The Paigah Tombs

Yesterday was Gandhi Jayanti, and I took advantage of the day off to visit the Paigah Tombs in southern Hyderabad. I've tried before to get to the Tombs; this time I went by car, in the company of my new driver, Srinivas.

I didn't initially set out to visit the Tombs; rather, I was determined to get a decent dhoti, after failing to do so last weekend. But we arrived at Bazar Ghat before any shops were open, and so I decided on the spot to seek for the Tombs. Srinivas, a lifelong Hyderabadi, had never even heard of the Tombs, and was surprised (perhaps "doubtful" is more accurate) at my ability to navigate the chaos of Hyderabad. We made a quick stop at Raymond's Tomb (also new to Srinivas...) and then succeeded in locating the Paigah Tombs with little difficulty.

The Tombs are located in a residential area close to Owaisi Hospital; they are literally surrounded by people's houses, with children playing among the Tombs. They are shockingly neglected; the same lack of care that plagues the Qutub Shahi Tombs seems to be pervasive. It's criminal that Hyderabad is allowing its cultural heritage to crumble.

Perhaps the most striking feature of these tombs is the rooftop ornamentation.





But the tombs themselves are lovely, too - in spite of having been vandalized.







For more pictures, visit my Paigah Tombs photo page.

Paigah Tombs