Cities And Towns In India

"The first Hali coins bearing the Charminar motif were silver rupee and four anna coins in 1904-1905. Nickel coinage for Hali came into vogue in 1919, when the round one-anna piece was minted."

"The first mint in Hyderabad was established at the old royal palace, Sultan Shah, in 1803. Almost a hundred years later, the mint was modernized and shifted to Saifabad."

"In the Deccan, a Muslim State ruled by H.E.H. the Nizam, special stamps and currency known as Halisika minted in Hyderabad was minted."

"In September of 1908, the usually quiet Musi river rose in fury and stuck the city with large scale destruction. Sir M.Vishveswarayya together with Ali Nawz Jung proposed damming the river on its two tributaries, the Musi and the Easi and channeling it as it passed through the city. Two reservoirs were thus formed in 1922 and 1927 and the new Hyderabad Water Works resulted."

"The Falaknuma Palace stands majestically on the crest of a hill and is reached by a small winding road. It was built at a cost of rupees thirty-five lakhs by the late Sir Vigar-ul-Ulema and bought by the Nizam in 1897. The Nizam VI lived and died in the palace. Successive viceroys and the last Governor General of India, C. Rajagopalachari."

"The British Residency was established on the northern banks of the Musi River now referred to as Secunderabad and the gap between Hyderabad and Secunderabad gradually filled with residences and industry."

"In the year 1802, Nawab Mir Alam built a reservoir. Construction was supervised by an Englishman, Mr. Russel. Water from the Mir Alam tank was channeled to the Purani Haveli Palace and others. Later was supplied to the public."

"Misfortune befell the city with the conquest of the Deccan by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. The headquarters of the Deccan then shifted to Aurangabad under the Mughal rule. In 1763, the Nizam shifted the headquarters to Hyderabad and again the city flourished."

"Four hundred years ago what is Hyderabad city was an area covered with granite stone hills, forest and a river flowing through."

"The decision to bifurcate the state has cleared the air, bringing in stability in the market. But now there is clarity that second capital is also going to function from Hyderabad and this is going to be value addition for real estate market."

"The Old City or shall we say the real Hyderabad? The part of town that has all the monuments that we are all so proud of, all the wares that we are so famous for, and all the folks that make us so unique!"

"The Hyderabad development area is divided into two parts. The first part is the incorporated area of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad-Secunderabad and the Cantonement area. The second part is the peripheral area excluding the incorporated area in the Hyderabad development area."

"Hyderabad being the State Capital is highly developed in all aspects. It is situated at an altitude of 536 metres and offers pleasant weather conditions. The total geographical area of the District is 199.60 square kilometers."

"Hyderabad is a historic beautiful City and is the Capital of Andhra Pradesh. The city is called “Pearl City” and famous for its twinkling pearls and [[w:Laad Bazaar|glass embedded bangles. The city was founded during Qutub Shahi dynasty and was called Bhagyanagar. The present Hyderabad district came into existence in August 1978 with total geographic area of 199.6 square kilometers and covers the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad."

"Starting with the period prior to the city's birth in 1591, Hyderabad, [is] one of contemporary India's most important cities. The city has a fascinating march from Bhagnagar to Hyderabad to 'Cyberabad', has evolved unique composite culture, which has continued to attract people since its founding by its poet-builder."

"Constructed in 1562 and situated between the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad... the almost 450 years old lake Hussainsagar is an engineering marvel and a symbol of traditional wisdom of water conservation in this semi-arid region of peninsular India...In recent years the lake has emerged as the major recreational centre and ecological land mark on the map of the country."

"The mansion chosen by President Rajendra Prasad in 1956 had been originally built by the British in 1870 as the summer resort for the British Resident to Hyderabad state, who found the town cooler than the nearby cantonment of Secunderabad. This building with the total land area of 101 acres, is a single-storeyd edifice, with a dining hall, durbar hall, morning room and other ceremonial halls. There are 16 rooms for the President and his staff. There is also a visitors’ annexe which can accommodate more than 150 people."

"The "newest’ of the official residences of the Indian President, Rashtrapati Nilayam at Secunderabad, came into being as a result of India’s Independence. In the first decade of freedom, the separatist tendencies evinced by some political organisations in South India caused concern to the founding fathers of the young republic. Among the various slogans of the separatists, one was that the President of the Indian Republic had all his official residences in north India. As such in 1955, the then President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, decided that there must be an official residence in South India, so that during his visits to the South, the local populace doesn’t feel that he comes as a "guest" to the various Raj Bhavans. Since the President was likely to spend only six to eight weeks every year in South India, a small edifice was to be chosen, so that the annual upkeep could be kept at the minimum."

"The Asaf Jahi architecture, including palaces, tombs and mosques, belonging to Kings and nobles, are good examples of a mixture of the Mughal and European art styles. Besides the Residency building, there are a number of churches in the city, which are built in typical British style of architecture."

"The Hyderabadi art and architecture of the 18th and 19th Centuries is eclectic which imbibes the Mughal cultural traits and traditions on the one hand and borrows freely from the Western art traditions on the other, which had come into vogue in Hyderabad after the construction of the British Residency in 1806 A.D. The Hyderabadi artists, however, did not fail to draw inspiration from their own soil, may it be architecture, painting, dress and ornaments for which the city was famous."

"The discovery of [such] archaeological evidences shows that the history of the city and environs goes much beyond Kakatiya and Qutb Shahi periods. The burial spot was on a five-acre patta land in Sy. No.124, in the possession of B. Mallaiah of the same village in Hayathnagar mandal of Ranga Reddy district, just off the Hyderabad-Vijaywada highway. On the face of it, the site was datable to 500 B.C, but unless systematic excavations were carried out, further details would not be known."

"Hyderabad has grown into a cosmopolitan city largely due to Central government and defence establishments. In its most recent phase of growth, the IT boom galvanised Hyderabad's outskirts into a major international hub. Apart from AP's two other regions, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra, many people from other parts of India and abroad, attracted by Hyderabad's resources, climate and peaceful environment, have made its home."

"The Nizam paid for his mistakes. He remained stubborn not accepting any of the conciliatory efforts made by Jawaharlal Nehru. He was offered full protection and 40 per cent representation to Muslims in the constitution of a responsible government, though their population was 12 per cent. Exhausting all options, the Nehru Government sent the army."

"His Exalted Highness, Lt. Gen Muzaffar-ul Mulk Wal Mumalik Nizam-ul-Mulk, Nizam-ud-Dowla, Nawab Sir Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur, the Faithful Ally of the British, Nizam of Hyderabad, was arguably one of the richest men in the world, nearly bowing with a traditional "namaste" before the redoubtable first Indian Union Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, at the Begumpet Airport."

"Far from gracefully accepting the public mood against his autocratic rule, the Nizam went on to declare Hyderabad an independent state, pompously claimed to unfurl the Asafia flag on the Red Fort, threatened to accede the State to Pakistan, sent an emissary to Britain and even sought UN intervention. Yet, it took just four days and 13 hours, beginning September 13, 1948, for the Indian Army to tame the "mighty" Nizam's Army."

"Ye jung hai jung-e-azadi, azadi ke parcham ke tale.. It is a war, the war of independence, of the myriad souls....."

"During the time of Nizam Osman Ali Khan (1911-1956), Charminar even figured on the then Hyderabad Rupee because such kind of architecture was unknown in southern India until this time...Mosques and minarets, forts and palaces of great beauty exists side by side with colleges and art galleries, public gardens and administrative buildings offering thereby a rare visual variety to please even the most demanding of visitors."

"Charminar, had been built in 1589 by Mohammad-Quli Qutab Shah, the king whose seat was Golconda Fort some fifteen miles (from Hyderabad City), to commemorate the spot where he caught his first glimpse of Bhagmati, the Hindu girl who captured his heart and in time became his queen."

"Charminar, the four towered structure standing at the intersection of the four main streets of the city, like the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Statue of Liberty in New York, or West Minister Abbey in London.."

"Though the Nizams who came after Asif Jha I still were wealthy, they were not capable administrators and policy-makers like the first Nizam. So, they were slowly subordinated by the growing French and British powers on the peninsula."

"...an ancient culture and civilization...This cosmopolitan city is also known as the city of minarets due to the presence of several mosques displaying huge minarets. Art, architecture, groups of people and religions form a unique blend in Hyderabad. Over the centuries this variety evolved into a great cultural landscape."

"Kings of the Nizam dynasty... indulged their fantasies on an extraordinary extent. For instance, the ninth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mahbub Ali, Asif Jha VI (1869-1911) is reputed to have never repeatedly worn a dress. It is said that his wardrobe filled an entire wing of the palace and stood two story’s high."

"...Mughal sovereign, Muhammad Shah ...conferred on the Nizam the title of Asif Jha after making peace with him...The rule of Asif Jha I, that lasted for a quarter of a century, once again brought to Hyderabad an era of prosperity and grandeur ...The dynastic rule begun by the first Asif Jha lasted right up to 1948, when Hyderabad state merged with the Indian Union... rulers of the Asif Jha dynasty (or more popularly known as the Nizam dynasty contributed to the growth of Hyderabad economically and culturally."

"Qutub Shahi dynasty declined...gave way to invading Mughals in 1687,...which marked the end of a great epoch in the history of South India....Chin Qilich Khan, one of Mughal’s ablest generals, ...appointed the Viceroy of the Deccan with the title “Nizam-ul-Mulk" (Regulator of the Realm).... He rebelled against the Mughals and was victorious on 16 January 1725... and with the city as the capital ruled his vast dominions."

"Bhagmati was so overwhelmed by Mohammad Quli’s love that she immediately converted to Islam and assumed the Muslim name Hyder Mahal. Mohammad Quli, not to be outdone, renamed his city Hyderabad or the ‘city of Hyder’. During Qutub Shahi dynasty, the city witnessed its golden age of architecture over-shadowing the city of Golconda."

"Golconda from which Hyderabad sprang has no recorded history until king Ganapati, the Kakatiya King built a fort on the pick of the rocky mountains."

"...400 years of Hyderabad’s history ...rich and diverse...is a young city...However, megalithic circle tombs and stone implements excavated near Secunderabad are evidence of an earlier civilization."

"The plan was to wreck not only the streets but also the spirit of the city. The audacity of the attack left little to doubt that the country was facing an undeclared war and that the enemy had help from within our own boundaries."

"Presumably had Hyderabad been in a position to accede to Pakistan, a corridor would have been demanded for linking it up with Pakistan in the shape of an outlet to the sea. This has been the tempo, the character and the insatiably ambitious nature of the Pakistan Plan, conspiring for the conquest of Hindu India. Rioting and pillaging would be accounted only as minor rehearsary exercises in such a mighty and vast programme of action!"

"On the capture of Golkonda, the Emperor appointed Abdur Rahim Khan as Censor of the city of Haiderabad with orders to put down infidel practices and (heretical) innovations and destroy the temples and build mosques on their sites."

"From the defence point of view it would give safety to the Central Government. It is equidistant from all parts of India. It would give satisfaction to the South Indian people that their Government is sometimes with them. The Government may remain in Delhi during winter months and during other months it can stay in Hyderabad. Hyderabad has all the amenities which Delhi has and it is a far better City than Delhi. It has all the grandeur which Delhi has. Buildings are going cheap and they are really beautiful buildings, far superior to those in Delhi. They are all on sale. The only thing that is wanting is a Parliament House which the Government of India can easily build. It is a place in which Parliament can sit all the year round and work, which it cannot do in Delhi. I do not see what objection there can be in making Hyderabad a second capital of India. It should be done right now while we are reorganising the States."

"King Marthanda Varma founder of Travancore, made Trivandrum his capital and even after his rule ended the city continued to be the capital of the State of Travancore. When Kerala was formed as a state in 1956 the city was unanimously chosen to continue as the capital continuing two centuries of tradition.... It is a small city compared to the other state capitals and thus retains its charm."

"Attukal Bagavati temple, one of the ancient temples of South India, ...is venue of Pongala Mahotsvam... which is most important festival...is exclusively confined to women folk and the enormous crowd that gathers in Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day is reminiscent of the Kumbamel festival of North India."

"In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi came [to Trivandrum] and at that time he [Maharaja Chithira Thirunal] was too young to rule. My aunt, his mother's elder sister, was the Regent. Gandhiji came and met her. ‘Is this the Maharani?' he enquired. He looked at her simple dress and asked: Where are the golden saris? Where are the jewels? He then asked her: ‘Is it not very unfair that around the temple in Vaikom, a dog, a cat, a cow, can walk, but a man cannot?' She said, yes. ‘Then why don't you do something about it?' he quizzed. ‘I am a Regent and only carrying on the administration till he grows up. Why don't you ask him [Chithira Thirunal]?' she urged. Gandhiji then asked him: ‘When you become the person in charge, will you allow everyone to enter temples?' As a young boy he said, ‘yes.' He took over in 1931 and granted temple entry in 1936. The remarkable thing was that there was no resistance [from the people who were associated with temple administration."

"The Travancore State and the Padmanabhaswamy temple witnessed momentous changes during Maharaja Chithira Thirunal's time. In 1936, the Padmanabhaswamy temple was the first in India to proclaim temple entry for all, which made Gandhiji describe Chithira Thirunal as a ‘Modern Ashoka.' In 1949 the princely states were abolished and the temple administration changed. In 1971, the privy purse was abolished and grants given to erstwhile rulers were stopped. But Chithira Thirunal still managed to support the temple from his private funds."

"Gooseflesh. Everything is surrendered. It is a great, elating feeling. My hair stands on end with joy. Each and every time."

"I have never been inside those cellars. Our philosophy has always been not to look at such objects and get tempted. But of course I know what is inside them."

"I cannot comment on what is happening there - the matter is sub-judice. But this much I will say. I have no problem with the inventory and additional security being provided by the state to the temple. But please don't remove those objects from the temple. They belong to nobody, certainly not to our family. They belong to god and our law permits that. All these debates swirling around the riches is unfortunate. That's all I can say - I have to listen to my doctor, lawyer and auditor. Our family has been donating objects to the temple for centuries. As chief patron of the temple, I go there every day. If I miss a day, I am fined Rs. 166.35 - an old Travancore tradition."

"So far, no one has formally calculated the value of the treasure found in Vault A. But V. K. Harikumar, the temple’s executive—who has now seen the hoard on at least two occasions—has estimated that it is worth at least twenty billion dollars."

"After a series of appeals, the Supreme Court of India announced that before it ruled on the stewardship of the temple, a team of “observers” would inspect the remaining vaults that supposedly contained treasure. Vaults A and B, which had “reportedly not been opened for more than a century,” would be opened, inspected, then “closed and sealed again."