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Considered one
of India’s most outstanding citadels, the 13th century Golconda Fort was
built by the Kakatiya kings and later switched hands and came into the possession of the
Bahmani dynasty. Still later, the Qutb Shahi dynasty took over, and it is to them- and
more specifically Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah- that the Golconda Fort owes much of its present
grandeur. During the late 17th century, the fort was besieged by the Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb, who finally gained control of it. The Golconda Fort is impressive all the way: it stands, magnificent and
majestic, atop a 120 mt high granite hill. |
The path up to the fort was once a bustling market that sold everything
from carpets to precious stones- especially diamonds and pearls. The path’s deserted
these days- except for tour groups- but the fort’s as imposing as ever. Make your way
up the road and you’ll come to a colossal gate, its outside studded with long iron
spikes, to deter invading armies from battering it down.
Once you get past the gate, you’ll come to the remarkable portico
known as the Balahisar Gate. The Gate is spectacular not for its decoration or
proportions, but for its amazing acoustics- a feature you can check for yourself by
clapping your hands; supposedly even this can be heard at the Durbar Hall which stands at
the summit of the hill.
Also worth having a look at are the royal Nagina Gardens, the
Bodyguards’ Barracks, and the three water tanks, all of 12 mt deep, which once formed
part of an intricate water system in the fort. The crowning glory (quite literally) of the
Fort is, however, the Durbar Hall, which stands atop a hill overlooking the twin cities of
Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It’s approached by a thousand-step stairway, and if you
can summon up the energy to accomplish the climb, you will be rewarded with a great view
of the cities below- including (on a clear day) the famous Charminar itself.
Outside the fort, about a kilometer to the north, are the tombs of the
Qutb Shahi kings, distinctive buildings topped with bulbous white domes. Also near the
fort are the Taramathi Gana Mandir and the Premamathi Nritya Mandir, the two palaces where
the sisters Taramathi and Premamathi, the king’s favourites, lived. In close
proximity to the palaces is the Kala Mandir, where the two women danced daily for the
king’s pleasure.
Best
time to go
The most pleasant months in
Hyderabad are October to February, when the maximum temperature hovers around 28 º–
29ºC. The nights are cool, with an average minimum temperature of 16ºC. Hyderabad is
best avoided in summer, when day temperatures can touch 40°C or more and drop by about
10ºC with nightfall. The monsoons hit the city during June to December.
Getting
there and around
Hyderabad ranks as one of India’s largest and busiest cities, and getting here should
not be a problem. Hyderabad’s local airport receives flights from all across India,
with regular connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and other major destinations;
in addition, there are flights to and from the Middle East. Hyderabad’s three railway
stations at Kacheguda, Hyderabad (Nampally) and Secunderabad are major junctions on the
South and West Zone sectors of Indian Railways’ network, and receive a large number
of trains from all parts of India. The city is, in addition to its rail and air
connections, linked to the rest of the country by good highways- going as far as Kolkata
and Mumbai. State roadways and private bus operators run buses to and from a number of
other towns and cities in Andhra Pradesh, and even go as far as Mumbai and Nagpur in
Maharashtra.
Within Hyderabad, the options for getting around include a good local bus
service, which surprisingly enough, is fast, efficient and relatively uncrowded. Other
than that, there are autorickshaws, taxis, cycle rickshaws and cars for hire.
Accommodation
There's a range of accommodation in Hyderabad, from really
low budget just-make-do stuff (with not very high standards in anything) to 5-star luxury
properties with swimming pools, coffee shops, multi-cuisine restaurants, and the works.
Budget accommodation is mostly in the Abids-Nampally area. Mid-rung hotels are a far more
comfortable option and not tough on the pocket either. The city also has its share of
5-star hotels, which actually rank as landmarks in their own right. |
