Years ago may be, the fort reverberated with similar uniform steps. The commands definitely must have varied from ‘forward march’ and ‘attention’. The bugle sound would have been to alert the presence of the king or alert the army of an impending intrusion. For the first time, the fort will see a crowd of another kind and experience the thud and clap of different vibrations. The sound of clak-click-clap-thud fills the silence each time the small troupe repeats the routine to prepare for the guard of honour.
Watching the men in uniform practise for the Independence day parade and salute march at Golconda Fort, one can’t help but draw a vague comparison to how it must have been inside the fort.
As the men in uniform do the customary drill in the early morning inside the fort, the silence and peace is taken over by sound of a different kind. For a change no one is clapping hysterically and calling out ‘hellos’ at the main entrance with the hope that someone would hear it at Bala Hisar.
The usual ‘photo-bombers’ are gone and as the Sun comes out in glory all that can be see are the rifles, medals and the shining shoes of the khaki-clad men.
March Past isn’t new to the men present and practising at the fort, but the venue is. And no, contrary to what all of us are wondering, the March Past isn’t happening all over the fort, the policemen would be climbing steps and ramps, except for the officers who will lead the chief minister to the designated place to hoist the Indian Flag.
Just at the entrance of the Golconda Fort, the pillars and posters of the gate are scrubbed clean of posters, the well kept lawns are further being attended, and green carpet of grass is being spread. In many years this could be the first time that the fort is being prepared for an event.
While this is so, the guards and ‘self-claimed’ guides are miffed at the presence of the security personnel and the restrictions imposed.
The road that leads to the fort is also being spruced up, neglected silt on the side of the roads waits to be cleared, overgrown bushes on the pavements are getting chopped and mini land-movers are deployed all along the Mehdipatnam stretch.
Tourists for a while will have to stay away from Golconda as it will be closed until Independence day.
