White Mughal tour in Hyderabad: British Residency & Rang Mahal

Walk the British Residency where a colonel built a replica palace so his veiled wife could see his home

This half-day tour in Hyderabad follows the true story of James Achilles Kirkpatrick, a British East India Company official who arrived in 1797, married a Hyderabadi noblewoman in 1800, converted to Islam and became a double agent for the Nizams. The tour visits the British Residency with its Durbar Hall, the replica mansion Kirkpatrick built for his purdah-observing wife, the Rang Mahal palace where their daughter was born, and the historic cemetery and stepwell that anchored their shared world. A live English-speaking guide, private car, all entry fees and refreshments are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore White Mughal story sites in Hyderabad

• Visit the British Residency mansion
• See the Durbar Hall inside Residency
• View the replica mansion for Begum
• Walk past Bank Street and Residency Bazaar
• Visit Rang Mahal palace ruins
• Explore cemetery and stepwell sites
• End at resident’s dog memorial

The experience

The British Residency stands as an imposing architectural statement of imperial power, built after the Nizams and British signed a treaty in 1798. The Durbar Hall is its centerpiece: regal with Burma teakwood flooring, Belgian mirrors and French chandeliers. But the building's real story is the one it was not meant to tell. In 1800, the colonel who built it married Khair-un-Nissa, a noblewoman bound by purdah, and converted to Islam. Because his wife could not leave her quarters to visit the mansion, he constructed an exact replica within the residency so she could see his home without breaking her seclusion. The tour moves through both buildings, tracing how a man meant to subjugate a kingdom instead switched his loyalty to the Nizams and became a double agent against his own empire.

The Rang Mahal, the Palace of Colours, is where Kirkpatrick's wife gave birth to their daughter, Sahib Begum. Though it stands in ruins now, the palace marks the deepest point of their crossing between two worlds. The tour also takes in Bank Street, once the quarter of English bankers and now a commercial hub, and the Residency Bazaar that grew around it. After the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, the residency was fortified with high walls and bastions, a physical echo of the suspicion and secrecy that had always surrounded the couple. The story concludes at a historic cemetery and stepwell: the places where their shared world was anchored.

What’s included

• Private car and live English-speaking guide.
• entrance charges to the British Residency, Rang Mahal and other historic sites.
• coffee and tea.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (13 to 70 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Hyderabad 5 Senses Walks

Is this one for you?Pickup is included, so you don't need a car or local transport to reach the Residency and the scattered sites of this story. The half-day length fits easily into a day spent elsewhere in Hyderabad, and the guide's knowledge of the Kirkpatrick-Khair-un-Nissa narrative, drawn from William Dalrymple's book, gives the architecture and ruins their human weight.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

Who was James Achilles Kirkpatrick and why did he build a replica of the British Residency?

James Achilles Kirkpatrick was a high-ranking East India Company official who arrived in Hyderabad in 1797 and married Khair-un-Nissa, a noblewoman, in 1800. He built the replica mansion because his wife observed purdah and could not leave her quarters to visit the main residency, so he constructed an exact copy within the compound so she could see his home without breaking her seclusion.

What is the Durbar Hall and what makes it notable?

The Durbar Hall is the highlight of the British Residency, notable for its regal design featuring Burma teakwood flooring, Belgian mirrors and French chandeliers. It was the formal reception space of the residency and reflects the architectural grandeur the British intended to project in Hyderabad.

What happened at the Rang Mahal?

The Rang Mahal, or Palace of Colours, was built by Kirkpatrick for his wife and is where their daughter, Sahib Begum, was born. Though it now stands in ruins, it marks the most intimate space of their cross-cultural household.

How long is this tour and what is included?

The tour runs for four hours and includes a private car, a live English-speaking guide, entry to all sites, and coffee or tea. Hotel pickup is available, and the tour is suitable for all fitness levels.