THE CHARMINAR
INTRODUCTION
Charminar, the impressive square monument is one of the major
attractions in Hyderabad, the capital city of the south Indian
state of Andhra Pradesh. A magnificent edifice, it's a landmark
in the city and marks its 400 years of history. Often called
"The Arc de triomphe of the East", the Charminar,
is an impressive square monument with four minarets. The top
storey of the monument has a mosque, which has 45 covered
prayer spaces and also some open space. This oldest surviving
mosque in the city of Hyderabad, can be reached by climbing
a total of 149 steps. The monument looks more beautiful, when
it is illuminated with colourful lights in the evening.
HISTORY OF THE CHARMINAR
The Charminar is a massive arch built by Mohammed Quli Qutub
Shah, the erstwhile Qutub Shahi Sultan of Golconda, in 1591,
to commemorate the end of the plague in the city. The history
of Hyderabad starts with the formation of the Qutub Shahi
dynasty. Due to the scantiness of water and recurrent epidemics
of plague and cholera, the monarch built the novel city with
the Charminar as it center with four great roads fanning out
in four important directions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARMINAR
 Enormous
in its size, this imposing monument of India was built with
granite and lime-mortar. It basically depicts the Indo-Saracenic
tradition- an assimilation of the Hindu and the Muslim traditions,
which has woven the magnificent Deccan culture. It illustrates
the essence of Islamic architecture with its use of arches,
minarets and domes in a harmonic whole. The four arched gates
and the four towering minarets of this building reflect its
Islamic lineage but the overall rendering of the building
reflects a strong local influence.
Charminar derives its name from four intricately carved
minarets, The four graceful minarets literally meaning 'Four
Minars', soar to a height of 48.7 meters each, above the
ground. Each of the four arches is decorated on its sides
with a row of small arched niches. The arch is illuminated
every evening, further enhancing the beauty of this enchanted
monument.
According to Mir Moazzam Husain, a long time official of
the UNESCO and a keen student of this historic city, “these
minarets may even symbolise the first four khalifs of Islam,
but I cannot vouch for this interpretation with any degree
of certainty.” At the western end of the roof of Charminar
is a beautiful mosque; the oldest in Hyderabad, and the
rest of the roof was used as a court in Qutub Shahi times.
Atop the great monument are 45 prayer spaces for the devout
where they can offer worship in an atmosphere unspoilt by
the bustle of the city. East of this space is a spacious
verandah with small and large arches in the middle. The
first floor has beautiful balconies from where one has a
fantastic view of the historic city and its later accretions.
This mosque is the oldest surviving mosque in the city of
Hyderabad. The mosque gives a panoramic view of the sprawling
and amorphous city.
The commercial bazaar is situated close to Charminar. The
market is major attraction for the tourists as well as buyers.
The colourful shops sell items like glass bangles, pearls,
jewellerys, traditional Muslim gear and Mughla delicacies.
HOW TO REACH
Air- Begumpet airport is located at a distance
of 15 Kms from Charminar. The airlines operate flights from
major cities of country to Hyderabad. The taxis are available
from the airport to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Rail- Hyderabad and Secenderabad railway
stations are well-connected to major towns and cities of
the country.
Road- Hyderabad is connected by the National
Highways 7 & 9 to rest of the country. The state and
private buses run from other parts of the state to Hyderabad.
Local buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws, rented cars are available
to Charminar.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
October to March
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