Hyderabad State

Hyderābād state pronunciation (help·info) (Telugu: హైదరాబాదు, Urdu: حیدر آباد) was the largest princely state in the erstwhile British Indian Empire. It was located in the south-central region of the Indian subcontinent, and was ruled, from 1724 until 1948, by a hereditary Nizam. The Berar region of the state was merged with the Central Provinces of British India in 1903, to form the Central Provinces and Berar.

In 1947, at the time of the partition of India and the formation of the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan, the then Nizam, Osman Ali Khan, decided not to join either new nation. However, the following year, the Government of India incorporated Hyderabad into the Indian Union, using military force, in what was known as

History:

Hyderabad was founded by the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golkonda. In 1686 the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb campaigned in the Deccan to overcome the Marathas and conquer the independent Deccan states. Before the campaign, the Mughals had controlled the northwestern Deccan, including Khandesh and Berar, but Mughal control ended at the Godavari River. Aurangzeb conquered Golconda and Bijapur in 1687, extending Mughal control south of the Krishna River.

The Mughal Empire began to weaken during the reign of Aurangzeb's grandson, Muhammad Shah. A Mughal official, Asif Jah, treacherously defeated a rival Mughal governor to seize control of the empire's southern provinces, declaring himself Nizam-al-Mulk of Hyderabad in 1724. The Mughal emperor, under renewed attack from the Marathas, was unable to prevent it.

The Nizams patronized Islamic art, culture and literature and developed railway network in Hyderabad. Islamic Sharia law was the guiding principle of the Nizams' official machinery.

During the British Raj:

The seniormost (21-gun) salute state during the period of British India, Hyderabad was an 82,000 square mile (212,000 km²) region in the Deccan ruled by the Asif Jahi dynasty, who had the title of Nizam and was bestowed the title of His Exalted Highness by the British. The Nizam set up numerous institutions in the name of the dynasty. He set up schools, colleges, madrasas and a university that imparted education in Urdu. Inspired by the elite and prestigious Indian Civil Service he founded the Hyderabad Civil Service. The pace with which he amassed wealth made him to be the world's richest men in the 1930s, (Time cover story Feb. 22, 1937). Carrying a gift, called Nazrana, in accordance with one's net worth while meeting Nizam was a de facto necessity. The last Nizam ruler was Mir Usman Ali Khan, who was very notorious for strengthening Feudalism in the Hyderabad state. Poor peasants of the Telangana region rebelled with arms against his cruel rule under the leadership of the Communist Party of India and its subsidiary people's organisations like the Andhra Mahasabha. This armed struggle waged by the Telangana people is historically called the Telangana Rebellion and forms the practical ideological base for the Indian Communist movement. It started in 1942 and lasted up to 1951

After the British Raj (1947-48):

When India gained independence in 1947, the British left the choice of independence or unification up to the local rulers of the princely states. Razakars(some Muslim nobles under Nizam ), wished to remain independent or consider joining Pakistan. In the case of Hyderabad however, this could not be applied as it was right in the middle of the new state of India. Being Muslim-governed state, the Nizam wanted to join Pakistan but he was overruled by the viceroy Lord Mountbatten. As a result, the Indian Government carried out the so called “Hyderabad Police Action” against the Nizam. Code-named “Operation Polo” by the Indian military, this action by the Indian armed forces ended the rule of the Nizams of Hyderabad by the forceful incorporation of the princely state of Hyderabad into the Indian Union

Hyderabad today:

In 1956 during the Reorganisation of the Indian States, the state of Hyderabad was split up between Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, died in 1967.

Administratively, Hyderabad State was made up of sixteen districts, grouped into four divisions. Aurangabad division included Aurangabad, Beed, Nanded, and Parbhani districts; Gulbargah (Gulbargah) division included Bidar District, Gulbarga, Osmanabad District, and Raichur District; Gulshanabad District or Medak division included Atraf-i-Baldah, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda (Nalgundah), and Nizamabad districts, and Warangal division included Adilabad, Karimnagar, and Warangal districts

Hyderabad state in 1909

Urdu (in particular, the unique Dakhani dialect), Telugu, English, Marathi and Kannada are among the important languages spoken in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh today.

The political party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, founded by Bahadur Yar Jung, enjoys prominent support amongst Muslims.

Hyderabad History

The city is more than 400 years old and is noted for its many mosques, temples, minarets, bazaars, and beautiful geography. It lies on the Deccan (Dakkan) plateau, 541 meters (1776 feet) above sea level, and sprawls over an area of 260 km² (100 mile²). A multitude of influences have shaped the character of the city. Its palaces and buildings, houses and tenements, gardens and streets have a history and an architectural individuality of their own. This land of 75 million people has an inimitable heritage dating back to times immemorial.

The area around Hyderabad was once part of Ashoka's Empire in the 3rd century BC. Various Hindu kingdoms like the Kakatiyas ruled the area for many centuries, and the region was claimed by both Hindu and Muslim leaders until the late 14th century, when Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah consolidated power and established the fortress city of Golconda nearby.

Hyderabad was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah on the Musi River five miles east of Golconda in 1591-92. Quli Qutb Shah also ordered the construction of the Char Minar, one of the most famous monuments in the city, in 1591. The Qutb Shahi dynasty founded and ruled the Kingdom of Golconda, one of the five kingdoms that emerged after the break up of the Bahmani Sultanate. All seven Qutb Shahi sultans were patrons of learning and were great builders. They contributed to the growth and development of Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic literature and culture in Hyderabad. During the Qutb Shahi reign Golconda became one of the leading markets in the world for diamonds, pearls, steel, arms, and also printed fabric. In the 16th century, the city grew spontaneously to accommodate the surplus population of Golconda, which was the capital of the Qutb Shahi rulers.

In 1687, the Golconda sultanate was conquered by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and Hyderabad became part of the Mughal Empire. As the empire weakened in the 18th century, provincial officials gained greater autonomy. In 1724, Asif Jah, who had already been granted the title Nizam al Mulk by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to take control of Hyderabad province, and established his independence from the Mughals. His successors ruled as Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabadra, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time.

When the British and the French spread their hold over the country, the Nizam won their friendship without bequeathing his power. The title "Faithful Ally of the British Government" was bestowed on Nizam VII. The British stationed a Resident at Hyderabad, but the state continued to be ruled by the Nizam. Hyderabad, under the Nizams, was the largest princely state in India, with an area larger than England and Scotland put together. The State had its own currency, mint, railways, and postal system. There was no income tax.

Soon after India gained independence, it forcefully annexed Hyderabad through Operation Polo, and became an Indian state. On November 1, 1956, the map of India was redrawn into linguistic states, and Hyderabad state was divided between Andhra Pradesh, Bombay state (present-day Maharashtra), and Mysore state (present-day Karnataka). Hyderabad and the surrounding area were added to Andhra Pradesh based on Telugu linguistic majority, and Hyderabad became the capital of the state.