Jama Masjid Iqbal-ud-Dowla

Although am not biased at judging against a Masjid to another because in the end its the house of Allah, but this particular one has to have a special mention. The Spanish Mosque (Jama Masjid Iqbal-ud-Dowla) on the Paradise-Old Begumpet Airport Road, and very close to my house in Hyderabad, is a striking mosque with unique plan elevation; it was built by Sir Vikhar-ul-Umra Iqbal-ud-Dowla, the Paigah noble, in 1906.

It is believed to be the only one of its kind in India, with pointed arches, a pointed main roof composed of two truncated octagonal pyramids placed one above the other intervened by octagonal domes. The minarets aesthetically placed at corners of the parapet are in the same style, very unusual from those seen in other mosques in the city and elsewhere. And it is difficult to miss them as you climb on (from Paradise side) to the flyover opposite the Airport.

A lot of debate has been done for its semblance to the architectural look and feel of a church!

The other notable features are Moorish arches inside the prayer hall, Quranic verses in exquisite calligraphy inscribed on the inside walls, the absence of an ablution tank and a courtyard. In plan, the mosque comprises a main prayer hall, two rooms in front of it and a central corridor for entering the hall. It is over this central corridor or the entrance porch that the octagonal dome stands.

The Spanish Mosque here formed part of the sprawling 340 acres of wooded estate of the Paigah nobles studded with seven palaces, all built in European and Indo-European styles. Some of them are the Paigah Palace or the Iqbal-ud-Dowla palace that has now become the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority's office, the Devdi Nazir Nawaz Jung, part of which has been leased to Chiraan Fort Club and the Vikhar Manzil, overlooking the Hussain Sagar Lake.

It is listed for conservation as a Grade II A structure, comprising buildings of regional or local importance possessing special architectural or aesthetic merit, cultural or historical value. They are the local landmarks contributing to the image and identity of the city deserving intelligent conservation and the regulation governing them allows adaptive reuse internally but external changes are subject to scrutiny. Yet the colour scheme of the mosque has been changed from pure white to pastel green in recent years.

Hyderabad-E-Haleem!

Haleem is synonymous with Ramadan as it’s with Hyderabad. Originally considered to be an Arabic dish, made of meat, wheat flour, spices and ghee, it is said to have come to Hyderabad during the Mughal period via Iran and Afghanistan. It remained an integral part of Hyderabad due to the Nizam rule.

Over a period of time local influence brought in modifications and changes in the original recipe and made Hyderabadi Haleem distinct from other types of Haleem available today.

Although it is prepared in other cities of India (I had it in Mumbai and its just ok ok) as well during Ramadan but by and large the Hyderabadi Haleem remains the preeminent!

The conventional method of cooking Haleem is to cook on a low flame of firewood for 12 hours in a bhatti (a cauldron covered with brick & mud kiln). One or two men, usually, mix it thoroughly with large wooden sticks throughout its preparation, until it gets to a sticky-smooth consistency, similar to mashed mince.

Hyderabadi Hallem is a type of meat stew made from pounded wheat and mutton made into thick paste and served freshly hot with crispy fried onions and lemon juice. is equally popular with everyone just like its other dish, the Hyderabadi Biryani. It’s usually eaten during Iftaar.

Look out for the bhattis across the city, especially near/next to a masjid, besides accessible at assorted irani hotels.

The ones to look out for are: hotel 555, Sarvi, Pista House, Shah Ghouse and Shadab

Remember it’s AVAILABLE and CHERISHED in Hyderabad only during Ramadan.

Over a period of time the Haleem has gained its prominence as starters at Muslim weddings and other celebrations.

It is estimated that during Ramadan, Hyderabad eateries sell 1 billion worth of haleem.

This is because Hyderabadis cannot survive Ramzan without Haleem. It is a matter of habit.