Once a palace garlanded with the finest chandeliers and Iranian silk curtains, the Paigah Palace has now turned into a sanctuary for stray dogs, cattle and goats.
According to city’s historians and heritage activists the authorities are putting no efforts to save the heritage structure, the centuries-old Khurshid Jah Devdi (Paigah Palace) is reduced to mere ruins.
The two-storied palace, built in 1781 over a high plinth, has spacious rooms and verandas, located in Hussaini Alam, it is considered to be the best example of Palladian architecture. The European style facade is marked by iconic columns and a barrelvault roof.
The Paigahs or the Shums-ul-Umra family was considered a premier nobility of Hyderabad. They were richer and had large estates apart from having their own court and palaces. They even commanded a 12,000 strong private army.
When Hyderabad was merged with the Union of India, the Paigahs shifted their base from Old City to places like Begumpet and Banjara Hills. Now, the vacant rooms and hallways have turned in o breeding ground for mis creants as well as goats and cattle with no form of main enhancement.
Experts pointed out that the government has not taken up any restoration work on this structure. As a re sult, water keeps leaking from the roof and ultimately bleeds colours from the pillars and walls.
The present condition of Paigah Palace has left historians in tears. Ironically, this building had been notified as a Grade-3 heritage structure by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority.
The namesake palace was inherited by Khurshid Jah from his grandfather Nawab Fakhruddin Khan.Khurshid, a Paigah noble, was entrusted with the task of providing protection to the then Nizam’s dominion.