Daira Mir Momin in shambles

HYDERABAD: Daira Mir Momin, a nearly four-century-year-old graveyard located in the Sultan Shahi area of the Old city presents a picture of official apathy. Several important personalities including Mir Momin Astarabadi, who had contributed extensively to the foundation of Hyderabad, are laid to rest here. The history of the graveyard is that Mir Momin Astarabadi, had brought camel loads of soil from Karbala, the holy city of Iran, in the 16th century and got it laid at the graveyard. Hence, it is one of the important graveyards of the Muslim community in the city.

Amongst those laid to rest here were, Shah Chirag, a religious figure from Najaf, in Iraq, Noor-ul-Huda, another religious scholar from Iran who had brought along with him holy relics from Iran, which he had presented to the Qutb Shahi kings, the eminent poet Mirza Mohammed, high- ranking officials of the Mughal era and the family of Salar Jung. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, the exponent of Hindustani classical music was also buried here.

The graveyard, according to Hamed Hussain Jaffery, a Shia leader, is spread over 18 acres of land. “There is no proper upkeep due to lack of funds from the authorities. A lot of land has been encroached upon. Every year, we pay Wakf Fund to the TS Wakf Board but we do not get anything in return,” he complained.
He said that due to lack of funds, the management could not clear the arrears of the power bill which runs into over a lakh of rupees. “Despite submitting representations to the government, not much help is being provided,” laments Mr. Jaffery.

Hyderabad designed in line of Isfahan

In the middle of the vast Daira-e-Mir Momin or graveyard lies the small dome of Mir Momin Astarabadi, the architect of the Hyderabad. Historians say that Mir Momim himself got the tomb constructed at the place when he was alive. Mir Momin came to the Golconda in 1580 when Sultan Mohammad Quli was the ruler. He was appointed as ‘Peshwa’ (Prime Minister), five year later.  The man was instrumental in preparing the sketch of Hyderabad on the lines of ‘Isfahan’, the city of Iran. Mir Momin, named the city as ‘Isfahan-I-Nou (new Isfahan).