The transformation of almost all structures inside the Qutb Shahi tombs complex is breathtaking. Repeat visitors are surprised after seeing the detailing and intricacy involved in the stucco work as well as the grand scale of structures as the landscaping work is going on.
As two phases of the work have been completed, the conservation staff are at work in scattered locations inside the sprawling complex. One of the monuments getting attention now is the Hayat Bakshi Begum Masjid beside the tomb of Hayat Bakshi who was a princess, a queen and a queen-mother in the final days of Qutb Shahi rule in Golconda.
“We are removing layers of cement plastering that the mosque was covered with over the past few decades. We are also removing the flooring that had changed the height of the floor,” says Prashant Banerjee of Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
“Wherever we found the original limestone layer, we are restoring it. Portions of the embellishments on arched galleries on the upper reaches of minarets had collapsed. We are reconstructing those,” informs Mr. Banerjee.
The Telangana State Archaeology and Museums Department is working with Aga Khan Trust for Culture for restoring the Qutb Shahi tombs complex.
Also known as the Big Masjid due to the sheer scale, guides speak in hushed whispers about how the medallions inside the cupola had sparkling precious stones encrusted in them and how they were prised and stolen.
Outside the masjid, the stucco work is largely intact except for wear and tear. Legend has it Mughal emperor Aurangzeb wanted to pray here when he was pressing the siege against the Qutb Shahi king Abul Hasan in 1687. He had one look at the stucco work and refused to enter. He was tipped off about images of squirrels in the medallions. Aurangzeb had another masjid built nearby and prayed there during the siege.
Now, as the craftsmen and artisans chisel away the modern concrete layer, the magic of craftsmen from Qutb Shahi era is waiting to be revealed.
