FROM THE TAJ FALAKNUMA PALACE, HYDERABAD .......5

HISTORIAN HOTELIER

                                                            

Many a staff members at Taj Falaknuma Palace are not to know that Mohd Faiz (56) has been associated with the palace for the last 30 years; since 1984, he has been the personal body guard of the current Nizam H.E.H.Barkat Ali Khan Mukkarram Asaf Jah VIII.

Presently, he is the Historian of the hotel. His main assignment is to take the guests to the Palace Tours. Though studied up to tenth standard, that too in Urdu medium, Faiz will become articulate while speaking about the Palace, with which  he has been attached for the last three decades.

Incidentally, he is very fond of history; he has a collection of 3,000 books, all on history only in his home library. Though he reaches the Palace at 10am, his Mandatory Palace tours will start at 3.15pm; followed by the second tour for the guests at 5.00pm. Every day. Day after day. Saturday is his weekly off.

"In 1988, Nizam got upset because of a theft that had happened in the Palace; same day, Nizam instructed me to take charge as the Security Manger of the Palace" recalls Faiz on the additional responsibility given to him.

Married to Khairoonisa Begum, Faiz is blessed with a son, Mohd. Ismail (22), who presently looks after the old artifacts shop started by Faiz. The evening hours are dedicated to his shop.

 Faiz is very fond of words. He is interested in poems and elevating Urdu couplets. He often uses this during his Palace tours. He can pen poems on guests also. His two liners have created many a vow moments in the minds of the guests. Not even a day passes in his life, without he quoting Urdu couplets.

This can be with friends, or with the guests. For Faiz That doesn't matter at all.

Any VIP visiting the hotel, Faiz will be there to handle; it can be Palace tour or PR efforts, Faiz is game for it. He speaks fluently in Urdu as well as in  Hindi.

Text and Pic:  R KESAVA MALLIA in  Hyderabad