Golconda Chronicles
The best part about weddings (apart from crashing them) is getting to meet your long lost friends (connected by Wi-Fi) who can no longer quote excuses for not visiting the erstwhile land of the Nizams. These trips, besides pulling me out of my slumber, turn me into the local guide and the fun gets real when your explorer friend helps you discover the charming city in a new light.
My adieu to the year 2014 has been in the pipeline for the longest time possible and since one of my resolutions for the new year has been to 'DO THINGS, NOW!!', here goes my account of Golconda fort and things I discovered on that eventful Sunday of January 11, 2015 (OK! I am a week late, but I call these humble beginnings) and before it's too late, a happy new year to whoever is reading this space!
Hyderabad Diaries: Golconda fort and others (11-Jan-2015)
My adieu to the year 2014 has been in the pipeline for the longest time possible and since one of my resolutions for the new year has been to 'DO THINGS, NOW!!', here goes my account of Golconda fort and things I discovered on that eventful Sunday of January 11, 2015 (OK! I am a week late, but I call these humble beginnings) and before it's too late, a happy new year to whoever is reading this space!
Hyderabad Diaries: Golconda fort and others (11-Jan-2015)
A. Playing the good host: Playing a good host (though my guest claimed I figure amongst the best guides ever..!! :wink::wink:) meant not only showing around the place but also going ahead and packing breakfast (of nutella sandwiches and pesarattus (moong dal dosas), on a Sunday morning). Despite the fact that my GPS failed (yet again!), about which I cannot complain much, we reach Golconda fort by a road less traveled (by me, and a better one).
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| Golconda fort, a little bit of this corner and a little bit of that corner |
B. The Golconda Fort: We enter the fort through Fateh-darwaza to an applause from the inquisitive visitors clapping relentlessly (guided by their paid guides showing them the sweet spots from which the echo would reverberate all the way at the Bala Hisar pavilion located at the highest point of the fort) to validate the acoustic effects of this engineering marvel (felt like a royal welcome into the fort). My previous visits to the fort were with my relatives and involved directly reaching Bala Hisar pavilion first; no questions asked. This time I explored the ruins, ventured into the wilderness and critically studied its architecture with my friend. We climbed atop the fort after 3 hours of soaking in the sun and sucking up the beauty of the place. Thanks to the explorer we cut around the corner (read I puffed my way through the broken path) and reached atop the fort where we heard those faint murmurs and claps from Fateh-darwaza. We strolled few empty corridors before bidding adieu to that magnificent fort.
(PS 1: Beware of the guides who are available inside the fort with false claims about the fort and its history. For instance, Golconda derives its name from the words golla (shepherd) and konda (hill), any claims of Gol - being an urdu word for 'round' and the fort deriving its name from it are not true. I wish the tourism department addresses this issue and comes up with guided tours.)
(PS 2: Ladies, being adventurous is fine, but do not venture into deserted corners. Please remember: Safety First! It is advisable to come in groups.)
C. Qutb Shahi tombs: We reached Qutb Shahi tomb pretty late in the afternoon so we could not visit all the tombs. We visited the masjid and the mortuary bath (which was constructed for the ritual bath of the dead and had an amazing water pipeline for hot and cold water) apart from the tombs. Most of the tombs gave in owing to neglect, wear-and-tear and are being restored to their previous glory. The well that supplied water to the mortuary bath is out of bounds for visitors and is in complete ruins. The tombs calm you down and serve as a perfect spot for reading or picnics with families. We were running late for lunch and had to cut our trip short before heading to our next destination (in pursuit of some Nizami cuisine).
(PS 1: Beware of the guides who are available inside the fort with false claims about the fort and its history. For instance, Golconda derives its name from the words golla (shepherd) and konda (hill), any claims of Gol - being an urdu word for 'round' and the fort deriving its name from it are not true. I wish the tourism department addresses this issue and comes up with guided tours.)
(PS 2: Ladies, being adventurous is fine, but do not venture into deserted corners. Please remember: Safety First! It is advisable to come in groups.)
C. Qutb Shahi tombs: We reached Qutb Shahi tomb pretty late in the afternoon so we could not visit all the tombs. We visited the masjid and the mortuary bath (which was constructed for the ritual bath of the dead and had an amazing water pipeline for hot and cold water) apart from the tombs. Most of the tombs gave in owing to neglect, wear-and-tear and are being restored to their previous glory. The well that supplied water to the mortuary bath is out of bounds for visitors and is in complete ruins. The tombs calm you down and serve as a perfect spot for reading or picnics with families. We were running late for lunch and had to cut our trip short before heading to our next destination (in pursuit of some Nizami cuisine).
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| One of the seven tombs |
D. Taramati Baradari: We glanced at Taramati Baradari while heading for lunch. Baradari is a pavilion with arched doors and served as a caravan station. Taramati, a courtesan, performed here and there were many fables romantically linking her to the then sultan, Abdullah Qutb Shah. Taramati and her sister Premamati, also a courtesan, were laid to rest at Qutb Shahi tombs near the Sultan's tomb and feature amongst the few tombs which were not royalty.
E. The Luncheon: Hyderabad is known for its cuisine and therefore received the wishlist for delectable Hyderabadi dishes. I consulted some hardcore foodies I knew and decided to take my friend to 'Jewels of Nizams' restaurant at the Golconda hotel. We ordered Marq shorba which was followed up with Pathar-ka-gosht and an out-of-season Haleem which was served with bread (Haleem tasted similar to the one we get during the holy Ramadan season). We ended our meal with khubani-ka-meeta and after that heavy meal we headed for one thing that most Hyderabadis crave irrespective of the part of the day.
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| Haleem served with ghee, fried onions, chopped mint leaves and lemon wedges, accompanied with bread. |
With that tea ended my city darshan for that day, albeit reluctantly. I thank my guest, Asif 'Maamu' Shaikh for not complaining much and being the good guest. This trip was my rendezvous with Hyderabadi history, culture and cuisine. This trip was a series of firsts - being a Hyderabadi, I never tasted the rich ghee roasted Pather-ka-gosht; another first was visiting the fort in broad day light (I missed watching the skyline during sunset but am not complaining) and the last one on the list being starting 'Hyderabad-diaries' series.
Disclaimer: The title of this post can be misleading. This post does not provide 360° view of the monument and should not be relied upon as an ultimate guide to the most beautiful fort of the city, that is, Golconda.
Photo credits: Clicked on Asif's smartphone (most of the photos were clicked by him).
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