Its interiors were once adorned with expensive carpets and exclusive chandeliers. The gardens blossomed with flowers and fountains made the ambience livelier. A marvellous piece of European style architecture, the Khursheed Jah Devdi in Hussaini Alam, once home to the Paigah nobles, now lies in ruins.
Broken doors and windows, wrecked flooring and burrowed walls greet the visitors. Remnants are regularly carried away by children as a novelty. “We have not seen officials visiting the palace at any point of time. Instead, recognising its heritage aspect, many film units descend here for shooting,” Minhaj, a local shopkeeper, says.
Paigah nobel Khursheed Jah Bahadur inherited the palace from his ancestors and stayed here. The palace was full of imported furniture, chandeliers and paintings. Woodwork and glass facades were the other features of the palace. The palace also bears resemblance to the British Residency at Koti.
“It was constructed by Paigah noble Nawab Fakhruddin, who built several other palaces in the city including the Iqbal-ul-Daula Devdi and Jahanuma Devdi. Artisans from European countries completed the structure,” explains M.A. Qayyum, former Assistant Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums.
A big garden and stable was part of the palace. The water to the palace was channelled from Mir Alam Tank by a special line which also supplied water to other royal palaces.
Though it is listed as a heritage monument not much has been done for its upkeep. A college functioned in the palace till it was shifted out for the fear that the building might collapse. “The government is not sincere in the upkeep of heritage monuments. To arrest dilapidation of the palace, at least temporary repairs should be taken up,” feels P. Anuradha Reddy, INTACH member.
Broken doors and windows, wrecked flooring and burrowed walls greet the visitors
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