Page 673 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

ANDHR A PR ADESH AND TELANGANA  671

These are named VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
after the two
dancers, who were Practical Information
royal fav ourites, Hyderabad district. 11 km
and said to be so (7 miles) W of Hyderabad.
lightfooted that Open daily. 8 & Son et
they could dance Lumière: (English) Mar–Oct:
all the way from the 7pm daily; Nov–Feb: 6:30pm
pavilion to the Bala daily. & Archaeological Museum
Hisar on a tightrope. & Qutb Shahi Tombs: Open Sat–
Thu. &
Standing outside
Royal bath near Rani Mahal, Golconda Fort the fort, east of the Transport
Fateh Darwaza, is @
digitata), said to have been the Nau Mahal (“Nine Palaces”),
brought to Golconda by the where the Nizams of Hyderabad
sultans’ Abyssinian guards. held court whenever they
The large-domed Grand came to Golconda.
Portico behind the Bala Hisar
Gate is a good place to test  Qutb Shahi Tombs
the remarkable acoustics that 1 km (0.6 miles) NW of Golconda Fort.
were an important feature This royal necropolis, where
of the fort’s defences. A soft seven of the nine Qutb Shahi
handclap here can be heard rulers are buried, is laid out in
in the king’s chambers at gardens with water channels,
the summit of the hill. pools and tree-lined pathways.
West of the Grand Portico The tombs, built by each king in
are the ruins of the Qutb Shahi his lifetime, display a distinct and
palaces. The most impressive eclectic architectural style – they
of these is the Rani Mahal, a have large onion domes, Persian
vaulted hall on a raised terrace, arches, Turkish columns and Elegant tomb of Muhammad Quli Qutb
decorated with lovely floral Hindu brackets and motifs. Built Shah, Golconda
arabesques. Hollows in of grey granite and plaster,
these carvings were each tomb’s dome covered the façades of all
once inlaid with is set on a petalled the tombs, still remain. Other
Golconda’s famous base, with a richly remarkable monuments are the
diamonds and other ornamented gallery Tomb of Queen Hayat Baksh
precious stones. To and small minarets Begum, the wife of Mohammed
the west of the Rani surrounding it. Quli Qutb Shah, and the mosque
Mahal, a steep flight The Tomb of behind it (both mid-17th century),
of 200 steps winds Ceiling decoration, Muhammad Quli decorated with exquisite floral
past royal baths, gra- Bala Hisar Gate Qutb Shah, the designs and calligraphy.
naries, treasuries, founder of the city At the centre of the complex
water tanks and the remains of of Hyderabad, is the most is the simple but beautifully
gardens, to the summit of the impressive. It is surrounded by a proportioned Royal Mortuary
hill. Traces of the elaborate spacious terrace, where poetry Bath. The bodies of the
water-supply system that and music festivals and deceased kings were ritually
carried water to the top of Hyderabadi food festivals are bathed before burial on the
the citadel are visible along occasionally held. Traces of inlaid, 12-sided platform;
the route. brilliant turquoise and green the surrounding 12 water tanks
Just below the summit is enamelled tiles, which once symbolize the 12 Shia Imams.
a graceful mosque built by
Sultan Ibrahim Qutb Shah,
the third sultan, and the
ancient Hindu Mahakali
Temple, built into a cave.
At the summit of the hill is
the three-storeyed Durbar Hall
(“Throne Room”), with a rooftop
pavilion. From here there are
wonderful views of the entire
fort and its surroundings, which
include two pretty structures
on hillocks – Taramati Baradari
and Premamati’s Mosque. Panoramic view of Golconda Fort

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