Here is what you all need to know about the 13 darwazas of Hyderabad

Historians point out the cities in those days needed walls to protect its citizens. Hence the long wall with 13 gates and windows was constructed for Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: People entering into the city through National Highway 44 get curious to know more about the giant wooden gate at Puranapul junction in old city of Hyderabad. Not many reaching the 450 year old city from locations enroute this highway are aware about history of the magnificent door.

The huge gate actually is one of the 13 darwazas (gates) that once served as entrance to city. Hyderabad once was referred as a walled city and it was called so as a long wall roughly six miles was constructed around the city and it had 13 gates and 13 khirkhis (wicked gates) to allow people to enter and exit.

Historians point out the cities in those days needed walls to protect its citizens. Hence the long wall with 13 gates and windows was constructed for Hyderabad. The list of darwazas is Puranapul Darwaza, Dabeerpura Darwaza, Aliabad Darwaza, Fateh Darwaza, Champa Darwaza, Doodhbowli Darwaza, Lal Darwaza, Gowlipura Darwaza, Dilli Darwaza, Chaderghat Darwaza, Mir Jumala Darwaza, Yakutpura Darwaza and Afzal Darwaza. “There were 12 gates initially and later one more Afzal darwaza was constructed taking the total to 13. Construction of Afzal Darwaza was required after the Nayapul Bridge was built,” said historian and INTACH member, B Anuradha Reddy.

All the gates were made of iron and heavy wood. One can get a glimpse of huge gates at Dabeerpura area and Puranapul Bridge where two gates still stand tall. “Small repairs were undertaken by the authorities to the gate. The granite structure that holds the gate was painted a few years ago,” said Mohd Imran, who runs his shop near Dabeerpura Darwaza, said.

Historians point out that armed guards manned the entrances round the clock. The gates closed during the evening and opened only in the morning. “Except during funerals or emergencies the doors were not opened for public in the night,” said Anuradha Reddy.

A rest house (sarai) was constructed near each of the doors to facilitate the night stay of the visitors who came to the city from far off places. One can find sarai although in a tampered form on the both side of the Aliabad road exactly beside the Masjid e- Almas. Now shops operate from the rooms of the sarai complex.

The long wall that ran around the city was constructed with quality granites and it was designed in such a manner that horses could patrol the pathways. At strategic locations a ‘Burj’ (place where cannons are placed) was constructed and cannons mounted on it.

The construction of the wall started during the rule of Abdul Hassan Tana Shah, the last Qutb Shah ruler, and ended during the Asaf Jah period.