Hyderabad: A Biography

Muhammad Quil Qutb Shah built the beautiful city of Hyderabad as a 'replica of heaven on earth'. It was plundered in 1687 by the Mughal forces led by Aurangzeb. After a long period of neglect it rose to be the capital of the expansive Deccan province. The city witnessed phenomenal expansion under Asaf Jah I, and also the dissipation of his legacy. The author acknowledges the most unique feature of this city--the continuance of its cosmopolitan character in the face of communal pressures. He attributes this amalgam of Hindu and Muslim cultures to the mixed 'parentage'--Hind and Muslim--of its rulers.
This volume spans the history of the city from its birth up to the elections of 2004. This book combines the sweep of popular history of the city with the rigour of historiography to make it a fascinating reading of the cultural and political history of the city of Hyderabad.