Paigah Palace

Paigah Palace
General information
Type Royal Palace
Location Begumpet, Hyderabad, India
Completed 1900
Former United States Ambassador to India, David Mulford and his wife Jeeni Mulford during their visit to the designate U.S. Consulate General Office at the Paigah Palace

Paigah Palace was built by Sir Vicar-ul-Umra, a Paigah nobleman. This was built after he gave the famous Falaknuma Palace to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad state, Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI. The Palace houses the Consulate General of the US in Hyderabad.

Paigah Family

In the hierarchy of nobles of Hyderabad, the Paigah family ranked immediately next to the ruling family of Nizams. Abul Fateh Khan Tegh Jung Bahadur, progenitor of Paigah family migrated to Hyderabad in the late 1740s. Nizam Salabat Jung (not considered an Asaf Jah) conferred on him the order of nobility in 1756. Tegh Jung was also entrusted with the defence of the kingdom. Eventually this became the hereditary function of the Paigah nobles.

The Paigahs were also the foremost palace builders of Hyderabad. As described earlier, the Falaknuma Palace was built by Nawab Vikarul - Umra, Iqbaluddoula. This was later acquired by the Nizam VI. Vikarul Umra also built the Paigah Palace in Begumpet, presently the office of USA Consulate and having previously hosted the office of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority. Dating back to the 1900, this is a large two storeyed neo-classical building with a portico, semicircular arches, unfluted Corinthian columns, projected and pedimented windows and deep arcaded verandahs on all four sides. Nawab Abul Fatah Khan Bahadur, the eldest grandson of Sir Vicar ul Umra and son of Amir e Paigah H.E. Nawab Sultan ul Mulk was the last member of the Paigah family to have stayed in this Palace.

Near the Paigah Palace lies the Deorhis of Nawab Muzaffar Nawaz Jung, Nawab Fareed Nawaz Jung, Nawab Nazir Nawaz Jung, Nawab Khair Nawaz Jung and Nawab Hassan Yar Jung who were grandsons of Sir Vikar ul Umra and Sir Vicar Manzil Palace, Razak Gadh (all these seven Palaces were built by Sir Vicar between 1897 and 1901). The Deori of Nazir Nawaz Jung and Fareed Nawaz Jung is a beautiful, two storeyed palace in Mughal style. It has wide verandas facing outwards as well as inwards overlooking a courtyard. The complex is partly converted into a club. The rest of the area is used as a residence.

Palaces of other nobles of the Paigah family; Sir Asman Jah (Bashiruddoula) and Khursid Jah are in poor state of preservation in the old city. The most important palace of Bashiruddoula, the Bashir Bagh Palace situated north of the old city has been demolished. Asman Garh Palace, a smaller but interesting European-style palace on a hilltop in Dilsukhnagar still survives.

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