May 20th, 2010 
prav Golconda is one of the important monuments of India. Golkonda is 
located 11 km west of the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh state, India.
Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali, the fourth Qutb king was the builder of Golkonda, situated west of Hyderabad. Hyderabad is a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda. It is believed that the fort derives its name from Golla Konda, which is a Telugu word for Shepherd’s Hill. It is said that a shepherd boy came across an idol on the hill which led to the construction of a mud fort by the then Kalkatiya dynasty ruler of the kingdom around the site.
Construction of Golconda
The construction of the fort was done with great understanding keeping each and every small thing in mind. A large wall is constructed few feet before the entry gate of the fort so as to prevent elephants and soldiers from having a proper ramp to run and break the gates.
The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters high and is surrounded by massive crenelated ramparts. Over the period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the three Qutb Shahi Kings into a massive fort of granite and extended the structure around 5 km in circumference. At that time it remained the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad.
Golconda- The city of Diamond
At its time, Golkonda had the only known diamond mines in the world. It was once renowned for the diamonds found on the southeast and cut in the city. The f
ortress city within the walls was famous for diamond trade as the mines of Golkonda themselves yielded diamonds of trifling quantity. Golkonda became the market city of the diamond trade of that time and the gems sold there came from a number of mines. Europeans knew that diamonds were found only in there fabled mines and thus magnificent diamonds were taken from these mines to the surrounding regions. Darya-e-Nur, Nur-Ul-Ali Diamond, the Koh-i-noor, The Hope Diamond, and The Regent Diamond were some of the famous diamonds excavated from these mines at that time.
The Forts of Golconda
Golkonda consists of four distinct forts with a 10 km long outer wall with 87 semi circular bastions, eight gateways, four drawbridges and number of royal apartments and halls, temples,mosques, magazines, stables inside. The lowest of these is the outermost enclosure into which we enter by the “Fateh Darwaza” near the south which is studded with giant iron spikes. The voice of hand clapped at a certain point below the dome at the entrance gates can be heard clearly at the highest point about kilometer away, and this worked as a warning note to the royals in case of an attack.
The entire massive fort is the best example of architectural planning and its magnificence.
Bala Hissar Gate is the main entrance to the fort located on the eastern side. It has a pointed arch which is bordered by rows of scroll work and the spandrels have yalis and decorated roundels. The area above the door has peacocks with ornate tails and the design of peacock and lions are a blend of Hindu- Muslim architecture. Toli Masjid, situated at Karwan is about 2 km from the Golkonda fort and the mosque inside it is divided into two halls.
Surroundings and the Inner Beauty of Golconda
The fort of Golconda is known for its magical acoustic system and the palaces, factories, water supply system and the famous ‘Rahban’ cannon. Within the fort are also some of the major attractions which attract the visitors. It is also famous that there is a secret underground tunnel which leads from the Durbar Hall and ends in one the palaces at the foot of the hill. The fort also has the tombs of the Qutub Shahi Kings which have Islamic architecture and are encircled by beautiful gardens and numerous exquisitely carved stones.
The two individual pavilions on the outer side of Golconda are also major attraction and the Kala Mandir located in the fort has its own importance. The wonderful acoustic system of Golconda fort speaks volumes about the architecture of the fort and the ventilation of the fort is absolutely fabulous having exotic designs. The fort comprises of huge gates which are decorated with large pointed iron spikes so as to prevent it from elephants. Also in order to fortify the fort it is encircled by 11 km long outer wall.
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