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Paigah Tombs

Paigah Tombs
Paigah Tombs.jpg
General information
Town or city Hyderabad
Country India India
Coordinates 17°20′38″N 78°30′15″E / 17.343983°N 78.504131°E / 17.343983; 78.504131

Paigah Tombs or Maqhbara Shams al-Umara, are the tombs belonging to the nobility of Paigah family, who were fierce loyalists of the Nizams, served as statespeople, philanthropists and generals under and alongside them. The Paigah tombs are among the major wonders of Hyderabad State which known for their architectural excellence as shown in their laid mosaic tiles and craftsmanship work. The Paigah's necropolis is located in a quiet neighbourhood 4 km southeast of Charminar Hyderabad, at Pisal banda suburb., down a small lane across from Owasi Hospital near Santosh Nagar. These tombs are made out of lime and mortar with beautiful inlaid marble carvings. These tombs are 200 years old which represent the final resting places of several generations of the Paigah Nobles.

At first, Paigah Tombs may look deserted and totally uncared for, but on a closer look you will find the place quite enthralling. With marvelous carvings and motifs in floral designs and inlaid mosaic tile-works, the tombs are exquisite to walk around. The tombs and their walls are delicately carved and enclosed in pierced marble facades, some of them in rows and some with beautifully carved screens and canopies.

The place is easily approachable and is set amidst a labyrinth of concrete houses built around the 30 acres of property in which the tombs are nestled. They are almost obscure and a marvelous piece of artistry in marble lost in time. The Indo-Islamic architecture is a mix of both the Asaf Jahi and the Rajputana styles of architecture. You will also see décor in fabulous stucco work, representing the Mughal, Persian and Deccan style too. The geometrical designs with their perforated screens are unique in their make and craftsmanship.

The noble families of Paigah, during the 18th century were the most influential and powerful families of the Princely State of Hyderabad’s aristocracy are the descendents of the Hazrath Omar bin Al-Khattab, Islam’s second caliph, comprising the area of their Jagirs to 4000 sq. miles. Their ancestor was Abdul Fateh Khan Tegh Jung who came to Deccan with Asaf Jah 1st and founded the Paigah nobility. He rendered service to the second Nizam, who ruled between 1760 and 1803 and received the highest position of Commander in chief with the title of Shams-ul-Umra, meaning the sun among the nobles. Their distinguished family background, their value services to the Nizam's generation and also matrimonial alliances with the ruling Nizams made them the highest ranking nobles next only to the Nizams. They Constructed several palaces in the City notable among them were Asman Jahi Palace, Khursheed Jahi Palace, Vicar-ul-Umarahi palace and also the famous Falaknuma Palace, they were believed to be wealthier than the average Maharajah of the country and were the only ones to have the privilege maintaining their own court, palaces, as well as their own private armies, which often numbered several thousands.


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