LWL | Importance of a places history: The affect on culture
Abstract
History has a huge impact on our lives, though it may go unnoticed at most times but our history shapes and defines who we are today. A places culture is deeply rooted and intertwined with its history and how various events of a place’s past can greatly impact it in the modern world. This paper will discuss how important a history of a place and in what ways it can affect a person’s understanding of a places culture, as well as its current state. This paper will use the examples of two important historical monuments, and how their cultural significance and historical importance still impacts part of the city to this day, and it will also discuss about the dynasties which eventually shaped Hyderabad into the city it is today, explaining how history can impact and shape the culture of a place.
Introduction:
History is a topic usually seen as dull, however it has a great impact on our lifes and our surroundings. It helps us interpret our own culture and past, while also giving us an understanding on how people who came before us lived. Depending on where we live, the history around us and the effect it has on our life is tremendous. Which continent you live in, if your country was under a monarchy, or how high you are above sea level, all has an impact on your life now. All of these little details of history have such a great effect on our surrounding although it’s quite hard to notice. Hyderabad, a city placed on the Deccan Plateau is located in Telangana, India, having a rich history or various dynasties and ruler, was founded by the Quṭb Shāhī sultans of Golconda by Muḥammad Qulī Quṭb Shāh on the banks of the Musi River.
The city underwent many powers who held control of it of whom the last were the Nizams of Hyderabad. Nowadays this city is considered a technology and IT hub and many items such as pharmaceuticals, textiles and others are manufactured here. The city has many historical sites such as Golconda fort and the Quṭb Shāhī tombs. Housing many centres for showcasing and holding dance and music festivals like the Ravindra Bharati auditorium, the state also has many dramatic, literary, and fine arts academies. The city also has various museums which showcase the city’s history like the Salar Jung museum showcasing various pieces of historical and extremely rare pieces of various types of art such as jewellery, tools, and paintings. This further cements the importance of a places history and how it has impacted various aspects of the city.
Factors which led to the Hyderabad we know today
The region of the Deccan where the city of Hyderabad now lies in, was originally ruled over by the Kakatiya dynasty. Then came the Quṭb Shāhī dynasty who ruled from 1518-1687 over and founded the city itself and named it their capital (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica). They founded historical monuments such as the Charminar and further built upon existing monuments such as the Golconda fort. They had a huge impact on the city as the monuments they built still stand in the city showcasing the dynasty which came before. Then the territory was taken over by Aurangzeb of the Mughals, who was named viceroy of the Deccan by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan where he enforced Mughal rule sieging and gaining victory over the famous Golconda fort. The last dynasty which ruled over Hyderabad and the Deccan region was the Asaf Jahi dynasty also known as the Nizams of Hyderabad who ruled for around 224 years (Pandharipande, Reeti, and Lasya Nadimpally). This dynasty is arguably one of the most well-known dynasties which ruled over the city. All of these different dynasties have had their own impact on the city and surrounding areas, for example the monuments built by
the Quṭb Shāhī like the Charminar still have a historical significance to many people and how even after so many years the Charminar is still a hub for so much in the city. The cuisine and food Hyderabad is known for also comes from these dynasties as the city is famously known for its Nizam style dishes.
The Charminar and Golconda fort
During the Quṭb Shāhī period a building called the Charminar was constructed, meaning the four minarets, is considered to be one of the greatest accomplishments of the period, built by Sultan Muḥammad Qulī Quṭb Shāh, various accounts have been given for the reason of its construction, one stating it was built after the passing of a plague as a tribute to Allah after he prayed for the end of the plague. Another popular reason is that the Sultan had built this monument as a tribute to his wife (The government of Telangana). The Charminar is one of Hyderabad’s most iconic locations, at a part of the city filled with history and culture. Being located in the older part of the city it is surrounded by a lively atmosphere of various types of restaurants and shops. The architecture of the revered monument was built of granite and lime mortar and had stucco ornamentation. The building has two floors, the first was used as a madrasah, which is an Islamic College and the second floor houses a mosque for prayer (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica). The monument was built by an Iranian architect Mir Momin Astrawadi, who had settled in Hyderabad (The government of Telangana). The architectural design of the Charminar was greatly influenced by the time period and the dynasty ruling during the time.
Representing a piece of history, the surrounding area is greatly influenced by its past and the part of history it resembles.
Another historical monument in the city is Golconda fort, this fort was present during the same dynasty. The fort dates back to the early 13th century, built and utilised by the Kakatiya dynasty later followed by the Quṭb Shāhī kings. Legend says that during the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty a shepherd boy came across an idol, hence the king constructed a fort around the holy spot (The government of Telangana). The area was later ruled by the Quṭb Shāhī kingswho further fortified the fort, until it was taken over by the Mughals and Emperor Shah Jahan made Aurangzeb, the viceroy of the Deccan. The region in which the fort is located in is known for its diamonds and the fort is renowned to have been used for trading of these diamonds found in the region. The fort was extremely important because of its significance for diamond trading.
In current times, the fort is a huge tourist destination in the city displaying a great amount of cultural and historical importance as this fort was vital for the defence of the city and was used by the dynasties who ruled over it, in current times it contributes to the current economy of the government just as it did back then, because of tourism.
Conclusion
The city of Hyderabad is a city is influenced greatly by its history which has come to shape its culture today. The city now is a blend of various modern and historical aspects with various traditions which come from its past as well as its region. The Nizams had a great influence on the city led to a development of unique culture and art. The Qutb Shahi dynasty built monuments which displayed the mix of Indo-Islamic architecture from which a great example would be the Charminar. These important aspects of the cities past still partially make up its present. No matter how much the city has changed currently it still retains its history in various places. In conclusion, the city is a great example of how the current state of
any place in the world is largely dependent on its history no matter where it is located a places history can inform you a lot about its culture and vice versa.
References
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