Nizamia Observatory still in the shadows of neglect

Hyderabad: The plan to restore the historic Nizamia Observatory seems a distant dream. It has been more than a year since plans were made to restore and renovate the Observatory, and although the telescope was installed, no steps have been taken by the State Government.

A few heritage activists and locals pointed out that, during the regime of the previous state government, around Rs 2.30 crore was sanctioned for restoring the dome and the telescope. However, after the formation of the new government, nothing has progressed further, leading to concerns that it was just an eyewash. The observatory urgently needs restoration, as it is located within the premises of the Centre for Economic and Social Studies in Begumpet, lying deserted and slowly fading away.

They also alleged that many follow-ups were made by locals, but all fell on deaf ears. If restored, many people who are unaware of the telescope will come to know about it and about the observatory that played a vital role in mapping stars.

Mohammed Haseeb Ahmed, a heritage activist, said, “Last year, the previous government planned to restore the historic structure, but after the formation of the present state government, the plan for restoring the observatory has not proceeded further. We are frustrated with following up on it with concerned officials, but no concrete solution has been provided. This structure should be restored so that both the current and next generations will understand its importance. As there are many historic structures protected by private organizations, it would be beneficial for the government to collaborate with these organizations for restoration.”

Brief history

Nizamia Observatory played a major role in the first-ever cataloguing and mapping of stars. It was a private observatory founded by Nawab Zafar Yar Jung Bahadur, a wealthy nobleman and amateur astronomer, who also served as the minister of defense during the sixth Nizam. He bought a small 6-inch telescope from England, which was initially installed in 1901 at Pisal Banda Palace, Hyderabad, making it the country’s second oldest observatory.

For nearly a century, the observatory played a pivotal role in observing significant astronomical events, including the passage of Halley’s and Shoemaker-Levy’s comets, as well as solar eclipses, utilizing its impressive 15” Grubb refractor telescope. Additionally, it boasted an eight-inch Cooke Astrograph.

It was also part of the prestigious international program called ‘Cart-Du-Ciel’ (astrographic chart and catalogue) to map the entire sky photographically, recording 763,542 observations of stars, which astronomers refer to even today. However, due to a lack of proper maintenance, this structure may soon fade into dust.