Off topic - Mehboob Ki Mehndi and other places of hyderabad
Srinivas Ganti
landlord that a place by this name exists in Hyderabad. On googling I
found this article....
Places like Toli Chowki, Lakdi ka pul, Gachibowli, Fateh Darwaza,
Chandulal Baradari, Chaderghat, are not covered but the article is
insightful.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/09/stories/2003060901780200.htm
The story of the name
Names of places are suggestions of human activity, their progressive
discovery and settlement of people. Read on for the colourful stories
behind the names.
ALBERT ABID — the Jew, is not known to most of us. He was the royal
dhobi in-charge of the wardrobe of the sixth Nizam, Nawab Mir Mehboob
Ali Khan. The dhobi gave an important identity to Hyderabad — the busy
commercial hub `Abids', which came to be known after him. He also
lived in that area.
The places of Hyderabad are steeped in history. Although most of the
old buildings, mosques and other structures have become history with
the passage of time and the onslaught of modernity, the last vestiges
continue to live in the form of the names of a few places, that hark
back the era of opulence and grandeur of the Nizams and Nawabs.
The Department of Archaeology and Museums is planning to bring out a
comprehensive edition in the form of a dictionary so that future
generations can know more about their past. "It might take some time
as it requires extensive research. We are trying to put all our
resources in place," says assistant director, Department of
Archaeology and Museums, M.A. Qaiyum.
While researching, the department found that Tarnaka was once upon a
time famous for its mangoes and several Nawabs owned mango orchards.
To guard them, a Nawab built a barbed wire fencing (tar in Urdu) all
around and posted a guard (naka) from which the place derived its
name. There is another place called Tagari ka Naka, which might have
been named under similar circumstances.
According to the first edition of the History of Hyderabad District
(1879-1950), Khairatabad was named after princess Khairiatnunnisa —
the daughter of Ibrahim Qutub Shah who asked his son-in-law Hazrat
Hussain Shah to construct a palace, a mosque and a tank for the
princess. The tank later became famous as Hussain Sagar.
Strewn all over the city are some extremely interesting names of
places with history. Bibi ka Chashma (wife's spectacles), Ghore ki
Qabr (grave of the horse), Mehboob ki Mehendi (beloved's bleach),
Sookhe Mir ki Kaman (arch of the lean baron), Koka ki Tatti (a bamboo
house), Purana Kabootar Khana (an old coop for pigeon's), Magar ki
Baoli (Crocodile's well), Khuni Darwaza (bloody door), Moti Galli (fat
lane or perhaps, pearl lane), Patli Galli (a narrow lane) and
Domalguda (mosquitoes breeding place) are some of the places amongst
others that have retained their century-old nomenclatures. "Bibi ka
Chashma, should not be construed as wife's spectacles. Bibi here
refers to Hayat Bakshi Begum, daughter of the founder of Hyderabad —
Quli Qutub Shah and chashma in Urdu is a perennial water spring,"
corrects assistant director Qaiyum. Bibi ka Chashma is located in the
vicinity of Falaknuma palace, although the spring is not there
anymore. Professor Dharmendra Prasad was right when he wrote, "Place
names are the expressions of human activity, progressive exploration
and settlement of people." In Hyderabad, the names of places are by
themselves a story — a rich part of history that gives ample insight
into life and state of affairs, prevailing then.
Near Mangalhat (Tuesday bazaar) adjacent to Aghapura is Ghore ki Qabr,
which was earlier a burial ground for dead and incapacitated horses.
The place still bears a statue of a horse. Explaining the history
behind, Mehboob ki Mehendi, Qaiyum says, "During the tenure of the
sixth Nizam, Mehboob Ali Pasha, the place was famous for singing and
dancing." It was also infamous for prostitution.
Interestingly, the place is now home to many rich and respectable
judges and advocates, businessmen and doctors. But the long-gone
stigma that had once branded the place, still remains. And people who
live there consciously make an effort to say "near High Court" when
they have to spell out their address. A classic case of leftovers of
the 400-year-old civilization of Hyderabad waning away.
"The process has already started," rues the assistant director. In the
recently concluded controversial case of the baby swapping, the
hospital involved was always being mentioned as — Nayapul hospital,
when the actual name of the hospital is `Victoria Memorial hospital',
which was built about 130 years ago during the reign of Mir Mehboob
Ali Khan.
SOUVIK CHOWDHURY