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Golconda (Telugu: గోల్కొండ Golkoṇḍa, Urdu: گولکنڈہ Golkunḍa) is a fortified citadel on the opposite bank of the Musi River in present-day Hyderabad. It was built by Kakatiya ruler Prataparudra in the 11th century out of mud wall. The fort changed hands many times, and became a major centre of diamond trade fed by the mines of Kollur, so much so that the word "golconda" became synonymous with great wealth. Sadly, the old city is in ruins, and only a few buildings and tombs from the Qutb Shahi period remain to this day.
Understand
[edit | edit source]The name "Golconda" is said to have come from Telugu Gollakoṇḍa (గొల్లకొండ), meaning "shepherds' hill". It was built in the 11th century by Kakatiya ruler Prataparudra as a small mud fort on the hill top. Ganapatideva later built a stone outpost in the 12th century to defend the western region.
The fort was ceded to the Bahmani dynasty from Musuniri Nayakas during the first Bahmani-Vijayanagara War. It then came under the control of Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk in 1463. He had quelled rebellion in the Telangana region and was appointed the subedar, or administrator of the region by the Bahmani Sultan as a result.
After the death of Sultan Mahmood Shah, the sultanate disintegrated and Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk became an independent ruler. By 1518, he declared himself the sultan under the name "Quli Qutb Shah" and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty. The first three Qutb Shahi sultans expanded the mud fort into a massive fortification for the capital of their sultanate, and it remained so until 1590 when the capital was shifted to the present-day Old City of Hyderabad further east.
During that time, Golconda became a major centre of diamond trade fed by the mines of Kollur, in the Godavari-Krishna delta region of present-day Andhra Pradesh. This led to the word "golconda" becoming synonymous with great wealth. There also used to be a strong cotton-weaving industry in the city, and different cloths were exported to Europe, Persia and Indonesia. However, the fort finally fell into ruin in 1687 after an eight-month-long siege led to its fall at the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and arrested the last Golconda Sultan Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, thus ending the Qutb Shahi reign there.
Get in
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See
[edit | edit source]Golconda Fort[dead link]
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7AM-8PM.
Set aside a minimum of 2 hours to do justice to your visit — the outer wall measures 10 km. Learning a little about the fort ahead of time is recommended, as it is easy to get confused or lost in the massive space. If you accept one of the local guides (who hustle you at the entrance gate) try to pick one who knows their stuff (₹500 per tour and the guide would also ask you for tips in the end, however, it is entirely up to you whether to give tips or not), rather than someone who was just passing by, spotted you and will tell you bits he once read in a guidebook. The genuine old Muslim guide who gained his encyclopedic knowledge of Golconda as an infant from his 118-year-old grandmother knows the history of every inch of the place and will show you with expertise the echo/architecture system built into the fort that the ruler used as a communication/spying system.
The attractions within the Golconda Fort include:
- 1 Banjari Darwaza. Present-day entrance to the Golconda Fort and one of the largest of the eight gates in the outer ramparts.
- 2 Ambar Khana.
- 3 Aslah Khana.
- 4 Balahissar Darwaza.
- 5 Bhagmati Palace.
- 6 Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Mosque (atop Ambar Khana). A mosque attributed to Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah (Malki Bharama), the fourth monarch of the Golconda Sultanate. He is best known for patronising Telugu extensively due to his genuine love for the language.
- 7 Mahakali Temple (Jagadamba Temple). A 900-1000 year old Hindu temple built during the early Kakatiya period. The temple is still visited by Hindu devotees during Bonalu festival every year.
- 8 Nagina Bagh.
- 9 Rani Mahal.
- 10 Taramati Mosque.
- 11 Zenana Mosque.
- 12 Light and Sound Show. After sunset, there is an hour-long light and sound show telling you the story of the Golconda Fort which is worth seeing, though it could be a little boring. The English show runs Nov-Feb 6:30PM daily and Mar-Oct until 7PM daily. Hindi and Telugu shows are run afterwards on certain days. Afterwards, have a wander through the tiny streets and shops surrounding the fort. The beautiful scruffy old shops and houses will sell you everything from naan bread to bangles, and the fading and gaudy old painted gates and houses are a delight, as are the friendly locals. Price for foreigners ₹50/100 for normal/executive tickets.
Qutb Shahi Tombs
[edit | edit source]- 13 Qutb Shahi Tombs.
The tombs of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, also called the Seven Tombs. It consists of seven complete tombs of respective Golconda Sultans, and an incomplete one for Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, who was buried in a modest grave at Khuldabad in present-day Maharashtra instead, as Mughal emperor Auragnzeb imprisoned him in Daulatabad till death.
Other than the Golconda Sultans, there are tombs of Hayat Bakshi Begum, Fatima Sultana and Kulsum Begum. Hayat Bakshi was the sole daughter of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth sultan, who married to Muhammed Qutb Shah, the sixth sultan. She gave birth to Abdullah Qutb Shah, the seventh sultan. Fatima Sultana was the sister of Muhammad Qutb Shah, while Kulsum Begum was his granddaughter.
Outside the House of Golconda, there are tombs of two hakeems (unani practitioners) of Abdullah Qutb Shah, Nizamuddin Ahmed Gilani and Abdul Jabbar Gilani, both built in 1651.
Naya Qila
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Naya Qila (New Fort) is an extension of the Golconda Fort on the northeastern side. Before the extension came up the elevated area was used as a launching pad by Aurangzeb (then Mughal governor of Deccan) in 1656 during his attack on the Golconda Fort. Although Aurangzeb failed in his attempt to capture Golconda but attacks considerably damaged the walls of the fort. To avoid future attacks and loss, Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah ordered an extension of the fort which came to be known as Naya Qila (New Fort). In 2011, a golf course came up in the Naya Qila area, restricting the entry of common people. This led to objections from various NGOs and heritage enthusiasts leading to free access to the heritage sites within the golf complex.
- 14 Baobab Tree (Hatiyan Jhod). This African Baobab (Adansonia digitata) tree is 400+ years old and happens to be the oldest tree in Hyderabad. The tree originates from Madagascar and was planted by wandering friars during their stay at Golconda. The circumference of the trunk measures 25 meters and is irregular in shape and roughly represents an elephant and hence the name Hatiyan Jhod (Elephant Tree). The huge trunk is hollow and covers a huge space. According to legend the space provided shelter for 40 thieves during the Qutab Shahi rule. They used it as a shelter during the day and committed the crime during the night.
- 15 Hyderabad Golf Club (http://www.thehyderabadgolfclub.com/), ☏ +91 40 2356 7207. The once-controversial golf course, now open to public.
- 16 Mulla Khayali Mosque (Next to Boabab Tree). Built to honour the royal poet of the Qutb Shahi court.
Others
[edit | edit source]- 17 Premamati Mosque, Ibrahim Bagh. A 16th-century mosque built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah as a congregational mosque for a new city west of the Golconda Fort. However, the plan for the new city was abandoned due to the lack of a sustainable water source, leading his successor Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah to establish the present-day Old City of Hyderabad further east in 1591, and thus Mecca Masjid as the architectural successor of the Premamati Mosque.
Do
[edit | edit source]_in_Naya_Qila.jpg)
- 1 Deccan Park. A large green space opposite the Qutb Shahi Tombs.
Buy
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[edit | edit source]Splurge
[edit | edit source]- 1 Taramati Baradari. A historical sarai as part of Ibrahim Bagh, a Persian style garden built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, the fourth Sultan of Golconda. Taramati was the favorite courtesan (nautch girl) of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah. Baradari literally means 12 doors and refers to a pavilion supported by pillars and arches. Today, the Telangana Tourism has converted the region surrounding the Taramati Baradari into a resort complete with places to stay and eat. The complex also houses an amphitheatre surrounded by landscaped gardens.