In February this year, people living near the Charminar in Hyderabad’s Old City were woken up early in the morning by the sound of workers drilling and digging at Gulzar Houz, a 16th century fountain left behind by the founders of the city. Soon, rumours spread like fire that the fountain was being demolished, and a small curious crowd gathered there, causing a commotion. The crowd was pacified when they eventually discovered that this was a restoration and not a demolition. Five months later, when the ‘restoration’ is in the final stages, some heritage enthusiasts are furious with the quality of the job. They feel that the ‘restoration’ has changed the very nature of Gulzar Houz, which is one of the city’s foundational monuments. But here’s the thing, nobody is sure what the monument looked like when the city was founded over four centuries ago by the Qutb Shahi Sultans (1518-1687).
This in a way is a corollary of what Hyderabad as a historical city faces when it comes to its built heritage. Monuments are often in the crosshairs of restoration and urban landscape projects which, like in the case of Gulzar Houz, go through several changes over time. That, coupled with heritage sites being dismantled or torn down periodically by the state and even private owners, threatens to erase Hyderabad’s history from its emerging landscapes. Only a handful of sites escape the city’s endless expansion and fewer still are identified for restoration.
When these rare restoration projects are taken up, how close to the original can we aim to get? Or should all of them, big and small, undergo comprehensive restoration to boost tourism? And who decides how the restoration should happen? A cursory look at the ongoing projects and other monuments that have been lying neglected for years, if not decades, shows a disheartening trajectory of the city’s urban planning in which heritage is more often an afterthought. The Gulzar Houz fiasco is a classic example.
Gulzar Houz, originally known as Char Su K Houz (fountain of the four cardinal points), was built around 1595. The first restoration of the fountain is believed to have been during the reign of Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam (1869-1911). While a photo from the 1880s shows Gulzar Houz as a huge circular fountain with an iron base and raised grills, this was most likely a refurbished version because history books talk of a very different structure in the 16th century.
Gulzar Houz in the 1880s (Image Credit: Deen Dayal/Deccan Archive)
In recent times and before work began this year, for the most part it was a circular fountain spanning 24 feet end-to-end and only one feet high.
A recent photograph of Gulzar Houz before restoration work began
Gulzar Houz in 2023
Post Independence, Gulzar Houz was redone a few more times under different governments, until it finally became a dirty yellow fountain from which drainage overflowed. This is how the last few generations of Hyderabadis remember it. It was last ‘renovated’ in 2020 by the Lions Club, which gave it a fresh coat of yellow and green paint. In February 2022, the state government handed over the restoration to a private firm called Deccan Terrain. With no visual reference for the original structure, the current restoration project has used the 1880s image as a blueprint.
Originally built without any tiles, Gulzar Houz now has Moroccan tiles on its inside walls, its boundary walls have been raised, and a new cast iron fountain has been erected, similar to the one inside the Charminar.
“When we took over the site, it was in a very bad condition. We kept in mind the designs used during the Qutb Shahi and the Nizam period. We have used granite for the walls of the fountain to match the Pathergatti market nearby. A water channel has been provided to drain or pump water now,” Deccan Terrain’s Mir Khan told TNM. The renovated fountain is likely to be inaugurated in a few weeks.
Historical sites from centuries ago were mostly built using lime mortar as cement and concrete didn’t exist. This is what explains their longevity. Using cement on historical sites for restoration would be considered an unforgivable error by archaeologists anywhere in the world, as it causes more damage. But Gulzar Houz, at least for the last few decades, has been a cement structure due to restoration and reconstruction.
Still, some activists question why decisions regarding the restoration process were taken without consulting experts.
“I’m one of the people who has seen the monument since my childhood. I have seen some minor changes over the decades, but never something radical like this. We have tiles in the Qutb Shahi tombs but those are different. Now modern materials that have nothing to do with the period have been used,” said Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) convenor Anuradha Reddy.
Sources say that instructions on this restoration project and others in recent times are coming from the Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MAUD) Department. Even the recent announcements of restoration projects at monuments such as Badshahi Ashurkhana, Paigah Tombs, Saidanima’s Tomb, and the Khursheed Jah Dewdi in the capital were made by Arvind Kumar, the Principal Secretary, MAUD, and not by the Telangana Heritage Department.
This has caused much consternation among a section of activists who argue that the Heritage Department must be in charge of such projects. The state government has a mandate to constitute District and Greater Hyderabad Heritage Committees under the Telangana Heritage (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Maintenance) Act, 2017.
Golconda Fort and Charminar are the two only sites in the city that fall under Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) jurisdiction. All other monuments in the state are protected by the state Heritage Department or are privately owned.
In August 2021, the state government finally issued an order creating the Telangana State Heritage Authority (TSHA), committees at district levels and in Greater Hyderabad for the protection of historic sites. Under this mandate, apart from government officials, two experts from archaeology, heritage, and history are to be ‘co-opted members’ on these committees to review heritage projects.
But activists allege that the committees are defunct, and that it is the bureaucracy and the MAUD Principal Secretary who are taking decisions.
The erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state had in 1995 added a requirement to the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) zoning regulations to conserve buildings, precincts, and structures of historical, architectural, and cultural value. A committee – which included experts such as historian Sajjad Shahid – was formed and asked to identify ‘heritage buildings’ that required government protection. A total of 151 buildings were identified and notified according to importance.
Some of the buildings from the old HUDA list are not in the new list, meaning that those structures can now be easily torn down.
Sajjad said that decisions are being taken from within the government without consultation with stakeholders. “There is no heritage committee or due process followed. There is no framework for how to restore monuments. There should be a heritage committee according to the Telangana High Court’s earlier orders, but this has not been formed. On what basis are they restoring monuments? When the state government believes it is above the law, then what is the point? A contractor has been handed over major projects,” he alleged.
However, coming to Gulzar Houz, the fact is that the fountain has undergone several changes from the 1940s. In 1998, it was painted blue, a cement boundary wall was built, and a new motor and piping system was installed. “Where were the activists when it was painted blue over two decades ago? Where were they when it was painted yellow? They did not say a word then,” remarked one architect who did not want to be named.
It is easier to save monuments from the 19th century onwards as photography was more common. Unlike Gulzar Houz, where the original structure itself was lost to time, monuments from the same period that still stand but suffer due to neglect are aplenty in the city.
And the Badshahi Ashurkhana, one of the city’s most beautiful sites, presents a stark example.
Just about 500 metres away from the Gulzar Houz and Charminar is Hyderabad’s famous Shadab Hotel in the Old City. It’s almost a ritual for thousands of people who go to that side of town to have a meal at the hotel. However, the irony is that most are unaware that Badhshahi Ashurkhana, the second oldest structure built in Hyderabad, is literally adjacent to the hotel. The Badshahi Ashurkhana – the royal house of mourning where Muharram is observed – was built in 1592. A bigger hall was added in the second half of the 18th century to make more space for devotees, but the building’s originality was retained.
The structure could have been a major tourist attraction had the government taken the initiative, but now remains a classic example of neglect. Its vicissitudes over the years also show how monuments in the Old City not just struggle for survival, but are also susceptible to political interference.
Badshahi Ashurkhana
A close-up of the tile work in the Badshahi Ashurkhana where some of the damages are visible
After several requests from its caretakers, Arvind Kumar announced in May this year that the Ashurkhana (along with other monuments) will be restored in association with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
The compound of the historic site was for years encroached by local vendors. Mir Abbas Moosavi, whose family has been taking care of the Badshahi Ashurkhana for 12 generations, finally approached the Hyderabad High Court and won the case. The court first directed the encroachers from inside the compound to be evicted in 2009 and from outside its gates in 2011.
AKTC architects recently inspected the Ashurkhana and about a month ago, debris was also removed from the site in preparation.
“We have been waiting since 2011 for restoration of the site. Meetings have been held, but work has not started so far. Every department has its share of budget. Where is the Heritage Department’s money being spent?” Moosavi asked.
When TNM asked Heritage Department officials about the restoration of the Badshahi Ashurkhana and Gulzar Houz, they refused to comment.
One can argue that restoring monuments like the Badshahi Ashurkhana and Gulzar Houz might be tricky due to various challenges. But there are more sites that have become victims of encroachment and neglect, particularly over the last 50 years. If one has to point out the utter failure in protecting the city’s heritage, there is perhaps no better example than Golconda Fort.
With a circumference of about 6.8 km, a map from 1941 shows 10 major marked points on the fort, along with scores of other smaller structures including palaces. Today, however, what one can see is only the Bala Hissar or the main area where the Durbar hall is located. With the exception of the gates, about 50 odd bastions, and a few other structures, the rest of the fort has been encroached by thousands of locals who began settling here for the last four decades.
A view of the Golconda fort and Qutb Shahi tombs from the 1980s before it became densely populated (Source: MIT archives)
Water channels and lakes within the fort’s perimeter and outside have also been lost to encroachments. In fact, Nadeem Colony in the fort area was developed by encroaching on the 16th century historic Shah Hatim Talab (lake). Homes were built within its full tank level over the last two decades. Today, residents here face flooding every year during the monsoon.
While it is all technically unauthorised as the entire fort falls under ASI jurisdiction, the Department only watched as bit by bit the fort was encroached by homes.
“We don’t have any powers to do anything. We can only issue notices and ask the state to take action. But people seldom listen and we don’t have enough staff also,” said an ASI official who did not want to be quoted.
Except for minor repair works, the Golconda Fort, in spite of being world renowned, has not seen any major restoration in the last few years especially.
Outer walls of Golconda
“There is a lot of scope for the ASI to do something in the fort area. One of its gates, called the Patancheru Darwaza, is abandoned and has been turned into a dumpyard by locals. It has not been encroached because construction companies can’t destroy its massive granite walls. A part of the moat still exists in the area and all it needs is a clean-up and facelift,” said a heritage activist who did not want to be named.
With the exception of the Bala Hissar, the rest of the site is pretty much open to encroachment, in spite of being fully under the ASI. The situation is unlikely to change anytime in the future.
There are, however, exceptions that offer a glimmer of hope when it comes to restoration. In fact, ironically, the best example is a site that was once physically connected to Golconda Fort.
This necropolis is where the entire Qutb Shahi dynasty is buried with the exception of its last king. The complex houses close to 100 structures including tombs, a hamam (Turkish baths), stepwells, and hundreds of other unmarked tombs.
The fort and the necropolis were originally connected via a gate, which still exists. However, the path connecting the two sites houses a residential colony and other commercial complexes. In spite of this and other issues at the tombs complex, AKTC began restoration work in 2013. The site has now been transformed into a lush green heritage site that is a delight for all visitors.
Restoration work at the Qutb Shahi tombs
Restoration was not easy given that a few structures in the complex were on the brink of complete collapse. Over the past decade, architects and workers painstakingly removed tonnes of cement from the domes of tombs. A portion of the Badi Baoli (stepwell) at the site had collapsed. Not only did AKTC fix it, its team under CEO and conservation architect Ratish Nanda turned it into a functional well. Work was also halted due to cases filed against the restoration work in the Wakf Tribunal. However, the Tribunal finally gave its nod for work to continue due to the grave situation at the site.
Since then work has been ongoing, albeit not without local and legal challenges for the AKTC. But the efforts have paid off. “We have conserved about 75 to 80 of the 100+ monuments in the 106-acre park. Over 40 acres of formal gardens have also been restored as have 160 individual graves standing across the park,” said Ratish Nanda, who was also involved in other projects such as the Humayun’s tomb restoration in New Delhi.
Qutb Shahi tombs
Last year, the restored stepwells won the Award of Distinction at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The AKTC team examined scores of archival images to make sure it did not change the site fundamentally. Sajjad and other experts in restoration work are also consulted periodically.
An AKTC functionary told TNM that the project will take at least a few more years to be completed.
The other major site whose recent restoration has been cause for some cheer is the British Residency in the Koti Women’s College premises. A Palladian style European building built between 1798-1804, it was the British seat of power. In shambles for decades, it was masterfully restored along with its visually captivating papier mache ceiling. While restoration began in 2015, work on the main building was completed last year (the annexes and its wings are still being restored).
The restoration was carried out by conservation architect B Sarat Chandra’s firm, in association with the state government and the World Monuments Fund.
While the successful restoration of the British Residency and the Qutb Shahi tombs truly stands out, it may be noted that in both cases the funding was mainly external.
British Residency
The paper mache ceiling of the British Residency
Both restorations can also provide a blueprint of sorts for future projects.
“I would say that the Qutb Shahi tombs are a good example. I would like to see certain guidelines for the restoration of heritage (private buildings). I know people will not like it, but I think it is time we understand the value of heritage sites,” said city-based architect Srinivas Murthy.
“It is not just about Gulzar Houz, but other restoration projects also. We are only doing cosmetic changes. We need to value heritage as a whole. We need to look at things like in London where the historic core has been preserved. It has to be a total experience. In my opinion, this piecemeal approach is not the right way to go,” he added.
Srinivas’s words are true of a lot of old buildings in Hyderabad, which in spite of their historical value have either been neglected or even demolished outright. Buildings such as Khusro Manzil or the IAS Officers Association building (which was located right behind Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s camp office in Begumpet) were demolished without a second thought. King Kothi Palace, where Hyderabad’s last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, lived and died, was sold off by his family and is currently under litigation. More recently, another heritage building of importance, the Osmania General Hospital that was built in the 1920s, was under fear of demolition but currently lies unused in spite of the state government’s promise of restoration.
When contacted, Arvind Kumar told TNM that the city’s heritage projects are being taken up with urgency. “The restoration efforts by the government is on priority and in the fast lane now – the Charminar pedestrian area including Sardar Mahal restoration by Kalakriti, Laad Bazaar precinct development (by Abha Lamba on lines of Amritsar precinct), Murghi Chowk Market and Mir Alam Mandi redevelopment, Pathergatti restoration, and so on.”
While the new restoration projects offer some hope to a city that desperately needs to protect its heritage, it is to be seen if they will serve as good examples of long-term conservation.
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