Legendotes of Hyderabad

The birth of Hyderabad is rooted in two legends. One is the early-teen love affair of Prince Mohammad Quli with Bhagmati, a beautiful singer and dancer. The other is the decree issued by him as the sultan of Golkonda, which stipulated the construction of a new city that would be a replica of heaven. When the city was ready, he named it Bhagnagar after his beloved Bhagmati. Over the five centuries following its founding in 1591, numerous new legends have come to be associated with the city, its rulers, and people. Legends and anecdotes are generally considered the ‘gossip’ of history. However, in some cases, they are also the stuff of history. It is not always easy to separate chaff from the grain. It was not very long ago that ‘oral history’ was acknowledged as a source of history. The author has written extensively on the history and culture of Hyderabad. Here, he presents a selection of fascinating legends and anecdotes relating to Hyderabad, which, despite their traditional spice and flavour, are rooted in fact. The ‘legendotes’, as he calls them, form a chain of gripping ‘snippets’ from the history of Hyderabad. This liberally illustrated volume thus provides an absorbing glimpse into the history of a city much celebrated for its romantic origins and diverse culture. It will be of interest both to lay readers and students of history.