laying the foundation of the City of Haider (Caliph Ali). Quli Qutub Shah was building Jannat on Earth. Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah Feristha mentions…

Wealth makes life easy. This stays a fact throughout the entirety of time. Wars have been waged for wealth and honour everywhere in the world. Wealth turned Emperors into conquerors, friends into foes. If you were a 12th century ruler of Turko-Indian origin looking to expand your domain to the…