Did the Nizams of Hyderabad have an advantage over other royals?

This was one of the questions raised during a recent talk on the life and riches of Hyderabad’s erstwhile rulers.

The wealth and lavish lifestyle of the Nizams of Hyderabad is well documented, with their magnificent jewellery collection a subject of mystery and intrigue. This was the focus of historian and curator Deepthi Sasidharan’s talk at a Mumbai museum recently.

During the talk, Sasidharan deconstructed the early photographs available from the era, chronicling the life and times of the court and its occupants. The jewels and the sartorial choices of those in the photographs were discussed. At the end of the 45-minute talk, the images prompted two questions.


One: What was the source of the wealth of the Nizams? Two: How did their jewellery collection compare with that of the Jaipur royals, who were also connoisseurs of elaborate craftsmanship?



Sasidharan’s response to the former can be summarised as geographic advantage. “They [Nizams] benefited from their location, which was at the intersection of some important trade routes. Sea trade also helped,” she said.

The second question was harder to answer. According to Sasidharan, unless members of both families share data on their collection, it is hard to make a definitive statement. But, according to her, the quantity of the Nizam collection (almost 7,000 pieces, as per documentation) makes the Hyderabad collection incomparable.