Charminar

The Charminar ("Four Minarets"), 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. 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 know for the 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-ul-fitr.[3]

The Charminar is situated on the east bank of Musi

river.[4] To the west lies the Laad Bazaar, and to the
southwest lies the richly ornamented granite Makkah
Masjid.[5] It is listed as an archaeological and
architectural treasure on the official "List of Monuments"
prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India.[6] 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
Charminar
ornate minarets attached and
supported by four grand arches.[5]

History

Religion

Affiliation Shia Islam

Charminar during repair works - August 2016
Location

The fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi Location Hyderabad,

dynasty, Muhammad Quli Qutb Telangana,
Shah, built the Charminar in 1591 India
17°21′42″N
after shifting his capital from
78°28′29″E
Golkonda to the newly formed city
State Telangana
of Hyderabad.
Architecture

Architect(s) Mir Momi

Astarawad

Style Indo-
Islamic

Charminar, Char Kaman and Gulzar Houz, architecture

photographed by Lala Deen Dayal in the Founder Muhammad
1880s
Quli Qutb
Shah

Specifications
The Archaeological Survey of India Minaret(s) 4
Minaret 48.7
(ASI), the current caretaker of the
height metres
structure, mentions in its records,
(160 ft)
"There are various theories
Materials granite,
regarding the purpose for which limestone,
Charminar was constructed. mortar
However, it is widely accepted that and
pulverized
Charminar was built at the center
marble
of the city, to commemorate the
eradication of Cholera", a deadly
disease which was wide spread at that time.[7]
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah had prayed for the end of the
plague that was ravaging his city and vowed to build a
Mosque at the very place where he prayed.[8] According to
Jean de Thévenot, a French traveller of the 17th century
whose narration was complemented with the available
Persian texts, the Charminar was constructed in the year
1591 CE, to commemorate the beginning of the second
Islamic millennium year (1000 AH). The event was
celebrated far and wide in the Islamic world, thus Qutb
Shah founded the city of Hyderabad to celebrate the
event and commemorate it with the construction of this
building.[9][10]:17–19Due to its architecture it is also called
as Arc de Triomphe of the east.[11]
The Charminar was constructed at the intersection of the
historical trade route that connects the markets of
Golkonda with the port city of Machilipatnam.[12]:195 The
Old City of Hyderabad was designed with Charminar as
its centerpiece.[13] The city was spread around the
Charminar in four different quadrants and chambers,
segregated according to the established settlements.
Towards the north of Charminar is the Char Kaman, or
four gateways, constructed in the cardinal
direction.[9][12][14][15]:170 Additional eminent architects
from Persia were also invited to develop the city plan. The
structure itself was intended to serve as a Mosque and
Madarsa. It is of Indo-Islamic architecture style,
incorporating Persian architectural elements.

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.[16]:4 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.[17]:3,12
Qutb Shah was also among the early poets of Dakhani
Urdu. While laying the foundation of Charminar, he
performed the prayers in Dakhini couplets, which are
recorded as follows:[16]:4[18]

Dakhini Translation
Translation
Urdu into English
into Telugu
‫ﻣﯿﺮا ﺷﮩﺮ ﻟﻮﮔﻮں‬ Fill this city of
న పల
‫ﺳﮯ ﻣﺎﻣﻮر ﮐﺮ‬ mine with people
ఎ ం
as,
‫راﻛﻬﻴﻮ ﺟﻮﺗﻮ‬ ఈ నగ కూ
You filled the river
‫درﻳﺎ ﻣﯿﮟ‬ అ ం
[16]:4[18]
with fishes O
‫ﻣﭽﮭﻠﯽ ﺟﻴﺴﮯ‬
Lord.[16]:4[18]

During the Mughal governorship between Qutb Shahi and

Asaf Jahi rule, the southwestern minaret "fell to pieces"
after being struck by lightning and was repaired at a cost
of Rs. 60,000.[19] In 1824, the monument was replastered
at a cost of Rs. One lakh.[19]

Structure
 A Details Clock of the Interior
minare Charminar
t of the
Charm
inar

Mosque on Charminar
Second Floor

The Charminar masjid is a square structure with each

side being 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) 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 (approximately 184 feet) 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.[20]

The structure is made of granite, limestone, mortar, and

pulverized marble, weighing approximately 14,000 tones
apiece.[21] 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.

There is also a legend of an underground tunnel

connecting the Golconda fort 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.[22]

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.[23]

Surrounding Area

Panorama of Charminar complex, showing the Charminar, Mecca Masjid

and Nizamia Hospital

The area surrounding Charminar is also known by the

same name. It falls under the Charminar constituency.

Makkah Masjid

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.

Bazaars

Char Kaman seen from the top of the Charminar.

A market exists around Charminar. Lad Bazaar is known

for its jewelry, 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 Houz

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.[24][25]

Influences

A replica of the Charminar built in the Bahadurabad locality of Karachi,

Pakistan in 2007

Five Hyderabadi Rupee note issued during Asaf Jah VII's reign

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.[26]

Lindt chocolatier Adelbert Boucher created a scaled

model of the Charminar out of 50 kilograms of chocolate.
The model, which required three days' labour, was on
display at The Westin, Hyderabad, India on 25 and 26
September 2010.[27]
The Charminar Express is an express train named after
the Charminar, which runs between Hyderabad and
Chennai.

The Charminar also appears on coins and banknotes of

the defunct Hyderabadi Rupee, the currency of the
erstwhile Hyderabad State.

As an icon of the city of Hyderabad as well as the

Telangana State, the structure also appears on the
Emblem of Telangana, along with the Kakatiya Kala
Thoranam.[28][29]

Pedestrianization Project
The "Charminar Pedestrianization Project" was instituted
by the then combined Government of Andhra Pradesh in
partnership with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal
Corporation.[30] The project was initiated in 2006 with an
investment of Rs 35 crore. Out of Rs.35 crore, the share of
Central government funds stood at Rs 12.28 crore while
the State government gave Rs 5.26 crore.[31][32] However,
the project did not see the light of day due to various
factors such as Telangana movement, illegal
encroachments by hawkers, vehicular traffic, and illegal
street vendors.[33] Later during January 2017, the new
Government of Telangana introduced a 14-member
French Delegation to takeover the project to assess the
feasibility in developing the monument as an eco-friendly
tourism and heritage destination.[34][35] The team has
inspected surrounding areas such as the Gulzar house,
Macca Masjid, Lad Bazar, and Sardar Mahal.
Subsequently, the project took over on a brisk pace and is
expected to be completed by May 2018.[31][32][34][35]

UNESCO World Heritage Site-Tentative

List
Charminar, along with the Qutb Shahi Monuments of
Hyderabad: the Golconda Fort, and the Qutb Shahi Tombs,
were included in the "tentative list" of UNESCO World
Heritage Site. The Monument was submitted by the
Permanent Delegation off India to UNESCO on September
10, 2010.[36][37]

Temple Structure
A Hindu temple named Bhagyalakshmi Temple is located
at the base of Charminar. A Hindu trust manages the
temple dedicated to the Goddess Lakshmi. The
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which manages the
Charminar has declared the temple structure as an
unauthorised construction.[38] Hyderabad High Court has
stopped any further expansion of the temple.[39] While the
origin of the temple is currently disputed, the current
structure that houses the idol was erected in the 1960s.
In 2012, The Hindu newspaper published an old
photograph showing that the temple structure never
existed.[40][41] The Hindu also released a note asserting
the authenticity of the photographs, and clearly stated
that there was no temple structure in photos taken in
1957 and 1962. Additionally, it showed photos that
provide evidence that the temple is a recent structure - a
temple structure can be seen in photos taken in 1990 and
1994. Also, a temple is seen in a photograph taken in
1986 which is kept in the Aga Khan Visual Archive, MIT
Libraries’ collections, United States, but not in the earlier
ones.[40]

See also
Qutb Shahi dynasty
History of Hyderabad
Tourist attractions in Hyderabad
Hyderabad city
Telangana State

References
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re-sleeps-the-earliest-urban-
 planner/article4827466.ece
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17. Lynton, Harriet Ronken (1974). Days of the beloved .
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to

Charminar.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Hyderabad.

 Photos of Charminar on HyderabadPlanet.com
Mushroom Minarette: An article published by Out Look
India.
complete history
A panoramic image of Charminar along with Old City of
Hyderabad, The image is published in Earth Platinum
Atlacharmin

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