Hyderabad: On Friday morning, a group of youngsters arrived at the Turrebaz Khan memorial near the Koti bus stand to pay homage to the martyrs of the First War of Independence in 1857.
To their disappointment, the site was locked. Later, a delegation of the CPI, led by its national movement convenor Krishna Prasad, managed to enter briefly when a GHMC supervisor opened the premises. January 24 marks the 166th death anniversary of Turrebaz Khan, a Rohilla warrior, popularly known as Turum Khan, who led Hyderabad’s rebellion against British rule in 1857.
The memorial, built in 1957, features a granite pillar guarded by four elephant statues and topped with the National Emblem. However, it remains largely inaccessible to the public. Shoeb Khan, a student from Sitaphalmandi, said: “This site holds immense historical significance, yet it’s locked. I came here to pay tribute to Turrebaz Khan but left disappointed as no arrangements were made.”
A visit by TOI found the site locked and the space in front of the gate occupied by vendors. One vendor noted that several visitors had come but were unable to enter the memorial garden. Expressing concern over the neglect of the memorial, Anuradha Reddy, INTACH convenor, said, “Turrebaz Khan was among the first in the Deccan to rebel against British rule, yet his memorial is poorly maintained and is inaccessible.”
Historian Syed Naseer Ahamed, author of The Immortals, echoed this sentiment. “The govt should organise annual events to honour Turrebaz Khan.”
Unfortunately, the memorial remains locked and neglected. “When contacted, an official from the Archaeology Department clarified that the memorial does not fall under their jurisdiction.”
Legacy of Turrebaz Khan
Narrating the sequence of events that led to the arrest and subsequent cold-blooded killing of Turrebaz, Naseer Ahamed says, “During India’s First War of Independence in 1857, the people of Hyderabad opposed the Nizam’s alliance with the British. While Maulvi Allauddin led a rebellion from Saidabad, Turrebaz Khan mobilised over 500 Rohilla warriors from Begum Bazaar to attack the British Residency . Despite their bravery, the British forces overpowered them with superior weaponry, killing 32 rebels. Turrebaz Khan escaped, but a bounty of Rs 5,000 was placed on his head,” says Ahamed.
Turrebaz Khan was later captured near Mogiligadda, then in Mahbubnagar district, while fleeing to Karnataka. He was tortured and sentenced to exile. He escaped on January 18, 1859, but was betrayed by an associate in Tuppran, Medak district. On January 24, 1859, British forces surrounded and killed him in cold blood.
His body was then hung from a lamp post in Sultan Bazar for three days to instill fear among locals.
Naseer Ahamed says, “Turrebaz’s date of birth is not found in the history books. But govt must organise event to mark his death anniversary so that people can know about his sacrifice for the nation.”
Calls for recognition
Syed Saleem Pasha, founding member of Osmania University JAC, that spearheaded Telangana movement on OU campus, emphasised the need for Telangana to honour Turrebaz Khan with a statue on Tank Bund, placing him alongside Rani Laxmibai and Tatya Tope. In Dakkhani dialect, Turrebaz Khan’s bravery lives on through the phrase, “Apne aap ku Turum Khan samjhre kya,” meaning, “Do you think you are as brave as Turum Khan (corrupt form of Turrebaz Khan?”
To their disappointment, the site was locked. Later, a delegation of the CPI, led by its national movement convenor Krishna Prasad, managed to enter briefly when a GHMC supervisor opened the premises. January 24 marks the 166th death anniversary of Turrebaz Khan, a Rohilla warrior, popularly known as Turum Khan, who led Hyderabad’s rebellion against British rule in 1857.
The memorial, built in 1957, features a granite pillar guarded by four elephant statues and topped with the National Emblem. However, it remains largely inaccessible to the public. Shoeb Khan, a student from Sitaphalmandi, said: “This site holds immense historical significance, yet it’s locked. I came here to pay tribute to Turrebaz Khan but left disappointed as no arrangements were made.”
A visit by TOI found the site locked and the space in front of the gate occupied by vendors. One vendor noted that several visitors had come but were unable to enter the memorial garden. Expressing concern over the neglect of the memorial, Anuradha Reddy, INTACH convenor, said, “Turrebaz Khan was among the first in the Deccan to rebel against British rule, yet his memorial is poorly maintained and is inaccessible.”
Historian Syed Naseer Ahamed, author of The Immortals, echoed this sentiment. “The govt should organise annual events to honour Turrebaz Khan.”
Unfortunately, the memorial remains locked and neglected. “When contacted, an official from the Archaeology Department clarified that the memorial does not fall under their jurisdiction.”
Legacy of Turrebaz Khan
Narrating the sequence of events that led to the arrest and subsequent cold-blooded killing of Turrebaz, Naseer Ahamed says, “During India’s First War of Independence in 1857, the people of Hyderabad opposed the Nizam’s alliance with the British. While Maulvi Allauddin led a rebellion from Saidabad, Turrebaz Khan mobilised over 500 Rohilla warriors from Begum Bazaar to attack the British Residency . Despite their bravery, the British forces overpowered them with superior weaponry, killing 32 rebels. Turrebaz Khan escaped, but a bounty of Rs 5,000 was placed on his head,” says Ahamed.
Turrebaz Khan was later captured near Mogiligadda, then in Mahbubnagar district, while fleeing to Karnataka. He was tortured and sentenced to exile. He escaped on January 18, 1859, but was betrayed by an associate in Tuppran, Medak district. On January 24, 1859, British forces surrounded and killed him in cold blood.
His body was then hung from a lamp post in Sultan Bazar for three days to instill fear among locals.
Naseer Ahamed says, “Turrebaz’s date of birth is not found in the history books. But govt must organise event to mark his death anniversary so that people can know about his sacrifice for the nation.”
Calls for recognition
Syed Saleem Pasha, founding member of Osmania University JAC, that spearheaded Telangana movement on OU campus, emphasised the need for Telangana to honour Turrebaz Khan with a statue on Tank Bund, placing him alongside Rani Laxmibai and Tatya Tope. In Dakkhani dialect, Turrebaz Khan’s bravery lives on through the phrase, “Apne aap ku Turum Khan samjhre kya,” meaning, “Do you think you are as brave as Turum Khan (corrupt form of Turrebaz Khan?”
