Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park
Encyclopedia
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
: కాసు బ్రహ్మానంద రెడ్డి జాతీయ వనం), known earlier as Chiran Palace, is a 400 acres (1.6 km²) palace complex and now a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
located in Jubilee Hills
Jubilee Hills
Jubilee Hills is a suburban neighbourhood in west Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. It is presently one of the most expensive residential locations in India with prime land prices fetching up to Rs. 200,000 per square yard. A tract of land in the city was sold for nearly Rs. 3,340,000,000 in 2005...
in Hyderabad, AP
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The park has an approximate area of 1.4 km2. It is located centrally in Jubilee Hills and is described as a jungle amidst the concrete jungle.
History
Chiran Palace was built in 1960. The entire palace complex is spread over an area of 400 acre and was gifted to Prince Mukarram Jah on his coronation by his father Prince Azam JahAzam Jah
Azam Jah, Damat Walashan Sahebzada Nawab Sir Mir Himayat Ali Khan Bahadur Bey Effendi was the eldest son of the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan Asif Jah VII; In 1936 he was given the courtesy title of Prince of Berar, a territory of the Nizam then leased in perpetuity to...
in 1967.
The complex has the palace and besides it the other property include Mor (peacock) bungalow on a hillock, Gol Bungalow; stables for elephant, horses and cattle, motor khana that housed a fleet of exquisite vintage cars, a workshop for heavy machinery, petrol pump, several outhouses, two wells and an equal number of water tanks.
National park status
The entire palace complex area was declared as a National park by the Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
state government after getting permission from the central government in the year 1998. This gave control of major part of the land to the forest department and the Nizam was left with the control of only about 11 acres which as the time passed was further reduced to the present less than six acre. Further the park was renamed to Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park with only the palace building being referred to as Chiran palace.
In June 2010 the Prince and his representatives reached an agreement with the state government to exchange Chiran Palace and 16 other pieces of his property scattered over the national park with six acres of land on the north-west corner of the park. This land would not be considered the part of the National park and thus will not provide access to forest officials and visitors to the park. All the properties on the land, including the Chiran palace would be notified as part of the national park and the land to be handed out to the prince was struck out of the park.
This agreement received the approval of The Indian Board of Wildlife, Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
and the central government.
The Palace
The Chiran Palace, unlike the other palaces of the Nizam like Falaknuma or Chowmohalla, is a modern facility designed to serve the needs of the prince. It is not a palace in the traditional sense of the term. It is more like a big villa constructed on 6,000 sq metres of land.The duplex type palace has two cellars where the prince had his billiard room along with a large conference hall. The ground floor contains an armory hall, two guest rooms in addition to his office, place for visitors, pantry and kitchen etc. The first floor comprises seven bed rooms where the Nizam lived with his wife and children.
The Park
The park provides an excellent lung space and environment from the busy city life and rising pollution levels. The park has over 600 species of plant life, 140 species of birds and 30 different varieties of butterflies and reptiles. Some of the animals making their home in the park include: pangolinPangolin
A pangolin , also scaly anteater or Trenggiling, is a mammal of the order Pholidota. There is only one extant family and one genus of pangolins, comprising eight species. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with...
, small Indian civet
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
, peacock, jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
and porcupines. There are few water bodies present in the park providing the needed moisture for the plants and quenching the thirst of birds and small animals.
The park is frequented in the evenings and weekends by young and old alike.
External links
- http://forest.ap.nic.in/WL%20KBRP.htm