Hyderabad: When asked if the Republic Day venue would also be changed, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said “Why not? We will think about it later since we still have time. I am looking at having Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations at historic places in the districts too,” he said.
“Telangana is now a reality. We have a huge treasure trove of historical places, towns, cities, art and culture. We have to project them at appropriate occasions. When the national flag can be unfurled at the Red Fort in New Delhi, why not at Golconda in Hyderabad?” he asked.
The CM, along with Legislative Council Chairman Swamy Goud, Speaker Madhusudhana Chari, education minister Jagadeeshwar Reddy, Hyderabad Mayor Majid Hussain, chief secretary Rajiv Sharma, DGP Anurag Sharma, city police commissioner Mahender Reddy, CMO officials and others visited the Golconda fort and spent an hour finalising the venue.
Mr Rao himself chose the spot for unfurling the national flag near the Rani Mahal. Guests will sit opposite Taramati Masjid. The venue can accommodate about 10,000 to 12,000 people. Mr Rao asked officials to clear the venue himself. “He is very satisfied with the venue,” a senior official said. If Mr Rao has his way, Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations in the districts will be held at forts or other landmarks in Telangana from next year.
Presently under the aegis of the Archaeological Survey of India, the Golconda Fort, also known as Golla Konda (Shepherd’s Hill), a ruined fort on the fringes of Hyderabad, was the capital of the Golconda Sultanate dating back to 1518-1687.
The fort originally belonged to the Kakatiyas of Warangal. In 1363, it was ceded to the Bahmanis. After their downfall in 1518, it became the capital of the Qutb Shahi kings (AD 1518-1687).
The fort was extended and substantially strengthened by these kings with massive fortification walls with bastions and battlements. Subsequently, Aurangzeb annexed it to the Moghul Empire (AD 1687) during the reign of Abul Hasan Tana Shan, the last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and appointed Asaf Jah as the Subehdar of the Deccan province. Asaf Jah declared independence in 1713 as Nizam-ul-Mulk and the Nizams held sway over Hyderabad till 1948.
Standing on top of a granite hill, the fort rises 400 feet above the surrounding plains and is 7 km in circumference. The fort can be accessed through eight darwazas (gates), the most majestic being the Fateh Darwaza.
