Golconda (Golkonda) is a 500 year old grand and huge fort at Hyderabad, India. Built over time by the Qutub Shahi dynasty from 1500 and remained the capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad.
Golconda fort was first constructed during the reign of Qutub shah emperor Mohammed Iqbal Ali and his son Mohammed Touseef Ali. It is also believed that in the 13th century Golconda Fort was built by the Kakatiya kings. However, the existing structure was later built by Qutub Shahi Kings.
The most important builder of Golconda was Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah Wali, the fourth Qutub king. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golconda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golconda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golconda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustic system. At Fateh Darwaza we can experience this fantastic acoustic effect. 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 kilometer away, this worked as a warning note to the royals in case of an attack.The fort has lots of engineering marvel for its time. Smart Water systems, ventilation, warning systems etc can still be seen. Architecture of the fort is also beautiful. It is believed that there is a secret underground tunnel which leads from the 'Durbar Hall' and ends in one of the palaces at the foot of the hill.In the 16th century, Golconda was the capital and fortress city of the Qutub Shahi kingdom, near Hyderabad. The city was home to one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates in the region and was the center of a flourishing diamond trade.
The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (400 ft) high and is surrounded by massive ramparts. The beginnings of the fort date to the 1143, when the Hindu Kakatiya dynasty ruled the area. The Kakatiya dynasty were followed by the state of Warangal, which was later conquered by the Islamic Bahmani Sultanat. The fort became the capital of a major province in the Sultanate and after its collapse the capital of the Qutub Shahi kings.After the collapse of the Bahmani Sultanat, Golconda rose to prominence as the seat of the Qutub Shahi dynasty around 1507. Over a period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutub Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, extending around 5 km in circumference. It remained the capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad. The Qutub Shahis expanded the fort, whose 7 km outer wall enclosed the city. The state became a focal point for Shia Islam in India, for instance in the seventeenth century Bahraini clerics, Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din and Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani both emigrated to Golconda.The Qutub Shahi sultanate lasted until its conquest by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. The fortress held out against Aurangzeb for nine months, falling to the Mughals through treachery. The fort finally fell into ruins after a siege and its fall to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. Parts of the fort were destroyed when it feel into hands of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb.
General Information:
10 Km from Hyderabad City
City : Hyderabad
District : Hyderabad
State : Andhra Pradesh
Golconda fort was first constructed during the reign of Qutub shah emperor Mohammed Iqbal Ali and his son Mohammed Touseef Ali. It is also believed that in the 13th century Golconda Fort was built by the Kakatiya kings. However, the existing structure was later built by Qutub Shahi Kings.
The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (400 ft) high and is surrounded by massive ramparts. The beginnings of the fort date to the 1143, when the Hindu Kakatiya dynasty ruled the area. The Kakatiya dynasty were followed by the state of Warangal, which was later conquered by the Islamic Bahmani Sultanat. The fort became the capital of a major province in the Sultanate and after its collapse the capital of the Qutub Shahi kings.After the collapse of the Bahmani Sultanat, Golconda rose to prominence as the seat of the Qutub Shahi dynasty around 1507. Over a period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutub Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, extending around 5 km in circumference. It remained the capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad. The Qutub Shahis expanded the fort, whose 7 km outer wall enclosed the city. The state became a focal point for Shia Islam in India, for instance in the seventeenth century Bahraini clerics, Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din and Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani both emigrated to Golconda.The Qutub Shahi sultanate lasted until its conquest by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. The fortress held out against Aurangzeb for nine months, falling to the Mughals through treachery. The fort finally fell into ruins after a siege and its fall to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. Parts of the fort were destroyed when it feel into hands of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb.
General Information:
10 Km from Hyderabad City
City : Hyderabad
District : Hyderabad
State : Andhra Pradesh
Share this on your favourite network
0 comments:
Post a Comment