Chowmahalla (meaning 4 palaces), is a palace of the Nizams of Hyderabad state. It was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad while they ruled their state. The palace still remains the property of Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, heir of the Nizams.
The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on the March 15, 2010.
The palace is unique for its style and elegance. This palace consists of two courtyards, southern courtyard and northern courtyard. They have elegant palaces, the grand Khilwat, fountains and gardens.
My picture was taken at the Khilwat Mubarak, i.e, the Darbar Hall.
This is heart of Chowmahalla Palace. The grand pillared Darbar Hall has a pure marble platform on which the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. Here, the Nizams held their darbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies. The 19 spectacular Chandeliers of Belgian crystal have recently been reinstalled to recreate the lost splendor of this regal hall.
