Hyderabad: In Indian history, the Golconda Fort is the only one that was never conquered by armies, but seized by deceit. This speaks volumes about this magnificent granite edifice dating back to the 16th century, lying to the west of Hyderabad, now a venue for the Telangana State government’s Independence Day celebrations.
Golconda Fort derives its name from the Telugu words “Golla Konda” which mean Shepherd’s Hill. Historians say the Kakatiyas of Warangal originally constructed the mud Golconda fort in 1347 and it was subsequently rebuilt in granite by later rulers, especially Sultan Quli, Jamshed Qutub Shah and Ibrahim Qutub Shah between 1518 and 1580.
Here are the highlights:
- Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao arrives reviews arrangements for flag hoisting ceremony, selects place where flag will be hoisted and parade of soldiers will take place
- Final decision by the CM awaited
- Telangana residents are comparing Mr Rao's decision to unfurl the national flag atop Golconda Fort with the Prime Minister's flag hoisting ceremony atop the Red Fort.
- Telangana state police and Central Paramilitary personnel have been deployed for security
- No vehicles without security clearance passes are allowed to come near the Golconda Fort
- Security forces have cordoned off the entire area around Golconda Fort
- Various cultural programmes have been arranged for the Independence Day celebrations, the rehersals of which are going on
- KCR arrives at the Golconda Fort and receives the guard of honour
- KCR unfurls the national flag
- Greetings to all citizens of Telangana. In our fight for independence we have followed the path of Gandhiji
- KCR recollects how Mahatma Gandhi had helped India gain independence from the British
- KCR recollects the glory and says it is a great moment for Telangana to celebrate the first Independence Day at Golconda Fort
- KCR extols the glory of the Golconda Fort and its historical significance
- Businesses from other countries flourished at the ramparts of Golconda in the yester years
- Telangana's glory and history are enshrined at the Golconda fort
- The Golconda Fort has a huge significance in the lives of every Telangana citizen, because of which it is justified that the celebrations have started here
- To improve the brand image of Hyderabad investors have been identified, who are going to invest
- To improve the law and order situation of the state, police training centres and new recruitments will be held among police
- Telangana's culture will be showcased at Ravindra Bharathis
- Recognition and awards have been instituted to honour and promote culture and arts
- 15 per cent reservation will be provided to Muslim minorities
- 1000 crore rupees has been allocated for the development of the state in education
- All workers who are under contract will be regularised
- Currently, we don't have the statistics for our development, but the results have started showing which makes the people of Telangana proud
- The survey that has been undertaken "intensive house hold survey" is not for the oppression of people of other states. It is for the securing of workers
- Veterinary university will be created and named after P. V. Narasimha Rao
- Telangana public service Commission is underway and will provide 50,000 employments
- Tap connection will be provided in every household
- Telangana drinking water grid will be formed to ensure water supply to all houses
“Golconda is one of the greatest and well maintained forts in the country. It can be termed one of the mightiest forts which was never been conquered by any army unlike other forts including Red Fort in New Delhi, which was run by the British,” said M.A. Qaiyum, former deputy director of Archaeology and Museums.
He added, “The 1 lakh-strong Mughal army led by Aurangzeb fought for nine months, from January to September in 1687, to seize the fort, but failed. Finally he entered the fort by bribing the security personnel.” For the Kakatiya kings of Warangal, the mud Golconda fort was an outpost. This is testified by the over-door carvings and relief work in stucco comprising lions, peacocks, griffins and lotus at the entrance of Balahisar.
Experts say that Golconda was a centre of the diamond industry, trading, cutting and polishing but did not have mines as erroneously circulated. The world famous Koh-I-Noor, Darya-i-Noor and other diamonds came from here. After the Qutub Shahi kings shifted the capital from Golconda to the new city of Hyderabad in 1591, it became the headquarters of the Nizam’s army.
Dr Jai Kishan, retired principal, Oriental Degree College, Karimnagar and an archaeologist, added, “Golconda was also famed for its weapons. Some of the best swords, daggers and other lethal weapons in India were made here. The Golconda stamp was enough to sell a weapon or a diamond.”
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which controls the fort, says that the fort was ceded to the Bahmanis in 1363. After their downfall in 1518, it became the capital of the Qutb Shahi kings (AD 1518-1687). Aurangzeb annexed it to the Mughal 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 subedar of the Deccan province.
Asaf Jah declared independence in 1713 as Nizam-ul-Mulk and the Nizams held sway over Hyderabad until 1948.
