Golconda Fort at Hyderabad

Golconda Fort
The name of Golconda came from the name of a shepherded who suggested the name to Raja Pratap Rudra Dev. Meaning of Gola is shepherded and konda means hill. This was the capital of Bahmani Kingdom.

Koh-e-Noor diamond has come from Kollar Near River Krishan. Golconda was famous for diamond market.

There is no fee for carrying a Digital camera into the fort. For video camera it is Rs 25 to be paid. At the entrance there is a layout map of the fort and much information can be collected from here. Guides can be haired from here. Even if you don't want to take the service of a guide still the map is freely explained by the guides. The main entrance door is called Balahissar ( Bala Hisar ) Gate. This door is covered by a strong curtain wall. This is done to prevent enemy elephants to run and hit the door to break it. There is a hole from the roof at the top of the gate, this hole was used to pour hot oil over the enemy at the front of the fort gate.

There is a unique telephone system to communicate the king at the top of the fort about the situation at the main gate. The fort was acoustically designed to carry the sound of clap to the main building at the top of the fort. The guides take the tourist to the fort top and give signal to others to clap at the entrance. The technique was used to convey different messages like arrival of guest or enemy at the main gate of the fort.

There is a mortuary bath arrangement to ceremonial bathing of the dead body of royal family. This was designed in Persian style.

Nagina Bagh
Here the battle with Aurangzeb took place after the door was opened in mid night. There is swimming pool here and today this garden is well maintained.

Light and sound show is organized in the afternoon at the fort. Famous film star Amitabh Bachan narrates about the glorious history of GolConda Fort in English. There are different timings for the show in different month of the year.

Inside the fort there is a closed room known as Bhagat Ramdas Jail. Here the famous devotee of Lord Rama Kancherla Gopanna was jailed during the rule of Abul Hasan Tana Shah ( 1674 A.D). Gopanna was the Tahsildar of Bhadrachalam and he used the royal money (treasury ) to construct a Rama temple and not able to return. Ramadas had constructed idols of Ram Lakshman and Navagrah with his own hand inside the Jail. It is told that Rama Lakshman came as two prices and return all the money to the king and Ramdas was set free.

There is Darbar Hall, Mosque of Ibrahim Qutab Shah.

Ellamma Devi temple is located inside the fort near at the top and a fare is held in every Ashsadh month of the year.

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