The Charminar is to Hyderabad what the Taj is to Agra or the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. This towering monument cum mosque with four minarets and open arches boasts of a history of over 400 years and stands as the finest example of the city’s heritage and architectural legacy. Located in the heart of Hyderabad, it remains surrounded by a lively market place and is a top attraction for travelers visiting the city. The Charminar is certainly one of those heritage structures you must explore once you step out of your hotels in Hyderabad for a session of sightseeing.
Want to know more about this historical monument in Hyderabad? Read on to know everything about the Charminar, including its history, entry fee, timings, and other interesting details.
The Charminar constructed in 1591 is a monument and mosque located in Hyderabad, Telangana ,India. The landmark has become known globally as a symbol of Hyderabad and is listed among the most recognized structures in India. It has also been officially incorporated as the Emblem of Telangana for the state of Telangana. The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a mosque on its top floor for more than 400 years. While both historically and religiously significant, it is also known for its popular and busy local markets surrounding the structure, and has become one of the most frequented tourist attractions in Hyderabad. Charminar is also a site of numerous festival celebrations, such as Eid-ul-adha and Eid-al-Fitr.
The Charminar is situated on the east bank of Musi river. To the west lies the Laad Bazaar, and to the southwest lies the richly ornamented granite Makkah Masjid. It is listed as an archaeological and architectural treasure on the official "List of Monuments" prepared by the Archeological survey of India. The English name is a translation and combination of the Urdu words chār and minar or meenar, translating to "Four Pillars"; the eponymous towers are ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches.
HISTORY
The Charminar was established more than four centuries ago by the fifth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, namely Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah. He commissioned the construction of this grand mosque in the year 1591 after he shifted his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad, which was a newly formed city.
There are several theories as to why Qutub Shah constructed this towering mosque right in the middle of his new capital. According to some historians, the Sultan was forced to shift his capital due to the epidemic of cholera that was killing thousands of his subjects at that time. He prayed to the Almighty and vowed to construct a mosque if the misery of his people came to an end. The Charminar was built to honour this pledge once cholera was eradicated from the city.
Another school of thought believes that Quli Qutub Shah constructed the mosque and founded the city of Hyderabad to mark the start of the second Islamic millennium year, which was a significant event in the Islamic world at that time. Since the structure was adorned with four lofty minarets on its four sides, it came to be known as Charminar, which means ‘Four Towers’ in Urdu.
With a history that is as old as the city of Hyderabad, the structure has stood the test of time but it has also undergone some damages and renovations along the way. During the governorship of Asaf Jahi and Qutb Shahi, the minaret on the southwest was damaged by lightning and was later repaired. The monument was given a fresh coat of plaster in 1824 at a cost of around one lakh rupees. In 1889, four clocks brought from London were added to the four arches by Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad.
Historian Masud Hussain Khan says that the construction of Charminar was completed in the year 1592, and that it is the city of Hyderabad which was actually founded in the year 1591.According to the book "Days of the Beloved", Qutb shah constructed the Charminar in the year 1589, on the very spot where he first glimpsed his future queen Bhagmati, and after her conversion to Islam, Qutb Shah renamed the city as "Hyderabad". Though the story was rejected by the historians and scholars, it became popular folklore among the locals
Currently, the monument is under the aegis of the Archaeological Survey of India who is in charge of its protection and maintenance.
STRUCTURE
The Charminar masjid is a square structure with each side being 20 meters long. Each of the four sides has one of four grand arches, each facing a fundamental point that opens directly onto the street in front of it. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped, 56 meter-high minaret, with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with dainty, petal-like designs at the base. Unlike the minarets of Taj Mahal, Charminar's four fluted minarets are built into the main structure. There are 149 winding steps to reach the upper floor. The structure is also known for its profusion of stucco decorations and the arrangement of balustrades and balconies.
The structure is made of granite, limestone, mortar, and pulverized marble, weighing approximately 14,000 tones apiece. Initially the monument was so proportionately planned that when the fort first opened, one could see all four corners of the bustling city of Hyderabad through each of its four grand arches, as each arch faced one of the most active royal ancestral streets.
A mosque is located at the western end of the open roof. The remaining section of the roof served as a royal court during the Qutb Shahi times. The actual mosque occupies the top floor of the four-storey structure. A vault which appears from inside like a dome supports two galleries within the Charminar, one over another. Above those is a terrace that serves as a roof that is bordered with a stone balcony. The main gallery has 45 covered prayer spaces with a large open space in front to accommodate more people for Friday prayers.
The clock on the four cardinal directions was added in 1889. There is a vazu (water cistern) in the middle with a small fountain for ablution before offering prayer in the Charminar mosque.
CHARMINAR : TODAY
Today, the Charminar is not just one of the top historical places to visit in Hydrabad but also one of the most recognized monuments in the whole country. It is surrounded by a vibrant market called Chudi Bazar or Laad Bazar, where you can feel the pulsating vibes of the city. The age-old mosque atop the Charminar is functional even today. Several festivals are celebrated at this landmark monument, including the Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.
The Charminar is illuminated for a while every evening and standing against the dark sky, it makes for a stunning sight to behold. The structure is listed under archaeological and architectural treasures by the Archaeological Survey of India. The Charminar has also been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites’ tentative list.
LESSER KNOWN FACTS
The Charminar is also known as the ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’ due to its architecture that is as impressive as the renowned Arc de Triomphe in Paris.According to popular beliefs, the four minarets of the Charminar were built to represent the four khalifas or prophets of Islam.It is believed that there exists an underground tunnel that connects the Charminar to the Golconda Fort which was meant to be an escape route for the royal family if the city came under a siege. The location of the tunnel, however, is not known.As a tribute to this spectacular monument, Lindt chocolatier Adelbert Boucher created its replica using chocolate in 2010, which weighed about fifty kilograms.In 1687, when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb invaded the city, he ordered the destruction of most of the buildings but spared the Charminar because of the mosque located on its top floor.There is a train that is named after the Charminar – the Charminar Express – that operates between Chennai and Hyderabad.The structure is featured on the Emblem of Telangana.ATTRACTIONS NEAR CHARMINAR
The area surrounding the Charminar is also known by the same name. It falls under the Charminar constituency.
The monument overlooks another grand mosque called the Makkah Masjid. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 5th ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, commissioned bricks to be made from the soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site of Islam, and used them in the construction of the central arch of the mosque, hence its name.
A market exists around Charminar. Lad Bazaar is known for its jewellery, especially bangles, and the Pathar Gatti, which is known for its pearls. In its heyday, the Charminar market had some 14,000 shops. The Bazaars surrounding Charminar were described in the poem "In the bazaars of Hyderabad" by Sarojini Naidu.
- CHAR KAMAN AND GULZAR HOUSE
Four arches to the north of Charminar are known as Char Kaman. These were built along with the Charminar in the 16th century. These are the Kali Kaman, Machli Kaman, Seher-e-Batil ki Kaman and Charminar Kaman. At the center of these arches is a fountain called the Gulzar Houz. The Char Kaman are in dire need of restoration, and protection from encroachments.
CHARMINAR INFORMATION
| Location | Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Timings | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm; every day |
| Entry Fee | ₹ 5 for Indians; ₹ 100 for foreigners |
| Still and Video Camera | Free |
| Type | Mosque and monument |
| Year of Construction | 1591 |
| Commissioned by | Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah of Qutb Shahi dynasty |
| Architectural Style | Indo-Islamic with influences from the Persian architectural style |
| Architect | Mir Momin Astarawadi |
| Material Used | Limestone, granite, pulverized marble, and mortar |
| Status | Monument under the Archeological Survey of India |
| Cost of Construction | 9 lakh rupees |
-NANDINI SAJEEV
