Charminar

In my series of posts on Mogul or Islamic architecture, the first one is obviously from Hyderabad, the city I love!

CHARMINAR, is the icon of Hyderabad city. Pride of every Hyderabadi! Perhaps visualising Hyderabad without Charminar is near impossibility! It is an imposing structure in the old city of Hyderabad, often compared with Arc de Triomphe of Paris. Charminar is the pivot around which the glory and history of the city have developed. 

 

This superb monument was built by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the 5th ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty 1591 shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to Hyderabad. The story goes like this; He built Charminar to commemorate the elimination of a plague epidemic from this city. He is said to have prayed for the end of a plague that was ravaging his city and vowed to build a masjid (Islamic mosque) at the very place where he was praying. In 1591 while laying the foundation of Charminar, he prayed: "Oh Allah, bestow unto this city peace and prosperity. Let millions of men of all castes, creeds and religions make it their abode, like fish in the water." Today one can see the city as evidence of the prayer being answered. The Mosque became popularly known as Charminar because of its four (Hindi char = four) minarets (Minar (Arabic manara) = spire/tower). The point to be noted here is that he prayed for people of all casts and religion! Such was the religious tolerance those days! Very admirable! 

 

 

This beautiful colossus in granite, lime, mortar and, some say, even pulverized marble, was at one time the heart of the city. The wonderful monument with its four arches was so proportionately planned that when the fort was opened one could catch a glimpse of the bustling Hyderabad city as these Charminar arches were facing the most active royal ancestral streets. There is also a legend of an underground tunnel connecting the palace at Golkonda to Charminar, possibly intended as an escape route for the Qutub Shahi rulers in case of a siege, though the exact location of the tunnel is unknown.

Charminar has the signature style of Islamic architecture. This great tribute to aesthetics looks sturdy and solid from a distance but as one moves closer, it emerges as an elegant and romantic edifice proclaiming its architectural eminence in all its detail and dignity. Charminar looks equally spectacular at night when it is illuminated. Apart from being the core of the city’s cultural milieu, today it has become a brand name.

 

Charminar is a beautiful and impressive square monument. Each side measures 20 m, and each of the corners has a tall, pointed minaret. These four gracefully carved minarets soar to a height of 48.7 m above the ground, commanding the landscape for miles around. Each minaret has four stories, marked by a delicately carved ring around the minaret. Unlike the Taj Mahal, Charminar's four fluted minarets are built into the main structure. Inside the minarets 149 winding steps guide the visitor to the top floor. From the highest point one can have a panoramic view of old city of Hyderabad.

In 1889 a clock was installed in the balcony of Charminar, which is in working condition even today! The masjid occuoies the fourth floor of Charminar. Inside the Charminar very beautiful and intricate calligraphic work can be seen. There are four arches on all four sides of Charminar. Each arch is 11 meters wide and 20 meters tall! It’s a sight to see Charminar during Ramadan month as the entire structure will be illuminated.

 

This monument is 400 years old.            

  

Created with flickr slideshow.