Taramati Baradari, a symbol of romance between a Sultan and a Hindu woman, Hyderabad

Taramati Baradari,Golconda, Hyderabad,S.India. www.flickr.com
''The sweetest of all sounds is that of the voice of the woman we love''
                                                        ......    Jean de la Bruyere


No body knows when and where a man or woman will fall prey to Cupid's arrow. Romance, as we all know,  transcends caste, creed, religion and money power.  In this mundane, dry world no one  can dodge the powers of 'Cupido', an icon of  Valentine's Day.

Taramati Baradari,Golconda, Hyderabad,S.India.www.excitingindia.in

Taramati Baradari is all about the legendary romance of an ordinary woman singer and a prominent ruler of a famous dynasty - 7th Sultan of the Qutub Shah dynasty of Golconda, Hyderabad. This is the true story of the have and have not, bound together by some nature's force. Here the nature's force being the sweet, melting and soul-stirring  voice of an unknown woman that touched the heart of the ruler of a vast land.

Taramati Baradari,Golconda, Hyderabad,S.India.www.youtube.com

Ibrahim Bagh, a Persian style garden, built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, the second Sultan of Golconda has a historical place called ''Taramati Baradari'', named after a courtesan during the reign of Abdullah Qutb Shah. The legend has it the ruler, in his fort  some distance away, used to listen to the songs sung by Taramati for travellers at the sarai. Almost daily he heard her beautiful, soothing voice  carried to his fort by the prevailing gentle breeze. Very much moved by her melodious and mesmerizing voice, the ruler  was preoccupied with her lovely voice. Being unable to bear the pangs of love, at last, he fell in love with her, who happened to be a Hindu woman. Her voice was beautifully enhanced by the  fine acoustics in the building as well as that of the fort.

Yet another legend tells us that of  two dancing girls of ravishing beauty Taramati and Premamati, who danced on ropes tied between their pavilion and the balcony of the king and patron, Abdulla Qutub Shah. The Baradari, is simply a symbol of  love for his favorite courtesan, Taramati by the 7th Sultan of Golconda - Abdullah Qutub Shah, the grandson of  Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah, the Founder of Hyderabad.


All that Taramati could desire in her memory was an open pavilion, made of lime and mortar with 12 doorways (baradari) and a terraced garden, It came to be known as the ''Taramati Baradari''. Built on the banks of the Musi river. today, the place comes under the city limits of Hyderabad.  The 12 doorways  are for cross ventilation to reduce the heat or radiation inside the building. It was the most ingenuous arrangement at a time when there were no fans or air-conditioners to spend the hot summer season.

The open pavilion includes other facilities like an air-cooled theater with capacity of 500 people, open-air auditorium with capacity of 1600 people, Banquet Hall with capacity of 250  and multi-cuisine restaurant.

The complex is spread over a vast land at Ibrahim Bagh, near on the way to Osmansagar and close to Golconda. About half a mile north of the fort lies his grave amid a cluster of carved royal tombs. Here lie buried the Qutub Shahi kings and queens in a place that was once their rose gardens. As a tribute to Taramati and Premamati, they both were buried in the royal cemetery of the Qutub Shahi kings. This historical place is worth visiting.
 

Ref:
 
http://o3.indiatimes.com/snapsbyvrij/archive/2007/03/07/3753209.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taramati_Baradari