World Heritage Week: Explore Hyderabad’s history through educational exhibitions, walks, contests

Hyderabad: On the occasion of World Heritage Week (WHW), the Department of Heritage of the Telangana government is organising week-long celebrations from November 20 to 25 at Bhagavan Mahaveer Auditorium at the State Museum in Public Gardens, Hyderabad.

Similarly, with the aim to promote the conservation of culture and heritage, the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust (NJPT) will also be conducting various programmes for WHW between November 18 and 25.

The Department of Heritage is organising a special exhibition on photography of monuments and coins. The posters of monuments will be made available for the public along with a host of guest lectures with experts on history and archaeology.

Professor KP Rao (Retd) of the Department of History, University of Hyderabad, will be speaking on ‘Archaeological potential of Telangana: The Road Ahead,’ and Professor GSV Suryanarayana Murthy from JBR College will discuss ‘Cultural Landscapes of Kakatiyas: Ramappa contextually explained’ and Dr E Sivanagi Reddy, CEO of the Pleach India Foundation will deliver a lecture on ‘Heritage Temples of Telangana (1st Century CE to 16th Century CE).’

Competitions for students

A round table meeting on the Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs site and its significance will be organised in association with the Deccan Heritage Academy Trust.

Apart from the WHW, Agha Khan Trust and Culture (AKTC), INTACH-Hyderabad chapter and Deccan Heritage Academy Trust will be conducting heritage walks at Qutub Shahi Tombs on November 21 and Saidani Ma Tomb on November 22. Many college students will be volunteering for the events.

A quiz on Telangana heritage and architecture will take place on November 22 and drawing and sketching competitions for school children will be organised by INTACH Hyderabad chapter along with an essay writing competition for college students, informed Shailaja Ramaiyer, director of the Department of Heritage.

Nizam’s museum hosts events

In another set of programmes organised by the NJPT, Captain (Retd) Pandu Ranga Reddy flagged off the events on November 18 at the 450-year-old Purani Haveli or Nizam’s Museum, in the presence of various dignitaries, including curator of the museum Dr Ahmed Ali, in-charge secretary Aparna Shankar and heritage enthusiast Sahebzadi Rasheedunnisha Begum, the grand-daughter of the seventh Nizam.

The exhibits of the palaces of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty have been displayed in the city gallery.

“On November 19, a talk by Usama Ahmed on the unique satin painting of the Nizam embellished in precious stones was organised. On November 20, an essay writing competition on the contributions of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan will be held for students followed by an object sketching competition on November 21. A quiz on the Asaf Jahi Dynasty will be held on November 22. A gallery walk by historians and heritage experts will be held on November 23 while on the last day (November 25), the concluding ceremony will be followed by prize distribution. All the programmes would commence at 11 am daily,” informed Syed Hyder Hussaini, administrative officer of the museum.