Location
The temple complex is located on the Gudimalkapur road that connects Mehdipatnam to Gudimalkapur, close to the local flower market.
Description
The 200 year old Jham Singh Balaji Mahadev Temple in Gudimalkapur was built by Jham Singh, a cavalier in the army of Nizam III Sikander Jah.
It is said the Nizam tasked Jham Singh to purchase the best horses for the cavalry but Jham Singh had used the amount for the construction of a temple. Sikandar Jah was furious when he learned this fact and ordered the execution of Jham Singh, but Prime Minister Raja Chandulal had intervened and modified the punishment to save Jham Singh, who was then asked to build a mosque of the same grandeur in the same compound along with a Sarai. The temple is unique with horse figures appearing all over the compound repeatedly, a symbol of Jham Singh’s profession and his passion for horses. When the Nizam finally visited the Temple he was pleased with the architecture and awarded a Jagir to Jham Singh’s family.
The temple complex also includes several other structures including a Naqqarkhana, the Kalyana Mandapam a distance away from the main compound of this temple, and a dharamshala. A Persian plaque inside the main temple complex asks visitors to enjoy the sweet water of the temple.
Existing Condition
The temple is maintained by the Temple trust as well as the Endowment Department. The temple precinct which was said to originally cover over 50 acres of land earlier housed a stepwell, which has been filled, and the Nakkarkhaana and adjacent Dharamshala now lie in ruins.
Gallery
References
- Mehdi Saajid, Md Sibghat Khan. Hyderabad Deccan: Illustrated, 2022.
Contributors
The Deccan Archive, NIUM