In the 16^th century, the scion of the Golconda Nizami was in love. The Muslim prince, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah had fallen in love with the beautiful and gifted Bhagmati, a Hindu commoner. He’d ride out of the Palace at Golconda every night, down to his beloved’s village by the Musi River. Eventually, he became King, she his Queen, and they ruled from the new capital city that was founded on love!

The more prosaic version works somewhat differently. In the 16^th century, the Golconda Nizami was in trouble. The fortified city in Golconda from where they ruled was stricken by a disastrous drought. In search of water, looking to establish a capital city that had reliable water supply, the royal family, court and courtiers moved to Hyderabad that lay on the banks of the River Musi.

The truth of the episode probably lies somewhere between the two stories. In 1687, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb sacked the city subsequent to which the Nizams were reduced to viceroys of their former empire. This arrangement lasted only till 1724 when, taking advantage of declining Mughal power, Asaf Jah declared independence and laid the foundations of a dynasty, the Nizams of Hyderabad that were to rule over a large part of what is Andhra Pradesh today.

When India gained Independence in 1947, the decision on which province was to stay with India and which was to join Pakistan was decided on whether it had a Hindu or Muslim majority. The Muslim Nizam of this Hindu majority state tried to join Pakistan but civil unrest and the subsequent Indian Army intervention ensured otherwise. The princely state of Hyderabad signed the Instrument of Accession and became a part of the Republic of India in 1956 and its capital city became the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh.