In the byzantine lanes of Shah Gunj near Charminar in Hyderabad, ask about the Khursheed Jah Devdi and you get a bewildered look in return. However, ask about the cricket ground in the vicinity and you are directed to a stunning Palladian structure built in 1884 whose 28-feet Corinthian columns inspire awe even in the most well-heeled travellers.
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The Devdis of Hyderabad (also spelled as deodis or deoris) were homes of the nobles and aristocrats of the city. As author Rani Sarma notes in her book, The Deodis of Hyderabad, they were traditional fortified structures built in the 18th and 19th centuries with three outstanding features: prominent main entrances, high enclosing walls and inner courtyards.
Ranging from an acre to over 20 acres, these structures had multiple areas from the zenana and mardana mahals to the formal seating areas and the baradaris and living quarters. They were small cities within themselves. The devdis were considered old fashioned after the British Residency was built by the turn of the century between 1798 and 1805. Instead of the old style devdis, the nobles started building Palladian-like structures fashioned after the Residency.
Located in the old walled city of Hyderabad surrounding the Nizam’s residence (which was the seat of the power), these devdis were minor fiefdoms, which Anuradha Reddy, convener at INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), Hyderabad notes were a confluence of styles. “It depended on who built the structure as everyone from the Marathas to the Gujaratis and Marwaris brought their own distinct styles. The result was a unique confluence of styles. Most of them had stepwells, fountains and gardens.” she says.
After the Independence and merger of Hyderabad into the Indian union, the old families slowly started to move out of the old city and these magnificent structures were left to ruin. Sarma adds, “Some 1,200 of them existed in the old city. Almost all these traditional homes have now been demolished in recent years, leaving little trace of a now vanished lifestyle.”
Today, just a handful of these devdis remain as a stark reminder of the halcyon days of Hyderabad. While very few still function as residences, some operate as government offices and what remains of the rest are just facades or walls, which provide a momentary respite in the form of their arresting beauty abutted by ugly constructions on all sides.
The Paigah Palaces of Shah Gunj
The Shah Gunj area is home to three stunning devdis built by the Paigahs, aristocrats who were second only to the Nizam of Hyderabad and prolific builders across generations. While Khursheed Jah is erroneously referred to as a Baradari (on account of it having 12 or “barah” doors), the others are the majestic yet decaying Iqbal-ud-Daula ka Devdi and the devdi of Asman Jah, of which only a part of the façade still survives.
Al-Qaser Marriage Hall is a crude metal board at the entrance of the Iqbal-ud-Daula ka Devdi built by Shams al-Umara I in the late 18th-century. With the majority of the structure dutifully demolished over the decades, it remains a majestic sight. Even with garbage piled high on one side, it grants you glimpses of its heyday when it was the home to one of the most powerful nobles of the Deccan.
A stroll inside gives a glimpse of its portmanteau of riches: Stunning cantilevered brackets, scalloped arches that blend the best of European and Oriental styles, massive wooden doors and ornamented pillars. A school, a multitude of families and a store that rents props for weddings share space inside the devdi whose courtyards have disappeared. Its famous aina mahal (glass palace), which was the talk of local lore, has vanished without a trace. What survives today, is just a street side façade, which is punctuated with projected and canopied windows.
Reddy calls the devdi a classic example of the inherited influences of Hyderabadi Nawabs. “What we are witnessing today is a tragedy but the devdi resembles the style of the nobles back then. The exteriors were all European, but once you step inside, the Indian influences: the courtyards and stucco work were prominent. It reflected the modernization of both architecture and lifestyle.”
A Confluence of Architectural Styles
The Asman Jah Devdi has only a part of its façade standing. Even so, it retains beautiful elements on its visage that clearly shine through with elliptical arches, Roman influences and stucco work that are impossible to replicate. That the devdi functioned as High court once, requires a certain amount of disbelief from an unassuming visitor.
The Khurshid Jah Devdi is the only one, which has managed to retain a part of its structure. While a college operates in the premises, the double storied building that was designed by Shams-ul-umara Amee-e-Kabir is a symphony in stone. The elliptical arches, the multi-coloured Athangudi tiles at the entrance and their lyrical beauty represent the coming together of Palladian and Edwardian styles.
Conservation architect, G.S.V. Suryanarayana Murthy of Kshetra, who is spearheading the restoration, says, “Khurshid Jah Devdi can broadly be said as belonging to the European style due to relatively austere European façade with ionic columns and a barrel vault roof. From consolidation work on the damaged part of lime plaster and restoring the missing architectural elements to the development of gardens, we aim to restore the building to its original grandeur.” With work expected to commence soon, Murthy hopes that the restoration of the Grade II-B heritage building will be completed in two years.
An oft quoted statement about the city, used to mock its denizens goes “Hyderabad nageena andar—mitti upar chuna” (Hyderabad is a gem; it’s made of mud but decorated with limewash). In the local parlance, it means a city that is heavy on grandeur and low on substance. With most of its architectural wealth vanishing, the city comes perilously close to proving the statement right. But will it course correct? Hyderabadis certainly hope so, a beacon of hope for which might just be the restoration of the Khursheed Jah Devdi.
