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ANCIENT ARMENIAN CEMETERY ON PATH OF REVIVAL
The Times of India (TOI)
May 7, 2014 Wednesday
by Mir Ayoob Ali Khan
HYDERABAD: Contrary to popular perception, Abid Evans, the 19th century
businessman after whom the main commercial hub of Hyderabad __ Abid
ki Shop __ was named was not the first Armenian to have arrived and
flourished in the city. Armenians first came to Hyderabad during the
reign of Qutb Shahi Sultans and settled down in Hyderabad somewhere
in the early 17th century, inform historians.
An ancient cemetery which dates back to this period is located in
Uppuguda, on the way to Falaknuma through Lal Darwaza and Chhatrinaka
in the Old City. This Armenian cemetery with its distinct tombs and
arches and lying in utter neglect for decades, is now going through
a restoration process.
Mohammed Ziauddin Ahmed Shakeb, an authority on the history and
culture of Hyderabad said, "Somewhere in early 1970s I was working on
documents in the State Archives and Research Institute with which I
was associated then when I chanced upon a letter written by British
Resident W Haig in Hyderabad to a government official. According to
the letter written in 1907 there existed an Armenian cemetery on the
outskirts of Hyderabad. On an inspection of the area around Falaknuma
Palace the British Resident had seen the cemetery which he found in
a bad shape. He wanted the government to restore the cemetery."
Dr Shakeb who spoke with TOI from London on phone continued, "After
conducting an initial inquiry through my colleague Somnath Pershad I
found the contents of the letter to be true. I visited the place and
saw the signs of the cemetery hidden under a heap of human waste and
shrubs. I informed the matter to Waheeduddin Khan, the then director of
State Archeology and Museums. Khan was thrilled and immediately ordered
the cleaning of the area and restoration of the cemetery. He also got
a compound wall constructed for the security of the historical site."
Interestingly, during the restoration work, a deep pit was found
which had six levels. Probably it was a grave where six persons had
been buried, one at each level, Dr Shakeb said.
The department of archeology and museums mapped and documented the
entire area. But as time passed by, upkeep of the cemetery became a
non-priority job and finally got off completely from its attention.
Now, after a long time, the department has taken up the task of
restoration again. Two weeks ago, it cleared the area of filth and wild
shrubs. The compound wall is being repaired using granite, lime and
mortar to keep in tune with the character of the ancient precincts. A
single dome on the premises representing the Qutub Shahi style of
architecture and two mandapa-like structures, one square and the
other octagonal, will be the focus of restoration in the coming weeks.
"The most difficult part of the restoration is to set the graves as
found some 40 years ago. The basalt stones of the graves with unique
engravings are scattered all over the place and some of them broken
into pieces. The department will have to hire experts and refer the
material it has in its archives to complete the task."
He said that it could take about two months to complete the work
after which the place will be open for tourists and public who can
have a look into another facet of the city's rich history.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Ancient-Armenian-cemetery-on-path-of-revival/articleshow/34752880.cms
The Times of India (TOI)
May 7, 2014 Wednesday
by Mir Ayoob Ali Khan
HYDERABAD: Contrary to popular perception, Abid Evans, the 19th century
businessman after whom the main commercial hub of Hyderabad __ Abid
ki Shop __ was named was not the first Armenian to have arrived and
flourished in the city. Armenians first came to Hyderabad during the
reign of Qutb Shahi Sultans and settled down in Hyderabad somewhere
in the early 17th century, inform historians.
An ancient cemetery which dates back to this period is located in
Uppuguda, on the way to Falaknuma through Lal Darwaza and Chhatrinaka
in the Old City. This Armenian cemetery with its distinct tombs and
arches and lying in utter neglect for decades, is now going through
a restoration process.
Mohammed Ziauddin Ahmed Shakeb, an authority on the history and
culture of Hyderabad said, "Somewhere in early 1970s I was working on
documents in the State Archives and Research Institute with which I
was associated then when I chanced upon a letter written by British
Resident W Haig in Hyderabad to a government official. According to
the letter written in 1907 there existed an Armenian cemetery on the
outskirts of Hyderabad. On an inspection of the area around Falaknuma
Palace the British Resident had seen the cemetery which he found in
a bad shape. He wanted the government to restore the cemetery."
Dr Shakeb who spoke with TOI from London on phone continued, "After
conducting an initial inquiry through my colleague Somnath Pershad I
found the contents of the letter to be true. I visited the place and
saw the signs of the cemetery hidden under a heap of human waste and
shrubs. I informed the matter to Waheeduddin Khan, the then director of
State Archeology and Museums. Khan was thrilled and immediately ordered
the cleaning of the area and restoration of the cemetery. He also got
a compound wall constructed for the security of the historical site."
Interestingly, during the restoration work, a deep pit was found
which had six levels. Probably it was a grave where six persons had
been buried, one at each level, Dr Shakeb said.
The department of archeology and museums mapped and documented the
entire area. But as time passed by, upkeep of the cemetery became a
non-priority job and finally got off completely from its attention.
Now, after a long time, the department has taken up the task of
restoration again. Two weeks ago, it cleared the area of filth and wild
shrubs. The compound wall is being repaired using granite, lime and
mortar to keep in tune with the character of the ancient precincts. A
single dome on the premises representing the Qutub Shahi style of
architecture and two mandapa-like structures, one square and the
other octagonal, will be the focus of restoration in the coming weeks.
"The most difficult part of the restoration is to set the graves as
found some 40 years ago. The basalt stones of the graves with unique
engravings are scattered all over the place and some of them broken
into pieces. The department will have to hire experts and refer the
material it has in its archives to complete the task."
He said that it could take about two months to complete the work
after which the place will be open for tourists and public who can
have a look into another facet of the city's rich history.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Ancient-Armenian-cemetery-on-path-of-revival/articleshow/34752880.cms