Charminar built in 1591 AD, is a landmark monument located in
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. The English name is a transliteration and
combination of the Urdu words Chār and Minar, translating to "Four
Towers", the eponymous towers are ornate minarets attached and supported
by four grand arches.The landmark has become a global icon of Hyderabad, listed
among the most recognized structures of India.The Charminar is on the east bank
of Musi river.To the northeast lies the Laad Bazaar and in the west end lies
the granite-made richly ornamented Makkah Masjid.
Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty
built Charminar in 1591 AD,shortly after he had shifted his capital from
Golkonda to what is now known as Hyderabad. He built this famous structure to
commemorate the elimination of a plague epidemic from this city. He is
said to have prayed for the end of a plague that was ravaging his city and
vowed to build a masjid (Islamic mosque) at the very place where he was
praying. In 1591 while laying the foundation of Charminar, Quli Qutb Shah
prayed: "Oh Allah, bestow unto this city peace and prosperity. Let
millions of men of all castes, creeds and religions make it their abode, like
fish in the water.
The mosque became popularly known as Charminar because of the two Urdu
words char, meaning four, and minar, meaning tower, combined to form Charminar. It is said that, during the Mughal Governorship between Qutb Shahi and
Asaf Jahi rule, the south western minaret "fell to pieces" after
being struck by lightning and "was forthwith repaired" at a cost of
Rs 60,000.In 1824, the monument was replastered at a cost of Rs 100,000.In its
heyday, the Charminar market had some 14,000 shops. Today the famous markets
known as Laad Baazar and Pather Gatti, near the Charminar, are a favour, of
tourists and locals alike for jewellery, especially known for exquisite bangles
and pearls respectively. In 2007, Hyderabadi Muslims living in Pakistan
constructed a small-scaled quasi replica of the Charminar at the main crossing
of the Bahadurabad neighborhood in Karachi.
