Hyderabad: Historians and heritage buffs of Hyderabad are celebrating Monday as the 450th birth anniversary of Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, who established the city of Hyderabad in 1591. The king, the fourth ruler of the Qutb Shah dynasty, was 25 when he established the city. His reign lasted 32 years from 1580 to 1612.
It was during his period that the iconic Charminar was built, it first structure to come up in Hyderabad. Its foundation was laid in 1589; and by 1591, the main structure was ready.
That was when the king decided to move some people out of the Golconda fort to the new city of Hyderabad — the city turns 425 this year.
Golconda, the throne on which Mohammad Quli ascended in 1580 at the age of 14 was teeming with people, the population estimated in the range of 30,000-50,000.
Says Dr Mohammed Safiullah, historian and heritage expert from Hyderabad: “It was in 1589, when the king decided on a suggestion from his Prime Minister Mir Momin Astrabadi — a man of Iranian origin whose daughter was later married to the king — that the capital city be shifted.
Due to overpopulation, Golconda was facing a severe water crisis and sewage problem. A fear of outbreak of contagious diseases was looming. He wanted the new capital city to be close to Musi. So, the open stretch of land without any habitation then, which is now the Charminar area, was selected.”
Astrabadi was also the chief architect of Hyderabad who also helped design other buildings including the Badshahi Ashoorkhana and Darushifa. Most of those buildings do not exist now.
As per the records, Mohammad Quli was committed to secularism. While he named the new capital after Hazrat Ali, the son in law of Prophet Muhammad, who is popularly called Haidar e Karrar, the king appointed a Hindu named Patta Metta Somayajulu as poet laureate.
The king had a penchant for Telugu language and literature and patronised Telugu poets. Firmans, or decrees, used to be released in both Telugu and Persian. Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah also had an interest in Urdu poetry. Some historians regard him as the first-ever Dakkani/Urdu poet. He had written a book of poems called Kulliyat.
Call for memorial for the first king
Information available on Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad city, is scarce and scattered. Historians and heritage experts are demanding that the state government erect a memorial structure in his name here on the occasion of his 450th birth anniversary.
A member of the Deccan Heritage Trust, which has been working on heritage conservation for many years, said: “We do not want the memorial to be just a place for people to visit and throw flowers.
It should provide information in the form of books, archives, historical documents, paintings and informative videos on the rule of Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, his life and his efforts in building the city of Hyderabad from scratch.”
“The city has been continuously inhabited for the last 425 years and has grown to its present stage,” he pointed out. The Deccan Heritage Trust has planned to observe the king’s birthday and conduct events throughout the year on Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, including an international seminar on him here.
The Deccan Heritage Trust is also pursuing a proposal with the Central government to release a commemorative coin and stamp in honour of the founder of Hyderabad.
