Tabla Lights Up Mood at Golconda Fort

Hyderabad: “I’ve always felt there’s something special about performing at a site like Golconda Fort,” said tabla exponent Ustad Fazal Qureshi after his performance on December 12, as music, folk traditions and a guided heritage walk came together inside the historic monument for the Golconda Fort Festival.

Organised by Crraft of Art and supported by Telangana’s department of language and culture, the programme featured Telangana folk forms, followed by an INTACH-led heritage walk and a main concert titled “Drums of India” at Rani Mahal in the evening.

“The idea was to create a space where music and history could come together naturally,” said Birwa Qureshi, founder and artistic director of Craft of Art. “We wanted to offer a glimpse of India’s past through the lens of its music, and the response today has been truly overwhelming and heartening.”

The programme began at the lawns in the afternoon with Telangana folk performances that continued across two locations, Taramati mosque and Nakkar Khana, between 3 pm and 5.30 pm. The schedule included Perini Shivatandavam, Bonalu, Gussadi, Kommu Koya, Oggu Katha and Burra Katha, with visitors moving between the stages through the late afternoon. Entry to these stages was free.

A heritage walk titled “Fort Tales: Golconda” took place from 4 pm to 5.30 pm under the guidance of the INTACH Hyderabad Chapter. Participants were taken through various sections of the fort, including its gates, walls and palace spaces, with historical context shared alongside the day’s cultural programming. The meeting point for the walk was Aslah Khana.

As evening set in, attention shifted to Rani Mahal, where the main concert began after the monument gates opened at 6 pm. “Drums of India” featured Ustad Fazal Qureshi on tabla, with Danish Husain as narrator, vocalist Vijay Prakash, mridangam artist Sridhar Parthasarathy, sarangi player Dilshad Khan, and percussionists Uma Shankar, Navin Sharma, Gino Banks, Khete Khan and Vijay Chauhan. Sangeet Haldipur on keyboard and Sheldon D’Silva on bass were also part of the ensemble, along with performances by the Purulia Chhau Dance Academy.

“The fort provides an extraordinary backdrop, and sharing the stage with Ustad Fazal Qureshi is truly an honour,” said Vijay Prakash. “It almost feels like you are performing in history itself.”