Malcolm Rivera
The Great Musi Flood of 1908 was a devastating event that killed thousands and destroyed thousands of homes in Hyderabad. In response, the Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, constituted a City Improvement Trust in 1912. This trust was tasked with rebuilding the city and implementing flood control measures to prevent future disasters. The Nizam invited engineers and advisors to assist in the reconstruction efforts, and together they developed plans for flood catchment areas and reservoirs to protect the city.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1912 |
| Ruler | Nizam of Hyderabad |
| Purpose | Improvement of the city of Hyderabad |
| Focus | Public works and utilities |
| Projects | Water supply, drainage, electricity, roads |
| Governance | Managed by a board of trustees |
| Funding | Endowed with funds and lands by the Nizam |
| Impact | Improved infrastructure and services in the city |
| Legacy | Contributed to the development of Hyderabad |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Musi Flood of 1908
The flood was preceded by heavy rainfall in the surrounding areas of Hyderabad, resulting from a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal. Over a period of 48 hours, the Musi River basin received an unprecedented amount of rainfall, measuring 98.57 cm (38.81 inches). This intense rainfall caused 221 out of the 788 tanks and lakes in the river basin to breach, leading to a catastrophic flood.
On 28 September, an estimated 4,25,000 cusecs of water rushed through the city, sweeping away over 19,000 homes and leaving a significant portion of the population homeless. The official death toll was estimated to be around 15,000, although some sources put the number at 50,000. The flood waters washed away three bridges—the Afzal, Mussallam Jung, and Chaderghat—leaving the Puranapul bridge as the only link between the two parts of the city. The worst-hit areas were Kolsawadi and Ghansi Bazar in Afzal Gunj, where the flood destroyed over 80,000 houses.
The aftermath of the flood saw a remarkable response from the Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan. He performed religious rituals according to Hindu customs to appease the River Musi, which was considered a Goddess. The Nizam also opened the gates of his palace to offer help and relief to those affected by the flood. He contributed generously to a relief fund, and the government declared an official holiday of ten days to allow people to cope with the aftermath. Ten kitchens were set up across the city to provide meals to those in need from 29 September to 13 October.
The Great Musi Flood had a significant impact on the development of Hyderabad. It led to a shift in the city's power centres towards the north, away from the river. The Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, played a crucial role in the city's transformation by inviting M. Visvesvaraya, a renowned engineer, to advise on the reconstruction and implement flood prevention measures. Visvesvaraya proposed the creation of impounding dams, a functioning sewerage system, and the bolstering of river banks. The Nizam's government began constructing these dams in March 1913, and a City Sewerage Scheme was put into operation. To address the city's development and civic issues, the Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, constituted a City Improve Trust in 1912. This trust oversaw various projects aimed at improving the city's infrastructure and amenities.
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Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam
Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, was the seventh and final recognised Nizam of Hyderabad. He was born on the 5th or 6th of April 1886 and ascended the throne on 29 August 1911, at the age of 25. He ruled the State of Hyderabad until 1948 when the Indian Union annexed it.
The Nizams of Hyderabad were rulers of the princely state of Hyderabad, which was established in 1724 by Asaf Jah I, who broke away from the Mughal Empire. They governed until 1948, when Hyderabad was annexed into India. The Nizams were known for their immense wealth and patronage of art, culture, and architecture. They built iconic structures like Charminar and Falaknuma Palace and played a significant role in the history of Deccan India, maintaining a semi-autonomous status under British rule.
Mir Osman Ali Khan was widely considered one of the world's wealthiest people of all time. With some estimates placing his wealth at 2% of the US GDP, his portrait was on the cover of Time magazine in 1937. As a semi-autonomous monarch, he had his own mint, printing his currency, the Hyderabadi rupee, and had a private treasury that was said to contain £100 million in gold and silver bullion, and a further £400 million in jewels. The major source of his wealth was the famous mines of Golconda, the only supplier of diamonds in the world during the 18th century.
During his reign, Mir Osman Ali Khan played a major role in the development of today's Hyderabad and was known as the Architect of Modern Hyderabad. He introduced electricity, and developed roads, airways, and railway routes in the state. He also made generous donations to Hindu temples and educational reforms. In 1912, he constituted a City Improve Trust in response to the Great Musi Flood of 1908, which had devastated the city of Hyderabad, killing thousands. He built a flood control system on the river and invited M. Visvesvaraya to advise and assist in the reconstruction of the city and to devise measures to prevent future floods.
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The Hyderabad State Reforms Association
In 1912, the Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, constituted a City Improve Trust in response to the Great Musi Flood of 1908. The flood was a devastating natural disaster that killed 50,000 people, destroyed 80,000 houses, and washed away three bridges. In the aftermath, the Nizam opened the gates of his palace to offer help and relief, and a large relief fund was raised.
The legacy of the Hyderabad State Reforms Association is mixed. On the one hand, they represented a step towards political organisation and participation in Hyderabad State. They sought to have a say in constitutional reforms and witnessed cooperation between Hindus and Muslims. On the other hand, their demands were ignored by the Nizam and the Special Officer, and their activities were limited by the Nizam's bans on political meetings and "political outsiders".
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The Nizam's flood control system
The Great Musi Flood of 1908 was a devastating event that killed thousands and destroyed thousands of homes in Hyderabad. The city of Hyderabad was the capital of the Hyderabad State, ruled by the Nizam, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan. The flood, locally known as Thughyani Sitambar, washed away three bridges and left a trail of destruction in its wake.
In response to this catastrophe, the Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, constituted a City Improvement Trust in 1912. He also built a flood control system on the river, inviting M. Visvesvaraya to advise and assist in the reconstruction of the city and to devise measures to prevent future disasters. Visvesvaraya was assisted by engineers from the Public Works Department of Hyderabad State. They concluded that the city's immunity from flooding depended on the construction of flood catchment areas in the basin above. They proposed to construct reservoirs a few miles north of the capital.
A dam was built under the noted engineer Nawab Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur in 1920. This dam was situated ten miles upstream from the city and was named Osman Sagar. The flood control system was designed to protect the city from future flooding events, and it remains a testament to the Nizam's commitment to improving the city's resilience in the face of natural disasters.
The Nizams of Hyderabad were the rulers of the princely state of Hyderabad, which was established in 1724 by Asaf Jah I, who broke away from the Mughal Empire. The Nizams ruled the state until 1948, when Hyderabad was annexed into India, and they played a significant role in the history of Deccan India, maintaining a semi-autonomous status under British rule. The last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, lost power in 1948 when Hyderabad became part of Independent India.
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The Osman Sagar dam
The Great Musi Flood of 1908 was a devastating event that killed 50,000 people and left a quarter of Hyderabad's population homeless. In response, the Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, constituted a City Improvement Trust in 1912. He invited M. Visvesvaraya to advise and assist in the reconstruction of the city and to prevent future flooding. One of the measures proposed was the construction of reservoirs a few miles north of the city.
The Nizams of Hyderabad were the rulers of the princely state of Hyderabad, which was established in 1724 by Asaf Jah I, who broke away from the Mughal Empire. They were known for their immense wealth and patronage of art, culture, and architecture, and their legacy is deeply embedded in the cultural and historical identity of Hyderabad. The last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, lost power in 1948 when Hyderabad became part of Independent India.
Osman Sagar and the accompanying lake are located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, about 15 to 20 kilometres from the city. The lake is a popular tourist attraction, offering pleasant breezes and picturesque sunsets. A princely guest house called Sagar Mahal was built on the banks of the lake as a summer resort for the last Nizam. It is now a heritage building operated as a resort by the Telangana Tourism Department.
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Frequently asked questions
The City Improve Trust was constituted in response to the Great Musi Flood of 1908, which devastated the city of Hyderabad, killing 50,000 people and leaving a quarter of the population homeless.
Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad.
The Nizam opened the gates of his palace to all those seeking help and relief. He also provided elephants and horses to assist in relief work and donated to a relief fund of 1,500,000 rupees.
M. Visvesvaraya, invited by the Nizam to advise on the city's reconstruction, proposed constructing flood catchment areas and reservoirs a few miles north of the city. A dam was built upstream from the city in 1920.
The flood's impact on the city's culture is unclear, but it did shape the Nizam's legacy, with his response demonstrating his commitment to the people of Hyderabad.
