HYDERABAD: Descendants of Mir Osman Ali Khan are lamenting the loss of the Nizam VII’s abode, the King Kothi palace, which has been swooped up by land sharks who are now fighting among themselves to claim the invaluable property.
Speaking to Express, Himayat Ali Mirza, a great-grandson of the Nizam, said that it is distressing to see the palace of the last ruler of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, the place where he breathed his last, is now of no use to the public but is now being claimed by land sharks.
“Heritage structures are slowly vanishing from the city. I welcome the Honorable High Court’s directions on Osmania General Hospital, which continues to serve the poor. Even the King Kothi palace complex, could have been converted into a beautiful hospital and named after the Nizam,” Mirza said.
The King Kothi place, also known as Nazri Bagh palace, remained the residence of Mir Osman Ali Khan throughout his lifetime. Constructed by a noble Kamal Khan in the 1880s for his personal use, Osman Ali Khan changed its name to ‘King’s Kothi’ as all the furniture, window panes and other furnishings bore the initials ‘KK’.
Osman Ali Khan started staying there in the early 1900s and continued to do so even after he ascended the throne in 1911. The eastern half, now occupied by a state government hospital, was used by the Nizam for official and ceremonial purposes. The western half has the main residential buildings known as Nazri Bagh or Mubarak Mansion.
“Nizam VII stayed throughout his life and visited Chowmohallah palace occasionally for ceremonial functions. He was laid to rest at the Masjid-e-Judi which is situated on the opposite side of the place,” said heritage activist Mohammed Safiullah.