Nizamabad

The historic city in northern Telangana, 170 kilometres north of Hyderabad, named by Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I (founder of the Hyderabad Nizamate, ruled 1724-48) after himself. The medieval name Indur traces to the Rashtrakutas (9-10th century). The 10th-century Neelakantheshwara Shiva temple at Dichpalli, the 1310 Alauddin Khilji-period Dichpalli Khilla ruins, and the Nizamsagar dam (1931, one of the largest Nizam-era irrigation works on the Manjira river) are the chief heritage structures. The Pochampalli ikat weaving tradition (Nizamabad district) was recognised with GI status in 2005. Nizamabad is the agricultural centre of the Deccan turmeric belt (producing about 25% of India's turmeric).