Badshahi Ashurkhana

Badshahi Ashurkhana is a historic Shia mourning hall located at Pathar Gatti near Charminar in the Old City of Hyderabad, Telangana. Built in 1594 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, founder of Hyderabad, it is one of the oldest Ashurkhanas in the city. Notable for its Qutb Shahi architecture, Persian enamel tiles and wooden colonnades, it serves as an important religious and heritage site.

Visitors can expect a historic hall with vibrant Persian-style enamel tiles in green, yellow and blue, intricate woodwork, and colonnaded verandahs surrounding a central mourning hall. The interior displays alams and tazia-related elements. The setting is in the dense Old City near Charminar and Mecca Masjid, with a quiet, reverent atmosphere. Access is to the hall and courtyard areas for viewing architecture and tilework.

Constructed in 1594-1596 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth Sultan of Golconda and founder of Hyderabad, as a royal Ashurkhana for Shia mourning rituals. It is considered the second Ashurkhana built in Hyderabad and reflects early Qutb Shahi architecture with Persian influences, including imported enamel tiles. The structure has been conserved as a protected heritage monument representing the city's Qutb Shahi origins.

An important congregation hall for the Shia community, used for gatherings during Muharram to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain. It is known for its collection of alams and its distinctive tile decoration, representing the cultural and religious traditions introduced during the Qutb Shahi period and continuing as a living place of observance and heritage interest.