TROUBLESOME SPOT.....THE CHARMINAR

                                 TROUBLESOME SPOT…. THE CHARMINAR

                                    Dr K Prabhakar Rao

                        Hyderabad city is famous for the great edifice Charminar ( Four minarets). It is in old city across the Musi river. In fact Musi river at present is the dirtiest steam one can find on earth devoid of running water. Once upon a time, its swirling waters submerged parts of the city around and caused devastation. Two reservoirs were constructed across the tributaries of Musi away from Hyderabad to control floods during the era of last Nizam 7. These are Osman sagar and Himyat sagar reservoirs and till today they are the important source of drinking water supply to the city of Hyderabad.

                 Charminar was constructed by the fourth Sultan of Kutubshahi dynasty that reigned at Golconda. He was Mohammed Kuli Kutubshah who reigned from 1580 to 1611. He built Charminar on the southern banks of Musi river and also built Hyderabad city around it. The city was named Bhagyanagar after his queen Bhagmati, a Hindu village lady. It is believed that the city was later named Hyderabad after she converted to Islam and was named Hyder Mahal .It is a common practice among Muslims to convert their Hindu wives into Islam at the earliest. The Sultan was no exception.in this regard although he was a man of letters.

                  Charminar is about 50 meters high with four tall minarets and with four massive arches. It is square in shape. It is said that it resembles tombs at Karbala. One can get clear glimse of old city from the top stories of the edifice and the monument can be seen from far off Golconda. The area around it is very busy with business establishments, narrow lanes, small time vendors and push cart vendors. It still has the aura of medieval past. Charminar was embossed on coins of Nizam till 1948. No visitor left Hyderabad without paying a visit to Charminar. Visitors are allowed to climb the monument up to only a particular height and minarets are locked for entry for safety reasons. Charminar cigarette is a popular brand among locals. Away at stone throwing distance is Mecca Maszid also built by the same sultan and completed by his successors. It is a very large mosque of national importance.

               Charminar and its surrounding areas are thickly populated with minorities in very large numbers, The ghetto culture exists in all the localities. At slightest pretext trouble makers emerge out of the lanes to battle police. The areas are dominated by the local Muslim outfit All India Majlis Ittehad ul Mulsimeen (AIMIM). This party was earlier called MIM and was founded by Bahaduryar Jung of Nizams days. Bahdur yar jung was succeeded by Kasim Razvi an advocate from Latur in former Hyderabad state. Under his leadership Razakars an armed wing of MIM grew into prominence under the patronage of Nizam 7. Nizam overconfident with his Razakars and sycophants did not agree to merge with Indian union in 1947 and made efforts to remain independent. Razakars committed grave crimes on Hindu population of former Hyderabad state duly abetted by the administration that looked other way. It was planned to hound out Hindus from the state. Scores of displaced Muslims from north India were brought into the state and were settled. Finally Indian army conducted police action in Sept 1948 and Nizams govt was overthrown. Razakars were annihilated and disbanded. Nizam was made the Rajpramukh of the new Hyderabad state within Indian union. . The party MIM was banned after police action for some years. Kasim Razvi was arrested tried and sent for 10 years jail term. After release he was allowed to proceed to Pakistan where he died unsung and unheard. MIM was later allowed to function. Over the years it spread its influence in the city again and changed its name to AIMIM. It is dominated by members of Owaissi family. The old city being a Muslim dominated place, MIM plays its cards. The old city also has pockets of Hindu influence where the Hindutwa parties play their cards.Thus Charminar stands gloriously in an area plagued by communal troubles for the lsat many years.

                          At southeastern corner of Charminar at base level there is tiny temple named after Bhagyalaxmi an Hindu deity. In olden days, there was a stone at the place that was worshipped as a goddess by local Hindus. It has been claimed that the stone was as old as the Charminar while the Muslims claim that the temple is an illegal structure. Over the years, a small temple was constructed for the holystone and this became a point of dispute from the beginning. Earlier, there was no protective fence around Charminar and entire traffic used to make a circle around it. Whenever any vehicle hit the temple there was chaos at the site. The situation became grim when the vehicle belonged to a person belonging to minority community. Trouble was imminent. In all communal troubles Charminar became the focal point. The area is always guarded by police forces. A police station is located next to Charminar. In the rfecent development, the templae activists tried to erect a bamboo hsed over the temple with Tarpaulin for decorative purpose on the occasion of Diwali festival. This was objected by minorities. Tempers rose and trouble erupted. The matter was taken up at the court and it was decided that the status quo should be maintained. During the trouble Ms La of MIM were arrested and kept away while temple was restored to original state. Again trouble erupted leading to lathi charges. The area is completely taken over by the police and it looked as if curfew was imposed. An eerie calm exists at the place. The agitated MIM Party has withdrawn support of its party to the state Govt and at the center.

                     All these days AI MIM was supporting the congress govt and received many benefits. Its member is the present mayor of Hyderabad city. It is also learnt that MIM has demanded handing over Mahavir Hospital and race course in Saifabad area to them as it has been supporting congress all these years. This however was refused by the Govt. It is claimed that there is no real threat to state govt at present. MIM party has been playing its cards all these days and Owaissi brothers are masterminding its activities. In turn Old city has become a battle ground on communal lines. Charminar although remains dignified, it is surrounded by communal trouble makers. Charminar has become synonymous for curfew, chaos and communal trouble in Hyderabad. Mohd Kuli Kutubsha must be crying and cursing himself in heavens for building this monument.