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ONE OF THE GRAVESTONES AT THE ARMENIAN CEMETARY IN UPPUGUDA.
Bhargav Nimmagadda
Express Buzz
April 22 2009
India
ISTHYDERABAD: It is perhaps the last known trace of the Armenian
connection with the city of Hyderabad.
And now it is almost on the verge of being erased erased from the
city's historic map.
Yes, the Armenian cemetery located at Uppuguda (known as Opiguda in
the colonial times) is reduced to a mere dumping zone and a place
where people relieve themselves.
Armenians came into India as traders through the overland route
much before the advent of European traders into India, in fact seven
centuries before Vasco-da-Gama reached India.
A historian Mesrovb Jacob Seth in his seminal work Armenians in India
has noted that 19 Armenians including two priests Rev Johannes (1680)
and Rev Simon (1724), were buried in this now deserted cemetery.
And the cemetery is not confined to Armenians alone.
"With no English graves of 17th and 18th century seems to have existed,
even the Dutch used the Armenian cemetery till they acquired their
own cemetery in the year 1678," B Subrahmanyam, a retired deputy
director of AP Archaeology Department told Expresso.
Referring to a study done by Dr V Nersessian, he pointed out that there
was considerable Armenian population in Hyderabad and the community
was sent a Pontifical Bull from Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual centre
of Armenian Chursbiantuow in Soviet Armenia.
Realising the importance of the Armenian cemeteries and churchyards,
which are the only attested sources of their presence, the D epartment
of Archaeology has declared the Uppuguda site as a protected monument
under the Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960. But due to sheer
negligence, this historical churchyard is reduced to a dumpyard full
of liquor bottles and human excreta.
When the sorry-state of affairs was reported to the Director of
Archaeology and Museums Department P Chenna Reddy, he said that
they have included this cemetery in the colonial heritage monuments
preservation project in Hyderabad.
"The cemetery has been neglected for more than seven years. Before the
Central Government releases funds for this project, the department is
chalking out a plan to clean the site soon," an Archaeology Department
official said.
One can only hope that the condition of this cemetery, where the
Armenian-Hyderabad connection is etched, would be improved as soon
as possible.
Bhargav Nimmagadda
Express Buzz
April 22 2009
India
ISTHYDERABAD: It is perhaps the last known trace of the Armenian
connection with the city of Hyderabad.
And now it is almost on the verge of being erased erased from the
city's historic map.
Yes, the Armenian cemetery located at Uppuguda (known as Opiguda in
the colonial times) is reduced to a mere dumping zone and a place
where people relieve themselves.
Armenians came into India as traders through the overland route
much before the advent of European traders into India, in fact seven
centuries before Vasco-da-Gama reached India.
A historian Mesrovb Jacob Seth in his seminal work Armenians in India
has noted that 19 Armenians including two priests Rev Johannes (1680)
and Rev Simon (1724), were buried in this now deserted cemetery.
And the cemetery is not confined to Armenians alone.
"With no English graves of 17th and 18th century seems to have existed,
even the Dutch used the Armenian cemetery till they acquired their
own cemetery in the year 1678," B Subrahmanyam, a retired deputy
director of AP Archaeology Department told Expresso.
Referring to a study done by Dr V Nersessian, he pointed out that there
was considerable Armenian population in Hyderabad and the community
was sent a Pontifical Bull from Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual centre
of Armenian Chursbiantuow in Soviet Armenia.
Realising the importance of the Armenian cemeteries and churchyards,
which are the only attested sources of their presence, the D epartment
of Archaeology has declared the Uppuguda site as a protected monument
under the Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960. But due to sheer
negligence, this historical churchyard is reduced to a dumpyard full
of liquor bottles and human excreta.
When the sorry-state of affairs was reported to the Director of
Archaeology and Museums Department P Chenna Reddy, he said that
they have included this cemetery in the colonial heritage monuments
preservation project in Hyderabad.
"The cemetery has been neglected for more than seven years. Before the
Central Government releases funds for this project, the department is
chalking out a plan to clean the site soon," an Archaeology Department
official said.
One can only hope that the condition of this cemetery, where the
Armenian-Hyderabad connection is etched, would be improved as soon
as possible.