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8/12/2019 THE MUSK PALACE IN GOLCONDA

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Miya Miskh palace

A three-storied garden pavilion with waterways, gardens and fruittrees enclosed in a 10-acre area and you can see the Golconda fort onone side, the Musi on the other and the Charminar on the other. This wasthe creation of Miyan Malik Mishk, the commander of Carnatic forcesof Abul Hasan Tana Shah in 1678.

A multi- storied structure, The upper storey was meant for Mishk'szenana as it is enclosed by a wall of seven-feet high with anotherstaircase leading to the open roof also enclosed by a low wall which was

probably meant for rest and sleep in summer months. The building thatis surrounded by shrubs and brambles, a foul smell hits you. Earlier, theaddress of the building would be a detour from the Karwan road. Now, itis a detour on the road leading to the Shamshabad Airport. The locationis the same, but the address has changed.

One book describes it: Mishk Mahal as it is called is built in themiddle of a vast area of about 10 acres surrounded by a high wall all

around with two gateways, one facing north and the other facing south.Reach the area and it becomes obvious that this 10 acre land is the baneof the structure. The whole area is transformed into a trap and blue

plastic tented city with the Mishk Mahal. Ironically, for all the stink, the building is called Mushk Mahal by the neighbours. Only years back, thedescription was: There is no doubt that the vast enclosure containedmyriad water channels (the remains of which are still visible) and fruittrees. Ten years back, The Hindu reporter wrote: The first floor havinga stone corniced roof with projected brackets is in a slightly better shape,at least from outside, though the inside walls have been vandalised

beyond recognition.

It was sometime in March-April 1674 that Abul Hasan Qutb Shahissued a Farman giving large tracts of land to his Abyssinian guardMiyan Malik Mishk in mauza (village) Atapur. Not much is known


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about Miyan Mishk beyond his honorific title of Commander of CarnaticForces, the functional title of Keeper of the Royal Key and his nameMalik a corruption of mamluk used by former slaves. And in the absenceof any effort at upkeep of this pleasure palace, it will blend into the dustof history.

The story of musk palace is very interesting and so the readers willfind it not only interesting but also a very strange story of the Golcondadynasty and its history.

It was the time of dawn and still, the plate of golden colour was notrising in the sky and like squadron of the army with the flag , and with

tambourine with staff, kettle drum and drums. There was blowing themorning cold breeze which was moving slowly before the king of thelight in the white sky.

At that time at the bank of river Musi some persons were moving ontheir horses slowly there. At that place some foundation work of theconstruction of the palace was in progress. Near that sight onecaravan was camping there in the tents.

The young man who was on his mashki (black) horse in between thehorse riders and who was asked his fellow riders about the constructiondetails on the site and he was also asked what the caravan is doingthere. The royal courtier by folding his hands told him that when thiscity was habituated then from that time courtiers were beginningconstruction their palaces and for this reason, in the night in the city,there is find too much illumination everywhere, so for this reasonevery night is become like a festival night. Also due to your favour andkindness the day time in the city is becoming the time of Eid (festival)also.


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This caravan belongs to the unfortunate merchant who had travelledlong distances of the journey with his large quantities of musk in thehope of selling in the Golconda kingdom. That person asked him is

there no purchaser was available to purchase the musk loads of themerchant in the city?. The courtier said yes, there are many purchasersare there, but the merchant has too much stock of musk on the camelsthat which is not possible by any royal courtiers to purchase such a largequantity of musk in Golconda city . The horsemen told him to call themerchant in his presence. When the merchant came there, then he wasasked the details of his journey and his stock of musk. The merchant toldhim that Y our honour he came to the kingdom before many times forthe selling of his goods there. The king of this kingdom is great patronso for this reason no merchant did not leave disappointed from this

place. But I do not know my unfortunate fate was also moved with mygoods during my long journey. I am having many camels' loads of muskwith my caravan that due to large stock it is not possible to purchasesuch great quantity of musk by the ruler of Bejarpur and Shahjehanabad(Delhi) with a combine. With great hope we have halted in Golconda forthe sale of the musk here, but it was known that some months beforehere the musk was already purchased in larger quantity and for thisreason there is no need to purchase of musk for coming many years here.We have tried our best to meet the king of Golconda so that due tokindness and favour he will purchase some of the quantity of musk anddue to his generosity he did not use to return us disappointed in thismatter. He was stopped for a while and continued his discussion further

and he said your honour you are also Amir (courtier) and if you provideus a chance to meet the ruler of Golconda then I will offer in yourservice one camel load of musk. Upon hearing this phrase the Amir(ruler) said to his companion to tell the merchant to see him at his

palace today in the afternoon near the window at the market. So for this


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reason the merchant was surprised in this matter and he did not ask thename of the Amir (courtier).

In the the afternoon the merchant crossed the bridge and stand near

the tower, which connect the bridge of Golconda with Hyderabad city.That bridge was very famous all over the world and it was not onlyfamous in the east, but in the west it was also well known and such

beautiful bridge was not yet constructed there. The bridge was saying byits mouth that there were many powers and strength of floods came andgone and there were revolutions of the centuries were there but it wasstanding firmly there.

At that place merchant was standing and thinking that to enter intothe city three days are required for getting the permit for the travellersand merchants to visit the Golconda fort, so what is his position will bethere in the city and that whether his luck will help him there as he didnot have any recommendations or any source in this matter. Themerchant was thinking in this matter and he was worried due to the

problem of selling his large quantity of musk in the city of Golconda. At

that time he was seen that one gipsy was coming there and he asked himto follow him. When he reached in the market area and when he waslooking at that royal window, then he was surprised in this matter uponseeing the king of Golconda kingdom was there.

At that time the merchant observed that there was a simplicity whichwas available there in the morning time with the ruler and but now inthe afternoon there was a great show of royal pomp was there and largenumber of the persons were there with applications in their hands tosubmit in the presence of king so the king was issuing orders on theapplications of the members of the public in this matter. When the kinglooked at the merchant then the king was called the store officer of thefort and ordered him to purchase all quantities of the musk of the


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merchant and to pay its price immediately. When the store officer of thefort by folding his hands told the king, Your majesty as per your orderlarge quantities of musk was already purchased before and all stores are

full of it. So where this new quantity of musk will be kept there. The king said, This merchant came to the kingdom after travelling

long distance of journey in many months and since long time he isstaying in the kingdom with is hope that we will purchase his musk. Sowe do not want him to return back with disappointment from ourkingdom. The king ordered the merchant to pour down all muskquantities in the foundation of the palace of that Amir (courtier) which

we have visited today on his morning walk there. On the next day allquantities of musk were pouring down by the musk merchant in thefoundation of the musk palace which belongs to Miya Mishk. After thatthe caravan of that merchant was not seen there. But till now that placein the Goldconda area in Atapur village is known as Musk Mahal andabout these details one reference is available in the book SaireGolconda by Dr. Mohiudin Quaderi Zur on the page 12-16 and some

more details of the Musk palace is added at the beginning of the episode.

Translated byMohammed Abdul Hafeez, B.Com.

Translator Muslim Saints and Mystics (The Tadhkirah al-Awliya of Farid al-din Attar)

& Kindle, Amazon book author