HYDER14B,9D CITY
309
accommodation of the sick. A number of native physicians were
formerly maintained to minister to the sick and to teach medicine,
but the building is now used as a barrack for some of the irregular
troops. Opposite the entrance is a fine mosque erected at the same
time as the hospital. The Ashûr Khana, a large building west of
Sir Salar Jang's palace, was erected by Sultan Muhammad Kuli Kutb
Shah in 1594, at a cost of Rs. 66,ooo. It is used for the Muharram
ceremonies. The Purana Pul ('old bridge') connects the city with
the Karvan road to Golconda. It consists of 23 arches, and is 6oo feet
long, 33 broad, and 54 above the river-bed, and was built iin 1593. The
river is very narrow here, and the banks are steep. The Gosha Mahal
palace, erected by Abul Hasan, the last Kutb Shahi king, stands a
mile north of the city, and has a large cistern and pleasure-grounds
for the zandna. It was used until lately as a barrack, but is now a
military club. The Mecca mosque, situated to the south-west of
the Char Minar, is 225 feet long, 18o broad, and 75 high, and is built
entirely of stone, occupying a paved quadrangle 36o feet square.
Fifteen arches support the roof, which is surmounted by two large
domes, rising loo feet above it. It can accommodate 1o,ooo wor-
shippers. Muhammad' Kutb Shah commenced the building, and
after his death its construction was continued by Abu[ Hasan, but
Aurangzeb completed it. Nizam Ali Khan and all his successors are
interred in the grounds of this mosque. The Jama Masjid, which is
near the Char Minar, was built in 1596. Ruins of a Turkish bath are
to be seen in the courtyard. With the exception of the Mecca Masjid
and the Gosha Mahal, all these buildings were constructed by Sultan
Muhammad Kuli Kutb Shah, who is said to have spent three millions
sterling on public buildings and irrigation works, while his nobles
followed his example. An extensive burial-ground, known as Mir
Momin's Daira, was originally consecrated as the necropolis of the
Shiah sect by Mir Momin, who came to Hyderabad from Karbalâ in
the reign of Abdullah Kutb Shah. It contains his remains, but now
both Shiahs and Sunnis are buried here. Sir Salar Jang's family burial-
ground lies to the south of the Daira.
Among the more recent buildings may be mentioned the Purani
Haveli (`old palace'), an extensive building in the north-eastern quarter
of the city, built by the first of the Nizams, and still occasionally used
by the present ruler. The Nizam's Chaumahalla palace consists of
three quadrangles, with handsome buildings on either side, and large
cisterns in the centre. The palace is luxuriously and tastefully furnished,
and the zandna or ladies' apartments lie beyond the third quadrangle.
There are other royal residences at Golconda, Surfirnagar, Maula Ali,
' Not to be confounded with his uncle and predecessor, Muhammad Kuli, the
founder of Hyderabad city.
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