: Afzal Mahal, the imposing two-storeyed building with a European facade of Corinthian columns in the Chowmahalla Palace, was thrown open to the public on Wednesday.

Called the crown of the Chowmahalla Palace, where the Nizams treated their royal guests, the Afzal Mahal has been restored to its old glory. It has also been done up meticulously by conservation architects Rahul Mehrotra and Raja Martand Singh.

 

The exquisite French furnishings and Turkish chandeliers in the beautiful draped drawing room of the Mahal are sure to impress visitors.

 

A clock, similar to the one in the Salar Jung Museum, has been repaired along with a royal piano in the Mahal. Augmenting the royal splendour are the eight vintage cars of the Nizam. The models include Rolls Royce 1912, the first one to come to India, a 1904 Napier, Fiat, Green Buick, Black Ford and Packard have been put on display.

 

The Royal Conference Hall, which is a part of Khilwat, was also thrown open to the public. According to Chowmahalla Palace director G Kishan Rao, this Hall can be booked by private parties to host conferences. It can accommodate 50 individuals. The authorities have tentatively put the package cost, which includes lunch and tour of the Palace, at Rs 1,500 per head.

 

A part of the palace, Khilwat, was first thrown open to the public in December 2005. It took two years for completion of civil works of the entire palace complex.

 

With this, all the four mahals in the palace Aftab, Mahtab, Tahniyat and Afzal have been thrown open to the public.