Holy Place in Paigahtombs

The Paigah tombs, though a recent discovery, date back to the late eighteenth century and embody unparalleled grace and elegance in marble. Though these stunning tombs are strewn over 30-40 acres, tombs of the Paigahas who had married daughters of the Nizams and their spouses are confined to a two-acre site.

It was Abdul Fateh Khan Tegh Jung who founded the Paigah nobility and rendered service to the second Nizam (1760 and 1803). The Nizam conferred on him the title of Shams-ul-umra, meaning the sun among the masses. Tegh Jung was buried in 1786 at the entrance of the complex, now known as Paiga tombs. An iron plaque at the entrance of the complex traces the Paigah lineage and eulogises the marble magnificence of the mausoleums. The Paigahs were also great patrons of arts, literature and sports and commanded the respect of the rulers and the people.

Built with unique lime and mortar in the Indo Saracenic architecture and delightfully decorated with flowers, famous jali work and have marble inlay work on them. the Paigah Tombs situated at Santoshnagar, 10 km from Charminar. Apart from the family of the nizam, the highest ranking nobles in princely Hyderabad were the Paigah nobles. "Paigah" is not a family name; it's Farsi for "footstool." An English equivalent might be "right-hand man," though that phrase has a casual tone far removed from the refinements of the Hyderabadi court.

The Paigah tombs house the graves of several members of the Paigah families who were the primary nobility in the court of the Nizams of Hyderabad. In simple words, these tombs are works of art. The Paigahs were the only noble family of Hyderabad to be permitted by the Sultans to maintain a private army.