As the Coronation Hall at Taj Falaknuma is thrown open to public after months of cleaning and refurbishing, a plethora of emotions surge in the hearts of those who saw it in its glorious days.
Months of polishing, driving pigeons and cleaning their poop wasn’t an easy task even for the experts. With the dirt gone, the stench lingered and only after it was aired adequately could the sandalwood doorways let out their fragrance, allowing one to cross the corridors admiring art, sculpture, wood carvings and the Nizam’s tolerance towards all religions.
So, what is the Coronation Hall? Who was crowned here?
The Mukarram Jah’s ex-bodyguard Md. Faiz recollects his days from being a wrestler to landing at the old Begumpet Airport and being appointed as one of his bodyguards, while the Nizam was setting out to visit Ajmer Sharif.
Faiz is currently the Palace’s raconteur and says his days with the Nizam in the palace gave him a deeper knowledge of what went into making the palace what it is.
“Coronation Hall was named after the VI Nizam, Mahbub Ali Pasha visited Dilli Darbar for the coronation of King Edward. Apparently during this time, a lot of artists and craftsmen came to showcase their work in a mela, expecting a huge sale to happen. But the artists met with a lot of disappointment as none were able to afford the art pieces. The artists had created pieces of art keeping four religions in mind and called it ‘four-religion art’,” says Faiz as he takes visitors on a tour of the palace.
In one corner at the entrance, a slide show highlights the restoration work. The huge hallway shows the intricate yet humongous work of art.
As you walk, fragrance of sandalwood wafts in. Is it a room freshener? “No, it is the wood that is leaving this fragrance. Imagine all this was brought in as one piece and put together in one hall. It took the Nizam’s men over three whole years to complete this building. The wood carvings are all of sandalwood and rosewood and have certain unique features, including the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb ,” points out Faiz, as he lists out the Nizam’s contribution towards restoring and saving Indian art and architecture. The Hall is divided into five sections, each dedicated to art of one religion. It begins with Mughal art and is followed by Thai, Buddhism and finally Hinduism. Here one can see the ‘Tree of life’ in sandalwood carvings with Buddhist influences. In the last hall, which is dedicated to Hinduism there is a replica of Panchavati , the abode of Ram-Sita while in exile. Faiz was about 32 years when he was appointed the Nizam’s bodyguard. A national level wrestler,Faiz says as he began to work in the palace, he was astounded to know the details of the Nizam’s ‘ zinda-dili ’. He recollects, “Nizam saab would take his people’s permission to smoke and says ‘if you all don’t have any problem can I smoke?” Pointing out to the balconies, Faiz adds, “They would love to sit out and look over their city. And in 1994 when the palace completed 400 years and was opened to public, the queue went up to Chandrayangutta. Ticket prices were Rs.50.”
