Golconda Fort

GOLCONDA FORT

The historic fortress of Golconda is about 10 km west of Hyderabad. The old name of Golconda fort was "MANKAL". It was built on a hill, which was once the territory of the kakatiya kings of Warangal in 1143. During the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Bahmani(1358-1357), Raja Krishna Dev of Warangal handed over the fort in 1363 to Muhammad Shah Bahmani of Gulbarga under a pact. Muhammad Shah named the fort Mohamadnagar. The Golconda fort is as old as the Warangal fort but some historians claim that it is about 2000 years old. The Qutb Shahis ruled Golconda for almost 170 years from 1518 to 1687. And three kings of the Qutb Shahi dynasty constructed the Golconda fort in a period of 62 years from 1518 to 1580. The walls and bastions were built of large blocks of masonry. The gates were studded with iron spikes and various other devices.

The Golconda kings spent millions of rupees upon the fort for the command of the Deccan. The walls were strengthened and canals were built adjacent to the walls. Within the walls of the fort, scattered in all directions, are a number of old buildings, mosques and places of historical and architectural interest. It is perhaps the most impressive fortress in ruins, in India. Ibrahim Qutb shah’s reign witnessed the discovery of the fabulous world famous diamonds of Golconda at Kollur near Krishna River. Two of the world-renowned diamonds from here are the Koh-I-noor and the so-called nizam’s diamond. The Koh-I-noor is part of the English monarch’s crown jewels. It is said that this celebrated diamond was given by Golconda’s Prime Minister Mir Jumla to Aurangzeb after the latter’s successful siege of the fort.

LAYOUT OF THE FORT

The fort is on an isolated granite hill and rises in splendour about 400 feet above the surrounding plain. The fort’s shape is an irregular rhombus, surrounded by a glacis. The granite crenellated wall is over 7km in circumference with a deep trench. The outermost segment is reached by the Fateh Darwaza (gate of victory).

WALLS AND BASTIONS

Three granite walls of megalithic construction encircle the fort. The second wall skirts the hill near its foot and the third on the hill slope, links the huge boulders. The exterior wall’s thickness ranges from 17 to 34 feet and is broken by the 87 semi-circular bastions, 50 to 60 feet high, fashioned out of massive granite blocks. The famous Fateh Rahbar gun is positioned on the Burj. Another along the north-east is called the "nine-lobed bastion". There are two other famous bastions. The first is Musa Burj situated towards the south of the fort, which was planned by Musa Khan.

The other well known bastion, non-existent today, was kaghazi Burj so called because the ingenious painters and craftsmen of Golconda fashioned overnight a perfect façade of paper and cloth after a portion which was extensively damaged by the Mughal guns.

GATES

There are eight darwazas or gates in the outer wall, the Fateh, Bahmani, Mecca, Patancheru, Banjara, Jamali, Naya Qila and Moti gates. Only four gates are well known: the Fateh, Mecca, Banjara and Jamali. It is best to enter the citadel through the Fateh Darwaza and after a detour emerge out of the Banjara Darwaza in the north-west near the Qutb Shahi tombs. The Fateh gate is 13 feet wide and 25 feet high. It was provided with thick teak shutters and covered with iron sheets that were studded with spikes to prevent elephants from battering the gates.

DIWAN’S PALACE

This palace was the residence of Muhammad Sayeed Mir Jumla. In later years the two nobles Akkanna and Madanna who served under last Qutb Shahi king, Tana Shah, resided in this splendid palace.

HABSHI KAMANS (ABYSSINIAN ARCHES)

To the entrance of Bala Hisar’s inner part, there are two noticeable features. The habshi kamans rise in front of the Bala hisar darwaza towards the east. These are two grand arched structures between which passed the road leading from the langar house.

PARADE GROUND

At the centre of the ground lies a ruined mosque. In the Qutb Shahi days, the Golconda armies used to salute the king who would be at a Jharoka behind the mosque.

BALA HISAR

This marks the inner area of the fort meant for palaces. A wall separated the town from another wall that circled the entire hill. Similar carvings can be found on other parts of the fort’s inner wall.

NAGINA BAGH

After entering the gate at the right is the nagina bagh. It is well maintained, some alcoves and walls in the south side and a big tank-like wall reveal the artistic temperament of the Qutb Shahi kings.

SILAH KHANA (ARMOURY)

A three storeyed granite structure with vaulted cellars opposite the nagina bagh, to the immediate left of the doorway of the bala hisar is silah khana.

ROYAL PALACE

Ahead of silah khana, to the left, are the ruins of palaces. They are probably the most interesting set of ruins in Golconda fort. Some of them rise to about five to six storeys and, once inside, one is filled with wonder at the architectural genius of their builder. The harem and sarais together with their dark, vaulted cellars, huge halls, fountains and tanks constituted one of the most striking examples of architectural excellence in India.

SHAIKPET SARAI

Sarais are a quaint mixture of the desolate water holes and oases for the weary, long distance travellers. This one at the shaikpet village near Golconda fort was built for those travelling between Bombay in the west and machilipatnam in the east.

TOLI MASJID

Caravan a suburb south-east of Golconda fort, was planned in the Qutb Shahi times. The kings and their retinue passed through caravan while going to Hyderabad from Golconda fort. To the right of the main road stands Toli masjid a truly magnificient monument of the Qutb Shahi period. The masjid is divided into two halls the outer one having five arched openings and the inner one three.

TARAMATI’S BARADARI

About a mile from Golconda fort, on the road to osman sagar stands a unique structure on a rugged hillock. Double storeyed and square shaped with strong arches on all sides. Taramati’s baradari stands in splendid isolation on its raised terrace.
The visitor can still see the beautiful mausoleum of taramati at Ibrahim Bagh in the royal cemetery.

BARADARI OF BALA HISAR AND OTHER MONUMENTS.

The double storeyed building at the top of the hill is reached after a strenous climb of about 360 steps. Originally known to the Golconda citizens as Tana Shah ki Gaddi and commonly referred to as Bala Hisar. The Madanna temple is also in the Bala Hisar area. Madanna was a powerful minister of Abul Hasan Tana Shah and the temple was named after him. The Bala Hisar, the topmost building can be seen standing at the courtyard’s southern boundary. Stairs on the wall of the second storey of the Bala Hisar take the visitor to the roof, in the centre of which is a stone takht. This is the highest point of the entire Golconda fort. The Baradaris are located on the osman sagar road. About 70 steps take one to the top of the terrace on which is a small mosque.

ASHURKHANA

Opposite the safa mosque is an Ashurkhana, the house of mourning used during ten days of Moharrum. Huge carved stone trays are in evidence, and also wooden incense burners and other artefacts in some of the rooms.

NAYA QILA

The naya qila or new fort is on a hillock north-east of the main citadel. It was built by Abdullah Qutb Shah. This hillock was used as a base by Aurangzeb for his first attack on Golconda in 1656. In the naya qila, the most fascinating section besides the burz, is the baradari at the head of a number of pools and fountains. Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah two, was a frequent visitor here.

MASJID-E-MILLA KHIALI

This mosque is situated within the new fort. It was constructed in 1580 by Mullah Khiali who was a poet laureate.

SIEGE OF GOLCONDA

The mighty army besieged Golconda in 1687, they discovered that the sturdy walls and territory were impregnable. For eight long months they attacked the walls with artillery without success. The defence of the fort was entrusted to Shaikh Minhaj, Sharza Khan and Abdul Razak Lari. In September 1687 at dead of nightAbdullah Khan Pani treacherously opened one of the gates to let in the invaders. After the end of Qutb Shahi rule several subedars were appointed in Hyderabad by the Mughal emperor. The first governor was Jan Sapar Khan whose grave is in yakutpura in the old city.