Golconda Fort, Hyderabad:
Golconda (sometimes spelled as Golkonda) Fort was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Golconda which flourished in the 14th to 16th century.
It is situated 11 kilometers from Hyderabad, the capital of the state of Telangana. With walls ranging from 17 to 34 feet broken by 87 semi-circular bastions, some reaching 60 feet in height, and built on a granite hill that is 400 feet high, it remains one of India’s most magnificent fortress complexes.
History
Even before the kingdom of Golconda rose in prominence, the beginning of the fort was thought to be in 1143, when the Kakatiya Dynasty ruled the region. According to legend, a shepherd boy found an idol in the area.
When this was reported to the Kakatiyan king, he ordered a mud fort to be built around it. The fort eventually became known as Golla Konda, which in Tegulu meant Shepherd’s Hill.
The area eventually became a heated battleground between three kingdoms, finally culminating in the victory of the Islamic Bahmani Sultanate and the fort became a capital of a major province of the Sultanate.
When Quli Qutub Shah declared his independence from the Bahmani Sultanate in 1518, the Qutub Shahi Dynasty arose and Golconda became its seat of power. Over the next couple of decades, successive Qutub Shahi kings expanded the mud fort into a massive and expansive fort of granite, with a circumference that extended to around 5 kilometers.
The fort remained to be the dynasty’s capital until it was moved to Hyderabad in 1590. The fort was then expanded to have a 10-kilometer outer wall that enclosed the city.
In 1686, the Mughal prince Aurangzeb started to lay siege on the fort of Golconda, with the intent of claiming Hydebarad, the wealthy capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty.
The fortress proved to be as impregnable as its reputation claimed. It wasn’t until the year after, in 1687, when Aurangzeb finally managed to breach the fort after a nine-month long siege. It was said that the fort only fell down because of a traitor who sabotaged the gate.
The Fort Today
Today, even after almost 800 years, the fort still stands as one of Hyderabad’s greatest architectural wonders. One of it’s gratest engineering marvels is the fantastic acoustic effects: one handclap at a certain point below the entrance dome can be heard at the highest point of the pavilion almost a kilometer away. This was said to be used for warning the royals in case of an attack.
How to reach Fort, Hyderabad:
Travel Options
By Air
The Rajiv Gandhi International terminal, Hyderabad’s international airport is well-connected with major cities across the globe. The airport also has a domestic terminal called NT Rama Rao which is connected to most of the Indian cities. Approximately 20 kilometres away from the city, the airport is situated in the Begumpet area. Almost all airlines fly daily from and to Hyderabad. Once you reach here, you can find many private and prepaid taxis outside the airport. The cab fare may vary depending upon which part of Hyderabad city you would like to go.
By Train
There are three major railheads in the city, namely, Hyderabad Railway Station, Secunderabad Railway Station and Kachiguda Railway Station. These railheads connect major Indian cities like Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. Some of the popular trains that run daily from Hyderabad rail junctions are Kacheguda Express, Hyderabad Express, Charminar Express, Konark Express, Andhra Pradesh Express and Shatabdi Express.
By Bus
Boasting of a huge bus terminal, the city is well-connected to its neighbouring towns like Aurangabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Tirupati and Panaji. The bus terminal is managed and well-organised by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). You can choose from sleeper, deluxe, super deluxe, air-conditioned and Volvo buses that are operated by both state and private companies. The fare would depend upon the type of the bus and the destination.
Not sure of best route to Hyderabad from your city. Search it on routepHistory
No comments:
Post a Comment