Golkonda

This sunday we thought of visiting Golkonda as it is very near to Mehadipatnam where we are staying.

Golkonda a ruined city is situated west of Hyderabad.Though Kakatiyas built Golkonda in 13th century it is Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah who laid splendid monuments and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, was heard at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-foot (91 m)-high granite hill.

According to a legend, the fort derives its name from Golla Konda, which is a Telugu word for Shepherd's Hill. It is believed that a shepherd boy came across an idol on the hill. This led to the construction of a mud fort by the then Kakatiya dynasty ruler of the kingdom around the site.The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (400 ft) high.

Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as Bhaktha Ramadaasu, a devout Hindu who constructed Bhadrachalm temple without informing the sultan at that time Tana Shah, was kept in a jail located inside the fort. It is also believed that there was a secret tunnel to Charminar.

Many famed diamonds are believed to have been excavated from the mines of Golconda like Kohinoor and Darya-ye Noor.

A new attraction at the fort is a sound and light show that brings the legend of Golconda to life. With a spectacular interplay of audio and visual effects, the story of Golconda unfolds over centuries of splendor. The show livens up the glorious past and it is an experience worth watching. The show is presented in English, Hindi and Telugu.