HYDERABAD: Mir Mohammad Azmat Ali Khan, popularly known as Azmet Jah, was crowned in a hush-hush coronation ceremony on Friday night as the successor of Mukarram Jah, the VIII titular Nizam.
Sources said it was a simple ceremony, with only a handful of people in attendance. Most people found out about the coronation only on Saturday after the Chowmahalla Palace issued a statement.
Azmet Jah coronated on Friday night as the successor of Mukarram Jah
The ceremony was held in the presence of Mukarram Jah's immediate family members, trustees, close friends, well-wishers and staff members to recognise and formalise the anointment.
Azmet Jah, 62, will not hold any officially recognised title.
He will not be the Nizam or Asaf Jah IX. The coronation is symbolic and part of the continuation of the tradition of the Asaf Jah family, which took over the reins of princely Hyderabad state 299 years ago.
However, the succession will help in legally taking control of the properties inherited from the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Osman had bypassed his eldest son Azam Jah to declare his grandson, Mukarram Jah, as his successor in 1954.
The coronation took place immediately after the ziarat (visitation) of the grave of Mukarram Jah on the third day of his burial. Mukarram passed away in Turkey on January 14 and was laid to rest in the Asaf Jah tombs in Mecca Masjid on January 18.
It was organised in the durbar or coronation hall of the historic Chowmahalla Palace near Charminar. It was at the same place where his father Mukarram Jah was crowned in 1967.
"In terms of the desire and the decree made by Nawab Mir Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah Bahadur during his lifetime anointing his eldest son Azmet Jah as his successor in title and to accede his father as the IX head of the Asaf Jahi dynasty for all symbolic, ceremonial, titular and ancillary purposes, following the customs and tradition of the Asaf Jahi dynasty in existence for 299 years, a simple ceremony with prayers was held at 8.30 pm (on Friday)," said a statement from Chowmahalla palace.
Azmet Jah's ceremony holds no official recognition. Apart from heading some of the Nizam's trusts, Azmet Jah will also take control of the palaces that were under the control of Mukarram Jah. They include Falaknuma, Chowmahalla, Purani Haveli, Chiran and King Kothi.
Syed Akbar is a senior journalist from Hyderabad. He is a special...
Read MoreSyed Akbar is a senior journalist from Hyderabad. He is a specialist-journalist in science, technology, health, politics, environment, development, wildlife, religion, communities, and consumer affairs. He has been in the profession for the last 24 years. Before joining The Times of India, he worked with Deccan Chronicle and Indian Express.
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