Qutub Shahi Tombs

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Almost all the tombs are quadrangular and rise from nine to 15 metres above the terrace, surrounded by balustrades with beautiful minarets at the corners. The complex has around 30 tombs while a few can be found outside its compound. Salar Jung I undertook restoration of these tombs, which were in a state of disrepair and ensured that a protective wall was built to ward off vandals. The tombs are in two large quadrangular enclosures, the first of which houses the mausoleums of Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah, Ibrahim Quli, Jamsheed Quli, Sultan Quli and Kulsoom begum, daughter of Muhammed Qutub Shah. In another quadrangle are the tombs of Muhammed Qutub Shah, Hayath Bakshi Begum, Taramathi and Premamathi, the last two being the favourite courtesans of Abdullah Qutub Shah whose tomb is outside of the quadrangles.

Though people try to grade the beauty of these tombs, each of them is a match to the other in architectural grandeur, though not in size. The modest among them are the tombs of Sultan Quli Qutub-ul-Mulk, founder of the Qutub Shahi dynasty and his son Jamsheed Quli Qutub Shah. The tomb of the founder, who built it himself during his lifetime, is marked by simplicity and symmetry in design and stands on a platform of 30 metres on each side. Its walls and dome measure 12 metres from the plinth while its ramparts have Bahmani style bouquets, four on each side of the tomb. Its inside is octagonal, each side as wide as 10 metres. An inscription outside the tomb says that people always referred to Sultan Quli Qutub Shah as Bada Saheb.

Although small in size, the tomb of Jamsheed is octagonal and extremely well proportioned and imposing, standing as it does on a high quadrangular platform. It is the only tomb where black basalt has not been used in its construction. It also does not have any inscription. Jamsheed’s son Subhan Quli ruled only for seven months and there is no separate tomb for him.

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