GOLCONDA FORT, HYDERABAD

Considered one of India’s most outstanding citadels, the 13th century Golconda Fort was built by the Kakatiya kings and later switched hands and came into the possession of the Bahmani dynasty. Still later, the Qutb Shahi dynasty took over, and it is to them- and more specifically Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah- that the Golconda Fort owes much of its present grandeur. During the late 17th century, the fort was besieged by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who finally gained control of it.

The Golconda Fort is impressive all the way: it stands, magnificent and majestic, atop a 120 mt high granite hill.

The path up to the fort was once a bustling market that sold everything from carpets to precious stones- especially diamonds and pearls. The path’s deserted these days- except for tour groups- but the fort’s as imposing as ever. Make your way up the road and you’ll come to a colossal gate, its outside studded with long iron spikes, to deter invading armies from battering it down.

Once you get past the gate, you’ll come to the remarkable portico known as the Balahisar Gate. The Gate is spectacular not for its decoration or proportions, but for its amazing acoustics- a feature you can check for yourself by clapping your hands; supposedly even this can be heard at the Durbar Hall which stands at the summit of the hill.

Also worth having a look at are the royal Nagina Gardens, the Bodyguards’ Barracks, and the three water tanks, all of 12 mt deep, which once formed part of an intricate water system in the fort. The crowning glory (quite literally) of the Fort is, however, the Durbar Hall, which stands atop a hill overlooking the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It’s approached by a thousand-step stairway, and if you can summon up the energy to accomplish the climb, you will be rewarded with a great view of the cities below- including (on a clear day) the famous Charminar itself.

Outside the fort, about a kilometer to the north, are the tombs of the Qutb Shahi kings, distinctive buildings topped with bulbous white domes. Also near the fort are the Taramathi Gana Mandir and the Premamathi Nritya Mandir, the two palaces where the sisters Taramathi and Premamathi, the king’s favourites, lived. In close proximity to the palaces is the Kala Mandir, where the two women danced daily for the king’s pleasure.
 

Best time to go
The most pleasant months in Hyderabad are October to February, when the maximum temperature hovers around 28 º– 29ºC. The nights are cool, with an average minimum temperature of 16ºC. Hyderabad is best avoided in summer, when day temperatures can touch 40°C or more and drop by about 10ºC with nightfall. The monsoons hit the city during June to December.
Getting there and around

Hyderabad ranks as one of India’s largest and busiest cities, and getting here should not be a problem. Hyderabad’s local airport receives flights from all across India, with regular connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and other major destinations; in addition, there are flights to and from the Middle East. Hyderabad’s three railway stations at Kacheguda, Hyderabad (Nampally) and Secunderabad are major junctions on the South and West Zone sectors of Indian Railways’ network, and receive a large number of trains from all parts of India. The city is, in addition to its rail and air connections, linked to the rest of the country by good highways- going as far as Kolkata and Mumbai. State roadways and private bus operators run buses to and from a number of other towns and cities in Andhra Pradesh, and even go as far as Mumbai and Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Within Hyderabad, the options for getting around include a good local bus service, which surprisingly enough, is fast, efficient and relatively uncrowded. Other than that, there are autorickshaws, taxis, cycle rickshaws and cars for hire.

Accommodation
There's a range of accommodation in Hyderabad, from really low budget just-make-do stuff (with not very high standards in anything) to 5-star luxury properties with swimming pools, coffee shops, multi-cuisine restaurants, and the works. Budget accommodation is mostly in the Abids-Nampally area. Mid-rung hotels are a far more comfortable option and not tough on the pocket either.

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