Darbar Hall regains glory

Hyderabad: The Darbar Hall, which used to be a crucial space for the British residents in Hyderabad during the Raj, and which is a prominent presence in William Dalrymple’s ‘White Mughals’, is gradually regaining lost splendour. The structure, standing tall on the premises of the Osmania University College for Women, popular as the Koti Women’s […]

Hyderabad: The Darbar Hall, which used to be a crucial space for the British residents in Hyderabad during the Raj, and which is a prominent presence in William Dalrymple’s ‘White Mughals’, is gradually regaining lost splendour. The structure, standing tall on the premises of the Osmania University College for Women, popular as the Koti Women’s College, has conservation architects and artists moving into the final stages of a major restoration project.

One of the most important aspects of the restoration, the papier-mache ceilings with their multi-coloured flower and vegetable patterns and gilded beadings, which were damaged over the years, have now been restored to their original form. “Only the damaged portions of the ceilings were completely restored,” said Lithish, one of the conservation architects who is working at the Darbar Hall.

Apart from ceilings that were damaged over the years, the other areas of the hall were still in good condition. The chandeliers in the 50 feet high hall still hold good besides the eight fans which were still in working condition. The floor in the hall is made of Burma teak wood.

The Darbar Hall was part of the British Residency in Hyderabad, and was later used as the main building of the Koti Women’s College. The British Residency was built on the banks of the River Musi by Samuel Russell of the Madras Engineers and was commissioned for the then British Resident, JA Kirkpatrick, in 1803.

Apart from the Darbar Hall, the British Residency has seven rooms on the ground floor and nine rooms on the first floor. To ensure structural ability of the building, portions of the walls and roofs that were damaged were being restored.

The 200-plus-year-old building has already been listed for funding by the World Monuments Fund and is under the Department of Archaeology and Museums.

The restoration works that began in 2015 are expected to be completed this year. Plans are afoot to convert a major part of the building into a museum, while four rooms will be handed over to the college management. According to sources, the offices of the principal and vice-principal could be shifted into the historic building while some portions might be used as classes too.

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