Nizam's generous side and love for books

Aurangzeb managed to antagonize Marathas, Rajputs, Jats, etc. Nizam maintained friendly relations with everyone.

Rashmun wrote:

Rashmun wrote:even though Aurangzeb was 3/8th hindu he made many serious mistakes like antagonizing the rajputs and reimposing jaziya. Which is why he wrote 'i do not know what will happen to this sinner full of sins' shortly before he died. Nizam only made one major mistake: he should have agreed to his state's merger with India. Even after this mistake the Indian govt. decided to make Nizam the governor of his state after Indian independence. Also, Nizam did not antagonize members of different communities and faiths like Aurangzeb did.

Aurangzeb, despite being 3/8th hindu, imposed jaziya on hindus. Nizam never imposed jaziya on hindus.

.

Propagandhi711 wrote:

Rashmun wrote:

Propagandhi711 wrote:you know who else was a freemason? anders behring breivik, the anti secular, anti muslim mass murderer from norway that killed 80+ ppl last year.

freemasons expelled anders from their organization after he went berserk. the man was mentally ill. do not compare him to Nizam.

it can be argued that anders did some bad things in the heat of youth that he felt remorse for and might do some good things if they just let him out. we just dont know yet, it's only been 1 yr. also, nizam might have done similar things if freemasons expelled him from their org too.

so it's only a matter of chance and happenstance that nizam did not also kill several innocent hyderabadis.

.

so on the question of jaziya, it is (Nizam + Shivaji + Akbar + Jahangir) vs Aurangzeb.

Akbar abolished jaziya, Jahangir and Nizam did not re-impose it and Shivaji protested against its imposition by Aurangzeb.

Was it partly his imposition of jaziya that caused Aurangzeb to write 'i do not know what will happen to this sinner full of sins'.

Rashmun wrote:Veteran freedom fighter Shanker Rao pays tributes to Nizam VII


Veteran freedom fighter from Gulbarga, Mr. Shanker Rao paid rich tribute to the generosity of Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad. He has especially come from Gulbarga to pay homage to the late Nizam. He came to Siasat office and met Mr. Zahid Ali Khan, Editor Siasat. He told that the people of Hyderabad Karnataka still remember the generosity, kindness and secular character of the late Nizam.

He condemned the campaign against the Nizam of Hyderabad by BJP and other communal minded organizations. He told that he himself witnessed the welfare schemes of the late Nizam for the poor people.

He told that he had struggled against the ‘Razakars’ from Hyderabad Karnataka region majority of the Razakarars from this region were the Hindus who had joined this group for looting the people.

He deplored that BJP is spreading venom among the people. He told that communal elements have entered Congress these days. He told that Nehru was against the partition of India but he couldn’t control it.

He mentioned that the day of merger of Hyderabad State in the Indian union is celebrated every year on 17 September in Hyderabad Karnataka Region but nobody says anything against the late Nizam of Hyderabad.

http://www.siasat.com/english/news/veteran-freedom-fighter-shanker-rao-pays-tributes-nizam-vii

Veteran Freedom Fighter Shankar Rao bows his head before the memory of the Nizam.

Rashmun wrote:

Merlot Daruwala wrote:

Rashmun wrote:

Merlot Daruwala wrote:

Rashmun wrote:sufis are considered heretics by orthodox muslims. the fact that Shad continued to play a dominant role at the court of the Nizam despite calling himself a sufi implies that the the Nizam was not a religious bigot but a liberal.

No, it only means the Nizam did not think Shad was a heretic. We don't know what he would have thought if Shad had had not been a childhood friend or if he had not disavowed his Hindu origins.

my contention is that if you proclaim yourself to be a sufi then you are closer to hinduism than to islam.

Sure, Sufism is closer to Hinduism than Islam but Shad had the option of remaining a Hindu. Can't get any closer to Hinduism than remaining within the fold, right? Instead, he distanced himself from his birth religion by claiming to be a Sufi fakir.

hinduism has got many sects and sub-sects within it. in my opinion Indian sufism should be considered a hindu sect. i know of hindus who are devotees of specific sufi saints. they find sufism to be indistinguishable from hinduism and i agree with them. This is the crude answer to your question.

The more refined answer is that sufis are mystics and mystics do not have any religion. they are beyond the narrow confines of any religious dogma or ritual. this is also true for hindu mystics. in this sense also sufis and hindu mystics are indistinguishable.

.

Rashmun wrote:

Rashmun wrote:

Merlot Daruwala wrote:

Rashmun wrote:

Merlot Daruwala wrote:

No, it only means the Nizam did not think Shad was a heretic. We don't know what he would have thought if Shad had had not been a childhood friend or if he had not disavowed his Hindu origins.

my contention is that if you proclaim yourself to be a sufi then you are closer to hinduism than to islam.

Sure, Sufism is closer to Hinduism than Islam but Shad had the option of remaining a Hindu. Can't get any closer to Hinduism than remaining within the fold, right? Instead, he distanced himself from his birth religion by claiming to be a Sufi fakir.

hinduism has got many sects and sub-sects within it. in my opinion Indian sufism should be considered a hindu sect. i know of hindus who are devotees of specific sufi saints. they find sufism to be indistinguishable from hinduism and i agree with them. This is the crude answer to your question.

The more refined answer is that sufis are mystics and mystics do not have any religion. they are beyond the narrow confines of any religious dogma or ritual. this is also true for hindu mystics. in this sense also sufis and hindu mystics are indistinguishable.

.

i gave a crude answer and i also gave a refined answer. the crude answer was meant for fools and the refined answer for the intelligent.

Aurangzeb may have gotten attracted to sufism near the time he died but for most of his life he remained an orthodox muslim. sufis like music and singing; they believe they can attain union with god through music and singing. But Aurangzeb got rid of the court musicians and singers since orthodox islam frowns upon music and singing.

Aurangzeb also wrote 'i do not know what will happen to this sinner full of sins' near the time of his death.

Nizam patronized music and singing while Aurangzeb did not.

in another thread charvaka writes:

Nizam:
- moved Hyderabad taxpayers' money into an account to help Pakistan that was at war with India
- tried his best to help Pakistan in its war with India over Kashmir

-----

my response:
1. he was trying to safeguard his money just like politicians all over the world put their money in swiss bank. so he put it in a bank account in england. to this day there is wrangling about the money since he put all his money in the bank account of the pak ambassador to england who was presumably his friend. no money has been utilized by pak from this account for the simple reason that the bank has provisionally frozen this account pending some kind of agreement between india, pak, and the nizam's heirs.
2. this is a lie. if it would have been true Nizam would never have been made governor of his state after indian independence.

Contrary to popular belief, Hyderabad under the Nizam rule witnessed a powerful nationalist movement with several local leaders launching a fight against British colonial rule, says senior historian Dr Thirumali. Dr Thirumali, associated with the department of history, Delhi University, said Hyderabad had nationalist aristocracy and several members of the aristocratic families in the erstwhile Nizam dominion had participated in the meetings of the Indian National Congress. Dr Thirumali was delivering Dr Sheela Raj Memorial lecture on Mir Mehboob Ali Khan, Nizam VI, and his times, organised by the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust here on Tuesday.

Dispelling misconception in people’s minds, he said leaders like Aghoranath Chattopadhyaya and Mulla Abdul Qayyum were the first members of the Indian National Congress in Hyderabad. “The aristocracy in Hyderabad was nationalistic aristocracy and not sectarian one. The voice of Hyderabad was the typical nationalist voice of India,” Dr Thirumali pointed out. Referring to Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, he said the Nizam was a responsible ruler and did not side with Pakistan when the British had put the option before him. Dr Thirumali quoted the Nizam as saying “I have nothing to do with Pakistan. I am a Deccani ruler. If I join Pakistan, I will become a Muslim ruler” He said the Nizam had wanted peace in the region. “Had the Nizam joined Pakistan, Hyderabad would have witnessed violent incidents similar to the ones that rocked Punjab and Bengal.”

The Nizam played a crucial role as the Raj Pramukh in the transition of Hyderabad from aristocracy to democracy. “Had the Nizam not helped the Indian government in the peaceful transition of power in Hyderabad, things would have been quite different,” he said. Dividing the rule of the Asaf Jahi regime into three stages, he said the regime of the Nizam VI witnessed development while that of Nizam VII saw the emergence of political parties and politics. He said Hyderabad had provided raw material in the form of cotton to boost industrial revolution in England.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/‘aristocrats-part-freedom-struggle’-436

Rashmun wrote:Contrary to popular belief, Hyderabad under the Nizam rule witnessed a powerful nationalist movement with several local leaders launching a fight against British colonial rule, says senior historian Dr Thirumali. Dr Thirumali, associated with the department of history, Delhi University, said Hyderabad had nationalist aristocracy and several members of the aristocratic families in the erstwhile Nizam dominion had participated in the meetings of the Indian National Congress. Dr Thirumali was delivering Dr Sheela Raj Memorial lecture on Mir Mehboob Ali Khan, Nizam VI, and his times, organised by the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust here on Tuesday.

Dispelling misconception in people’s minds, he said leaders like Aghoranath Chattopadhyaya and Mulla Abdul Qayyum were the first members of the Indian National Congress in Hyderabad. “The aristocracy in Hyderabad was nationalistic aristocracy and not sectarian one. The voice of Hyderabad was the typical nationalist voice of India,” Dr Thirumali pointed out. Referring to Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, he said the Nizam was a responsible ruler and did not side with Pakistan when the British had put the option before him. Dr Thirumali quoted the Nizam as saying “I have nothing to do with Pakistan. I am a Deccani ruler. If I join Pakistan, I will become a Muslim ruler” He said the Nizam had wanted peace in the region. “Had the Nizam joined Pakistan, Hyderabad would have witnessed violent incidents similar to the ones that rocked Punjab and Bengal.”

The Nizam played a crucial role as the Raj Pramukh in the transition of Hyderabad from aristocracy to democracy. “Had the Nizam not helped the Indian government in the peaceful transition of power in Hyderabad, things would have been quite different,” he said. Dividing the rule of the Asaf Jahi regime into three stages, he said the regime of the Nizam VI witnessed development while that of Nizam VII saw the emergence of political parties and politics. He said Hyderabad had provided raw material in the form of cotton to boost industrial revolution in England.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/‘aristocrats-part-freedom-struggle’-436

.

it is important to note that after Indian independence the Nizam was appointed Governor of his state (Raj Pramukh).

Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel would surely not have appointed the Nizam Governor of his state (Raj Pramukh) if they felt he was incorrigible. Nizam made a mistake when he made a bid for his state to become independent, but his mistake was forgiven by Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, and others when they made him Governor (Raj Pramukh) of his state.

Rashmun wrote:it is important to note that after Indian independence the Nizam was appointed Governor of his state (Raj Pramukh).

Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel would surely not have appointed the Nizam Governor of his state (Raj Pramukh) if they felt he was incorrigible. Nizam made a mistake when he made a bid for his state to become independent, but his mistake was forgiven by Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, and others when they made him Governor (Raj Pramukh) of his state.

I added the underlined words as an edit to my post.

should Charvaka follow Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel's lead and forgive the Nizam for his mistake as well?

Charvaka, did Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel and others make a mistake when they appointed the Nizam Governor (Raj Pramukh) of his state?

should Charvaka spit out the hatred in his heart towards the Nizam?

Charvaka's hero Pandit Nehru with the Nizam

Charvaka's other hero Sardar Patel with Nizam

Rashmun wrote: Putting the Nizam's rule in perspective

I promise you this is going to be a short post. That is because even though the subject is big, it has been dealt with many times at different points in the blog in conjunction with the question of who developed Hyderabad. The other day the famous Telugu poet and participant in the original Telangana Armed Struggle, Dasaradhi Rangachari was quoted by the Hindu as having said that he was disheartened by the attempts being made to project the Nizam of Hyderabad, especially the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan as a person who was responsible for the development of the city. He is also quoted by the Hindu as having said that the only thing that the Nizam had done was set up the Osmania University and that too with the money of the people which he had collected as taxes.

Without in anyway questioning the credentials of the great poet and his contribution to the reduction of feudalism in the Telangana region, I would like to join issue with his reported utterances. I am aware that he is an octogenarian and has seen more of life and the region than I have, but I have on my side an octogenarian (yes, my father, I will invoke his experience here again) and also more than forty years of living in Hyderabad to know what was the contribution of the last Nizam to the development of the city of Hyderabad and also perhaps to some areas of the region which was once the Hyderabad State. After having read the reports in the newspaper cited above as usual it became a subject of discussion between my father and me. While we have different views on the Telangana question (he believes in separation and I don't) we have agreements on many other things pertaining to Hyderabad.

After reading the report I sat back thinking and the first thought that came into my head was that when I was a child going to school we were taught that Hyderabad was the fifth biggest city in India. The other four cities were (in the order then) Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay and Madras. Delhi was the Capital of not only the British Empire but also of the other big empire that preceded it; the Mughal Empire. Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were port cities that were developed by the British as connection to the hinterland of India so that they could carry out trade through shipping. So in effect we are talking of these four cities having been developed due to the necessities of colonialism. But the fifth biggest city Hyderabad, thanks to the policies of the Nizam was never directly under British Colonialism even though it hosted a British Resident for my years. Yet it had developed. It was in the hinterland, not a port, did not have any solid agriculture, but it had started nascent industrial development. Hyderabad always had wide roads, an underground drainage and sewerage system and an architectural style that was uniquely its own. Most constructions used the now famed Indo-Sarcenic style and more importantly the city had a unique character that was derived out of its tehzeeb or loosely put hospitality (I cannot find a better word and therefore the loose translation). It also had a system of drinking water which was a form of rain harvesting and this was done by linking various tanks that were created to hold water.

So where did this all come from? Obviously it came from the Nizam's rule. Dasaradhi Rangachari is not right in believing that it was only the Osmania University that was the contribution of the Nizam to development. And which ruler of any kind would do things without collecting taxes from the people? Let me put it this way; it was possible for the Nizam to collect taxes and do nothing for the people. But he did do something for the people. The Osmania University was set up and along with it a translation bureau to translate technical terms of medicine, engineering and agriculture from English to Urdu. My father tells me that the bureau was fully functional, unlike the Telugu Academy which was set up in the 1970s, which has done nothing except bring out English textbooks now. One cannot forget that even prior to the setting up of the Osmania University, there was the Nizam College set up in 1887 (hope my date is right) which was offering courses in English medium and was affiliated to the Madras University till 1948-49 when it was made a part of Osmania University when the university had switched over to offering education in English.

The Nizam also gave scholarships to students to pursue higher studies in other regions with the rider that they come back and serve him. My grand father and his brothers were beneficiaries of this. The Nizam set up the Hyderabad Administrative Service and paid salaries that were higher than what the British were paying to the Indian Civil Service officers to attract good talent to his state. He enlisted the services of the famed Mokshagundam Vishweshwaraiah who not only plotted the course of the Isa and the Musi river and created the Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar (Gandipet) reservoirs but also created a system of interlinked tanks from Medchal tank through the Fox Sagar tank to the Hussain Sagar tank. I am not even talking of other linkages here since I do not remember them too well. Then he tried to create a circular railway and did create it actually much like the ring roads of today. So where is the question of his not bringing about development? My father tells me there was no religious bigotry either and that many jagirdars were not even Muslims.

I am not lionising the Nizam, but I think it is extremely invidious to accuse someone of having contributed only to backwardness when there are glaring examples of conscious contribution to development. This post also does not belittle the greatness of people such as Dasaradhi Rangachari. It has only been made because of a fervent desire to project things as they should be; sometimes even people that we may not like do good things and just because we do not like them we cannot say they never did any good. This post will also not deny the excesses of the Razakars. That is also a true piece of history. But this is about the contribution of the Nizam to development and therefore I have only limited myself to it. The State of Andhra Pradesh is passing through a critical phase and at this juncture it is imperative that we do not distort history and create unnecessary antipathies between people.

P.S: I only seem to make these posts in great haste and therefore not proof read. Errors may please by excused.

http://avspolitics.blogspot.com/2012/01/putting-nizams-rule-in-perspective.html

.

Rashmun wrote:Acting Consul General Michael Yoder inaugurated a two-day seminar ‘The Socio Economic and Cultural Contribution of Mir Osman Ali Khan Nizam VII’ organized by the The Nizam’s Museum on September 13.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Yoder said, “We so often get caught up in the emergencies and crises of daily life, I think it’s important to pause, and to appreciate our historical heritage. And in this context this seminar assumes great significance as the Asaf Jahi rulers, and in particular, Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, contributed extensively to the growth of literature, art, architecture, culture and rich food–a legacy that lives on today.”

He added that it was very heartening to know that the foundation for Hyderabad’s success was laid by a wise and benevolent leader who demonstrated religious tolerance while devoting himself to advancing Islamic scholarship. “Many of today’s politicians are following the ideas that were originally from the period of the Nizams. Once again, the philosophy of this historical period continues to shape our modern history,” Mr. Yoder said.

The idea behind the seminar was to create awareness about the achievements made by the Asaf Jahi rulers apart from the contributions made by Mir Osman Ali Khan. Nine scholars and historians were contributing research papers as part of the seminar.

While wishing the seminar a success Mr, Yoder said, “I would like conclude by stating that visitors to Hyderabad will leave with a lasting impression of the grandeur that was once the Hyderabad State.

http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov/pe091411.html

.

Aurangzeb did away with the musicians in his court. In contrast the Nizam was a great patron of music. For instance:

PIR-o-MURSHID INAYAT KHAN, founder of the Sufi Order in the West, was born in Baroda, India, on July 5, 1882, into a Muslim family of great musicians yet he also was much influenced by Hinduism. His grandfather, the central figure in the extended household of three generations, was Maula Bakhsh, a musician of wide repute who was known as the "Beethoven of India" and was respected as a composer, performer, and developer of a musical annotation which combined a group of diverse musical languages into one simplified integrated notation.
The house in which young Inayat grew up was a crossroads for visiting poets, composers, mystics, and thinkers. There they met and discussed their views (religious and otherwise) in an environment of openness and mutual understanding. This produced in the young man a sympathy for many different religions, and a strong feeling of the "oneness" of all faiths and creeds.

As a child, Inayat learned to play the veena and paid visits to holy men. In his mid teens he began to teach at the Academy of Music in Baroda and soon become a professor. His interest was to educate people about the rich musical culture of India and to encourage an understanding that traditional Indian music was not just Hindu or Muslim but a synthesis of both cultures.

By his twentieth birthday Inayat was playing the veena, an Indian stringed instrument, for the court gatherings of rajahs and maharajahs throughout India. The great patron of music, the Nizam of Hyderabad, responded to Inayat Khan's singing by awarding him the greatest musical title in India: Tansen of India.

http://www.sufimessage.com/introduction.html

Rashmun wrote:Andhra Pradesh
-
Hyderabad









A ‘miser' who donated generously





Special Correspondent

Mir Osman Ali Khan donated liberally to places of worship

---

Along with Muslim employees, Christians and Hindus given special leave for visiting holy places
The seventh Nizam also granted Rs. 1 lakh each to the Andhra and the Benaras Hindu Universities

---

Hyderabad: The Yadgarpally temple at Bhongir received a grant of Rs.
82,825. Sitarambagh temple got Rs. 50,000, Bhadrachalam temple Rs.
29,999 and Balaji temple in Tirupati Rs. 8,000.

No, these are not grants made by the present dispensation but by the
erstwhile Nizam's regime. The Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, was
generous in donations to churches, mosques and Gurudwaras too. Though a
strict follower of Islam, he displayed exemplary tolerance towards other
faiths.

These little known details were an eye opener to many who turned up
for the talk on “The cultural contributions of Mir Osman Ali Khan”
organised at the Princess Esin Women's Educational Centre here on
Thursday. The programme was held as part of the formation day of the
H.E.H. The Nizam's Museum. A.K.V.S. Reddy, Director-General, National
Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, presided.

Among the audience was the last Nizam's grandson, Muffakham Jah
Bahadur. It was his keen interest that led to the establishment of the
Nizam's Museum in 2000. Zareena Parveen, Director, A.P. State Archives
and Research Institute, raised eyebrows of many when she explained how
the last Nizam was secular to the core. Often dubbed a ‘miser', he was
benevolent when it came to helping out others.

Preserved culture

He took pains for preservation of the ancient and medieval culture of
the Deccan and did his best for cultural synthesis. He took steps for
protection of the world famous frescoes of Ajanta and Ellora. His
government honoured religious leaders like Guruswamy Danamamal. Along
with Muslim government servants, the Hindus and Christians were given
six months special leave and advance salary for visiting their holy
places. “He always proclaimed that Hindus and Muslims were his two
eyes,” Dr. Parveen said.

Education

A progressive ruler, the Nizam's reign ushered in an era of
construction of public buildings. He also patronised learning
institutions and granted Rs. 1 lakh each to the Andhra and the Benaras
Hindu Universities, besides financing several socio charitable
institutions.

Dr. Parveen lauded the pragmatic approach of the Nizam for emancipation of women.

Despite opposition, he introduced progressive reforms and encouraged
education of the downtrodden and vulnerable sections of society.


http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/19/stories/2010021959490200.htm

.

i find it strange that Charvaka's favorite Indian newspaper 'The Hindu' keeps praising the Nizam yet the praises seem to fall on deaf ears as far as Charvaka is concerned.

A fascinating read:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19480923&id=iRoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DyUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4499,1900264

40 posts to catch up. 39 now.

Rashmun wrote:A fascinating read:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19480923&id=iRoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DyUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4499,1900264

according to this article the Nizam was once able to break up a communal riot by the sheer force of his personality. The article says he charged at the rioters with his cane, commanded them to stop, and they obeyed.

Rashmun wrote:i find it strange that Charvaka's favorite Indian newspaper 'The Hindu' keeps praising the Nizam yet the praises seem to fall on deaf ears as far as Charvaka is concerned.

.

does Charvaka's hatred for the Nizam stem from the fact that his ancestors were roughed up by the razakars (paramilitary organization formed to protect the Nizam's state over which Nizam had no direct control) in the period just prior to the state of Hyderabad's merging with the Indian state?

Rashmun wrote:Subhash Reddy dismisses Goebbelian propaganda of PP:

Before I address some points raised by PP, let me quote his statements, on Telangana State Movement, he made in 2008 and published in The Hindu Newspaper on Thursday, October 8, 2008 (Three years and one month ago):

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/16/stories/2008101656990300.htm

THE HINDU

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Andhra Pradesh - Nizamabad

Huge response to Chiru's Telangana tour predicted

Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD: Praja Rajyam spokesman Parakala Prabhakar on Wednesday predicted that there would be an overwhelming response to PR chief Chiranjeevi's tour of Telangana districts if the response to his ongoing tour in north coastal Andhra was any indication. …………..

On separate Telangana, he said no party other than Praja Rajyam had clarity on the issue. "We want the State to be divided like brothers in a family. We respect the `atma gouravam' and `atma abhimanam' of the Telangana people and we said we will never come in the way if separation is necessary," he said.

Mr PP ( Dr. Parakala Prabhakar ) is a founder-member of Visalandhra Mahasabha, dedicated to its mission statement "Visalandhra Mahasabha … are dedicated to the cause of unity of Telugu people. We feel that it is our sacred duty to preserve the unity of our State."

Can you reconcile the statement PP made in 2008 with the above mission? Which one of the facades is real? What reason could PP give to defend such an about turn in his conviction? PP promised never to come in the way if separation is necessary but then indulges in this Goebbels propaganda against Telangana and Telangana people not just to oppose them politically but also to destroy their atma gowram and atma abhmanam which he vowed to respect!

So, when PP says "I'm pretty secure about the strength of my arguments", which argument is he pretty secure? Both? Or whichever suits his day's needs?


Indeed, I have great passion just as any scientist, any farmer, any artist, and any social organizer would have in his/her work. Passion comes out of strong conviction based on learning facts. In contrast, one who can function well without passion or conviction is a Broker, like in Securities trading ( stocks). The Broker will tell the customer to buy and not sell no matter what the stock market is doing.

I am glad I am not a Broker.

Let me quote P Sunderayya's admission of the hidden agenda of his party (The Communist Party) " It is true that only our Party (communist party) came out with the slogan of people's raj in Vishalandhra, advocated dissolution of Hyderabad State and merging it in its neighboring linguistic areas (Andhra)".

So, this conspiracy to erase Telangana off the map and to deny even its history to the future generations has been in the making even before Andhra State was created by breaking up Madras State.

About Nizam VII's accomplishments: It is not I who sang praises, PP, it is your own Andhra Government official website that sang the "praises". Let me give you again the reference to it. The web link is: http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history_modern.html#Asaf

And let me make it easy and fast for you, PP. Just count the paragraphs and start reading from the 14th paragraph through para 19. You will learn the truth. No amount of propaganda will change the truths.

In contrast, please enlighten me what all things did Andhra Pradesh build since 1956 in Hyderabad or Telangana, for the betterment of Telangana people – not just for the government ministers and Andhra robber barons. The Andhra government couldn't function without going to those monumental infrastructure facilities that Nizam VII built in a matter of two decades – from the Legislative Assembly to the High Court and a bunch in between.

Please read the article published on this august forum a few days ago "Telangana Development : Regional Imbalances In Human Development". That's just a tip of the …

"Self Rule" is a bogey? Only for Telangana? "Self Rule" was NOT a bogey when Andhras demanded a separate State from Madras Presidency for Andhras?

I do appreciate it much for Mr. Markaneyulu gari suggestion for a meeting of minds between I and Mr PP but is it not necessary that the minds be objective, and honest?

Sincerely,

Subhash C. Reddy, Ph.D.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karmayog-hyd/message/4512

one realizes that Charvaka's view on the Nizam is not the mainstream view when one finds that the official website of the state of Andhra Pradesh extolls the Nizam .

instead of getting upset with me Charvaka would do better to take up with his own state govt. as to why its official website is extolling the Nizam if he feels so keenly that the Nizam was a wicked and evil person (which clearly he was not).

Rashmun wrote:

Rashmun wrote:Subhash Reddy dismisses Goebbelian propaganda of PP:

Before I address some points raised by PP, let me quote his statements, on Telangana State Movement, he made in 2008 and published in The Hindu Newspaper on Thursday, October 8, 2008 (Three years and one month ago):

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/16/stories/2008101656990300.htm

THE HINDU

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Andhra Pradesh - Nizamabad

Huge response to Chiru's Telangana tour predicted

Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD: Praja Rajyam spokesman Parakala Prabhakar on Wednesday predicted that there would be an overwhelming response to PR chief Chiranjeevi's tour of Telangana districts if the response to his ongoing tour in north coastal Andhra was any indication. …………..

On separate Telangana, he said no party other than Praja Rajyam had clarity on the issue. "We want the State to be divided like brothers in a family. We respect the `atma gouravam' and `atma abhimanam' of the Telangana people and we said we will never come in the way if separation is necessary," he said.

Mr PP ( Dr. Parakala Prabhakar ) is a founder-member of Visalandhra Mahasabha, dedicated to its mission statement "Visalandhra Mahasabha … are dedicated to the cause of unity of Telugu people. We feel that it is our sacred duty to preserve the unity of our State."

Can you reconcile the statement PP made in 2008 with the above mission? Which one of the facades is real? What reason could PP give to defend such an about turn in his conviction? PP promised never to come in the way if separation is necessary but then indulges in this Goebbels propaganda against Telangana and Telangana people not just to oppose them politically but also to destroy their atma gowram and atma abhmanam which he vowed to respect!

So, when PP says "I'm pretty secure about the strength of my arguments", which argument is he pretty secure? Both? Or whichever suits his day's needs?


Indeed, I have great passion just as any scientist, any farmer, any artist, and any social organizer would have in his/her work. Passion comes out of strong conviction based on learning facts. In contrast, one who can function well without passion or conviction is a Broker, like in Securities trading ( stocks). The Broker will tell the customer to buy and not sell no matter what the stock market is doing.

I am glad I am not a Broker.

Let me quote P Sunderayya's admission of the hidden agenda of his party (The Communist Party) " It is true that only our Party (communist party) came out with the slogan of people's raj in Vishalandhra, advocated dissolution of Hyderabad State and merging it in its neighboring linguistic areas (Andhra)".

So, this conspiracy to erase Telangana off the map and to deny even its history to the future generations has been in the making even before Andhra State was created by breaking up Madras State.

About Nizam VII's accomplishments: It is not I who sang praises, PP, it is your own Andhra Government official website that sang the "praises". Let me give you again the reference to it. The web link is: http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history_modern.html#Asaf

And let me make it easy and fast for you, PP. Just count the paragraphs and start reading from the 14th paragraph through para 19. You will learn the truth. No amount of propaganda will change the truths.

In contrast, please enlighten me what all things did Andhra Pradesh build since 1956 in Hyderabad or Telangana, for the betterment of Telangana people – not just for the government ministers and Andhra robber barons. The Andhra government couldn't function without going to those monumental infrastructure facilities that Nizam VII built in a matter of two decades – from the Legislative Assembly to the High Court and a bunch in between.

Please read the article published on this august forum a few days ago "Telangana Development : Regional Imbalances In Human Development". That's just a tip of the …

"Self Rule" is a bogey? Only for Telangana? "Self Rule" was NOT a bogey when Andhras demanded a separate State from Madras Presidency for Andhras?

I do appreciate it much for Mr. Markaneyulu gari suggestion for a meeting of minds between I and Mr PP but is it not necessary that the minds be objective, and honest?

Sincerely,

Subhash C. Reddy, Ph.D.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karmayog-hyd/message/4512

one realizes that Charvaka's view on the Nizam is not the mainstream view when one finds that the official website of the state of Andhra Pradesh extolls the Nizam .

My post(above) contains the link to the AP govt's official website where it extolls the Nizam, but Charvaka--whose own ancestors were roughed up by the razakars--refuses to use his reason when it comes to the Nizam. When his own state govt. is praising and lauding the Nizam it should become clear to Charvaka that his view on the Nizam belongs to the lunatic fringe.

in his frustration Charvaka is now giving this 2001 article about one madcap historian wanting more space to be given to aurangzeb than to akbar:

http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/relipolcom11.nsf/5e7647d942f529c9e5256c3100376e2e/0ffc68f4013cd675e5256cce0035b653?OpenDocument

What Charvaka does not mention is that this was the time when the BJP was in power i..e when BJP wanted to keep making significant changes to textbooks without justification.

Praise of the Nizam in the AP govt. website is justified because it is based on truth while the re-writing of Indian history by hindutva historians is not because it is based on falsehoods.

Rashmun wrote:The Nizam of Hyderabad realised the importance of fire engines and invested in them almost a 100 years ago.



The recent fire in Kolkata made us aware of the catastrophe that flames
bring about and the crucial role of fire fighters in saving lives in
such emergencies. The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Ali Jah
VII, realised the importance of modern technology in fighting fire. In
his endeavour to improve various facilities in Hyderabad, when the first
fire engine was made in 1914, the Nizam invested in it. The Morris fire
engine was built by John Morris and Sons Ltd of Salford, Manchester, in
1914. One of the earliest fire engines built by the company, was sold
to the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway.


Intact



Of the numerous fire engines produced by this company only two are still
in existence. What the Nizam owned is now the prized possession of the
National Rail Museum in New Delhi. The other one is preserved by the
Enfield and District Veteran Vehicle Trust, London.


The Nizam's fire engine is still intact with all the original parts and
in working condition, the one at London, however, had to have the tyres
replaced in 1929.



“For many years after its purchase, the Morris fire engine had been in
active service in the Lallaguda Carriage and Wagon Workshops at
Secundrabad. It was used to put out fires in railway equipmentand also
used by the Municipal Fire Station to subdue fires in various parts of
the city,” says Ms Anuradha Reddy, convenor of INTACH, Hyderabad
Chapter.



“The two fire service vehicles owned by the Nizam became a part of the
Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway and later the Nizam's State Railway,
because only the railways had the infrastructure to maintain these
vehicles,” adds Ms.Reddy. In 1960, the fire engine was retired from
active service and in 1975 it was chosen as a prized exhibit of the
National Rail Museum. The vehicle is a regular feature at most vintage
car rallies in New Delhi.


For the people



And there was more in the kitty of the king of Hyderabad when it came
to fire safety. In 1942 when the first fire tender vehicle with a
ladder was made, the Nizam was one of the first ones to purchase it.



This fire tender vehicle was built in 1942, by the Merry Weather
& Sons Company, London. This fire tender vehicle, was basically
built to rescue people trapped in high rise buildings. This manually
driven vehicle has a 50 foot high ladder, with two large detachable
wheels.



After the Nizam's State Railway merged with the Indian Railways, this
vehicle was taken over by the Andhra Pradesh State government. As it
was still in good condition the vehicle was used to help firemen in the
twin cities.



This vehicle, which bears the registration number, APT 847 was
functional with the Fire and Emergency Service Department of the AP
Government till 1988, when it had to be retired from active service. In
2009, it was donated to the Salarjung Museum and presently it is
displayed right in front of the museum.


http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/kids/article2787439.ece?css=print

.

June 07:
Hyderabad, June 07: Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, was careful about spending on himself but he used to donate generously for the welfare activities. He not only extended financial assistance to the people of this state but helped outside Hyderabad also. Prof Fatima Parveen delivered a memorial lecture on the occasion on Nizam’s 129th birthday celebrations organized by Princess Esin Women’s Education Centre. Prof. Ashraf Rafee, President Abdul Kalam Azad Oriental Research institute presided over the function. Prof. Fatima Parveen told that Nizam VII in addition to being a successful ruler, was also an eminent poet. His collection of poems ran into seven impressions.

On reading his poetry, one knows that in addition to his own personal experiences, there are traces of universal issues. As a king he was always grateful to Allah, the Almighty for blessing him with money, power and everything else. A major component of his poetry is devoted to his love for Prophet Mohammed (SAWS). When he was deposed after 36 years of rule, there is mention of his grief in his poetry. There is a long history of giving financial assistance to writers, poets and religious leaders.

The literary giants who were benefited from his benevolence were Shibli, Abdul Majid Dayabadi, Zafar Ali Khan, Ameer Meeayi, Khaja Hasan Nizami, Amjad Hyderabadi and Sajjad Hussain. He also gave generous donations to Muslim University, Indian Institute of Science. His contribution for the establishment of Translation Bureau and Osmania University are the best examples of his love and commitment for education.

His funeral procession in 1967 is a testimony of the love of people for him. He treated the Muslims and the Hindus his two eyes. He patronized Urdu and Telugu languages.

Curator of Nizam’s Museum Mr. Bhaskar Rao proposed a vote of thanks.

http://www.siasat.com/english/news/nizam-vii-took-care-people-despite-being-monarch

Rashmun wrote:Aurangzeb did away with the musicians in his court. In contrast the Nizam was a great patron of music. For instance:

PIR-o-MURSHID INAYAT KHAN, founder of the Sufi Order in the West, was born in Baroda, India, on July 5, 1882, into a Muslim family of great musicians yet he also was much influenced by Hinduism. His grandfather, the central figure in the extended household of three generations, was Maula Bakhsh, a musician of wide repute who was known as the "Beethoven of India" and was respected as a composer, performer, and developer of a musical annotation which combined a group of diverse musical languages into one simplified integrated notation.
The house in which young Inayat grew up was a crossroads for visiting poets, composers, mystics, and thinkers. There they met and discussed their views (religious and otherwise) in an environment of openness and mutual understanding. This produced in the young man a sympathy for many different religions, and a strong feeling of the "oneness" of all faiths and creeds.

As a child, Inayat learned to play the veena and paid visits to holy men. In his mid teens he began to teach at the Academy of Music in Baroda and soon become a professor. His interest was to educate people about the rich musical culture of India and to encourage an understanding that traditional Indian music was not just Hindu or Muslim but a synthesis of both cultures.

By his twentieth birthday Inayat was playing the veena, an Indian stringed instrument, for the court gatherings of rajahs and maharajahs throughout India. The great patron of music, the Nizam of Hyderabad, responded to Inayat Khan's singing by awarding him the greatest musical title in India: Tansen of India.

http://www.sufimessage.com/introduction.html

.

panini press wrote:

Rashmun wrote:i am only claiming that eraly cannot be considered an authority on mughal india because he does not know persian. ... all a clear majority of the contemporary historical accounts of this period of indian history are in persian.

Rashmun congratulations on reading the autobiography of the grandfather of the illustrious Aurangzeb the Great. This gives you authority on Mughal India. I presume you can read and write Farsi. If you can't, never mind, move the goalpost at a later date and that will be that.

PS: When you said all above, I am sure you didn't mean all in the traditional, almost old-fashioned sense of the word. You meant to automatically exclude the writings of contemporary European observers like one Sir Thomas Roe. It is quite obvious, really.

that should have been 'clear majority' instead of 'all'.

Rashmun wrote:Remembering
the last Nizam

Mir Osman Ali Khan's 120th birth anniversary falls today. A lecture on his life and times is being organised by the Nizam's Jubilee Pavilion Trust at the Nizam's Museum, Purani Haveli at 11 a.m.

ROYAL SPLENDOUR: Mir Osman Ali Khan.












ALTHOUGH THE great flood ravaged the domain of Hyderabad in 1908 three
years prior to the ascent of the VII Nizam Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan to
the throne, one of his first assignments was to invite Visweswaraiah to
advise him on how a similar flood could be controlled and excess water
be put to good use. In accordance with his suggestion, the embankment of
the Musi River and construction of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Dams
at Gandipet were undertaken. If the old city suffered minimum damage in
the recent flood two years ago the credit goes to the last Nizam for his
foresight and commitment to the welfare of his people. What precautions
have been taken after these waters shattered not just the homes but
lives of so many citizens? Have we used advanced technology and
scientific know-how to implement necessary precautions? Or has the
incident been washed away like so many others from the memory of those
in power and positions of responsibility?


Today, everyone is on the fast track and very few stop to remember the
last Nizam -whose contribution to his people never was and never will be
matched. The ruler who was praised by great leaders like
C.Rajagopalachari, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Ambedkar and even the imperial
British. Rabindranath Tagore wrote in praise of the first vernacular
University established in 1917 by the Nizam, "I have long been waiting
for the day when, free from the shackles of a foreign language our
education becomes naturally accessible to all our people.'' Up to 11 per
cent of the Nizam's budget was spent on education - schools, colleges,
universities and even a Department for Translation was set up. Primary
education was made compulsory and provided free to poor sections of
society.


A corpus of one crore was earmarked for industrial development and the
Nizam was responsible for the earliest public sector undertakings -
Singareni Collieries and Nizam Sugar Factory. In 1911, the Nizam
suspended capital punishment and replaced it with life imprisonment,
something that was introduced only in 1964 in Britain. He separated the
Judiciary from the Executive, another landmark in history. The City
Improvement Board was set up by him and slums were replaced by planned
colonies. Health and hygiene were amongst the several welfare programs
he pioneered. Unfortunately public memory is short-lived and few people
remember the contributions of the last Nizam. Bhaskar Rao, curator of
the H.E.H. The Nizam's Museum reinforces, "The Nizam's secular outlook
is more than evident in his keen interest to preserve the magnificent
Buddhist frescos at the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Italian experts were
specially invited for restoration and recreation of these works on
canvas to preserve them for posterity. Each object in this museum speaks
volumes of his enormous contributions.''


``Ours were glorious days, days of plenty under the flourishing regime of the Nizams. Hyderabad was known to bring bharkat
to both the underprivileged and privileged classes alike,'' reminisces
Themi Mehta, wife of well-known cricketer late Soli Mehta. Her
grandfather Sorabjee Pestonjee Kanga, a Persian scholar, was the
personal tutor to the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. On every birthday
of the Nizam Kanga composed poetry and presented it in a silver casket
to his `Sarkar' and student. Likewise, the Nizam reciprocated with
utmost respect to his tutor and visited him twice every year - on Parsi
New Year's day and on Kanga's birthday.


The 120th birth anniversary of the VII Nizam falls on September 9, the
Ist Rajjab as per the Hijri calendar. To mark this occasion, The Nizam's
Jubilee Pavilion Trust is holding a Memorial lecture on the Life and
Times of the VII Nizam on Monday,(today) September 9 at 11 a.m. at the
Nizam's Museum, Purani Haveli, Hyderabad.


Find out what no history textbook can ever emphasise enough about this true jewel of Hyderabad. For details, call on 4521029.









PADMINI B. PATELL



http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/09/stories/2002090900640200.htm

.

Rashmun wrote:

Rashmun wrote:A fascinating read:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19480923&id=iRoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DyUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4499,1900264

according to this article the Nizam was once able to break up a communal riot by the sheer force of his personality. The article says he charged at the rioters with his cane, commanded them to stop, and they obeyed.

.

as mentioned earlier Charvaka's favorite 'Hindu' newspaper keeps printing articles eulogizing the Nizam. Should Charvaka stop reading the 'Hindu' newspaper?

'Nizam was secular modern'
Express News Service
Last Updated : 19 Sep 2011 10:37:59 AM IST

HYDERABAD: In the backdrop of the renewed Telangana agitation, the focus is once again on Hyderabad and by extension, the Nizam rulers. Was he secular and modern in outlook? Debating on these questions were intellectuals, advocates and Telangana activists at a seminar on 'Makers of Modern Hyderabad' held here on Sunday.

Most of the speakers were of the view that the Nizam was secular. Advocate K Pratap Reddy said the concept of secularism was introduced into the Constitution only in 1972 and added that it was very much in vogue in Hyderabad state.

"Although headed by a Muslim monarch, the government was absolutely secular. The Nizams scrapped the death penalty way back in 1937," Pratap Reddy explained.

He further said that Hyderabad was a developed state before independence and was bigger than even Delhi in those days. Drawing a parallel with the current state of affairs in the country, the advocate said the Nizams did not give away land free of cost to industrialists and ruled as per the aspirations of the people.

He claimed that Telangana was never one with Andhra, as there were two unions for employees and people were psychologically separated.

Another advocate K Jithendera Babu recalled that when priests wanted the Nizam to perform Ganga puja to control the fury of the river Musi, he had obliged them.

"The Nizam respected the sentiments of the people," he added.

He said that the Nizam also gave importance to education and allocated `1.5 crore annually for the sector. He said Panagal tank was renovated at a cost of `10 lakh.

The seminar was jointly organised by the Deccan Archeological and Cultural Research Institute and the 1969 Telangana Movement Founders' Forum at the Madina Education Centre.

http://vvbalakrishna.blogspot.com/2011/09/nizam-was-secular-modern.html

Rashmun wrote:as mentioned earlier Charvaka's favorite 'Hindu' newspaper keeps printing articles eulogizing the Nizam. Should Charvaka stop reading the 'Hindu' newspaper?

Does Charvaka's blood pressure increase when he reads articles lauding the Nizam in his favorite 'The Hindu' newspaper?

So the Nizam:
1. banned the slaughter of cows in his kingdom.
2. banned the devadasi tradition where young girls would be forced to become prostitutes.

Rashmun wrote:


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CharminarConnection/message/15979

Nizam VII , a secular Monarch
------------------------


Since Hyderabad Deccan was a Hindu majority state,there
were about 16,000 Hindu temples in the state and all of them
were taken care by department of Umoor-e-Mazhabi or endowment
office. Most of the pundits and pujaris were on the payroll of
Nizam's government. Also Nasranis and padres were paid by the
state government. Nizam VII was always a strictly secular head of
state and government.

One example was the courage and impartiality shown by Nizam.
In front of old Viccaji restaurant on Abids , Sir Afsar Jung started
the construction of a beautiful mosque. After the construction was
completed the workers discovered a small temple very close to the
mosque. When this was disclosed to Nizam VII he immediately
ordered to stop any further construction and the mosque was
abandoned completely.Viccaji restaurant was previously the site
of Nawab Mohsin-ul-mulk's mansion.Nawab was one of the nobles
of Hyderabad Deccan who at the request of the Hyderabad government
moved here from North India.
.
There was a special agency to look after Sikh families and children.
If a Sikh dies with out any children a government inspector would go
to Punjab to find the next of the kin. The person was then appointed
in place of the deceased . He created a trust of Rs.one lakh (in 1920s)
for the Hindu Temple welfare.

There was no income tax department in Hyderabad and this was
most beneficial to the business community which consisted of large
number of Hindus who were businessmen,shop owners ,landlords
and farmers.

In districts and small villages there was a tradition whereby the
Hindu parents would leave their minor daughters in Mandirs
as Diva vasues [devadasis].These girls used to spend their entire lives in
the Mandirs. Nizam in consultation with progressive Hindus
banned this practice (Ms Mue in her book Mother India-page 616)

He officially banned cow slaughter . In our younger days I never
ate beef in Hyderabad (was called bada Ghosht).I grew up
in Himayatnager which was predominantly a Hindu
neighborhood. I felt very safe and happy with my Hindu neighbors
and we jointly celebrated Hindu festivals.

Prominent and popular Hindus during Nizam

1)Maharaja Kishen Pershad , Prime Minister(longest serving)
2)Sarojini Devi (Bulbul-e-Hind)
3)Raja Lala Deen Dayal (photographer)
4)Dewan Bahadur Latcman Narayan Ram Gopal (D.B.R. Mills)
5)Dewan Bahadur Seth Than Malji(Dewan Bahadur Tah Malji Co)
6)Kishen Rao(Musheer-e-Deccan,newspaper)
7)Dr.Mallana & wife Ahilya Kalvakar(parents of Gen.Srinagesh)
8)S.N.Reddy Police commissioner
9)Venkat Ram Reddy police commissioner
10)Narsing Girji and adopted sons Pratap Girji and Dhan Raj Girji
11) Bansilal Pittie and son Panalal Pitti,philanthropists
12)Raja Murlidhar,Subedar and close friend of Nizam VI
13) Shivraj Dharamvant (Malwala Palace)and sons Dharam Karan
Mahboob Karan and Inder Karan.
14)Basheeshar Nath, Justice
15) Dr.Waghray,Dr.Bankat Chandra,Dr.Ramchanda(Ophthalmologist)
Dr.Borgaunkar,Dr.Shanta Bai,Dr.Shrikhande,Dr.Roop Karan,
Dr.Madan Gopal (son in law of Maharaj Kishen Pershad & Physician)
16)Raja Dilsukhram, P.M. Reddy who founded Deccan Airways,Hyd.,
Ramlal,Revenue Board Member,Dr.Ramlal director Education
17)Raja of Wanparthi and Kumudini Devi
18) Mr.& Mrs.Dhage one of the most popular and pioneering
social activists of Hyderabad(Children Society)



The mistrust and hatred between two great religions, Hindus
and Muslims is the creation of the politicians following the
practice of British masters of "Divide and Rule".

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CharminarConnection/message/15979

.

Hyderabad has been the meeting place of many different cultures and traditions. It has over the years developed its own distinctive ‘Ganga-Jamuna’ culture. Hyderabad is a cosmopolitan city: people never identify themselves by their religion but only as Hyderabadis. Dussehra, Diwali or Sankranti are all meant to be enjoyed, whether one is Hindu or not. And Id brings celebrations not for a single community but for the entire city. Faith is a personal matter and what unites one is the sense of belonging to Hyderabad. (Old-timers say all this is a thing of the past, but I believe such pessimism is unwarranted).

Language is not a problem. The unique lingua franca, Dakhni, one of the most identifiable markers of Hyderabad, is a delicious blend of Hindi, Urdu and Telugu, with a lacing of old Marathi. The plural character of the city dates back to its founder, Quli Qutb Shah, who was also a Telugu scholar. Geographically too, it is inclusive: the twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, do not exhibit the cleavage in environment that divides, say, South Mumbai and the suburbs, or the Calcuttan whose life is confined south of Park Street. And now there is also Cyberabad, as the 400-year-old city constantly reinvents itself.



Never directly ruled by the British, the city’s pluralism owes to the Nizams, who encouraged Parsis, Kayasthas and Muslims to join the civil services.


Hyderabad is not only cosmopolitan but also a pan-Indian city. Since the city was never ruled directly by the British (there was a Resident stationed there), it owes its plural character not so much to the British but to the Nizams, who encouraged Parsis, Kayasthas and Maharashtrians to join the civil service. What is important is that the inclusive nature of the city blended all these communities into a harmonious whole, distinguished by the adoption, in their own manner, of what is known as the ‘Hyderabadi tehzeeb’—the traditional composite of civility, hospitality, courtesy and grace in social interaction, the hallmark of which is respect and consideration. The outsider in Hyderabad (though I believe that the city does not treat anyone as such) does not jar. A posting in Hyderabad invariably ends with it being the city of choice post-retirement, or at least the acquisition of some property. Those who stay on mould their tastes and even language to the habitat. There is no need or wish to retain separateness—all willingly and happily submit to the warm embrace of the composite and cosmopolitan culture of a city, where visitors as far back as 400 years were in no hurry to leave once they had arrived.
My family, both from the paternal and maternal side, has lived in Secunderabad for the last four generations. Both my paternal great-grandfather and my grandfather served in the railways. I recollect my late father recounting with great pride how his grandfather was an ‘officer’ who rode to the club in a dog-cart (a small two-wheeled buggy drawn by a single horse). I was born in Secunderabad, but my father’s peripatetic existence took us to all parts of the country. But wherever our peregrinations took us, Secunderabad was always home. This was where we belonged. As kids, my sister and I always looked forward to holidays with my maternal grandmother. I vividly remember climbing a large tamarind tree and also eating a little more imli than was good for me.

I recall an interesting anecdote about belonging to Secunderabad involving my father and Morarji Desai, the former chief minister of undivided Bombay, who later became prime minister. My father was a young superintendent of police posted in Kutch in the mid-’60s. He had arrested some Congress workers for disturbing the peace and Morarjibhai, who was visiting the district as a Congress leader, asked to see him. To his credit, the stern and austere Morarjibhai did not make the arrests an issue. He only asked what they had done and readily accepted my father’s version of their misdemeanours. But a grilling of a different kind was in store. Knowing my father was a Parsi, Morarjibhai asked him where he came from. “Mool vatni kyan na? (What is your hometown?),” he asked him, only to receive what must have seemed to him an astonishing answer: Secunderabad. “Can’t be,” he told my father bluntly. “You have to be from Surat, Navsari, Bombay or somewhere on the west coast.” After some very probing questions about our forbears, he finally bullied my father into agreeing that we were originally from Surat! Having conceded defeat, my father still managed to have the last word: “My forefathers might have lived in Surat, Sir, but I am from Secunderabad.”

“I am from Hyderabad.” That, for me, is the bottom line. Ultimately, it is not important whether Hyderabad goes to Telangana or to Andhra, or becomes a Union Territory or a joint capital. No doubt chauvinism, economics and politics will all play a role when that decision is taken. There are fears that ‘Brand Hyderabad’ will suffer. But let’s not sweat the small stuff. Our concern should be about the disappearance of the inclusive personality that Hyderabad fostered, reveling as it did in its multi-religious and multilingual diversity—a composite character which Nehru not only lauded but also hoped that the rest of India would emulate. To anything which seeks to destroy this syncretism we must say a polite ‘Nakko’, because ‘Hum logaan ko aisich rehna.’

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?263401

Good deeds of Nizam:

1. Banned devadasi tradition after taking Hindus into confidence.
2. Banned slaughter of cows so as to win the affection and respect of Hindus.

(To be continued)

Rashmun wrote:Good deeds of Nizam:

1. Banned devadasi tradition after taking Hindus into confidence.
2. Banned slaughter of cows so as to win the affection and respect of Hindus.

(To be continued)

3. Gave funding to various educational institutes like Benares Hindu University, AMU, and Bhandarkar oriental research institute.
4. Gave funding to archaeologists who were working on preserving the Ajanta and Ellora caves.

(To be continued)

posting on both threads.

charvaka and rashmun,

question:
aurangabad is named after aurangzeb, i believe. is there a city named after the nizam, whatever his real name was?

bw wrote:posting on both threads.

charvaka and rashmun,

question:
aurangabad is named after aurangzeb, i believe. is there a city named after the nizam, whatever his real name was?

there is a city in Maharashtra called Osmanabad which is named after Nizam Osman Ali Khan.

Named after the last ruler of Hyderabad Deccan Sir nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan bahadur . The total population of Osmanabad is 1,660,311 according to the latest provisional figures released by Directorate of Census Operations in Maharashtra. riculute sector .This shows the history of osmanabad in agriculture which is more sound in manufacturing unit.( major contribution in sugar manufacturing).[2]This shows an increase of 11.69 percent in 2011 compared to figures of 2001 census. The initial figures of data shows that male and female were 864,674 and 795,637 respectively. Osmanabad District of Maharashtra comprises an area of 7,569 km2. As per census 2011, density of Osmanabad District per square km is 219 compared to 196 per km2 of 2001.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmanabad

[The Nizam's kingdom included parts of modern Maharashtra]

There is also a city called Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh and another city by the same name in Uttar Pradesh but i do not know if these were named in honor of the last Nizam.

There is a university called Osmania University in Hyderabad named after the last Nizam (who founded it).

There is also an artificial lake called Osman Sagar formed by damming the Musi river in 1920 i.e. at the time of Nizam Osman. Osman Sagar serves two purposes:

1. provides drinking water to hyderabad.
2. prevents the city from flooding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osman_Sagar