Bhagmati: Why Hyderabad's Lost Queen Is the Soul of the City

About the Book

THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF HYDERABAD AND THE LOVE STORY THAT UNDERLIES IT.

Sixteenth-century India. The Golconda Sultanate is under the dominion of the Qutb Shahis, whose reign is marked as much by grandeur and power as it is by political intrigue and cultural resurgence. Set against this backdrop, the remarkable love story of Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, a legendary poet-king, and Bhagmati, a Hindu devadasi from Chinchlam, unfolds.

The stories say that the moment Quli lays eyes on Bhagmati dancing at the Nagamalleswara temple, he becomes utterly captivated by her beauty. He even braves the treacherous flooding Musi river just to be by her side. In defiance of the prevailing societal norms, their love blossoms into a connection so profound that it ignites the conception of a new city, one we know today as Hyderabad.

From the construction of the iconic Purana Pul bridge to the founding of Bhagnagar in Bhagmati's honour, the story of Bhagmati and Mohammed Quli is one of the enduring power of love. The result of deep research as well as Moupia Basu's passion for both Hyderabad and poetry, this book pays homage to not only the woman who continues to be the subject of endless debates, but also to the love story that keeps alive the intrinsic spirit of present-day Hyderabad. An absolute must-read for history buffs and anyone who loves a great story.

About the Author

Moupia Basu grew up in the Delhi of the 1970s and 1980s. She studied English Literature at the University of Delhi and has worked as a journalist with some of the top publications in the country. She has travelled extensively across India, exploring its rich and diverse cultural heritage and social fabric. She is the author of Khoka, The Queen's Last Salute and Anarkali and Salim: A Retelling of Mughal-e-Azam. She currently lives in Pune.