Devdi or Deodi is a noble

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property l ...

where the

Nawab Nawab is a royal title indicating a ruler, often of a South Asian state, in many ways comparable to the Western title of Prince. The relationship of a Nawab to the Emperor of India has been compared to that of the Kingdom of Saxony, Kings of ...

s of

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

lived. Dozens of them, with grand halls and serene

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary a ...

s, held the secrets of a distinct

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

. The word ''devdi'' used to originally mean a hut, but the nobility started referring to their mansions as ''devdis'' in a deprecating way. Thus it came to be the word for the mansions of the nobles. Devdi Iqbal ud-Dowla

Today, only a few are left standing, in various states of decay. Some important devdis are: * Khurshid Jah Devdi *

Dewan Devdi Dewan Devdi was the palace of the nobles, the Salar Jungs, situated close to Charminar and Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad, India. The word ''Diwan'' means Prime Minister, and ''Devdi'' refers to mansions of Hyderabadi noblemen. There were ...

* Devdi Iqbal ud Dowla * Fareed nawaz Jung devdi

References

Hyderabad State Khursheed Jah Devdi palace {{India-palace-stub