President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated several tourist attractions in Hyderabad, including a replica of a historic flag post at Rashtrapati Nilayam. This flag post is significant because it was where the national flag was hoisted for the first time in Hyderabad after the princely State joined the Indian Union in 1948.
In addition to the flagpole, the President also inaugurated a maze garden, a children’s park, restored step wells and traditional irrigation systems, Shiva and Nandi sculptures on a rock water cascade, and new enclaves in the knowledge gallery. Minister for Panchayat Raj, Dr. Danasai Anasuya, also known as Seethakka, was present during the inauguration.
The flagpost has a rich history. In 1948, at the Bolarum residency (now Rashtrapati Nilayam), Hyderabad State’s flag was taken down in the presence of Prince Azam Jah and replaced with the Indian national flag as a symbol of power transition. This location also holds significance as civil services officer MK Vellodi took the oath of office as the first appointed chief minister of Hyderabad after military rule ended in 1949. The new replica flagpole is 15m and 30m high, with wooden platforms and steel wire stay supports. Flags can be hoisted manually or using a motorized mechanism.
At night, the flagpole can be illuminated with LED focus lights installed at its corners. Other attractions include a maze garden with Murraya Exotica as the main feature, restored step wells for rainwater storage, traditional irrigation systems for heritage awareness, and sculptures of Dakshinamurthy Shiva and the Nandi bull. The knowledge gallery now includes two new enclaves providing information about the unification of Hyderabad and Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Outside the knowledge gallery, there are rock paintings depicting aspects of Ek Bharat and Shrestha Bharat, showcasing scientific and defense achievements, heritage, monuments, and art forms.
