OUR HYDERABADI BRETHREN IN DECCAN INDIA
M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI AND HYDERABAD DECCAN
Civilized, cultured, educated, loving- Hyderabadi essence
A long time back Lahore was the cultural capital or the Mughals. Then some preferred Delhi for same. But Emperor Aurangzeb beat them all by shifting his attention to the city he founded, that is Aurangabad. Out of a different city, he carved a Mughal city and was obsessed with that area. All his life, from that of a Prince to a King was devoted to Deccan. He even died and was buried in Khuldabad. Even today people remember him as perhaps the greatest Emperor of Hindustan. Where other areas could muddle the history of Emperor Aurangzeb, the Hyderabadi Deccan people always knew better. Even today Aurangzeb is loved there.
The interesting part is that many people from Lahore migrated to Hyderabad Deccan in that period and there are records and mohallas attesting to the Lahori origin of some of those people. Ustad Jameel Baig, architect of the Panch Chakri had Lahori origins too. In fact Ustad Ahmad Mimar Lahori , Architect of the Taj Mahal, is also buried in Khuldabad graveyard. M.S. Vatts, and his Archaeolgical team has recorded his grave there and the epitaph composed by Lutufullah Muhandis on his father’s grave.
M.A. Rahman Chughtai was so much attached to Hyderabad Deccan, that Beverly Nichols in his VERDICT ON INDIA records him as a Hyderabadi artist. In 1927 Dr Allama Iqbal had written to the Nizam of Hyderabad for financial assistance for the publication of Murraqqa e Chughtai edition on Mirza Ghalib. The letter is still there in Hyderabadi archives. A sum of Rs 5000 was alloted for the publication but in exchange many of the paintings were physically taken for the Nizam’s Palace in Delhi, where they were for a number of years. The book was dedicated to the Nizam himself, but unfortunately the book could not be presented at the Court of the Nizam, and was handed by a disgruntled brother, Dr Abdullah Chaghatai, at the Jamia Masjid in Hyderabad. As a result no grant or gift was given to the book.
Hyderbad could not forget Chughtai the artist. An exhibition on Dr Allama Iqbal was held in Hyderabad in 1948 and inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister, and attended by the Prince Asif Jah, son of the Nizam of Hyderabad. A number of painting were purchased. The Salar Jang Museum had many Chughtai paintings. The National Museum had literally hundred of them. How many are left we do not know? But choice works of the artist were in Hyderabadi museums as well as homes.
Disaster struck Hyderabad when the Indian Government took Hyderabad on verge of accession to Pakistan, and the Army disbanded. Then Hyderabad broken down in different divisions, for it to never to show up her head again. From deep in our heart, we pray that one day Hyderabad be Hyderabad Deccan again and all its son of souls scattered all over the West come back to the land of their ancestrors, where they lived and reigned for centuries. Amen!
We meet a lot of Hyderabadis here even today, as they still come to visit us at the museum and we are delighted to receive them. Many did migrate to Pakistan and many are settled in Karachi. But many did move out to the USA and other places. You can recognize a Hyderabadi by simply his essence, which is unique in all ways.
P.S. With special regards to Ali Hassan from Hyderabad Deccan.
Fantastic article of great historic importance. Thank you. What an education!
I would like to hear from Hyderabad Deccan about our information. Rejoice. Essence beautiful!
I was just accidentally visited this page i have all those beautiful pictures with me because my father Moin uddin cowlas is present in every picture with his friend Nawab Hassan Yar Jung
We have a picture with names on it. There are a number of them. Please point out which one! The love potential of Hyderabad was so high and love spills out even today. I get really moved when I am visited by Hyderabadi people here (they do come mostly from USA) and Sir Akbar Hyderabadi made it a point for Chughtai Artist to stay in the State Guest house there. We have pictures too with Australian PM. People thought of Chughtai as a Hyderabadi. Dr Allama Iqbal along with Chughtai Brothers met Sir Akbar Hyderabadi here in Lahore when he came for a visit in connection with Punjab University Lahore.
well i have a book wrote by Nawab Hassan Yar Jang in Bazme Iqbal Aur Hyderabad Deccan and mentioned each name and even few photographs have not published here and present in Nawab Shb. book.
We have a book published in Karachi, perhaps different.
Maasahallah
Best wishes from Pakistan.
HEH the Nizam did nor want to acceed to Pakistan , as stated above. He wanted Hydetabad to retain an independant status, but was taken over by India.
Informative write up but this factual error needs to be corrected.
Negotiations were going on.
Certainly Nizam would have loved an independent Hyderabad Deccan with centuries of history but he also knew that he needed support of Pakistan and hence talks were certainly on. India interrupted before any headway for Nehru feared such a situation. Another injustice done.
It was Patel, not Nehru. Patel wanted to trade Hyderabad with Kashmir. Certainly, talks were going on and were interrupted by the untimely demise of Jinnah. Within a few days of his death, Hyderabad was taken over by India. In my opinion, The Nizam would not have waited for 2 years if he really wanted to acceed into Pakistan.
Heads depend on advisers and confusion prevails, but the motivation was there as well as steps for it.
Badar sahib infact your comments are not right
Thanks
Arif Sahab do you have any information on why Allama Iqbal rejected the cheque of one thousand rupees from Sir Akbar Hyderi of Hyderabad Deccan?? There is a poem by Allama Iqbal on it…
Because he did not want to receive charity but payment for actual work. His concept of ego that is KHUDI defined it. Sir Akbar Hydari was very friendly to M.A. Rahman Chughtai too, and Dr Allama Iqbal, M.A. Rahman Chughtai and Dr Abdullah Chaghatai etc went to meet him when he came to Lahore. Mentioned in book of Dr Abdullah too. Responsible for purchase of Chughtais works for Hyderabadi government. State Museum that is. In fact Dr Allama Iqbal wrote to the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1928 for possible help in printing of Murraqqa Chughtai (Ghalib edition). In Hyderabadi archives. This is straight from our elders.
Nawab hassań yar jung is my grand father.I’m Muneeb uddin khan son of Aahmad uddin khan.
Our pleasure, our respects. You have brothers here in us. Stay vigilante with your great traditions.
I have a book written by him in Karachi with many references on my father.
I have a book written by him in Karachi with many references on my father.
Do you know whose paintings were exhibited at the Iqbal exhibition in Hyderabad Deccan? Are those Sughra Rababi’s paintings?