The Heritage of the Qutb Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad

Out of stock

Out of stock

Free & Quick Delivery Worldwide

This is first comprehensive and profusely illustrated book which brings under one cover almost all the existing antiquities of heritage of the multi-faceted Qutb Shahi culture of Golconda – Hyderabad. The Qutb Shahi Kingdom was one of the five off-shoots of the Bahmani Kingdom (1347-1518). Sultan – Quli Qutbul Mulk, an emigrant from Hamadan (Iran), who was appointed governor of the Bahmani province of "Telangana" in 1496, assumed autonomous rule, on the disintegration of the Bahmani Kingdom. But he never declared independence nor he assumed royal titles even when the parent state had disappeared. At the time of appointment as governor, Golconda was granted as Jagir (fief) to Sultan – Quli by the Bahmani Sultan. He made Golconda "(Golla-Konda)" his provincial capital and named in "Muhammadnagar", and form it evolved, in course of time, the Golconda kingdom. Sultan Quli built the first inner forts of Golconda. Ibrahim Qutb Shah expanded it by building outer fort. Later, new fort added. The fifth ruler Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah founded the new city of Hyderabad, in 1591 and named it after the fourth Caliph of Islam Hazrat Ali’s title "Haider" (City of Haider). It was planed by Iranians as Safahan-i-Nawi (New Isfahan) Golconda and Hyderabad became the rendezvous of men of learning and flourished as multi-national and multi-racial cities, with people flocking to it from Iran, Turkey, Central Asia, North India and other regions of the Deccan. The rulers patronised learned men from these countries. Further, with ethnic and Shiah ideological link between Iran and the Qutb Shahs, there was a constant influx of Iranians and they had profound impact on all walks of life and culture. During the course of Qutb Shahi rule of 175 lunar years, Golconda, Hyderabad became the cradle of cultures and a nucleus of composite cultures with the unique architectural monuments of distinct Qutb Shahi style which are the living heritage. Around 1680, when the kingdom was at his height, it covered not only the present boundaries of Andhra Pradesh, but it extended beyond Chennai, St. Thome, ports of Orissa etc. This magnum opus on the Qutb Shahis tries to recapture the sublime spirit of the opulent oriental life and culture as rendered by its aesthetic architecture, art, pulsating paintings, costumes, jewellery, arms, Armour numerous other antiquities, which are brought to light and published for the first time. Being secular rulers they patronized Muslims, Hindus and Christians alike the Hindus occupied top most positions, like Prime Minister, commander-in-chief of the army etc. and were recruited at all levels. Europeans too were employed and they were given extra-ordinary concessions to establish factories within the kingdom. They patronized Persian, Telugu, Urdu and Arabic languages. Most of the royal orders or farmans, were bilingual in Persian and Telugu. It represented unity in diversity. The composite civilization that evolved came to be known first as "Deccani", and later became popular as the "Hyderabadi Culture". A glance of the table of contents reveals the wide variety of topics covered and documented by original photographs (mostly taken by the author himself during his field survey) of architecture, and that of antiquities acquired from various museum, both Indian and foreign and from the State Department of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, Idare-I-Adabiyati Urdu, and personal collections. The history of high level of grandeur and sophistication is explored by Dr. Nayeem in this very vivid account substantiated by nearly seven hundred photographs, all in multi-colour, except a few. Another unique aspect of this study is the detailed Historical Map of Golconda Fort, prepared by the author map of the inner forts etc. Numerous plans, and lay-out of various buildings, palaces complex in Golconda Fort, etc. substantiate the study. This splendid work, an outcome of several years’ research, is a broad based study that integrates diverse elements and present a synthesized panoramic survey of the chief constituents of the oriental culture. The author brilliantly treats the historical frame work in chronological order, highlighting the salient aspects of each ruler’s reig,. Including also Iran’s relations with Golconda-Hyderabad, political institutions, administrative and military organization etc. Then in the following eleven chapters the author describes the different antiquities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR M.A. Nayeem

Dr. M.A. Nayeem (b. 1938 at Hyderabad) graduated in Science from Osmania University, took his M.A. in History from Aligarh Muslim University, Ph.D. and D. Litt. in History from the University of Poona. He has retired from the Hyderabad Archives voluntarily as Research Officer and Assistant Director. As Research Officer, Dr. Nayeem compiled and edited two volumes of Mughal Documents. Catalogue of Aurangzeb's Reign, published by the Government of Andhra Pradesh (1980-81). They contain English translations of nearly 6,000 Persian documents. He was Jt. Editor for Nawab Imadul Mulk and Studies in the Foreign Relations of India published by the Archives. Dr. Nayeem's book Mughal Administration of Deccan Under Nizam Ul Mulk Asaf Jah I (1720-1748) has been published (1985) by Jaico-a project of I.C.H.R., New Delhi. His other publications are: Postal Marking of Hyderabad (1967), History of Postal Administration of Hyderabad (1970) and Enternal Relations of the Bijapur Kingdom, 1481-1686, (1974). He has read several research papers at national university seminars and Indian History Congress sessions and has contributed numerous papers to Indian, British and American journals and to the Encyclopedia Iranica published by the Columbia University, New York, Vasco Da Gama E A I; India (3 Vols.) Gulbenkian, Lisbon, etc. Dr. Nayeem was a member of the Editiorial Board of Islamic Culture. He is Co-Editor of Modern Deccan History sponsored by Government of Andhra Pradesh (Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute), and has contributed to it ten chapters. He is Editor for the Socio-Economic History of The Deccan. He was Jt. Editor of the Archives; Journal, Itihas, including special issue, Temples of Andhra Pradesh (1980). He has participated, on invitation, in the International Conferences and Symposium abroad. Dr. Nayeem's book, Hyderabad-Philatelic History, published by the Philatelic Congress of India in 1980, has won gold medals at Delhi, Tokyo, Paris, Norway, London and Melbourne. His biography was published in the International Who's Who of Intellectuals (1983), International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England. He has published series of six books on Arabian history and three are under publication.

reviews

0 in total

There are no reviews yet.

Bibliographic information

Title
The Heritage of the Qutb Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad
Author
Edition
1st ed.
Publisher
ISBN
8185492239
Length
xxii+382p., Plates; Figures; Tables; Maps; Appendices; Glossary; Bibliography; Index; 29cm.
Subjects

tags

#Hyderabad