Golconda: where Kohinoor was found

Happy Sunday everyone. Did you enjoy the day?

Its raining here in Hyderabad and weather is quite pleasing. Only if I could go out!!
but then comes corona to spoil everything. 😕

Thought of starting a travel log on my blog. Hoping it you would enjoy it. Let me know if you did and how was Sunday in comments.😊 😇

Foundation and improvisations of the Golconda fort:

Built by Kakatiya dynasty in 13th century, Golconda is considered to be one of the most outstanding citadels. Since it was first built it had gone many reconstruction and expansion during the reign of different dynasties until 16th century. The present structure was shaped by the Qutub shahi Dynasty that actually consists of four distinct forts with an approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) long outer wall with 87 semi-circular bastions (some still mounted with cannons), eight gateways, and four drawbridges.

Qutub Sahi Dynasty:

In 1518 Sultan Quli Qutub shah had built it and later on further improvisations were made by the subsequent kings . The Qutub shahi Dynasty was among the richest dynasties in India. The city Hyderabad flourished under them and trade relations strengthened with other countries. They were many Diamond mines and diamonds were used like an ordinary gem. The kings later started the imports of other precious gems extending the trade relations further. First was pearls followed by emeralds, rubies and turquoise among other ones.

My visit to Golconda Fort:

I visited the fort in 2017 winters, with my friends and was marveled my the expanse, the structure starting from ground level and going up on the hills. The 4 centuries old citadel is still quite intact and strong. The paths, hallways, corridors, bathing ponds and the connecting path ways of different parts, the temples, and some cave like structures all of it won’t allow you to leave without a notice. The long walk up to the top of the fort could be tiring but its worth it. One can see the vast expanse of the city of Hyderabad from there. And the old white marble houses, or even the new one painted white is a view that you would not want to miss.

There are multiple gardens in the lower area of the fort. The graceful gardens of the fort may have lost their fragrance, for which they were known 400 years ago, yet a walk in these former gardens will make you feel the glory.

Amazing facts about Golconda:

Diamonds mined before 1725 were from India and nowhere else. It wasn’t until 1725 that another source was discovered in Brazil. ( 1725 is considered as gemological line-in-the-sand, as till this year there were no other known diamond mines in world, except in India) But for more than 1,000 years, Indian diamonds were all the world knew, adorning the globe’s elite, hungry for the stone’s magic and fire.

Golconda is renowned for the diamonds found on the south-east at Kollur Mine. At a time, India had the only known diamond mines in the world. The region has produced some of the world’s most famous diamonds, including the colourless Koh-i-Noor (now owned by the United Kingdom), the blue Hope (United States), the pink Daria-i-Noor (Iran), the white Regent (France), the Dresden Green (Germany), and the colourless Orlov (Russia), Nizam and Jacob (India), as well as the now lost diamonds Florentine Yellow, Akbar Shah and Great Mogul.

— Wikipedia

Each of them having an illustrious history associated.

By the 1880s, “Golconda” was being used generically by English speakers to refer to any particularly rich mine, and later to any source of great wealth.

– wikipedia

From the above statement you can imagine what stature Golconda had in 17^th and 18^th century.

Engineering Marvel:

And even after around 4 centuries of its construction the fort is quite intact and very strong such was the marvel of the then engineer. And it wasn’t just about being strong, there are excellent scientific mechanism as well. For instance very near to Golconda fort is “Fateh darwaza” another marvel of engineering from the bygone era in itself situated at south-eastern corner that served as entrance to outermost enclosure. At fateh darwaza, 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 kilometre away. Golconda is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites.

This worked as a warning note to the Royals in case of an attack. 

There are so many things to cover in just one blog, well Wikipedia is a savior and has most of the details about Golconda as well – read here.

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