Rang Mahal Complex (Hyderabad, Telangana)

At the end of the eighteenth century, the British ‘Resident’ James Achilles Kirkpatrick built an opulent mansion in Hyderabad with a magnificent, European-styled Darbar Hall surrounded by an extensive garden with pavilions and pools, and an adjacent cemetery for Europeans.

In 2015, the DHF restored the outdoor plaster model of the Darbar Hall, which Kirkpatrick had built for the enjoyment of his wife, Begum Khair-un-Nissa.

Thereafter, DHF and BACSA (British Association for Cemeteries of South Asia) undertook the restoration of the British Cemetery close to the model.

With the generous support of Sonata Software Technology Ltd., the DHF then commenced the restoration of the Rang Mahal garden and the gateway leading to the gardens – the only remains of the pleasure pavilion used by the Begum and her entourage, and its surrounding garden, which had fallen into ruin.

To complete the Rang Mahal Complex, DHF visualizes three more projects:

1) The area around the restored garden

2) The extended area around around the Rang Mahal Gate, which includes sections of the historic boundary wall

3) A section with three historic buildings – a pigeon house / kabutarkhana, a semi-open structure, baggikhana, that would have been used to shelter carriages, and a staff residential quarters.

When completely restored, the Rang Mahal Complex will be an attractive venue for concerts and similar events thereby keeping the memory of the Begum alive – surely a suitable mission for a place of education for women.

As part of the project, DHF aims to set up a revenue generation model that ensures regular upkeep and maintenance of the complex while also facilitating long-term sustainability.