Hyderabad Municipal Maps, City Area, Sheet No - 59 Front
Leonard Munn, A.F Chinoy, and A.T Mackenzie
Kalakriti Archives
Hyderabad, India
The Amir-I-Kabir Deorhi Street runs in a vertical manner, to the left side of it, palaces belong to the members of noble family Shams-ul-umara, well known as Paigah, which was frequently connected to the ruling house by marriage, and had entrusted the hereditary command of Paigah or household troops of Nizam, hence known as Piagah family. The title Amir-i-Kabir were conferred upon on the members of Paigah by the Nizam. These palaces are the highlight of the map. The Chini Khana Nawab Lutf-ud-Din Khan Bahadur is visible, which was a hall constructed of having a special feature that was its wall decorated with imported wares from China. And, Nawab Nawab Lutf-ud-Din Khan Bahadur the prominent noble belonged to shams-ul-Umara family and grandson of Nawab Khurshed Jah Bahadur. Nawab Lutf-ud-Din Khan Bahadur was served as the Amir of Khurshed Jahi Paigah, the post was given to him after the death of his father. Next, to the Chini Khana, the Jilau Khana of Nawab Khurshed Jah Bahadur along with stables maintained by him are visible. Jilau Khana generally is a forecourt. Nawab Khurshed Jah Bahadur was one of the prominent personality belonged noble family of Shams-ul-Umra, which was frequently connected to the ruling house by marriage, and had entrusted the hereditary command of Paigah or household troops of Nizam. Descended from a Captain namely Shaikh Abul Khair Khan Bahadur under Aurangazeb, former came to Hyderabad along with Asaf Jah, received title Shamsher Bahadur from Nizam Nasir Jang for his successful career. After his death, his son Abul Fateh Khan received Mansab and title Khan, Abul Khair Khan Tegh Jang, etc, became the first noble of Nizam Ali Khan, obtaining the command of the Piagah or household troops along with many titles and territorial possessions. He was succeeded by his son along with all the honours of his father and again received many titles at various times. Like ways, Nawab Khurshed Jah was the son of Rashid-ud-din Khan Bahadur, who succeeded to his father. His original name was Muhammad Mohiuddin Khan. Khurshed Jah had received many titles at various times such as Taig Jung II, Khurshed-ud-Daula II, Khurshed-ul-Mulk II, Shams-ul-Umra V, Amir-I-Kabir IV, Sir Khurshed Shah Bahadur, K.C.I.E. After the death of his father received hereditary titles of Shams-ul-Umra and Amir-I-Kabir. He was favorite to Nizam Afzal-ud Daula, hence gave his eldest daughter Hussain-un-Nisa Begam Sahiba. He was the member of Council of Regency and council of state. In 1887, he was made as a Knight Commander of the most eminent order of Indian empire. Apart from these, he was a scholar as well as a traveler and had written Tareek-e-Khurshed Jahi in Urdu. Moreover, there are many other residences of nobles are scattered throughout out the left side of Amir-i-Kabir Deorhi Street.
To the right side of Amir-i-Kabir Deorhi Street, the picturesque mansion of Nawab Bashir-ud-Daula Br along with stale, forecourt Jilau Khana, Khas Mahal, Rangeli Mahal etc are also visible on the map. The Nawab Bashir-ud-Daula Bahadur was a nobleman belongs to the Paigah family, had served as the prime minister of Nizam of Hyderabad. His original name was Asman Jah Bahadur. He was referred in many titles, and Bashir-ud-Daula was among one, and many structures constructed by him were also named after Bashir-ud-Daula. And, the right side of Bashir-ud-Daula stables, Lal Bagh road is leading southward where many departments under Sarf-i-Khas is also visible. Sarf-I-Khas was crown territory or land, was exclusively for the personal purpose of Nizam.
- Title: Hyderabad Municipal Maps, City Area, Sheet No - 59 Front
- Creator: Leonard Munn, A.F Chinoy, A.T Mackenzie
- Date Created: April, 1913
- Provenance: These sets of maps were created by the Hyderabad Municipal Survey during 1912-1915. The devastation caused by the flood of 1908 in the river Musi, prompted the Nizam’s administration to devise a plan for urban Hyderabad. This was led by an engineer Leonard Munn (1878-1935). The other people, who were part of the survey under Munn, was A.F. Chinoy as the assistant and A.T. Mackenzie as chief engineer from the P.W.D. What makes these maps much more precious is that each and every thing are depicted in it. The names of streets, landmarks, and even residents appeared prominently on the map. The dominant opinion on the creation of the municipal maps is the 1908 flood, which took over many lives as well as even merged some areas into one. After the flood, Nizam decided to change the future of the Hyderabad city, who could realize the pitfalls of unplanned growth, resulted in the formation of a planning body called city improvement Board (CIB) in 1912 under the able guidance of M.Vishveshwarya from Mysore. The following years marked by the development activities by the CIB such as improvement of the Musi river banks, slum clearance, construction of houses, construction of bridges and lakes, road and sewerage, and stormwater drainage etc. Also, M. Vishveshwarya submitted a comprehensive planning and some recommendation for the future modification of the city in 1930. The net result also included the idea of Municipal Survey, because without survey modification of the city would be impossible. Thus, survey became inevitable and became the base for everything. The original survey which was started in 1912, done using trigonometric methods with reference to Global Telecommunication System (GTS) points, took over three years to complete it. The origin of the survey was the S.E minaret of Afzal Ganj Masjid. The survey divided the city into 848 parts, which were grouped into 16 sets and each map showing 1000 feet north to south and 1400 feet east to west. Since the maps are at a scale of 50 feet to 1 inch, showing each and every building that existed then.The survey divided the city into 848 parts, which were grouped into 16 sets (area). These 16 areas were Chadarghat & Residency; Mir Alam & Bahdurpura; Asaf Nagar; Falak Numa; Khariatabad, Karwan; Golconda; Chilkalgura; Lingampalli; Malakpet & Chanchalgura; North Hussain Sagar Tank; Begampet; Saifabad & South Hussain Sagar Tank; Hughes Town & Mushirabad; Phisal Banda, and City area. The number of sheets from each of these areas were more in number. Since the maps are at a scale of 50 feet to 1 inch, showing each and every building that existed then. The main roads along with streets and branch roads; building footprints like whether the building has one or more than one stories; bungalows, and gardens whether it is major or tiny like laid out along with homes or with graves, and finally even minute details. The minute details are interesting because it did not leave even to mark fire plugs, dust bins, letter box pillars, urinal, latrines, baoli, water trough, well, hills, cart tracks, drain channels, hedge, ponds, and lakes etc. The landmarks like the Temple, Mosque, Church, Dargah, Police Station, Dhobi Ghat, Brick Kiln, Tanneries, etc are also well depicted. The residents of prominent people in the form of vestibules along with stables always attached to it are also noted. Also, the graveyards are well marked based on the names given like cemetery, kabristan, masan, and samadh, which makes one easily understandable to which community it belongs. The nature of the soil is also marked well by indicating whether the land was wasteland or else hilly, marshy, and cultivable land etc. Another interesting thing is that the flood level of 1908 also marked by highlighting high and low water marks areas.The general index to the areas, those were the core places of the survey, are given on the back of the map. The index to the sheet numbers from the particular area is also given back of the map. And, it is even mentioned that some sheets have not been printed, because those were blank sheets and showing only water surfaces. Also, 60 symbols and abbreviations are listed on the back indicating whatever things and places come under the survey. Apart from these, the methods used to conduct the survey, Hyderabad Municipal Survey office seal along with reproduced sheet numbers, and even marked whether it is the special edition or not, are also showed clearly on the back of the map.
- Subject Keywords: Shibli Ganj Street, Abdar Khana, Imari Khana Khurshed Jah, Deorhi Md Sahib Miyan, Chini Khana Nawab Lutf-ud-Din Khan Br, Jilau Khana Nawab Khurshed Jah Br, Bahar Mal Lane, Stores Bashir-ud-Daula Br, Ashur Khana, Jilau Khana Nawab Bashir-ud-Daula, Amir-i-Kabir Deorhi Street, Motor House, Makbarah Sadat-i-Kadim, Stables Nawab Khurshed Jah Br, Mahal Katora Hauz Nawab Khurshed Jah Br, Bawarchi Khana Nawab Asman Jah Br, Kabristan Kutb-i-Alam, Makbarah Kutb-i-Alam, Kaman Shams-ul-Umara, Deorhi Dr Lukman-ud-Daula Br, Jilau Khana Muhtasham-ud-Daula Br, Rangeli Haveli Bashir-ud-Daula Br, Diwan Khana Nawab Bashir-ud-Daula Br, Dargah, Baoli, Deorhi Nawab Sarfaraz Jang Br, Stables Nawab Bashir-ud-Daula Br, Khas Mahal Nawab Bashir-ud-Daula Br, Lal Bagh Road, Dargah Shah Sharif Hussain Kadiri, Shahi Chiri Khana, Bawarchi Khana Sarf-i-Khas, Nishast Sarf-i-Khas, Kaiwan Jah Makbarh Lane, Makbarah Nawab Kaiwan Jah Br, Pili Phatak, Moti Gali, Chau Darwaza, Dargah Hazrat Gharib Shah Wali, Chilla, Shahi Kahwah Khana, Khazana-i-Amira.
- Type: Map
- Rights: Karen Leonard
- Medium: Paper
- Survey: 1912/1915
- Publishing House: Hyderabad Minicipal Survey
- Map Size: 69 x 102 cm
- Creator's Lifetime: 1878/1935
- Creator's Bio: Leonard Munn, an engineer, who was the chief inspector of the mines under the Nizam rule. Munn was born in Madresfield village in Worcestershire in England on May 31, 1878. He graduated as a mining engineer and had worked in the mines in Australia and Africa well in the 1890s. Munn arrived in India in 1902, worked first for a private firm as a gold prospector and then became the chief inspector of mines under the Nizam's government. He worked as a mining engineer with Municipal Survey Department during 1909-1919. Then he became the special officer in charge of Well-Sinking and Geological Department and even served as the Director of the Geological Survey in 1928. In 1929, Munn shifted his residence to the Lingsugur, a place in the northern Karnataka, was part of Nizam's dominion in those time. Munn died at Lingsugur on October 21, 1935, and buried in an old British cemetery. An inscription found from his gravestone about his achievement especially on supervising the construction of 1200 wells in the famine zone of Raichur district.
- Commissioned by: 7th Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan
- Collection: Kalakriti Archives_Karen Leonard's collction
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