The tombs of the Asaf Jahi period worth mentioning are those of the Asaf Jahs themselves, of the paigah noblemen and that of Diler Jung’s mother. The Salar Jung’s are buried at Daira-i-Mir Momin of Qutb Shahi times.
The Asaf Jahs tombs are situated within the Mecca Masjid compound. They are built within an arched gallery of stone at the southern end of the mosque or on the left side before the main structure of the Mecca Masjid. The graves are built in marble.
Five Asaf Jahs from Nizam Ali Khan to Mir Mahbub AIi Khan lie buried here along with other members of their families. The tomb of the first Asaf Jah, Nizamu l Mulk is at Khuldabad in Aurangabad, while the remains of the last Nizam Mir Osman All Khan are at Judi Mosque, near King Kothi. He is buried next to his mother, Zahara Begum The Qutb Shahi style of architecture still persisted as late as the 19th century in the building of the tombs. It is evident from the tomb of Saidanima, mother of Abdul Haq Dilar lung.
It is situated on the north end of Hussain Sagar Lake connecting the twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It is an interesting and fine specimen of elaborate stucco decorations and fretwork screens.
The tombs of the paigah nobles are exquisite in architecture, decoration etc. and the best in Hyderabad.
The tomb of Sir Khurshid Iah in marble with fine in-lay work in colour is similar to those found in Mughal monuments of Shah Jahan’s times at Agra and Delhi. They lie in the paigah tomb complex well protected and preserved, in the south area of Hyderabad, called Phisalbanda. All the family members of the paigah nobles lie buried here.
Sir Vaqarul Umara’s Unique Masjid
A unique mosque in architecture, not only in Hyderabad but in the whole of India, is that built by Sir Vaqarul Umara in 1906 within the compound of his Begumpet palace. It is copied from a mosque in Spain and built in Saracenic architecture. It has octagonal domes and minarets and has Saracenic arches inside the main prayer hail.
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