A huge crowd gathered at the Makkah Masjid to catch a glimpse of the mortal remains of the titular eighth Nizam of Hyderabad — its last.
People carrying the mortal remains of the eighth and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mukarram Jah, on 18 January at Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
The area around Charminar is usually abuzz with activity, as people throng the shops in there throughout the day while the tourists do their own thing.
The situation was very different but also oddly similar on Wednesday, 18 January, as the market was closed, but the people were still on the streets, mourning Mir Barkat Ali Khan Siddiqui Mukarram Jah.
This was the final journey of the eighth and last Nizam of Hyderabad — albeit only in the titular sense — in the city once ruled for generations by his ancestors.
Many took advantage of this self-declared non-working day by the community around Charminar to pay their last respects to Mukarram, whose mortal remains were initially kept at the Chowmahalla Palace and then the Makka Masjid.
He was laid to rest in the evening at the Makkah Masjid, beside his ancestors, with full state honours. The funeral included a three-round gun salute by the city police after its City Armed (CAR) Headquarters band played.
#Hyderabad: The final journey of #NizamofHyderabad #MukarramJah before he was buried at the maqbara in Makkah Masjid. @TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/a1C45aFDxZ
— Ajay Tomar (@ajaytomarasks) January 18, 2023
South First came across several elderly people who recalled the life and times of Mukarram, and hailed what he did for Hyderabad and his people.
Octogenarian Mirza Naqi told South First that he used to work in a car factory under the Nizam, and recalled how Jah fancied vehicles.
Mortal remains of the last Nizam of Hyderabad Mukarram Jah open to public at Chowmahalla Palace. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
At 89 years old, he was the same age as Mukarram, and recalled the latter’s fascination with English movies and paan (betel leaves wrapped around tobacco, fruit, etc) as well.
Naqi exuded pride at having worked on the Nizam’s cars — brands like Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, and Chevrolet.
Makkah Masjid Society Islamic Library General Secretary Naimullah Shareef extolled the educational works Mukarram initiated or bolstered in the city.
“Nizam had set up the library and the Mukarram Jah Trust for Education and Learning, and also introduced several scholarships for students,” Shareef told South First.
People thronged the Chowmahalla Palace since 8 am on Wednesday to pay their last respects and catch a final glimpse of Jah.
The crowds shifted to the Makkah Masjid along with his mortal remains later in the day with his son Azmath Jah Bahadur leading the pack.
A huge turnout at the funeral waiting for the gun salute and burial. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
The funeral of Mukarram Jah began around 4 pm with Namaz being offered twice, as people looked on — not just from the Makkah Masjid grounds but also from atop buildings nearby.
The police had their task cut out when it came to controlling the crowd, which also consisted of women, children, and the elderly. Around 300 cops had been deputed to ensure that the funeral went off smoothly.
The authorities had to resort to repeated announcements to ensure that the crowd did not become too unruly.
Several people who were not allowed in the burial grounds for the Mukarram’s funeral managed to find a van with a television and followed the sequence of events there.
#Hyderabad: A 3-rounds gun salute was given to #MukarramJah, the last #NizamofHyderabad at his funeral in #MakkahMasjid. @TheSouthfirst #Telangana pic.twitter.com/iFES0G9VQv
— Ajay Tomar (@ajaytomarasks) January 18, 2023
People watching the live telecast of the funeral in a media van besides the Makkah Masjid. (Ajay Tomar/South First)
Mohammed Laiquddin Khan, who said he was related to the Nizam’s family, said the crowd bidding adieu to Jah was significant.
“I was also present during the janaza of Mukarram’s grandfather (seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah). Today’s turnout was about half as big as the one that came during his funeral. But I will miss Mukarram a lot,” a dejected Khan told South First.
As dusk fell, the area around Charminar started returning to its usual hustle and bustle, with the shops in the market reopening for regular evening business.
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