Hyderabad: The burj (bastions) on the outer fortification wall of the historic Golconda Fort, which demonstrated the artillery power of the Qutb Shahi rulers during the siege of the fort in 1687, are now in a state of neglect.
Burj are strategically placed platforms on which cannons are placed. The outer fortification wall of the fort is dotted with 87 bastions. A small protective wall was also constructed in front of the burj to prevent artillery shells from hitting the soldiers themselves or the cannons placed atop it.
The bastions were constructed during the reign of Ibrahim Qutb Shah, using lime and granite stone. “They were strategically located along the fortification wall to thwart any attempts by the enemy to enter the fort complex. During the siege of 1687, the cannons placed atop the bastions provided massive artillery support which prevented the Mughal army from entering the fort for eight months,” said historian M.A. Qayyum.
The Qutb Shahi army employed 110 cannons to repel the Mughal army.
The cannons placed on semi-circular bastions were of various sizes and fire power capacity. The bastions had a small room to store cannons and every bastion had a name.
Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, whose forces took close to eight months to conquer the Golconda Fort, albeit in a deceitful manner, later placed two of his important cannons the famous Fateh Rahbar (the guide-to-victory cannon) and the Azhdaha Paikar Gun - atop the Petla Burj and the Musa Burj respectively.
“Aurganzeb had brought along several cannons from Delhi but placed these two important ones at strategic bastions. He knew the bastions were constructed taking into account defensive details,” said Mr Qayyum.
Under Asaf Jahi rule, the army of the Nizam, which retained the Golconda Fort as its base, took away the cannons and used them for decorative purpose at its units elsewhere, added Mr Qayyum.
Historians want the bastions maintained properly as the siege of Golconda was one of the most important historical episodes during Qutb Shahi rule.
