5.Places to explore inside Golconda Fort.

1. Bala Hisar Gate

In the fort, you’ll find just one gate, known as Bala Hisar gate. This gate, called Hisar Gate in Persian language, stands at a height of 18 feet.

2. Important Screen wall

At Golconda Fort, they made a special wall to keep enemies out. Even if enemies tried to break through the main gate ( Bala Hisar gate), they couldn’t because it was really strong. Interestingly, there was a hole in the middle of the gate where 12 to 15 people could pour hot stuff on them. So basically, it was really hard for enemies to get through that gate and enter into the fort.

3. Echo point

In Golconda Fort, they didn’t have wireless telephones back then. So, to communicate, they came up with a smart system. People would go to a specific spot ( Echo point) in the fort and clap their hands. These claps were like coded messages. It’s said that this spot had 24 special cuts in the structure, made to make sounds echo. The cuts were arranged in a pattern: first three, then two, then one, and so on, in sets of six. When people clapped here, the sound could be heard 480 feet away at a white building called Darbar. This way, they could alert others if friends or enemies were approaching.

4. Fake Canon

It is not a place but in Golconda Fort, there’s a cannon that looks real but it’s not. It was made by Queen Elizabeth during Queen Victoria’s time. The cannon was given as a gift to the Nizam of Hyderabad. Even though it looks cool, it’s just for show and can’t actually be used. It’s made of iron, so if you tried to fire it, it could explode! On top of the cannon, there’s a design of Queen Victoria’s crown. This fake cannon was made in 1873.

5. Five Boundary Walls

Golconda Fort is surrounded by five boundary walls, and what makes it unique is that it has no foundation. Originally, it was a mountain, and the fort was constructed on top of it. The construction of this remarkable fort spanned a period of 62 years, starting in 1518. Quli Qutub Shah ji was the one who had it built.

6. Iron Weight

In this fort, you will also see this iron weight,in past when people wanted to join as soldiers in the fort, education didn’t matter. Instead, they tested the physical strength of men. During the Qutub Shahi era, they looked for men who could lift heavy weights, around 240 kilograms. If someone could lift this weight, they would be hired as a soldier.

7. Common Way

During the time of the royal dynasty, ordinary people would often come to meet the king. When they visited the court, they had to follow a specific route to enter and leave. The fort itself was divided into two parts: one for the palace residents and one for the public. If you entered through the palace area, you wouldn’t see the common path, and vice versa. This ensured that the paths for the palace and the public remained separate and distinct.

8. Soldier Barracks

At Golconda Fort, barracks were constructed to accommodate soldiers. Interestingly, these barracks lacked doors and instead used curtains to partition each room. The construction style employed Iranian techniques. Additionally, a unique locking mechanism was implemented, utilizing triangular stones between the walls. These stones acted as locks, securing the walls in place.

9. Weapon Building

In Golconda Fort, there’s a special building where all the weapons used in wars during the Qutub Shah Dynasty were stored. This building has three floors, with more than 150 rooms inside.

10. Nagina Garden

During the Qutb Shahi Dynasty, there was a market called Nagina Market, which translates to Diamond Market. This market was held every Friday. It was a significant hub for trading diamonds, attracting kings from other princely states who came here to purchase diamonds. The market was set up in the garden, where traders conducted their business. They would set up tents and stalls in designated squares within the garden for this purpose.

11. Masjid

In Golconda Fort, there is a mosque named after the third king of Hyderabad, Ibrahim Kuli. He ruled between 1550 and 1580, and the mosque was constructed during his time in power. Later, his son, Mohammad Quli Kutu Shah, built a mosque with the same model in 1591 and known as char minar. Additionally, there’s a tunnel from here to Char Minar, spanning a distance of 8 kilometers.

12. Ramdas Jail

Near the mosque at Golconda Fort, there’s a jail called Ramdas Jail. Once, during the rule of Raja Abdul Hassan, there was a tax collector named Ramdas. His job was to collect taxes from different places and give the money to the king. But Ramdas adjusted the taxes without the king’s permission and moved far away. Ramdas built a temple called Bhadrachalam temple in Khammam district. When the king found out, he put Ramdas in jail, even though Ramdas loved Lord Ram. While in jail, Ramdas crafted 16 statues of gods, which you can still see.

13. Bagmati Palace

Golconda Fort houses a palace named Bhagyam Palace, named after the wife of Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah. It is believed that Bhagyam was initially a royal dancer, whom Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah admired. This led him to rename the city of Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar. Later, when Bhagyam married the king, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Haider. The palace was then named after her and became known as Haider Mahal. Eventually, Haider Begum gained fame, and the city of Hyderabad was named after her.

14. Shringar Mahal

In Golconda Fort, there’s a place called Shringar Mahal, made for women. Next to it, there were tubs where they could bathe before going to their makeup room. Inside the makeup room, they would get ready and prepare for the occasion in the dressing room.