The Gyanbagh Palace is one of the most memorable palaces for the movie-loving people of the Telugu-speaking states. Nearly 40 years after the classic Mutyalu Muggu’s director Bapu captured it in exquisite detail, the palace remains an architectural gem hidden in the bylanes of Pan Mandi in Hyderabad.
“This is a 170-year-old palace that looks European from outside but has something very Indic inside. All the doors match each other so that the wind can pass through unimpeded. The decor and refinements are grand and rooted in our culture,” says Indira Devi Dhanrajgir.
Her ancestor Jivangirji moved from Gandhari (present day Kandahar) to Pune in the 18th century and hitched his business interests with the Peshwas. His disciple Mahdevgirji moved to Hyderabad and became successful in business.
