The spotlight is back on the ruins. The idea of hoisting the tricolour on the Golconda Fort has gladdened the hearts of Telangana protagonists even as it has raised eyebrows in some quarters. Celebrating Independence Day here will be a huge recognition for the 16 century monument which is poised to get the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag. This apart, it will bring focus on Telangana, of which the fort is a quintessential part, it is said.
The Parade Ground in Secunderabad, which has traditionally been the venue for Independence Day celebrations, is seen as a British legacy. When the Telangana government is in place, it is only proper that it observes Independence Day at a place which reflects the region’s glory. “Golconda Fort is a symbol of the pride of Telangana people. I welcome the decision,” said V. Ramakrishna of A.P. History Congress, echoing the views of many others.
Logistic management appears to be the only challenge in holding the Independence Day programme, which attracts a large number of people, apart from the colourful tableaux taken out on the occasion. The rugged fort area is sloppy and uneven and presents a problem in organising programmes. However, the main gate of the fort, the Athara Seedhi area on the north-western side and the Artillery parade ground, are the spots that have been identified for holding the Independence Day celebrations. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to take the final call on it.
One of the ancient and biggest citadels, Golconda fort is older than Delhi’s Red Fort. It is also an invincible fortress in that the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, couldn’t conquer it even after a nine-month long siege with a one lakh strong army. It was only with a clever ploy that he managed to gain entry into the fort. The fort is believed to have derived its name from the Telugu word ‘Golla Konda’ meaning shepherd’s hill.
Originally, the Kakatiya kings built it as a mud fort. It was ceded to the Bahmani kings in 1365. With the decline of the Bahamani in 1518, Sultan Quli declared independence and founded the Qutb Shahi dynasty, which ruled the region up to 1687 when it succumbed to the Mughal invasion.
“It was the first three Qutb Shahi kings – Sultan Quli, Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah and Ibrahim Qutb Shah – who fortified the Golconda fort with three lines of massive defence walls,” says M.A. Qaiyum, former deputy director, Department of Archaeology and Museums.
Though the seat of governance shifted from Golconda to Hyderabad, it remained the military headquarters of the Qutb Shahis, Mughals and the Asif Jahis. Even today, the Indian military units are situated here.
The invincible Golconda fort includes many military structures such as fortifications, armoury, confinement rooms, stables, guard rooms, administrative buildings, residential enclaves, palaces of the king, queens and harems, tertiary areas and landscaped pavilions, mortuary and funerary buildings, mosques, tombs and ancillary structures. The founder of Hyderabad, Mohd Quli Qutb Shah, was believed to have taken birth within the fort.
