Feudal palaces of yore

HERITAGE

The palaces were called deodis and before 1948 there were nearly 1,200 of these magnificent edifices. However, today, only a handful of them have remained in various stages of ruins as multistoried buildings are coming up in these commercially valuable spaces.

Deodis, which in a broad sense mean the ‘homes of lords’, were fortified residences built with imposing main entrances big enough to let an elephant with an ambari pass, high walls to afford privacy to inmates, and a series of inner courtyards which served the public and private needs of its residents.

They had attractive pillared pavilions called dalans which were reception areas, private living quarters for men and women called mardanas and zenanas, and other sundry buildings like the diwan khana where the master held court, naubat khana, from where music played on special occasions or indicated the time for prayer, bawarchi khana, tosha khana, farrash khana, baggi khana and many similar structures.

If men’s quarters buzzed with official activity, women’s quarters were marked by comfort, leisure and ease. The zenana had its own courtyards open to the sky and was equipped with fountains, flowering bushes and pretty chamans. The atmosphere in the zenanas was restful and slow paced. Water tinkled in the fountains and flowering trees like mulchari and champa sprayed fragrance into the air. Women kept birds like mynas and lal munias for pleasure.

Over time, they grew into virtually self-contained townships, throbbing with their own rhythm of life, and serviced by a large number of retainers, consisting of male and female servants, sipahis, lightwalas, palanquin bearers, jewellers, tailors, embroiderers, musicians, entertainers,  and the like, living either on the premises of the deodi itself, or in its vicinity.

The forecourt of the deodi was strictly meant for performing official functions of the feudal lord. For example, the deodi known as the Irram Manzil Palace had about 900-odd servants who lived in wadas behind the palace. Jagirdars like the paigahs and diwans not only maintained troops but also took care of civil and judicial administration in their jagirs. Building large and elaborate deodis came to be seen as a statement of power and wealth.

However, two momentous events that marked the end of deodis were the Police Action of 1948 by the Indian Army which removed the Nizam from his supreme position in Hyderabad state, and the abolition of the jagirdari system which dismantled the feudal base of the city. With the nobles’ main source of income drying up, they started selling the only assets they were left with — their large ancestral homes.

The city witnessed distress sales of beautifully appointed deodis. Rich adornments like chandeliers, Belgian mirrors and alabaster statues were sold for a paltry sum. The painted pavilions were pulled down to be sold as scrap. Expensive jewellery started changing hands and the days of opulence and grandeur ended for the Hyderabadi aristocracy.

A few deodis that are still extant are Iqbal-ud-Daula Deodi and Khursheed Jah Baradari. Other deodis like the Asman Jah Deodi haven’t been so lucky. While some were demolished, some were sold in bits and pieces by the families that owned them, and the rest succumbed to the ravages of time.

Prior to its demolition, the Diwan Deodi of the Salar Jungs was the most celebrated deodi in the city. Home for generations of diwans, it was known for its grandeur and opulence. In a remarkable coincidence unparalleled in history, six members of the same family rose to the position of diwan in the princely state of Hyderabad and all of them lived in the Diwan Deodi.

Consequently, for over a century and a half, the Diwan Deodi was the epicentre of power, influence and authority. The location of the deodi itself was a statement of its importance, located as it was on the Charminar High Road, back to back with the Purani Haveli, one of the many palaces of the Nizams. Today, one of the gates of the Diwan Deodi is the only surviving portion.

One other famous deodi surviving till recently was the Malwala Deodi. The Malwalas took care of the revenue records of the Nizam’s dominions. Their grand deodi, one of Hyderabad’s finest buildings famous for its grand wooden pavilion made of teak wood from Burma, has now been demolished.

The Rai Rayans were also daftardars or revenue officials of the Nizam’s empire, but were higher in the aristocratic hierarchy than the Malwalas. Their deodi is in a slightly better state than the rest, but only slightly. The mansion has been sold in parts by the family while modifications have distorted it beyond recognition. However, a few parts of the original structure remain, giving us a small glimpse of its former glory.

Hyderabad is a city where the past lives in the present. Old structures that once dotted the city have given way to modern buildings. But no Hyderabadi has forgotten the charm and grandeur associated with its old and imposing structures.