With reference to the Qutb Shahi dynasty's architectural legacy in Hyderabad, consider the following statements about the 'Char Kaman':
- The Char Kaman are four ornamental gateways that were constructed simultaneously with the Charminar in 1591 to serve as the main entrances to the Qutb Shahi Palace complex.
- The central square enclosed by the four arches originally contained a freshwater fountain known as the Gulzar Houz.
- The original name for the eastern arch, Naqqar Khana, signified its function as the gate near the royal residence where drums were beaten.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation – While Hyderabad's Charminar is widely known as a symbol of the Qutb Shahi dynasty's architectural legacy, fewer people are aware of the four ornamental gateways surrounding it, collectively called the Char Kaman. These arches once marked the entrances to the old city of Hyderabad.
The Char Kaman public square enclosed by four large archways was built as a garden at the entry to the Qutb Shahi Palace complex to the north of the Charminar area with Dad Mahal inside the enclosure. The Char-Su-Ka-Houz (tank of four directions) or Gulzar Houz was the freshwater fountain in the centre of this square. The four Kamans are namely Kali Kaman to the east, Sher-e-Batil ki Kaman to the west, Machili Kaman to the north and Charminar Kaman to the south of Gulzar Houz. There are three floors on each end of the arch, originally constructed as chambers for royal guards.
Historical Background: The Charminar was built between 1589 and 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. According to Hyderabad historian Mohammed Safiullah, the Char Kaman were likely constructed a few years later, around 1594 — not simultaneously with the Charminar. Historian Syed Ali Asghar Bilgrami, in his 1927 book Landmarks of Deccan, notes that after completing the Charminar, Shah commissioned these four surrounding arches.
Original Names and Their Meanings:
- West Arch — Daulat Khanae Ali: Meant "the gate of the royal residence" — not the eastern arch.
- East Arch — Naqqar Khana: Meant "gate of the palace where drums are beaten."
- The central area enclosed by all four arches was called Jilau Khana, or the royal vestibule.
Explanation – While Hyderabad's Charminar is widely known as a symbol of the Qutb Shahi dynasty's architectural legacy, fewer people are aware of the four ornamental gateways surrounding it, collectively called the Char Kaman. These arches once marked the entrances to the old city of Hyderabad.
The Char Kaman public square enclosed by four large archways was built as a garden at the entry to the Qutb Shahi Palace complex to the north of the Charminar area with Dad Mahal inside the enclosure. The Char-Su-Ka-Houz (tank of four directions) or Gulzar Houz was the freshwater fountain in the centre of this square. The four Kamans are namely Kali Kaman to the east, Sher-e-Batil ki Kaman to the west, Machili Kaman to the north and Charminar Kaman to the south of Gulzar Houz. There are three floors on each end of the arch, originally constructed as chambers for royal guards.
Historical Background: The Charminar was built between 1589 and 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. According to Hyderabad historian Mohammed Safiullah, the Char Kaman were likely constructed a few years later, around 1594 — not simultaneously with the Charminar. Historian Syed Ali Asghar Bilgrami, in his 1927 book Landmarks of Deccan, notes that after completing the Charminar, Shah commissioned these four surrounding arches.
Original Names and Their Meanings:
- West Arch — Daulat Khanae Ali: Meant "the gate of the royal residence" — not the eastern arch.
- East Arch — Naqqar Khana: Meant "gate of the palace where drums are beaten."
- The central area enclosed by all four arches was called Jilau Khana, or the royal vestibule.
