The Qutub Shahi Tombs are located in the Ibrahim Bagh (garden precinct), close to the famous Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, India. They contain the tombs and mosques built by the various kings of the Qutub Shahi dynasty.[3][4] The galleries of the smaller tombs are of a single storey while the larger ones are two-storied. In the centre of each tomb is a sarcophagus which overlies the actual burial vault in a crypt below. The domes were originally overlaid with blue and green tiles, of which only a few pieces now remain.[5]
The tomb complex lies north of the outer perimeter wall of Golkonda Fort and its Banjara Darwaza (Gate of the Gypsies), amidst the Ibrahim bagh.
Description
The tombs form a large cluster and stand on a raised platform. They are domed structures built on a square base surrounded by pointed arches, a distinctive style that blends Persian and Indian forms. The tombs are structures with intricately carved stonework and are surrounded by landscaped gardens.[6]
The tombs were once furnished with carpets, chandeliers, and velvet canopies on silver poles. Copies of the Quran were kept on pedestals and readers recited verses from the holy book at regular intervals. Golden spires were fitted over the tombs of the sultans to distinguish their tombs from those of other members of the royal families.
History
During the Qutb Shahi period, these tombs were held in great veneration. In 1687, during the Siege of Golconda, the tombs were converted into barracks by the invading Mughal army, and the grounds were turned into a camp. Guns were mounted onto the mausoleums in order to bomb the fortress.[7]
The tombs fell into disrepair until Sir Salar Jung III ordered their restoration in the early 19th century. A garden was laid out, and a compound wall was built. Once again, the tomb garden of the Qutb Shahi family became a place of serene beauty. All except the last of the Qutb Shahi sultans lie buried here.
Seven Qutub Shahi Tombs
The complex is popularly known as 7 tombs as it houses the tombs of the 7 (out of 8) sultans of Qutub Shahi dynasty[4]
Incomplete tomb of Mir Ahmed (son of the daughter of Abdullaha Qutb Shah)
Description of each tomb
Sultan Quli Qutb Mulk's tomb, the style of which sets the example for the tombs of his descendants, is on an elevated terrace measuring 30 meters in each direction. The tomb chamber proper is octagonal, with each side measuring around 10 meters. The entire structure is crowned by a circular dome. There are three graves in this tomb chamber and twenty-one laid out on the surrounding terrace, all of which lack inscription except for the main tomb. The inscription on Sultan Quli's tomb is in three bands, in the Naskh and Tauq scripts. The inscription refers to Sultan Quli as Bade Malik (Great Master) — the endearing term by which all people of the Deccan used for him. The tomb was built in 1543 A.D. by the Sultan, during his lifetime, as was the custom.[8]
Near the tomb of Sultan Quli is that of his son, Jamsheed, the second in the line of Qutb Shahi sultans. Built in 1550 A.D.,[9] this is the only Qutb Shahi tomb which has not been fashioned from shining black basalt. Its appearance, too, is quite unlike the other tombs in the garden — it rises gracefully in two stories, unlike the squat tombs of the other kings. Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah's is the only tomb of a Qutb Shahi ruler without any inscriptions; of course, Jamsheed's son, Subhan's tomb also does not have any inscriptions. Subhan Quli Qutb Shah ruled for a short time. Subhan's tomb stands midway between the tombs of his father and grandfather. He was popularly called Chhote Malik (Small Master).
Sultan Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah's tomb, built in 1580, after his death, is slightly larger than Sultan Quli's tomb.[10] Traces of the enameled tiles, which once adorned this mausoleum, can still be seen on the southern wall. The tomb has two graves in the main chamber and 16 on the terrace; some of them probably are those of his six sons and three daughters. There are inscriptions in the Thuluth script on all faces of the sarcophagus. The three famous calligraphists — Isphalan, Ismail, and Taqiuddin Muhammad Salih — who left a store of Naskh, Thuluth, and Nastaliq inscriptions on the many Qutb Shahi edifices in the city, were contemporaries of Ibrahim Shah.
Sultan Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah's mausoleum is considered the grandest of the Qutb Shahi tombs. Built in 1602 A.D., the tomb is on a terrace of 65m square and 4m high. A flight of steps leads to the mausoleum proper, which is 22 m square on the outside and 11 m square on the inside. There are entrances on the southern and eastern sides. The tomb is in a vault below the terrace. Inscriptions in Persian and the Naskh scripts decorate it.
Another grand mausoleum is that of the sixth sultan, Muhammed Qutb Shah. The facade of this tomb was once decorated with enameled tiles; only traces are now evident. There are six graves and inscriptions in Thuluth and Naskh. The mausoleum was built in 1626. Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah's tomb is the last of the royal tombs, as Abul Hasan Qutb Shah (Tana Shah), the last Qutb Shahi Sultan, was a prisoner in the fortress of Daulatabad, near Aurangabad, when he died. While the tombs of those who ruled dominate the area, interspersed are many other monuments, most of them tombs of other members of the royal family.
The tomb of Fatima Sultan, with its bulbous dome, is near the entrance to the tomb-garden. Fatima was the sister of Muhammed Qutb Shah. Her tomb houses several graves, two with inscriptions. Immediately to the south of Muhammed Quli's tomb are three uninscribed tombs. There are the mausoleums of Kulthoom, Muhammed Qutb Shahi's granddaughter born of the son of the sultan's favourite wife Khurshid Bibi, her (Kulthoom's) husband and daughter. Kulthoom's tomb is on the west of this cluster.
The twin-tombs of the two favourite hakims (physicians) of Sultan Abdullah — Nizamuddin Ahmed Gilani and Abdul Jabbar Gilani — were built in 1651. They are among the few Qutb Shahi tombs that are not of royalty. Another pair are those of Premamati and Taramati, the favourite courtesans of Sultan Abdullah Shah, who were laid to rest beside his tomb. One other tomb which is not that of a Qutb Shahi family member is that of Neknam Khan. Neknam Khan, who served in Abdullah's army, was the commander-in-chief of the Carnatic. His tomb is on a platform outside the mausoleum of Ibrahim Qutb Shah. It was built in 1672, two years after Nekam Khan's death.
Archways at Qutb Shahi Tombs
The last sultan of the dynasty, Abul Hasan Qutb Shah (also known as Tana Shah), was not buried alongside his ancestor. Instead, he was buried at Khuldabad. The mausoleum which Abul Hasan, the last Qutb Shahi Sultan, began building for himself, actually houses the grave of Mir Ahmed, the son of Sultan Abdullah's son-in-law and the sister of Abbas II Safair, the Shah of Persia. The tomb of Fadma Khanum, one of Sultan Abdullah's daughters, stands near the mausoleum of her husband, Mir Ahmed. Hers is the only Qutb Shahi tomb not surmounted by a dome.
To the west of the tombs lies the dargah of Hussain Shah Wali, the revered Sufi saint. He is most affectionately remembered by people as the builder of Hussain Sagar in 1562. Among other monuments in the garden that are not tombs, the most important are the mortuary bath and the Masjid of Hayat Bakshi Begum.
The Great Mosque in the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex
The mortuary bath, which stands opposite the tomb of Muhammad Quli, was built by Sultan Quli to facilitate the ritual washing of the bodies of the dead kings and others of the royal family before they were carried to their final resting place. The practice followed was to bring the body out of the fort, through the Banjara Gate, to this bath, before carrying it away for burial with the ritualistic pomp that was required to mark the occasion. A large number of people — relatives, officials, friends, and fond subjects — attended. The bath is one of the finest existing specimens of ancient Persian or Turkish baths.
The Qutb Shahis built a number of masjids all over Golkonda and Hyderabad, and almost every tomb has a masjid adjacent. The biggest and the grandest such masjid is by the mausoleum of Hayat Bakshi Begum. Popularly known as the great masjid of the Golkonda tombs, it was built in 1666 A.D. Fifteen cupolas decorate the roof and the prayer-hall is flanked by two lofty minarets. The impression, as a whole, is one of majesty and splendour. The inscriptions in the masjid are in calligraphic art.
Hayat Bakshi Begum was the daughter of Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth sultan, the wife of Sultan Muhammed Qutb Shah, the sixth sultan, and the mother of Abdullah Qutb Shah, the seventh sultan. She was affectionately known as "Ma Saheba" (Revered Mother). The tomb-garden of the sultans of Golkonda was known as "Lagar-e-Faiz Athar" (a place for bountiful entertainment) in the days of the Qutb Shahi rulers, for some item or song or dance or even an occasional play was staged here every evening, free of cost, to entertain the poor.
The Telangana State Archaeology and Museums Department, in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, has restored the tombs. The restoration of the step-wells within the complex was funded by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.[12] The restoration work started in 2013,[13][3] and was unveiled by the U.S. Ambassador to India on 10 March 2020.[14] While restoration work paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic, work has now continued at a slower rate.[15]
Gallery
Qutb Shahi Mosque interior
Distant shot of all the Qutb Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad
The Deccan sultanates is a historiographical term referring to five late medieval to early modern Indian kingdoms on the Deccan Plateau between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range that were created from the disintegration of the Bahmani Sultanate and ruled by Muslim dynasties: namely Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, and Golconda. The five sultanates owed their existence to the declaration of independence of Ahmadnagar in 1490, followed by Bijapur and Berar in the same year. Golconda became independent in 1518, and Bidar in 1528.
The Sultanate of Golconda was an early modern kingdom in southern India, ruled by the Persianate, Shia Islamic Qutb Shahi dynasty of Turkoman origin. After the collapse of the Bahmani Sultanate, the Qutb Shahi dynasty was established in 1512 by Quli Qutb Shah, as one of the five Deccan sultanates.
Ibrahim Qutb Shah Wali, also known by his Telugu names Malki BhaRama and Ibharama Chakravarti, was the fourth monarch of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India. He was the first of the Qutb Shahi dynasty to use the title "Sultan". He ruled from 1550 to 1580. He lived for seven years in exile at the court of Vijayanagara as an honoured guest of Rama Raya. Ibrahim is known for patronizing Telugu extensively because he was moved by a genuine love for the language.
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah was the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golkonda and founded the city of Hyderabad, in South-central India and built its architectural centerpiece, the Charminar. He was an able administrator and his reign is considered one of the high points of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ascended to the throne in 1580 at the age of 15 and ruled for 31 years.
Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk, more often though less correctly referred to in English as Quli Qutb Shah (1485–1543), was the founder of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, which ruled the Sultanate of Golconda in southern India from 1518 to 1687. Of Turkoman origin and born in Persia, he originally served the Bahmani sultan, and was awarded the title Qutb-ul-Mulk as military chief; he eventually took control of Golconda.
Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah was the sixth ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty.
Golconda is a fortified citadel and ruined city located on the western outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparudra in the 11th century out of mud walls. It was ceded to the Bahmani Kings from Musunuri Nayakas during the reign of the Bahmani Sultan Mohammed Shah I, during the first Bahmani-Vijayanagar War. Following the death of Sultan Mahmood Shah, the Sultanate disintegrated and Sultan Quli, who had been appointed as the Governor of Hyderabad by the Bahmani Kings, fortified the city and made it the capital of the Golconda Sultanate. Because of the vicinity of diamond mines, especially Kollur Mine, Golconda flourished as a trade centre of large diamonds known as Golconda Diamonds. Golconda fort is currently abandoned and in ruins. The complex was put by UNESCO on its "tentative list" to become a World Heritage Site in 2014, with other forts in the region, under the name Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate.
Taramati Baradari is a historical sarai as part of Ibrahim Bagh, a Persian style garden built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, the fourth Sultan of Golconda.
Hussain Shah Wali was a sufi saint of Golkonda, during the reign of Qutb Shahi dynasty. He is credited with building the Hussain Sagar at Hyderabad in the year 1562. The mausoleum and shrine at the Qutb Shahi Tombs called Dargah Hussain Shah Wali was built by Abdullah Qutb Shah in his honour. He is a Hussaini sayyid and descendant of Khwaja Banda Nawaz. He died in 1620.
Hayat Bakshi Mosque also Hayat Bakshi Begum Masjid is a mosque located in Hayathnagar, near Hyderabad, India. It was constructed in 1672 during the reign of Abdullah Qutb Shah the fifth Sultan of Golconda, and named after Hayat Bakshi Begum.
Toli Masjid, also known as Damri Masjid, is a mosque in Hyderabad, in the Indian state of Telangana. It was constructed during the Qutb Shahi period and completed in 1671.
Persian Inscriptions on Indian Monuments is a book written in Persian by Dr Ali Asghar Hekmat E Shirazi and published in 1956 and 1958 and 2013. New edition contains the Persian texts of more than 200 epigraphical inscriptions found on historical monuments in India, many of which are currently listed as national heritage sites or registered as UNESCO world heritage, published in Persian; an English edition is also being printed.
Deccani architecture, particularly the architecture of the Bahmani and Deccan Sultanates, is the architecture of the Deccan Plateau, and is a regional variant of Indo-Islamic architecture. It was influenced by the styles of the Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal architecture, but sometimes also influenced from Persia and Central Asia. Hindu temple architecture in the same areas had very different styles.
The Musheerabad Masjid or Masjid e Kalan, is a mosque located in the Musheerabad locality of Hyderabad, India. The original portion was constructed in 1560 AD by Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, the fourth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and is identical to the Hayat Bakshi Mosque located in Hayathnagar area of Hyderabad.
A distinct Indo-Islamic architecture style with local contribution is reflected in the historical buildings of Hyderabad, making it the first and "Best Heritage City of India" as of March 2012. The city houses many famous historical sites constructed during Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi period, including various mosques and palaces.
Qutb Shahi architecture is the distinct style of Indo-Islamic architecture developed during the reign of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, also known as the Golconda Sultanate.
Jama Masjid is a 505 year old Mosque in Golconda, Hyderabad, India. It was constructed in 1518 by the first Qutb Shahi ruler Sultan Quli Qutb Shah - while he was governor of the Bahmani Sultanate in current Telangana.
Hayat Bakshi Begum was the royal consort of Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, the sixth ruler of the Qutb Shai Dynasty in south India and daughter of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, fifth Sultan of the dynasty. When her son Abdullah Qutb Shah was made sultan at the age of fourteen in 1626, she acted as regent for the first few years of his reign, and continued to wield considerable influence in the state until her death.
Sultan Nagar Fort, also known as Qila-yi Kohna, are the ruined remains of an abandoned Qutb Shah era fort whose construction had started around 1620. The fort is located at a place now known as L. B. Nagar in Hyderabad, India.
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