Devdi or Deodi is a noble mansion where the Nawabs of Hyderabad lived. Dozens of them, with grand halls and serene courtyards, held the secrets of a distinct nobility.[1][2]
The word devdi used to originally mean a hut, but the nobility started referring to their mansions as devdis in a deprecating way. Thus it came to be the word for the mansions of the nobles.[3]
Today, only a few are left standing, in various states of decay. Some important devdis are:
- Khurshid Jah Devdi[4]
- Dewan Devdi
- Devdi Iqbal ud Dowla[5]
- Fareed nawaz Jung devdi
- ^ "Forgotten Heritage: The Devdis of Hyderabad - Go UNESCO | GoUNESCO". www.gounesco.com. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Khalidi, Omar (2008). A Guide to Architecture in Hyderabad, Deccan, India. Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, MIT Libraries.
- ^ Lynton, Harriet Ronken (1987). Days Of The Beloved. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 9780863112690.
- ^ "150 year old palace in ruins, but authorities continue to neglect Khursheed Jah Devdi". The News Minute. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Monumental apathy: Iqbal-ud-Dowla Devdi lies in a shambles in Old City". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 August 2018.