History lives on in Hyderabad’s Bahrupiya Galli

In the bustling neighbourhood of Puranapul, lies Bahrupiya Galli, but not many are aware of the name as they now call the area Chandrikapuram

Hyderabad: Neighbourhoods of Hyderabad, particularly the older parts of the city, have interesting tales to narrate. Several localities here draw their names from humans, animals, markets, communities and important buildings.

In the bustling neighbourhood of Puranapul, lies Bahrupiya Galli. Not many in the locality are aware of the name as they now call the place as Chandrikapuram, while some elderly know the name ‘Bahrupiya Galli’, but have no clear idea why it is called so.

‘Bahrupiya’ is a performer who impersonates characters from folklore, mythology and traditional stories. The word comes from the Sanskrit words ‘bahu’ (many) and ‘roop’ (form).

In the municipal map of Puranapul — completed in 1913 after the Musi floods under the supervision of engineers Leonard Munn, AF Chinoy and AT Mackenzie — two lanes are marked as Bahrupiya Lane and Bahrupiya Kaccha Street. Around 200 houses were located in the lane.

“In our property documents passed on to us by our forefathers, the name ‘Bahrupiya Lane’ is cited. Local residents don’t know why it is called so,” says V Kishore, a resident of the locality.

During the Nizam era, Bahrupiya or performers were recognised by the government for their skills. Many of them were great at mimicry and impersonation and would entertain in courts.

Historian Karen Isaksen Leonard, in one of her writings, had mentioned: “Nizam’s Arbab-i-Nishat or Department of Entertainment included tawaifs, usually translated as courtesans or dancing and singing girls, qawwalayan (musicians), and bhands or bahrupiyas (mimics, buffoons).” They were looked after well by the administration.

After the fall of the Nizam government, the Bahrupiya were reduced to street performers and, over a period of time, shifted to other towns and cities in the country. Local people point out that a second or third generation of the performers still live in the locality. “But they are no longer into the profession and don’t like themselves to be associated with it,” says another resident.

A kilometre away from this place is Jauhari Galli at Hussainialam, now popularly referred to as Koka Bazaar lane. Mohd Yousuf, an oldtimer says prominent jewellers of the city lived in the lane and hence it got the name Jauhari (jeweller).