Gulbarga , Karnataka :

Mohammed Ayzuddin Patel, an eminent photographer, has come out with a pictorial tribute to the monuments in Gulbarga district in a book titled ‘Monuments of Gulbarga: Treasure of Islamic Architecture’.

The 96-page book has some rare photographs of the historic monuments in Gulbarga district. This is for the first time that a serious attempt had been made to bring out the breathtaking beauty of these heritage structures in the form of a book. This private initiative is supported by Qamarul Islam, Gulbarga North MLA.

The book was released by Union Minister for Tourism Subodh Kant Sahay during the Gulbarga Utsav on April 15.

One of the features of this book, printed on glossy paper, is the brief historic background of the monuments on each page. The book contains photographs of the crumbling yet imposing tomb of the founder of the Bahamani dynasty, Allauddin Hassan Gangu Bahamani, tucked away in a remote corner in Gulbarga city. This monument, under the control of the State Department of Archaeology and Museums, was a picture of neglect till Mr. Patel took it up with the authorities and the Archaeology Department started conservation work.

Another striking photograph is that of the historic Jama Masjid inside the Gulbarga Fort.

The imposing structure is shown before and after restoration. The book also contains photographs of the interiors of the masjid from different angles. The book also has photographs of the dargah of Hazrat Shaikh Sirajuddin Junaidi, who had come to Gulbarga even before the Bahamani kingdom was established.

The book contains rare photographs of the “mysterious” fort at Holkonda on the outskirts of Gulbarga city with many tombs inside it. The book has some rare photographs of the Nizams of Hyderabad and also the train used by them to visit Gulbarga in summer.

However, Mr. Patel says that only a few monuments have been printed in the book and hundreds of others hidden away from the public need to be brought to the limelight for conservation.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Karnataka-Gulbarga / by Special Correspondent / Sunday – May 01st, 2011