Envisioned by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah as a replica of heaven on earh, Hyderabad bore the brunt of Aurangzeb's fury and after ta long period of neglect, rose to be the capital of the expansive Deccan province. The city witnessed the phenomenal expansion of the province under Asaf Jah I, as also the dissipation of his iegacy. Pampered in her childhood, glamorous when young, the city changed utterly over the years and now recounts her moments of excitement and bouts of depression. This fascinating book combines the sweep of popular history, with the rigour of historiography.