Panoramic view in two parts of the Chaumhalla Palace at Hyderabad, photographed by Deen Dayal in the 1880s. This is part of the Curzon Collection: 'Views of HH the Nizam's Dominions, Hyderabad, Deccan, 1892'. Hyderabad was the capital of the Nizams of Hyderabad, who ruled over one of the largest states in India. The dynasty was founded in the early 18th century by Asaf Jah (d. 1748). Asaf Jah began as the Mughal governor of the region before he declared his independence and established a dynasty which ruled for seven generations until 1948. The Chaumhalla Palace complex is made up of four palaces: the Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal, all arranged around a central courtyard garden with a marble cistern in the centre. The Chaumhalla Palace was commenced in 1750 with later additions by successive Nizams.
