« Singapore-Based Ascott Group Plans To Develop "Serviced Residences" In Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore | Home | Can The Landlord Seek To Occupy His Own House? »
Hyderabad Attractions - Golconda Fort
Posted by Pradeep Sadanapalli | August 28, 2006 | 524 views
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...Golconda Fort - Home Of Diamonds
Golconda fort is one of the most magnificent fortress complex in India which lies on the western outskirts around 11km from Hyderabad, the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The history of Golconda Fort dates back to the early 13th century, when this south eastern part of the country was ruled by the Kakatiyas. The bulk of the ruins of this fort, date from the time of the Qutub Shahi kings, who had ruled this area in the 16th and 17th century.
The fortress is built on a granite hill 120 metres high, surrounded by massive crenellated ramparts. One to visit the Golkonda fort to appreciate the majesty and grandeur of the 800-year-old ruins and the architectural glory of those structures, which have survived the ravage of time and rampage by Mughal vandals.
According to one story, the fort derives its name from Golla Konda, which is the Telugu word for Shepherd’s Hill. It is said that a shepherd boy came across an idol on the hill. This led to the construction of a mud fort by the then Kakatiya ruler of the kingdom around the site.
Following the collapse of the Bahamani Kingdom, Golkonda rose to prominence as the seat of the Qutb Shahi dynasty around 1507. Over a period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutb Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, extending around 5 km in circumference. It remained the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad.
Golconda consists of four distinct forts with a 10km long outer wall having 87 semi circular bastions; some still mounted with cannons, eight gateways, four drawbridges and number of royal apartments & halls, temples, mosques, magazines, stables etc, inside. The lowest of these is the outermost enclosure into which we enter by the ‘Fateh Darwaza’ (Victory gate, so called after Aurangzeb’s triumphant army marched in through this gate) studded with giant iron spikes ( to prevent elephants from battering them down) near the south-eastern corner.
At Fateh Darwaza can be experienced the fantastic acoustical effects, characteristic of the engineering marvels at Golconda. A hand clap at a certain point below the dome at the entrance reverberates and can be heard clearly at the ‘Bala Hisar’ pavilion, the highest point almost a kilometre away. This acted as the warning note to residents in case of danger though now it is a mere amusing diversion to visitors.
Of the great gateways, the Balahisar Darwaza is the most impressive. Mythical beasts and lions on stucco panels of the spandrels provide decoration on this defence portal. From the Balahisar Darwaza starts the uphill ascent of some 380 uneven stone steps. This solid arch-shaped darwazah has battlements as well as a watch tower. Entering from a curved passage, one can go inside the fort only by passing through a large wooden door. It is very secure and well-designed. The offices of Akanna and Madanna, two important Hindu officials in the Qutab Shahi court, are further up.
Another important structure is the mosque built by Taramati. As one clambers up and down the boulders through narrow patches and uneven steps we can see unusual clay pipes fitted into the wall planks – evidence of an efficient water supply arrangement to the uphill residential area. There is also supposed to be secret underground tunnel leading from the ‘Durbar Hall’ to one of the palaces at the foot of the hill. The Madanna Temple, the Ramdas jail, the Rani Mahal and the Jama Masjid are the other major attractions. The Baradari atop the hill offers a clear view of the city.
The tombs of the Qutb Shahi sultans lie about one kilometer north of Golkonda’s outer wall. These graceful structures are made of beautifully carved stonework, and surrounded by landscaped gardens. The fortress city within the walls was famous for its diamond trade, and many famed diamonds including the Koh-i-noor, the Regent Diamond and the Hope are said to have come from here.
The wealth of the Golkonda mines enriched the ruling Nizams of Hyderabad, which ruled the area from their independence from the Mughals in 1724 to 1948, when Hyderabad was annexed by India to become an Indian state. Hyderabad state was broken up in 1956, and Golkonda became part of Andhra Pradesh state.
Outside the Fort are two separate pavilions built on a rocky eminence - the ‘Taramathi Gana Mandir’ and the ‘Premathi Nritya Mandir’ where the legendary sisters ‘Taramathi’ and ‘Premamathi’ resided. They gave their performance on a circular dais atop a two-storied structure, the ‘Kala Mandir’, which was visible from the king’s durbar (king’s court) on top of the Golconda Fort. The fortress city within the walls was famous for its diamond trade and the famed Koh-i-noor diamond is said to have come from here.
A new attraction at the fort is a sound and light show that brings the legend of Golconda to life. With a spectacular interplay of audio and visual effects, the story of Golconda unfolds over centuries of splendour. The show livens up the glorious past and it is an experience worth watching. The show is presented in English, Hindi and Telugu.
Details of the show:
English (daily): 1830 to 1930 hours
Telugu (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday): 1945 to 2045 hours
Hindi (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday): 1945 to 2045 hours
Admission as of May 27, 2006 was 10 Rupees for Indian citizens (approx. 23 cents US) and 100 Rupees (approx. $2 US) for foreigners. Golkonda is wide open for exploration, with few or no areas roped off from visitors. English speaking guides are available at the gates for 150-600 Rupees depending on how far up the fort you wish to go.
SOURCES:
Wikipedia
7 Wonders Of Hyderabad
Full Hyderabad
WebIndia123
Topics: Attractions, Tourism |
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.