Golkonda fort - a lost granduer

A diamond that brought fame and fortune to a small kingdom in ancient Deccan India (South India). A fort that assured the kingdom of its perpetuity. A diamond that triggered a war. A war that brought down the grandeur of the legacy of three dynasties. A fort that stood a mute witness to its own growth and downfall. Now standing an awe inspiring tourist attraction. Legacy of three dynasties have added grandeur, culture, legend and myth to the historical Golkonda Fort. In the native language of the region, Telugu, the two syllables of the word Golkonda – Gola and Konda mean Round and hillock respectively. Alternatively Gola is also used to refer to a shepherd and hence some scholars suggest that the fort was actually called Shepherd’s hillock.


Art at the main entrance




History of the Golkonda fort starts with the native Kakatiya rulers of Deccan India building a fort reinforced with mud walls. The first such fortifications were said to have been built at around 1143 AD. From then on the fort stood witness to its own growth to pomp and splendor. The Kakatiyas were followed by the state of Warangal which was eventually conquered by the muslim rulers of the Bahmani Sulthanate by 1364.


A water source in the fort



A grand palace inside the fort




View of the fort




A complete view of the fort




The Bahamani Sultans made the fort the capital for a major province that was attached to the fort. The Bahamani Sultans appointed Sultan Quli Qutub Mulk as “Subedar” (Governor) of the state of Telangana in 1463. The year 1518 marks the historic beginning of Golkonda as a Sultanate, independent and standing tall. That is the year in which Quli Qutub Mulk assuming the name of Sultan Quli Qutub Shah declared independence and started a stupendous Qutub Shahi Dynasty. Over the next 171 years, the fort saw stupendous growth as a kingdom of wealth, culture and knowledge. In this period, the Qutub Shahis established themselves as patrons of art and culture. It is recorded history that the Qutub Shahis encouraged a new form of dance called Kuchupudi. The fort was expanded and the defense of the fort was laid out in 3 layers of walls with the outermost wall covering a circumference of 10km overall. The fort was rebuilt and fortified with granite stones and state of the art Canons of the time. A moat was built around the fort with 8 gates and 4 draw bridges. A part of the moat can still be seen today if you take the pains to walk around the middle wall of the fort. In this 171 years, Golkonda produced some of the world’s best diamonds that include Darya e Nur, Nur Ul Ain Diamond, Koh I noor, The Hope Diamond, The Regent Diamond. The finding of diamonds along the river beds and the establishment of mines made Golkonda a Diamond Trading Centre of the ancient times. As oft repeated in history, wealth attracted the eyes of the bigger neighbor. This time, the neighbor was the Mughals from Delhi. Aurangazeb eyed the wealth that Golkonda possessed and laid siege to the fort in 1686.


The granduer of the fort




The siege lasted for months and he retreated in frustration only to return in 1687. He laid siege for 9 months and was eventually able to persuade a treacherous General to open the fort’s gates for him at the night.


A View of the Complete fort

Main entrance to fort hidden by the wall

A royal mortuary

After the fall of the Golkonda, Aurangazeb promptly killed the general who opened the gates for him and appointed Asaf Jha as the “Subedar” of the Fort. In the year 1713 AD, Asaf Jha declared independence as Nizam Ul Mulk and thus the Nizams became new rulers of the Deccan region till 1948. In the year 1948, Union of India was formed. Today, one can see amongst the ruins the splendor and pomp of the fort at the pinnacle of its glory.


A canon that has not fired since 17th Century