On top of a hillock, en route to Golconda Fort, Taramati Baradari is a quaint and quiet place, with just the right balance of ethnic ambiance and modern facilities, redesigned with an aim to promote contemporary art performances without compromising the innate charm of the historical place.

The romances of the Qutb Shahi rulers with the ladies Bhagmati, Taramati and Premamati have an important part in the annals of Hyderabad. While Bhagmati was the muse of Mohammad Quli Qtub Shah, Taramati was a beautiful singer and danseuse in the court of his grandson, Abdullah Qutb Shah.

Bhagmati was honoured by having the city founded by the Sultan named after her (Hyderabad was initially called Bhagyanagar ), but Taramati managed to get in her memory an open pavilion with a terraced garden and twelve doorways (bara dari) which came to be known as Taramati Baradari. Premamati, Taramati’s sister, was a talented artiste as well and has a mosque to her name a few hundred meters away from Taramati Baradari. As a tribute, both Taramati and Premamathi were buried at Qutb Shahi Tombs amongst the royalty.

The king Abdullah Qutub Shah was so smitten by Taramati’s charm and her melodious voice that he built a Baradari for her. This open air monument served as an auditorium with excellent acoustics and the twelve doorways providing for great cross-ventilation, which was considered an engineering marvel in that era. The elevation of the hillock avoided the extraneous noise coming from the hustle bustle of the surroundings. The king Abdullah, while seated in the Golconda Fort a mile away, would still be able to enjoy Taramati’s soulful melodies carried to him by the gentle evening breeze.
 
The Taramati of today has had a makeover: many amenities have been added without losing the original spirit of the place. An amphi-theatre with the capacity to seat more than a thousand people, a restaurant and bar, banquet hall and ample parking space are all at the foot of the original Baradari, which can be reached by ascending a flight of stairs.

The Taramati Baradari stands as a symbol of romance from a bygone era with a mix of the old and new complementing one another. At twilight and beyond, the monument looks bewitching when illuminated with artificial lights: the inner and outer arches gain different hues and textures and it is not difficult to imagine the magical backdrop it can provide to a live performance at the amphi-theatre.

Soak in the sunset, enjoy the soothing breeze at the monument or be enthralled at concert below: a visit to Taramati Baradari is certainly worth the time.