Author: Owais, Learner at The Integral School, Hyderabad
Golconda Fort
Golconda fort is one of the best monuments in India. Golconda fort is in Hyderabad. The Kakatiya kings ruled Golconda from 13th to 14th century. Before Golconda, the name was actually Gollakonda, which means shepherd’s hill. Gollakonda is in Telugu language and there is an interesting story behind it. Back in 1143, there was a hill which was a rocky hill called mangalavaram. A shepherd boy found an Idol in this hill. The shepherd boy went to the Kakatiya king who was ruling at that time. The Kakatiya king started constructing a mud fort at the spot where the Shepherd told him. 200 years later, the Bahamani kings started ruling. The Qutubshahis ruled from 1507 to 1687 and made the mud fort into a massive granite fort. The fort was ruined during the invasion by Aurangazeb, the Mughal emperor.
Golconda has four forts, four bridges and lots of royal apartments and halls. It also has temples, mosques. Stables etc. The first door at the entrance is the Fateh Darwaza. This is a victory gate. It has iron spikes so that elephants cannot break the door. If a person claps here, it can be heard in a pavilion a kilometer away. The call was used as a warning for people inside.
Charminar
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah built Charminar. He wanted a disease called plague to go away from the city. He told that he will build a masjid if the disease went away. The actual masjid was on the top floor which is the fourth floor. Each side of the Charminar measures 20m. Each corner has a minaret. The four pointed carved minarets are 48.7m high. Charminar is made with granite sand and lime, which is kind of a paint.
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah founded the city of Hyderabad along the river Musi. The king built Mecca Mosque which could seat 10,000 people. Hyderabad was a beautiful city during the Qutub Shahi dynasty but was destroyed when the Mughal invaded the city. In 1724, Nizam al Mulk declared the Deccan Kingdom as the princely state of Hyderabad. Then Asaf Jahi rebuilt Hyderabad in 19th century. The British made their military bases in Secunderabad and connected it to Hyderabad by a road along the Hussein Sagar Lake.
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