VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Golkonda Fort / Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Friday 26 February 2016

Golkonda Fort / Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh - Jyotirlinga Yatra.

26^th February, 2016.

DAY -10, 11-02-2016.

After a peaceful darshan of Sri Mallikarjuna, Srisailam, returned to Hyderabad around 21.30 hrs through Srisailam Dam, and accommodated in hotel Maharaja ( mobile number 8977717467, 040 2460888, 8977035551) near Kacheguda Railway station. Our yathra of Jyotirlinga darshan came to an end with this local sight seeing at Hyderabad. Under the local sight seeing we had the darshan of Sri Balaji at Birla mandir, Golkonda fort, Salar jung Museum and on the way we had seen the NTR’s Samadhi and the Buddha Statue in the middle of the lake.

GOLKONDA FORT / GOLCONDA FORT

Golkonda derives the name from the Telugu word ‘Golla – Konda’, which means a Shepherd’s hill. Initially the fort was under the control of Kakatiyas but passed in to the hands of Mahamani’s in 1363 CE. After their downfall it was made capital in 1518 CE, by the Sultan Quli the founder of the Qutb Shahi Kingdom. He was succeeded by Jamshid ( 1543 -1550 CE ) Ibrahim Qutub Shah ( 1550- 1580 CE ), Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah (1580 – 1612), Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah ( 1612 – 1626 CE ), Abdullah Qutb Shah ( 1626 – 1672 CE ), Abul Hasan Tana Shah ( 1672 – 1687 CE ).

Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah was a great Patron of Telugu literature and a Pioneer of Deccani Literature. He built Charminar and founded the city of Hyderabad. Abul Hasan Tana Shah the last sultan patronised a form of Dance – Drama, which subsequently became popular as Kuchipudi. In 1687 Aurangzeb annexed the kingdom to his mughal empire and appointed Asif Jab who proclaimed independence as Nizam- Ul-Mulk in AD 1713. His successors are known as Nizams and ruled Hyderabad till 1948.

The massive fort with three tired fortification protected by a Moat and Eight entrance gates played a remarkable role in the medieval Deccan. The Golkonda fort with its impregnable citadel is characterised by armouries, magazines, granaries, reservoirs, mosques and well planned Township and above all ab immaculate water supply system. Some of the important structures of Golkonda include Bala Hissar, Clapping portico, Matuary bath, Silaikhana, Nagina Bagh, Taramati mosque, Guard lines, Akkanna-Madanna offices, Ramdas Jail, Durbar Hall, Ambar Khana, Ibrahim mosque and Baradari on the summit.

LOCATION OF THE FORT:CLICK HERE