Hyderabad’s iconic Charminar the towering symbol of the Old City, steps into the spotlight at HLF 2026 at Sattva Knowledge City. Deccan Archive founder Sibghat Khan unveils unprecedented 3D models, architectural breakdowns, and hidden motifs in “Jannat Nishan: Tracing Paradise.” Viewers will get to witness this living archive’s seven-year research bridging heritage to the new city.
Don’t miss the three-day spectacle revitalizing academic discourse in Hyderabad‘s heart.
Deccan Archive: A Trust of Multidisciplinary Guardians
Deccan Archive operates as a dynamic trust, blending multidisciplinary researchers, designers, and historians under founding trustees like Sibghat Khan. “It’s an evolving space,” Khan explains, from customized guided tours and publications to outsourced research for government and international archives. No rigid hierarchy, just collaborative passion preserving Deccan’s stories. This backbone fuels their HLF debut, transporting Old City shaan to Sattva’s modern pulse.
Revolutionizing Charminar: Beyond the Iconic Facade
Charminar isn’t just Hyderabad’s most visited monument; it’s a “living archive” of successive generations’ additions, Khan reveals. Forget symmetry, each side differs dramatically, from eastern arch cat symbols to grill motifs whispering forgotten tales. For the first time, visitors explore 3D models of minarets and tips too high to see, alongside visual-architectural breakdowns of materials, styles, and origins. “It’s built at the city’s geographical center with no assists, a unique feat,” Khan notes. He has climbed Charminar personally during seven years of research verifying primary sources against English accounts.
The model at Sattva will have panels on walls, pedestal displays, and merchandise like notebooks, postcards, bookmarks, and motif-inspired maps to make it interactive. Open to all for three days, it’s no heavy lecture; visual stories unpack why motifs like that of cats embellish the structure, empowering crowds to “decipher it themselves” on future visits.
Retrieving facts was tough, consulting Deccan history experts, accessing elusive primary sources, and debunking quoted myths. “We verified English authors’ claims ourselves,” Khan says. The goal? Ignite academic discourse on Charminar’s art and architecture, long ignored despite its symbolism. One must-see: origin stories, rendered visually light yet profound.
Community Call: Join the Heritage Revival
Khan eyes HLF for like-minded exposure and collaborations. Deccan seeks volunteers for heritage walks, digitizing old books, and events. “Grow our community,” he urges. Attendees expect stories that make Charminar alive, perfect for Hyderabad heritage lovers.
“Jannat Nishan: Tracing Paradise” at HLF 2026 is more than display; it’s Hyderabad’s old soul claiming a new city’s stage.
