The Purana Pul, or the old bridge, is a masonry arch bridge constructed in 1578 by Ibrahim Qutb Shah, the fourth ruler of the kingdom of Golconda. It was the first bridge to be constructed at Hyderabad, and is built over the river Musi, a tributary of Krishna, that flows through Hyderabad. While the bridge served the practical purpose of connecting the banks of the River Musi, there are some interesting popular legends that are related to its history. According to one such legend, Prince Abu (later known as Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah) fell in love with a Hindu girl, Bhagmati, from the other bank of the river, in the village Chichlam. His father, Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, also the then ruler, decided to get a bridge built so his son could cross the river safely to meet his lover. This legend gave the bridge its other popular name, Pyarana Pul. Another legend, disputed by historians, throws light on how Hyderabad got its name. Some believe that Bhagmati, whom Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah eventually married, took the name Hyder Mahal upon her marriage. The new capital city was founded by Mohammed Quli and was named after her as Hyderabad. The Musi river flooded in 1908, damaging the city to a great extent and leading to loss of life and property. Incidentally, the Purana Pul survived the great flood and still stands with the help of periodic repairs. Towards one end of the bridge is the Puranapul Darwaza, which is one of the two surviving gateways to the old walled city of Hyderabad. [4] Originally there are believed to have been 13 such gateways, built in 1724 by Mubariz Khan, the Mughal subedar, in the aftermath of the conquest of Golconda.
