Hyderabad Sindh, the former capital of Sindh, is one of the oldest cities in South Asia. With a population of nearly 2 million people, it is the third largest city in Pakistan and the second largest in Sindh. Like other historic cities such as Athens, Rome, and Paris, Hyderabad has a unique story to tell about its past, present, and future. It is known as the cultural and literary capital of Sindh, and is home to artists, artisans, writers, poets, politicians, and activists. The city has been a nerve center for mass movements in Sindh.
Hyderabad has a rich history, and was once known as the "Paris of Sindh," with streets washed with perfumes and city lamps lit with pure butter. However, this all came to an end when the British took control of the city in a fierce and bloody battle in 1843. One of the great sons of Hyderabad, General Hosh Mohammed Sheedi Shaheed, fought bravely against the British until his last breath, carrying a cannon on his shoulders on the towers of the Hyderabad fort. British army was shocked and impressed by his bravery, and gave him an official salute after his martyrdom.Hyderabad Sindh is a city of three hillocks on the banks of the Sindhu river, which has played a major role in shaping the city's social, cultural, economic, and political fate. The great Kalhoro ruler Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro founded the city in 1768 AD, and named it after Hazrat Ali Haider, the fourth caliph of Islam. He loved the city so much that he declared it the capital of Sindh and ordered the construction of a magnificent fort, PAKKO QILO, to defend the people and kingdom from outside invasions. The fort covered 36 acres of land and was surrounded by man-made creeks and depressions, which were fed from the Phulleli Canal. Today, relics of those creeks can be found in modern-day Khai Road, Tank #1, 2, and 3, and DomanWah. All the cannons from Hyderabad Fort were shifted to Lahore when Pakistan was divided into two units in 1955 and Lahore was declared the capital of West Pakistan.Before Islam, Hyderabad was known as Neroon Kot, named after the ruler of that time. In the earlier history of South Asia, the subcontinent was divided into two great kingdoms: HIND (meaning India) and SINDH. Sindh had closer contacts with the Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Greece, Turkey, and Europe than with India. Over the years, Hyderabad has seen travelers from Persia to Arabia, and faced armies from Greece, Turk, and Mongolia, and finally the British. Being on the crossroads, Hyderabad has become an archaeological oasis.Hyderabad is a city of saints and sufis, with hundreds of shrines scattered all over the city. It has been influenced by all the great faiths, from Zoroastrians to Buddhists, from Hinduism to Jainism, and from Christianity to Islam, becoming a religiously tolerant city by nature.
After the death of Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, the Talpur rule began, and Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur became the new ruler in 1789. It was a golden time in the history of Hyderabad, with the Talpur rule lasting more than 50 years. However, it all came to an end in 1843 after the British attack. This was a dark period in the history of Hyderabad, as people lost their independence, and Sindh became a British colony. The British destroyed the Hyderabad fort, looted the royal treasures, and burned down the most famous and glorious
