Location
Azakhana Zehra is located on the southern bank of the Musi river at Darul Shifa next to the Salar Jung Museum.
Description
Built in the reign of Nizam VII Osman Ali Khan, this Ashurkhana (house of mourning, used primarily by Shias) was dedicated to his mother Amtul Zehra Begum. The Nizam drafted his favoured architect Zain Yar Jung (Zainuddin Husain Khan) to build a grand monument. A small portico opens into a large main hall, with an open plan. The hall is carpeted and the walls decorated in light green and yellow.
It is a feat of construction that the teak rafter ceiling is 45-feet high but without any supporting pillars. The total space is estimated at 4,500 square yards and its seating capacity is calculated at 25,000. The upper stories of the building have jalis (lattice screens) for women mourners to observe the majlis during Muharram. There are several unique elements that can be classified under the ‘Osmanian’ style of architecture of early 20th century Hyderabad like excessive use of onion-shaped domes, pointed arches, large rectangular kiosks with domed chhatris (cupolas) that decorate the corners of the parapet.
Existing Condition
There has been multiple modifications to the original structure over the past few decades by the Nizam’s Religious Trust.
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