The explored locality includes parts of the Nampally, Mallepally & Mozampora (New Mallepally) precincts of Hyderabad. All these areas integrate to provide an interesting site narrative. Overall, the site is a bustling business hub that is dotted with shops selling local & traditional items with Traditional Bakeries selling Hyderabadi Naans, Pickles & Spices; Medicines including Unani & Ayurveda, Daily wear items such as shoes & jewellery and everyday items such as Groceries
Due to its proximity with city railway station, it also includes many guest houses, lodges & facilities for the travellers.
Trail Map
Nampally
Historically, it was identified as Nampally Village. The name Nampally came from Neknam Khan. He was an administrator, a military commander and an accomplished scholar & poet. When his died, a village, Neknam Pally was established in his honour which was then shortened to Nampally. During the Golconda siege, the Mughal army was stationed here.
The precinct has high transport connectivity - locally and trans-nationally. These connections include the Hyderabad Railway Station, Nampally Metro Station (Hyderabad Metro), MMTC Local City Train and TSRTC (state-owned) bus connectivity. Intermediate Public Transport include - Autorickshaws and Taxis
Hyderabad Railway Station
The Railway Station serves as one of the main entry gates into the city. The other also includes Lakdi-Ka-Pul. It was built by the Nizam Mir Osman Ali in 1907. It initially served as a goods transportation station. Then in 1921, the passenger trains started as well.
An Archival Image
Source: Reckon Talk
Trains hereon plied between Secunderabad & Hyderabad Railway Stations passing through Hussain Sagar Junction or Begumpet Railway Station.
Hajjis departing from Hyderabad Station. (Earlier: Nampally Station)
Source: Reckon Talk
Presently, it is one of the busiest Railway Stations in the country with many Express and Superfast trains originating from or terminating here.
Nampally Metro Station
The Metro Station is located a few 100 m from the main railway station. It provides connectivity within the city. With the main street & the railway station in proximity, it contributes to forming a multi-transit zone in the city. It is also a very convenient mode of transport.
Entrance to Nampally Metro Station
Nampally Sarai
It was originally known as the 'Sulah Sarai' or Tipu Khan Sarai. The Sarai is a heritage building that was used as a resting place for travellers and visitors of the city. It was constructed in 1919. Its location was chosen because of its proximity to the railway station and Carore giri (customs house). It was considered a gateway into the city.
Entrance to the Sarai
It was built by Tipu Khan himself who was a High Ranking Official, a Noble, A stark Equestrian Legend and an extensive traveller. Due to his love for travelling, he felt the need to include this resource within his city, which resulted in its establishment.
The entrance accessway
Tipu Khan's philosophy was reflected in the existence of the Sarai. It provided the guests' free stay for 3 days and included a ration for food. All the facilities were available irrespective of the background of the visitor.
Currently, the physical structure of the Sarai is in a deteriorating condition.
Development Plans:
It was handed over to Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) who planned to use the Sarai as an overhead station and link it with Nampally railway station but the plan was diverted due to protests. Later, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) planned to take it back from Hyderabad Metro to build a commercial complex in the same location
Ek Minar Masjid
Ek Minar Masjid
Source: IANS
The Masjid is located at a busy traffic junction in the precinct. It has an interesting structural typology. The entrance to the mosque is located at the ground level moving to the first floor. The ground floor consists of commercial use.
As its name suggests, it only has one minaret. A light green shade highlights the horizontal architectural elements of the mosque. The dome of the mosque is similar to that adopted by various historical structures in Hyderabad. It is held by brickwork support. Overall, it reflects an Indo-Saracenic & Regional Architectural & Aesthetics.
The minaret gradually tapers from bottom to top. It consists of two projected viewing galleries. The upper gallery is shaded by a circular dome.
The mosque is considered a visual landmark & serves as an entry point into the precinct from the railway station.
Yousufain Dargah
Dargah Yousufain
Source: Official Website of the Dargah
Also known as Dargah-e-Yousufain is a shrine dedicated to two Sufi Saints - Hazrath Syed Shah Yousufuddin and Syed Shah Sharifuddin who are also buried here.
The saints earlier served in the Aurangzeb's army. It is believed that Aurangzeb was able to conquer Golconda in 1687, because of their prayers & blessings.
The dargah was identified as a heritage site in 2008, By INTACH. It is over 300 years old. The dome of the structure was constructed during the Nizam Era.
Street Character
As the city is also referred to as 'City of the Nawabs (Royals)', it is reflected in the urban activities. The commercial activities completely commence only around 11 am in the morning.
Uses:
The street is completely consumed by commercial activities at the street level. The upper floors house other use such as residential, office buildings or lodges.
Due to the existence of the Yousufain Dargah, the nearby shops selling sweets & flowers, bakeries, dairies, hotels or even the lodges have named their ventures 'Yousufain'.
The streets also reflect the gastronomical culture of the city. This includes production of Hyderabadi naans, Subhan Bakery - a well known bakery establishment, and Pista House. It also includes local pickle houses and unani medicine shops.
Left: A Hyderabadi traditional naan bakery. These are small scale industries that are available at every few meters in the precinct.
Middle: Shops titled Yousufain - outside the dargah lane
Right: Traditional pickle shops.
The Legacy of Subhan Bakery
The Bakery was established in 1948. They are well known for their Osmania Biscuits & Dum Ka Roat - A giant cookie laden with the goodness of Dry Fruits. They have popularized the cookie such that now, it is synonymous with the bakery.
Dum Ke Roat
Source: Indian Express Dated 22 September 2018
It is now serving as a tradition in the city. Earlier, the cookies were produced just for Muharram, but now it is served all through the year.
Left: History of the Bakery; Right: Newspaper Article Cuttings from the Bakery
They have also had customers from the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru and Mir Osman Ali Khan (The Nizam of Hyderabad). It receives many customers from all over the city.
Architectural Features:
Street Elevation
Source: Author
The structures along the street have commercial use on ground floor and residential/ lodge use above. Due to non-maintenance, the facades have lost their sheen and are projected as dull architectural features without any aesthetic significance.
Interesting architectural features still existing on site.
Mallepally
The precinct has carried an illustrious historical identity. It has contributed to the urban development history (Model Housing) of the region. It is also associated with the likes of eminent & influential personalities - such as freedom fighters, sports figures, actors, poets & spiritual leaders.
Internal Street Activities
From left to right:
Flowers for religious activities
Active community streets
Informal businesses such as selling pots & fast food stall
Community green grocery market
CIB Housing
The City Improvement Board (CIB) was set up in the Nizam Era in 1912. The institution was formed as a response towards urban development after the Musi flood in 1908, followed by the plague in 1911. It had an underlying mandate to improve the social, moral and physical conditions of the citizens. It undertook the role of re-designing the city considering the artistic, economic and sanitary conditions of the neighbourhood.
A CIB Housing colony
The streets were “laid out so as to present a pleasing aspect and open to abundance of light and air, houses…constructed with strict attention to health necessities and public standards of beauty, and parks and playgrounds…within easy reach of the largest number of residents”(Visvesvaraya, 1909). Sir Visvesraya was the chief engineer in charge of the urban renewal project which was considered the 'Embellishment of the City'
Urban Layouts: Nampally-Mallepally Scheme
To the west of Nampally, the open grounds, swampy marshland around the Afzal Sagar tank and some cultivable lands were taken over to construct & develop Mallepally, integrating various neighbourhoods to become a part of the whole development of the city.
Smaller parks were included within closely built areas. Transport Connectivity was enhanced and the roads linked to the stations, bus stations & other transport routes.
Nampally-Mallepally Scheme - Model Plot Layouts by CIB
The concept of the traditional Hyderabadi home was applied to the urban context to foster community engagement. Hence, in Mallepally, the ‘courtyard’ was the football ground. The houses were planned facing inwards towards the playgrounds, parks and reading rooms. In this way, the residents of the locality were in view of the urban courtyard.
The house balconies facing the inner courtyard
Many nationally recognized sports figures in India hail from Mallepally. This is believed because the area has eight playgrounds, which have survived a hundred years of change. The grounds were used mainly for volleyball and football. Later on, cricket came to be played in a few of them. Football thrived in Mallepally, and the neighbourhood produced five international players, four Olympians and eleven national players (Anuradha Naik, 2013)
The architectural elements that fostered community engagement also included ‘chabuttaras’ (outdoor seating platforms) outside the homes.
Inner Streets - These served as 'veiled' movements for the community women. However, through the years, the neighbourhood district has turned into a mixed use community. Some uses along the lower floors include commercial activities.
Another spatial aspect that is reflected in the urban planning included, internal street connectivity in the planned urban blocks. In the Islamic society , the women folk were dissuaded from direct contact or association with non-family members.
Housing Types & Architectural Features
The housing designed by the CIB were functional and robust, designed in traditional Hyderabadi architectural vocabulary and finished with elemental features of the Art Deco, then in vogue. Bright colour palettes were used, that still stand out in the existing structures. This includes using pastel colours for the walls & highlighting the architectural elements - such as the fenestrations with a darker shade of the same colour.
An archival drawing of the proposed housing type by CIB
Other aesthetics features highlighted included was branding the title 'CIB' atop the doors, and floral elements on the . Following are some of the CIB built structures still seen on site.
The individual units were designed using Islamic traditional architectural style, complete with a courtyard and fruit trees & separate mardana and zenana entrances, for male and female family members and visitors.
Type A model had an area of 160 sq m with four rooms including two bedrooms, and an enclosed courtyard.
Type B Model had an area of 90 sq m with three rooms in an enclosed courtyard.
Type C Model had an area of 55 sq m consisting of two rooms and a kitchen in an enclosed courtyard
Type D Model had an area of 22 sq m and one room and a kitchen, with detached toilets provided by the CIB free of rent
The CIB focussed on the integrated aspect of housing & propagating a well-knit community. So, the individual houses were designed to accommodate citizens of all strata of society, so there was interaction among people from all backgrounds.The rents for each house type was Rs 15, Rs 12, Rs 9 & Rs 3 respectively.
The individual units designed by the CIB were made of local building materials and also reflected & accommodated the local lifestyle, making them popular and successful.
Alterations & Extensions to the existing CIB structures
The built form structures of the CIB units are so strong, that they continue to remain sturdy even to date. The houses were constructed of limestone & granite which was abundantly available in the region. The walls were 14- inch thick. Generations of families have lived through these homes.
Additional floors atop existing CIB homes. The building either entirely belongs a family or is rented floor/room-wise
The row of CIB houses in Mallepally still exist & the owners have taken up to constructing additional floors with 9-inch thick walls. In many areas the owners have demolished their homes to make way for high rises.
Left: A typical Type C CIB house. The house now belongs to the owner (seated inside), who has spent her life in the very house since childhood. Right: A redeveloped house. The entire house either belongs to a family, or is rented floor-wise.
One can easily observe the socio-spatial disparities between the two housing typologies. These houses are located within an inner neighbourhood pocket. It has a semi-public level of community engagement.
Badi Masjid
Also known as Tabhligi Jamat (during the Nizam's Era) or Jama Masjid is located at the centerpoint of the Mallepally precinct. The people in the neighbourhood use the mosque to gather for daily prayers. The central, internal street spine visually leads towards the mosque. It has a ground + 2 storeys that are used as prayer halls.
The outer ring of the mosque is surrounded by commercial activities
The locals unfortunately, are not completely aware about any form of historical significance in context of the mosque. During important religious festivals and occasions, the streets are blocked during prayers.
Devotees offering their prayers during the First Friday of Ramadan.
Source: IANS
The precinct also has a number of educational institutes of different levels - elementary, secondary, high school & junior college. Most of them are public schools or institutes associated with a religious community.
Students of all ages are seen on site
References
S Naik, A. (2018). Back into the Future: The City Improvement Board of Hyderabad. In Cities’ Identity through Architecture and Arts (1st Edition ed., pp. 221–228). Routledge.
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