US to support restoration of Hyderabad's Paigah tombs

Tags: International News

Financial assistance of $250,000 (through the US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation) will be provided by the US for the conservation and restoration of 6 Paigah tombs built in the 18th-19th centuries in Hyderabad.

An overview of the news

• The project will be implemented by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

• Paigah Tombs Complex is a protected complex of the Department of Archaeology, Government of Telangana. 

• The Paigah Tomb (or Tomb Shams al-Umra) is a mausoleum belonging to the nobility of the Paigah family, who served the Nizam of Hyderabad (Asaf Jahi dynasty).

• The construction of this mausoleum was started by Nawab Tegjung Bahadur in 1787 and later his son Amir-e-Kabir I helped in its construction.

• It is also known for its architectural design. It is believed that the architectural style of the mausoleum is unique in the whole world.

• The mausoleum is decorated with lime marble and shows a mixture of Greek, Persian, Mughal, Rajasthani, Asif Jahi and Deccani architecture.

• The Paigahs were among the most influential and powerful families of Hyderabad in the 18th century. They were wealthier than most rulers, as well as responsible for the security and defence of the region.

• The Paigahs claim to be descended from Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam.