Charminar

Author: Ravi Tourism Times

Charminar (Telugu: చార్మినార్, Urdu: چارمینار), built in 1591 AD, is a landmark monument located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. The English name is a transliteration and combination of the Urdu words Chār and Minar, translating to "Four Towers"; the eponymous towers are ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches.[1][2] The landmark has become a global icon of Hyderabad, listed among the most recognized structures of India.[3] The Charminar is on the east bank of Musi river.[4] To the northeast lies the Laad Bazaar and in the west end lies the granite-made richly ornamented Makkah Masjid.[1][2]

History

Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty built Charminar in 1591 AD,[5] shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what is now known as Hyderabad.[6] He built this famous structure to commemorate the elimination of a plague epidemic from this city. He is said to have prayed for the end of a plague that was ravaging his city and vowed to build a masjid (Islamic mosque) at the very place where he was praying. In 1591 while laying the foundation of Charminar, Quli Qutb Shah prayed: "Oh Allah, bestow unto this city peace and prosperity. Let millions of men of all castes, creeds and religions make it their abode, like fish in the water.[citation needed]"

The mosque became popularly known as Charminar because of the two Urdu words char, meaning four, and minar, meaning tower, combined to form Charminar.[7]

It is said that, during the Mughal Governorship between Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi rule, the south western minaret "fell to pieces" after being struck by lightning and "was forthwith repaired" at a cost of Rs 60,000.[2] In 1824, the monument was replastered at a cost of Rs 100,000.

In its heyday, the Charminar market had some 15,000 shops. Today the famous markets known as Laad Baazar and Pather Gatti, near the Charminar, are a favour, of tourists and locals alike for jewellery, especially known for exquisite bangles and pearls respectively.

In 2007, Hyderabadi Muslims living in Pakistan constructed a small-scaled quasi replica of the Charminar at the main crossing of the Bahadurabad neighborhood in Karachi.[8]

[edit]Structure

The structure is made of granite, limestone, mortar and pulverised marble. Initially the monument with its four arches was so proportionately planned that when the fort was opened one could catch a glimpse of the bustling Hyderabad city as these Charminar arches were facing the most active royal ancestral streets. There is also a legend of an underground tunnel connecting the Golkonda to Charminar, possibly intended as an escape route for the Qutb Shahi rulers in case of a siege, though the location of the tunnel is unknown.[9]

The Charminar is a square edifice with each side 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) long, with four grand arches each facing a cardinal point that open into four streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, 56 meters (approximately 184 feet) high with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with dainty petal like designs at the base.

A beautiful mosque is located at the western end of the open roof and the remaining part of the roof served as a court during the Qutb Shahi times.

There are 149 winding steps to reach the upper floor. Once atop, the solitude and serenity of the beautiful interior is refreshing. The space in the upper floor between the minarets was meant for Friday prayers. There are forty-five prayer spaces.[1]

Charminar has the signature style of Islamic architecture.[10] This great tribute to aesthetics looks sturdy and solid from a distance and, as one moves closer, it emerges as an elegant and romantic edifice proclaiming its architectural eminence in all its detail and dignity. Charminar looks equally spectacular at night when it is illuminated. Apart from being the core of the city’s cultural milieu, it has become a brand name.

Charminar is a beautiful and impressive square monument. Each of the corners has a tall, pointed minaret. These four gracefully carved minarets soar to 48.7 m above the ground, commanding the landscape for miles around. Each minaret has four stories, marked by a delicately carved ring. Unlike the Taj Mahal, Charminar's four fluted minarets are built into the main structure. The top floor, the highest point one can reach, provides a panoramic view of the city.[11]

The actual mosque occupies the top floor of the four-storey structure. Madame Blavatsky reports that each of the floors was meant for a separate branch of learning before the structure was transformed by the Imperial British administration into a warehouse for opium and liqueurs.[12]

A vault that appears from inside like a dome, supports two galleries within the Charminar, one over another, and above those a terrace that serves as a roof, 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 monument overlooks another beautiful and grand mosque called Makkah Masjid.[13] The area surrounding Charminar is known by same name. A thriving market still lies around the Charminar, attracting people and merchandise of every description.

[edit]Tribute

An artistic monument of Charminar made of 50 kilograms of chocolate and taking three days of labor, was on display at The Westin, Hyderabad, India. Lindt chocolatier Adelbert Boucher created the scaled model of Charminar which was on display on September 25 and 26, 2010.[14]

[edit]Commercial Area

Charminar is famous for many things, which cater to all the needs of the people of Hyderabad. The area is famous for Laad Bazar which is very famous for the Bangles, also called "Chudiyaan", mainly worn by women. There is no place for Shopping like the surrounding Charminar Area, and the Traditional Food, like Biryani, Haleem, Mirchi ka salan, Double Ka Meetha etc..The area is also famous for its variety of shops mainly Laxmi Vishnu Jewellers for Gold Jewellery, Agra Mithai Bhandar for sweets and so on. During the season of Sankranthi, the area is completely crowded with vendors selling kites.

[edit]See also

Qutb Shahi dynasty

History of Hyderabad

Tourist attractions in Hyderabad

Hyderabad state

[edit]References

^ a b c d Charminar

^ a b Facts about Charminar: Hyderabad, as discussed in Britannica Compton's Encyclopedia Hyderabad: - Britannica Online Encyclopedia

^ Richard Goslan travels to India - Herald Scotland | Life & Style | Travel & Outdoors

^ Charminar (building, Hyderabad, India) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia

^ Year after repair, rain damages Charminar minaret - Indian Express

^ "Qutb Shahi Style (mainly in and around Hyderabad city)". AP Government. Retrieved 2010-05-16.

^ Rain damages Charminar minaret

^ M. Rafique Zakaria, Charminar in Karachi, Dawn, April 22, 2007

^ "Take a walk through history". The Hindu (Chennai, India). February 9, 2010.

^ "Heritage tag: Govt on a tightrope walk". The Times Of India. September 3, 2010.

^ http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/060730/dmag8.htm

^ [From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan, H.P.Blavatsky. Urbana, Illinois (USA): Project Gutenberg. Etext #6687. 2004. p 265]

^ http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/may/18/mecca_masjid_has_witnessed_protests_never_blast.html

^ [1], A Charminar to drool and eat.

[edit]External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Charminar

Photos of Charminar on HyderabadPlanet.com

Hyderabad on Wikitravel

Labels:

charminar

char minar

char minar history

char minar hyderabad

char minar hydrabad

char minar image

char minar images

char minar in hyderabad

char minar india

char minar photo

char minar photos

char minar wiki

history of char minar

about the taj mahal

historical information about taj mahal

historical monuments taj mahal

india s taj mahal

indian restaurant taj mahal

taj mahal

taj mahal built in

taj mahal cuisine of india

taj mahal hyderabad

taj mahal indian cuisine

taj mahal indian food

taj mahal indian restaurant

taj mahal taj mahal

adelaide indian restaurant

andhra restaurant

andhra restaurants in hyderabad

authentic indian restaurants

charminar restaurant

east india restaurant

east indian restaurant

east indian restaurants

finest indian restaurant

healthy indian restaurant

heritage india restaurant

heritage of india restaurant

history of restaurant in india

india india restaurant

indian food restaurant

indian food restaurants

indian restaurant guide

indian restaurant in city

indian restaurant in india

indian restaurant in the city

indian restaurant india

indian restaurant menu

indian restaurant near

indian restaurant near by

indian restaurant nearby

indian restaurant photos

indian restaurant serving

indian restaurant take away

indian restaurant takeaway

indian restaurant websites

indian restaurants city

indian restaurants in downtown

indian restaurants in hyderabad

indian restaurants in the city

indian restaurants india

indian restaurants menu

indian restaurants menus

indian restaurants near by

indian restaurants reviews

logo for indian restaurant

nearby indian restaurant

restaurant guide india

restaurant indian food

restaurants hyderabad india

restaurants in hyderabad india

romantic indian restaurants

search for indian restaurants

search indian restaurant

search indian restaurants

vegetarian indian restaurants

3 star hotels in hyderabad

budget hotels in hyderabad

charminar hotel

hotel hyderabad

hotel in hyderabad

hotels at hyderabad

hotels hyderabad

hotels hyderabad india

hotels in hyderabad

hotels in hyderabad city

hotels in hyderabad india

hotels in secunderabad

hotels near secunderabad railway station

hyderabad hotel

hyderabad hotels

hyderabad hotels list

luxury hotels hyderabad india

park hotel hyderabad

about charminar history

architecture of charminar

charminar aerocon panels

charminar architecture

charminar bangles

charminar bank

charminar built by

charminar city

charminar construction

charminar height

charminar history in english

charminar history in telugu

charminar hyderabad history

charminar hyderabad photos

charminar hyderabad shopping

charminar hyderabad timings

charminar hydrabad

charminar in hyderabad india

charminar indian

charminar logo

charminar menu

charminar monument

charminar old images

charminar old photo

charminar pedestrian project

charminar photos hyderabad

charminar route map

charminar temple

charminar train timings

charminar wallpaper

charminar wallpapers

charminar was built by

charminar wikipedia

construction of charminar

history charminar hyderabad

history of charminar hyderabad

history of charminar in hyderabad

history of charminar in telugu

hyd charminar

hyderabad charminar history

hyderabad charminar images

hyderabad charminar photos

hyderabad charminar shopping

india charminar

indian charminar

old charminar photos

old photos of charminar

photos of charminar hyderabad

pics of charminar

places near charminar

shopping in charminar

about hyderabad

about hyderabad city

about hyderabad history

ap tourism hyderabad

attractions in hyderabad

attractions of hyderabad

best deals in hyderabad

deals in hyderabad

famous monuments in hyderabad

food in hyderabad

historical monuments in hyderabad

historical monuments of hyderabad

history of hyderabad

history of hyderabad city

hyderabad attractions

hyderabad cities

hyderabad cities names

hyderabad city guide

hyderabad city information

hyderabad city photo

hyderabad city photos

hyderabad city sightseeing

hyderabad city video

hyderabad guide

hyderabad historical monuments

hyderabad historical places

hyderabad house

hyderabad images

hyderabad india photos

hyderabad indian

hyderabad monuments

hyderabad photos

hyderabad tourism

hyderabad tourism packages

hyderabad tourist places

hyderabad what to see

india ap hyderabad

indian city hyderabad

information about hyderabad

information about hyderabad city

information of hyderabad

information on hyderabad

information on hyderabad city

it city hyderabad

monument in hyderabad

monuments in hyderabad

old photographs of hyderabad

photo of hyderabad city

photos of hyderabad city

photos of hyderabad india

places of interest in hyderabad india

places to see in hyderabad city

places to see in hyderabad india

places to visit in hyderabad

sightseeing at hyderabad

sightseeing in hyderabad india

sightseeing near hyderabad

tourism in hyderabad

tourist places in hyderabad

what to see in hyderabad

about charminar

charminar at night

charminar express

charminar express route

charminar express timings

charminar gate

charminar history

charminar hyd

charminar hyderabad

charminar hyderabad india

charminar image

charminar images

charminar in hyderabad

charminar india

charminar information

charminar location

charminar map

charminar of hyderabad

charminar old photos

charminar photo

charminar photos

charminar pics

charminar picture

charminar pictures

charminar pincode

charminar shopping

charminar timings

charminar wiki

golconda fort

height of charminar

history of charminar

hyderabad charminar

hydrabad charminar

image of charminar

images of charminar

information about charminar

information of charminar

information on charminar

old charminar

photo of charminar

photos of charminar

picture of charminar

pictures of charminar

the charminar