Tourism Marketing Report

Qutb Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad

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 Table of Contents

Topics Page Number

Introduction 3

History 3-4

Literature Review 4

Current Scenario 5
Analysis of Websites 5–6

Tourist Reviews 6–9

Informations for Tourists 9 - 10

Suggestions and Conclusion 11

References 11 - 12

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Introduction

The Qutub Shahi Tombs of Golconda- a medieval necropolis situated in the rocky regions of
the historic city of Hyderabad, is a royal cemetery for the seven Qutub Shahi kings. It also
served as a burial ground for other members of the royal family. The tombs are perfectly
symmetrical, each having a raised square base with a circular dome above it, which is a
distinct feature of Islamic architecture. The tombs can be seen from the top of Golconda fort-
which legend says that, it was meant to look at their ancestors and also the place where they
would finally rest after their demise.  In the following report, we showcased the knowledge
and facts about the necropolis which are the oldest and most significant monuments of the
sister cities of Golconda and Hyderabad. The report consists of key findings on the current
scenario and original tourist reviews. We also analysed the current condition of the site and
compared the before and after effects of the restoration process conducted a few years back.
We also analysed some reviews made by visitors, from which we got a glimpse on the status
quo, through this we concluded by offering a few solutions based on our perspective of the
entire study.

History

Qutub Shahi Tombs, also known as the 7 Tombs, is located approximately 850 meters away
from the Banjara Darwaja of Golconda Fort. It consists of seven tombs of Qutub Shahi rulers.
It is believed to be among one of the few oldest monuments of Hyderabad. These tombs
attract visitors with architectural excellence which presents a beautiful mixture of Persian and
Indian structures. From the structures, we can see the influences of Hindu, Pathan, Deccan as
well as Persian styles.
Among all the tombs, one of the most important tombs at the Qutub Shahi Tombs is
the one that belongs to the Qutub Shahi dynasty founder, Sultan Quli Qutub-ul-Mulk. He
built his tomb on his own and was the longest foreman of the architectural project. Tombs of
the royal families like that of sisters, nieces, and nephews, from the non-ruling members of
the royal families, were also decided to be built around his tomb. Just like the Paigah, Tombs
were built for the entire Paigah honour, similarly, the Qutub Shahi Tombs were built and
dedicated to the seven Qutub Shahi rulers and their families who ruled Golconda for nearly
170 years. The Qutub Shahi Tombs were planned and built by numerous sovereigns or rulers,
who ruled the city and the state during the 18th century. 
These Tombs we renovated by Salar Jung III, Mir Yousuf Ali Khan in the 19th
Century. The magnificence of the tombs is shielded by the majestic, landscaped gardens of
Ibrahim Bagh. The styles of the tombs are perhaps the most important reason that attracts
thousands of tourists’ horde for the resting places of these Golconda rulers.
These tombs are constructed on an elevated platform, made up of grey granite. These
are dome structured and have a quadrangular shape. Small and big sarcophagi (stone coffin)
can be found here, although only a few of them remain and are open to the public now. Apart
from its brilliant artistic and largely spread gardens, it is also famous for its innumerable
tombs.

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Indo-Saracenic style of architecture is found on the corridors of the famous Qutub Shahi
Tombs. Pointed arches and 28 openings add to the kingly architecture of the Qutub Shahi
Tombs False openings, central pillars, and two-tiered terraces all form an important part of
the architecture of the other tombs here. Each of the tombs is surrounded by pointed arches
which are 9-15 meters in height from the platform. This adds on to the beauty of these
structures, as well each tomb is also decorated with beautiful ornamentation. 
The Qutb Shahi contains the inscription documented tombs of 5 of the dynasty's 7
sultans, along with 4 other members of the royal family, across the 130-year period from
1543 to 1672. Though of its high integrity and authenticity, with an outstanding universal
value, that provides vivid testimony of the creative synthesis of Persianate and Indic cultural
traditions with a unique Decani identity, in India it is neither on the World Heritage List nor
on India's tentative list.

Literature Review

Qutb Shahi Tomb is a historic royal necropolis site located in Hyderabad, India. The place
went under restoration and is now opened as a heritage park once again for the tourists. There
are several reports on it especially reports by the UNESCO, World Heritage Convention and
Aga Khan Development Network. We went through these reports and came to know the
insights of the Qutb Shahi Tombs more than the history, the tomb was not just a structure, it
has its artistic essence along with scientific and architectural artefacts. The reports mainly
talk about the conservation projects and the archaeological research onsite. The MOU was
signed among the Department of Archaeology and Museum (DAM), Quli Qutb Shahi Urban
Development Authority (QQSUDA) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in the year
2013. The project of restoring was commenced with a timeline to complete within 10 years.
The report also gives us a detailed idea of the history related to the tombs, there is a number
of tombs in the site along the Tomb of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shahi the last king of the Qutb
Shahi dynasty. They did a thorough study on the architecture of the tombs, the style of the
tombs and the science behind the structure of the monuments showcasing the skills of the
finest craftsmanship. During the restoration process conducted in the 20’th century, the team
then used cements to rebuild the monument but it was not going well with the structure, they
looked into the matter deeply and came out with a compound which they had used to build
such ancient buildings. Now the project team performed a laser scanning over the entire site
to explore the hidden findings like the buried items underneath and the restructuring of the
Qutb Shahi Tomb in 3D to do thorough observations and could conserve the essence of the
place by restoring the land boosting it with the plantation. It took five years of time for the
team to renovate the major tombs and reopen the site for tourist visit in 2018. Based on all
this knowledge we have prepared a report which consists of the history, current scenarios and
the analysis of the tourist reviews and website data. We have also incorporated information
that will be beneficial for the tourists planning to visit Qutb Shahi Tomb.

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Current Scenario

After five years of being closed to the public for restoration, which began in January 2013,
the tombs of the first five Qutub Shahi kings have been, once again, declared open to visitors
now. The timings are now from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. It is open from Monday to Sunday. The
entry fee for adults and children are 10 and 5. Additional 20 is charged for photography.
These tombs are now, also the venue for the Deccan Festival which is conducted by
the State Government. These tombs are surrounded by garden ‘Ibrahim Bagh’ which is a
popular picnic spot. There are other popular tourist attractions located near to the tombs as
well. Paigah Tombs, Raymond Tomb, Salar Jung Museum are a few nearby attractions.
The level of the ground has changed after the restoration. The restoration was carried out by
the conservation agency Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), efforts for the conservation
work of the necropolis, received a boost, from the MoU between the archaeology department
and Agha Khan Trust which was extended until 2023. The deadline for the MoU was initially
set in December 2017.
Traces of the entire area being a garden along with markers for the layout of the place
during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shahi, who was king from 1550 to 1580 CE, have been
discovered. This enabled the AKTC to recreate the layout from more than four centuries ago.
The project was carried out with a multidisciplinary team of architects, civil engineers,
archaeologists and master craftsmen who worked round the clock. And was arguably one of
the most ambitious conservation projects undertaken in India. According to the officials of
the State Archaeology Department, the conservation work was not just about restoring to its
former glory but it was also about the development of urban spaces around it.
The conservation project included a detailed study of the site, using high-resolution
photography as well as laser scanning which helped to create an accurate 3D model. All the
tombs in the necropolis underwent this process. The necropolis also underwent a restoration
drive in the 20’th century, but during that time the restorers used cement in their process
which set off a cancerous deterioration of the older material. But now, after extensive
historical research, the restorers found out the original compound, which is a lime plaster
mixed with a traditional mixture of jaggery, lentils, egg whites and pulp of the bel fruit. The
lime-plaster is applied in several layers but the final layer is of 1mm thickness, which is
applied with a trowel.
Among all the monuments in the necropolis, Badi Bouli – A large step-well/water
reservoir, needed the most attention amongst. In 2013, heavy rain damaged the western
façade of the Badi Baoli and it caved in completely. For restoring it, collapsed stone beds
were removed from the bed of the baoli and reused in the repairs. The Bouli now holds 30
lakh (3 million) litres of water and the management also released a school of fish in it for
initiating a natural cleaning cycle as well as giving it a lively aesthetic appeal for the visitors.

Analysis of Websites

Qutb Shahi Tomb is a UNESCO recognized heritage park and a well-known tourist place in
Hyderabad, India. This is one of the royal necropolises in India and recently it is renovated
and recognized as the archaeological park to visit for both the domestic and foreign tourists.
After the analysis of various websites, majorly it can be found that the websites contain the
history of the Qutb Shahi Tomb like who built it when it was built and changes from the time
of origination to date. And the website also consists of the google map indicating the location
and other information like the timings (9:30 am - 4:30 pm) open all the days in a week except
Friday. The major locations from where you can reach Qutb Shahi Tomb and their distances
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like the distance from the airport, Railways and inter bus stations, etc. The websites also
include the nearby restaurants, eateries and local street foods & cuisines. They also guide the
tourists with information about the hotels and lodges to stay in Hyderabad, budgeted or
premium. And the most fascinating thing for the tourists is that, the website suggests the
nearby shopping areas from where one can buy the traditional Hyderabadi apparel and
souvenirs. 
Majorly the websites providing the information of the Qutb Shahi Tomb are all
government websites like the website of the Telangana Tourism website and the Telangana
Heritage website. There are some blogs of the heritage park in the Telangana website
demonstrating the current scenarios and sharing the traveling experience of the tourists
visiting the place. Other than the government sites there are plenty of commercial websites
like TripAdvisor and Hyderabad Tourism which show the above-mentioned information in a
detailed manner and with lots of imagery. These websites also provide ratings of the place
along with lots of reviews from the tourists. In TripAdvisor, they rated Qutb Shahi Tomb
with 4.5 points, which helps the tourists to get profound feedback before they could visit the
place and also interact with the other interested visitors of necropolis in the comment section.
Besides, all these commercial and reviewing websites, there are also some
informative articles published in the UNESCO page, The Hindu website, etc. which talk
about the background of the Qutb Shahi Tomb and its deep insight into the history, and the
research studies were done on that place by the world-renowned archaeologists. The articles
also include the restoration project and recent news of the Royal Necropolis of Indo-Muslim
history.

Tourist Reviews

The respective reviews have been collected from Tripadvisor.com

 Bala1436 wrote a review Dec 2014

Albuquerque, New Mexico9

Tombs a great disappointment!

I visited the Qutab Shahi Tombs in November, 2014 as part of a sightseeing tour of
Hyderabad. It is in a sprawling piece of property with various tombs of different
shapes and sizes scattered about the place. The tombs and the property are in a woeful
state of neglect and disrepair. With some investment and planning, the place could
have been a beautiful place to visit. Instead of well-tended gardens and well-
maintained tombs, what I saw made me want to leave the place as fast as possible.
This is certainly not a place I would recommend as worth seeing, though its proximity
to the Golkonda fort will persuade most tourists to include in their itinerary.

Date of experience: November 2014

Trip type: Travelled solo

 Susan S wrote a review Feb 2015

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 New Hampshire154

Seven tombs a haven in the hurry of Hyderabad

On the way to Golkonda Fort, stop at the tombs of Hyderabad royalty, a quiet,
contemplative site. The site was deserted on a Monday afternoon, and felt like a
smaller version of Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. The ASI is restoring the site – both
buildings and gardens. Judging from the first tomb, it will be beautiful when finished.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go near the main tomb, as it was covered with
scaffolding. We hired a guide– definitely worth doing. He asked about 200 Rs for a
20-minute tour, which stretched into about 40 minutes. (We tipped him!) The
hammam / bath house (for the dead) was fascinating. Ask about the small
masjid/mosque in front of the Begam’s tomb (built by Aurangzeb). We did not have
time to visit the small museum. Do not use the bathrooms; they are appalling.

Date of experience: February 2015

Trip type: Travelled with friends

 LNTraveller2011 wrote a review Sep 2016

The Globe38 contributions9 helpful votes

Not worth paying for

This is very close to Golkonda Fort so if you're keen on tombs, best to visit at the
same time - however, there was very little information and the main tomb was closed
off for renovation with no warning at the entrance. I would not go back unless this is
improved. The experience was definitely lacking.

Date of experience: August 2016

Trip type: Travelled with family

 Cora Singapore wrote a review Mar 2017

Singapore, Singapore65

Serene, stunning, amazing history, you totally forget you're in the middle of the
city!
Amazing grounds where an entire royal family were buried. Really beautiful and
peaceful and such a lovely place to relax and chill. You can take a peaceful walk
around the perimeter wall, really nice but the one thing I hated about India is the trash
everywhere and how nobody cares. really sad to see the graves and memorial stones
on the outside of the perimeter wall absolutely surrounded by piles and piles of
rubbish. How the people and these places are not taken care of better is a disgrace. I
don't think they see the value in tourism sadly.

Date of experience: February 2017

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

 widespread visitor wrote a review Apr 2018

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 Melaka, Malaysia549
Not worth a visit
I did some reading about this place before going, and frankly wasn’t impressed. And a
visit there confirmed my thoughts. Basically, it’s a place to glorify several kings from
an old dynasty.
Firstly, the place isn’t maintained well. The gardens aren’t impressive.
Secondly, most of the structures look the same. If you’ve seen one, then you’ve seen
them all.
Thirdly, a “tour guide” appeared from nowhere and assumed we needed his services.
He tried to pressure us into listening to him but I declined politely and firmly and he
just walked away abruptly. Apparently, you have to pick between a “half tour” or a
“full tour”. We did neither, and walked out in 10 minutes after looking at two
structures.
Lastly, in this day and age, they are millions of poor people homeless and here we
have several tombs built in a huge area with no purpose. Just my thoughts.

Date of experience: April 2018

Trip type: Travelled with family

 AunieH wrote a review Jul 2019

Land O Lakes, Florida337 contributions19 helpful votes

Lots of ancient history

This place is amazingly old and still standing. The tombs are massive with lots of
history to experience. Royal family members are still buried there. Plan to do a lot of
walking to see the series of tombs and learn about the history. There is really no
reason to pay a tour guide unless you want to. There are plenty of site markings that
teach you what you need to know. The buildings do not appear like they did hundreds
of years ago, but they are nonetheless impressionable. Just without all the colours and
decor.

Date of experience: July 2019

Trip type: Travelled solo

 Lyn V wrote a review Feb2020

Windaroo Qld144

Fascinating look into the past and architecture of the tombs

We loved these buildings from the 16th century. They had such intricate carvings and
patterns. So photogenic. Was a hot day walking around these 7 amazing tombs so take
water? Def worth seeing if you enjoy architecture and history and culture. They are
close to Golconda fort so we went there afterwards.

Date of experience: February 2020

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

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From the chronological reviews it can be observed that the necropolis has improved to quite
an extent from its dilapidated condition before the restoration carried out by the Department
of Archaeology and Museum (DAM), Quli Qutb Shahi Urban Development Authority
(QQSUDA) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
However, some issues continue to affect the image of the site, such as local people
impersonating themselves as guides, local people untidying the gardens after their picnics,
occasional unhygienic condition of restrooms, etc.

Information for Tourists

Location:
Qutub Shahi Tombs Hyderabad Address: Fort Rd,
Toli Chowki, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500008, India

Qutub Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad Entry Fees:

 Rs. 10 Per Adult

 Rs. 5 Per Child
 Rs. 20 Per Camera

Qutub Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad Visitors Timing:

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Hotels According to Price Range for Tourist within 10 Kms.

Distance from Key Locations

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Suggestions and Conclusion

In the above study we can conclude that the archaeological park, Qutb Shahi Tomb is India’s
prominent royal necropolis which shares lots of historical and archaeological knowledge of
the Indo-Muslim culture. The place is under restoration project till 2023 and is taking a good
shape to attract tourists, the site is also recognized by UNESCO as the World Heritage site
that is one of the factors supporting tourism of the Qutb Shahi Tomb. There are mixed
reviews about the heritage park, tourists visiting the place were facing many difficulties like
sanitation hygiene, proper indications of renovation on progress and brutal behaviour by the
local guides who appear from nowhere and don't have any authorization. These activities and
complaints have reduced until the conversation project started but people see this place as a
garden and park to do picnics and wander around. As tourism marketers, we would like to
suggest that well trained and certified guides should be deployed on the site and well-written
scripts installed in front of each structure explaining their historical and archaeological
importance. Being a renowned world heritage site, the tourism department of Telangana can
initiate some awareness campaigns to boost educational and knowledge-based tourism of the
place. Finally, we would like to say that the government and other non-profit organizations
have taken steps to restore the site, but now it is high time to take initiative by the general
public to generate awareness among themselves, of importance of the place, to enhance both
domestic and foreign tourism.   

References

https://www.akdn.org/press-release/revitalisation-begin-quli-qutb-Shahi-archaeological-park-
hyderabad-india

https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5573/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qutb_Shahii_tombs

https://www.hyderabadtourism.travel/qutub-Shahii-tombs-hyderabad#reviews-rating

https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g297586-d3705854-Reviews-
Qutab_Shahii_Tombs-Hyderabad_Hyderabad_District_Telangana.html

https://heritage.telangana.gov.in/monuments/qutb-Shahii-tombs-complex/

http://tstourism.co.in/Hyderabad_QutubShahiiTombs.html

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https://telanganatourism.gov.in/Partials/destinations/heritage-spots/hyderabad/qutub-Shahii-
tombs.html#parentHorizontalTab2

https://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/blog/09_feb_2017_qutub_Shahii_tombs.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/qutb-Shahii-tombs-conservation-
pact-extended-till-2023/articleshow/62439712.cms

https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/wIhM7ABNw2qkjAV1PUUVaN/Restoring-the-jewel-
of-the-Deccan.html

https://heritage.telangana.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/08.pdf

https://www.akdn.org/sites/akdn/files/media/publications/2015_annual_report_-
_qutb_Shahii_heritage_park.pdf

https://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-184474

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