The Nawabs Of Bhopal

Hello! Travels To Madhya Pradesh And Discovers Not Only The Beautiful Jehan Numa Palace But Also Meets With The Great-Great Grandsons Of Nawab Sultan Jehan Begum Of Bhopal Along With Their Wives, To Discover A Family That Is Poised Between Antiquity And Modern Elegance.

- Ankita Rathod

When the oldest great- grandson of General Obaidullah Khan, Commander-in-Chief of the erstwhile Bhopal state army force, throws open the gates to their kothi (private residence), he does that with the eloquence of a nawab, the modesty of a consummate professional and a man who is all heart. Ushering team HELLO! into Qamar Manzil, the family’s private residence, is the charming Faiz Rashid.

Spread across 600 acres, within the precincts of Shamla Hill, the most premium hill out of five in the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, he is the man in charge along with his younger brother Ali and first cousin, Zafar. In Bhopal, they are the ones carrying on the legacy of their decorous, progressive ancestors such as Nawab Sultan Jehan Begum. At one time, the entire kothi accommodated not only the general’s residence and offices, but also hunting grounds, a picnic valley (where citrus fruits grew, known as Samaristan-e-obaid). The British-founded Yatch Club was also here, a distant memory now. The area around it is so kaleidoscopic, it is known as Lake or Lakeview by all, even today.