Hyderabad: Among the 21 new districts, Vikarabad district has history that dates back to the Nizam era. Old timers still remember the famous quote Vikarabad ka hawa, har marz ka dawa (Vikarabad air, a cure for all diseases).” A government TB sanatorium still exists.
Once a hub for wildlife, the enticing Ananthagiri hills still attracts people from Hyderabad and other places though it lost much of it beauty due to deforestation, spurt in population and construction.
Vikarabad town was founded by the 5th Amir of Paigah (1881-1902) and the Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Nawab Sir Vicar-ul-Umra Bahadur. It is named after the latter.
The ‘Shams Ul Umra’ House of Paigah, was the second most prominent clan in the state of Hyderabad after the Nizams and were tied to the Royal House of Asaf Jah Nizams by blood and marriage for five generations.
“Their estates were larger than many prominent princely states of India and Paigah was referred to as ‘a state within a state’. They had a 14,000 strong army, Paigah police, Paig-ah courts and secretariat. Amirs of Paigah were answerable only to the Nizam,” M. A. Faiz Khan, scion of Paigahs, said.
Vikarabad had much natural beauty; hills and valleys, lakes and dense forests with abundant wildlife. “Hunting was a popular sport. But no outsider was allowed except Nizam and the Paigah family. The village of Machanapalli attracted lots of birds, including migratory birds and partridges. By 1898-99, the population of the newly founded town rose to 1029 - 441men, 269 women and 319 children,” Faiz Khan said.
Sir Vicar built Vicar Manzil, a palatial mansion for himself, Sultan Manzil for his son Nawab Sultan-Ul-Mulk besides a railway station, Paigah police station, post office, hospital, Vikarabad Bazaar, and a wooden hunting lodge which he had imported from London in 1882. He later gifted these to Nizam VI, Nawab Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Bahadur.
Sir Vicar Ul Umra, known to be the founding father of the game of polo in India, established two polo grounds in Vikarabad too. There were five places of worship — Vikarabad Mosque, Aashoor Khana, Darga Alam Shaheed R.U.A, Anantha Padman-abha Swamy Temple (after which Ananthagiri Hills were named) and the church built by Rev. Gathwan.
River Musi starts from Ananthagiri Hills and flows through the city of Hyderabad even today. But it is a mere trickle now.
