Discovering places of historic and artistic value right in the middle of the most popular areas of cities is always a beautiful surprise. In Hyderabad for instance, hardly a hundred metres away from the Nayapul bridge, one can find the Badshahi Ashurkhana. But even knowing of its existence, it is easy to miss the place amongst the huge number of shops lined up on either side.

The Badshahi Ashurkhana was built in 1594 by Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shahi, ruler of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. A classic example of Indo-Iranian architecture, this monument is a house of mourning in memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.

An arched entrance with a green door takes the visitor into a central medium-sized open courtyard with structures enclosing it and a few pigeons fluttering past. Till recently, certain sections of this space were used as an auction site and a parking area, but the now place appears to possess a new lease to life.

The main building is the biggest and it is covered with a gauzed enclosure. The absence of arches in its architecture is striking, but it is more than amply compensated by the panels of the main wall. Stone and wood columns are used effectively as structural elements and the high ceiling magnifies the space. The front aisle is made of wood and supported by wooden columns identical to the inner granite monolithic columns.

The innermost walls of this building are the main attraction and are filled with enameled tiles, inscriptions of Koranic verses, intricate hexagonal designs and very brightly coloured and elaborate floral patterns. On the central arch the Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shahi put the inscription “Ghulam-e-ali, Quli Qutb Shahi”, proclaiming himself as a slave of Hazrat Ali, the son in law of the Prophet Mohammed.

The Mughal emperor converted the Ashurkhana into a stable and a store house, and only when the Nizam Ali Khan the II visited this monument along with Mir Nawazish Ali Moosvi it was given a facelift. The subsequent generations of the Moosvi dynasty have been responsible in the upkeep of this place with help from the patronage of the rulers.

During the 1908 floods, the river Musi was inundated and created havoc in the city of Hyderabad. The Ashurkhana was also flooded and the artwork on the walls was destroyed up to the height of roughly six feet and caused cracks on them. In an attempt to restore the art work, the walls were repainted with similar designs in water colours. Only on closer examination the difference in textures between the water coloured designs and the original mosaic in the upper areas becomes obvious.

The Ashurkhana is a treasure trove in the middle of town. With the restoration activities as well as support from the government and general public, wouldn’t be too long before the monument completely regains its lost glory.