The palace complex was the residency of the Nizam in his last days. On Saturday, April 16, a portion of the palace had been razed and flattened to the ground with fresh earthmover marks.
The historic King Kothi palace, once the residence of the Nizam of Hyderabad, is in the process of being demolished by the builder who purchased it from one of the trusts created by the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan.
On Saturday, April 16, a portion of the palace had been razed and flattened to the ground with fresh earthmover marks.
The old swimming pool, the well and the 101-room zenana (women’s quarters) have been left intact while the ceiling and walls were being pulled down using earthmovers.
“The work has been going on for two days. Now we can hear the sound of earthmovers through the day and night,” said Ramakrishna, a resident whose home overlooks the palace.
The guards manning the structure remained tight-lipped about the deployment of earthmovers. Satellite imagery shows the destruction the complex has suffered due to negligence and lack of maintenance between May 2020 and May 2021.
The Nazri Bagh is a listed heritage structure No. 48 classified as II-B category under Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority Regulation 13. The Usman Mansion which was part of the complex was demolished earlier.
“Though it is a heritage property it can be bought and sold. But the builder cannot modify the structure without the permission of Heritage Conservation Committee. But Hyderabad still doesn’t have a HCC,” said Sajjad Shahid of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
“The HCC needs to fulfill the criterion laid down by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,” said Mr. Shahid.
The palace complex was the residence of the Nizam in his last days where he passed away on February 24, 1967. From that time till now, the palace has remained an enigma.
“It is a beautiful structure with a series of courtyards and open spaces with passages that could be accessed only bby those who knew the building well,” remembers Anuradha Reddy who visited the palace twice — once as a young girl and later in the 90s.
Author William Dalrymple writes about seeing a section of the palace filled with historical documents, room stacked with French champagne and boxes of soaps and shampoos.
Incidentally, the King Kothi complex was among the three palatial structures claimed by Osman Ali Khan for his own use after the merger of Hyderabad state with India.
“The Nizam has claimed two palaces in Hyderabad besides the King Kothi where he resides. These are the Chowmahalla Palace in the city which he used for durbars and the Falaknuma Palace which is used for putting up distinguished guests.
The Falaknuma Palace has been turned into a luxurious hotel property, the Chowmahalla Palace is a ticketed palace which shows a glimpse of royal life in the 20th century.
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