Location
Tucked away in the bylanes of Hussaini Alam, the Hussaini Alam Kaman marks the entrance to the road leading to the Ashurkhana.
Description
The Hussaini Alam Ashurkhana is a historic Ashurkhana (house of mourning) built in the period of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and gives the area its name – Hussaini Alam – because of the relics housed here.
The Ashurkhana is immortalized in the Tale of the Wild Elephant – when Abdullah Qutb Shah was the crown prince, his elephant turned rogue and eloped into the wild forests with the prince. Worried, the Queen Mother Hayat Baksh Begum prayed to the Imams that if the Prince returns back safe and sound, she would offer a langar “gold chain” to the Ashurkhana. When the Prince eventually returned back to the fort safely, the Queen Mother kept her promise and offered the Langar to the Ashurkhana. The tradition of the Langar Procession was carried out from the mid 1600s to the early 20th century on the 5th day of Muharram every year.
The Ashurkhana building is built with lime mortar plastered over stone masonry and the roof is built in the jack arch technique. There exists an ablution tank in the centre of the courtyard with a fountain in its centre.
Its importance can be noted by the fact that the entire locality is named after the Aashurkhana and the relics housed within.
Existing Condition
Today, the Ashurkhana is maintained by the Mutawali’s family, who have taken care of it over the years. Modern paving has been laid in the external area.
References
Bilgrami, Syed Ali Asgar. Landmarks of the Deccan, 1927.
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