The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Silent sentinels of a hoary past

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 24, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Silent sentinels of a hoary past

J.S. Ifthekhar

The `taqts' are favourite tourist spots

TROUBLE SPOT: The `taqts' that bore the brunt of the bomb blast on May 18 at the Mecca Masjid. — Photo: P.V.Sivakumar

Hyderabad: Every visitor would have surely sat on them or at least stood close by to appreciate the grand edifice. The black and white marble `taqts' that bore the brunt of the bomb blast in Mecca Masjid are the favourite spot of tourists. They have a history spanning more than 250 years.

The taqts made of marble are placed facing the central arch of the Mecca Masjid. The first thing one does after entering the mosque courtyard is to sit a while on them to get an eyeful of the magnificent mosque.

There is an interesting legend associated with the taqts. Whoever sits on them, it is said, will visit Hyderabad again or settle down here forever. Tourists who flock to the Mecca Masjid can be seen taking turns to sit on the taqts while some offer `namaz' over them.

Two taqts smashed

There used to be four rectangular taqts till the powerful bomb smashed two to smithereens. Now only a black and white taqt remains. Though no authentic information is available, the black taqts are believed to have been installed in the mosque during the reign of the first Nizam, Nawab Mir Qamruddin Khan Bahadur (1724-1748), while the white stones were brought in during the rule of the sixth Nizam, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan (1869-1911).

According to M.A. Qayum, former deputy director, Archaeology and Museums, the marble for the taqts was brought from Makrana in Rajasthan. The black takt, which broke, had a vertical crack. To support it an iron frame was provided by the Department of Archaeology a decade ago, he said.

Not just this. There are many little known things about the Mecca Masjid itself. Though its foundation was laid during the reign of Sultan Mohammed Qutb Shah it was completed 77 years later - in 1694 to be precise - by the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.

Interesting tale

Legend has it that when the foundation stone was being laid, the Sultan invited devout Muslims and wanted the ritual to be carried out by one who had not missed his `namaz' since the age of 12. When none came forward, the king offered himself as he had the good fortune of not missing a single prayer.

Initially, the mosque was named `Baitul Atiq' (meaning Kaba) and later was named Mecca Masjid since bricks made out of earth brought from Mecca are used in it.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section