Historic paintings of Hyderabad’s Lakes go viral amid HYDRAA demolitions
Hyderabad: As the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) ramps up its demolition activities in the city, particularly around Full Tank Level (FTL) zones, buffer areas, and lake encroachments, a series of historic paintings have captured public attention. The paintings, created in 1879 by a European artist, are gaining popularity on social media, offering a glimpse into Hyderabad’s past.
Heritage explorer Asif Ali Khan took to ‘X,’ formerly known as Twitter, to share these historic artworks, tagging HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath. His thread highlights several old paintings of Hyderabad’s lakes, revealing how the city once looked with its historic water bodies.
#Hyderabad is buzzing daily with news of demolition of buildings which were constructed in FTL (full tank level) of lakes & their catchments areas.
A thread of series of old paintings by european artist who had painted Hyderabad’s historic lakes in 1879
@Comm_HYDRAA— Asif Ali Khan (@asifalikhan_1) September 4, 2024
Asif Ali Khan’s thread features a painting of Hussain Sagar Lake by artist T. Schmibtina, dated 1879. He notes that the lake was constructed in 1562 during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah. The painting shows the hillock on the left as Kaala Pahad, where the Birla Mandir now stands. The bottom right depicts the Saifabad Palace, which was demolished to make way for the Secretariat, and the extreme right shows the Khairtabad Mosque’s minarets. The painting also includes a prominent tree, which in modern times hosts the Indian flag.
Another painting shared by Asif Ali Khan depicts Mir Alam Tank, constructed in 1806 by Mir Alam, a Prime Minister during the Nizam’s Rule. The painting also features the dome of the tomb of Sufi saint Mir Mahmood, set against a backdrop of the lake.
Asif Ali Khan also showcased the Saroornagar Lake, constructed in 1626, with Sultan Mohammed Quli’s fort wall visible on the right. Additionally, he presented an image of Mir Jumla Tank, named after an army general, which has since disappeared and is now known as Talab Katta.
Further, Asif shared a 1914 map of Hyderabad showing the Musi River, various lakes, ponds, and channels. This map, created after the devastating 1908 Musi River flood, shows the city’s historical water distribution network. He urged readers to compare this with the city’s present condition.
Finally, he urged citizens and administrations to ensure the cleanliness of all water bodies. He said the importance of preventing pollution from sewage, industrial waste, garbage, and plastics from preserving the remaining lakes and nalas.
