Golconda Fort

The fact that I've witnessed the light and sound show at the Golconda fort countless number of times and that I'm never able to decline visiting the place, I reckon, is proof enough of my fascination with it all! That I couldn't visit there for the last couple of years is entirely another story...

I got lucky once more, however, when my friend decided an outing for us on a balmy Sunday evening, and and we found ourselves headed to Golconda Fort! Once there, we climbed right up from the 'Bala Hissar Gate', to the summit of the fort--to Bala Hissar, the baradari as it is called, and the darbar hall or deewan-e-khaas (where the king held his private courts) passing by the 'aslah khana' (armoury), the offices of 'akanna-madanna' (the two officers of the court) the palaces, the mosques, the Mahakali temple from the times of the Kakatiyas, with frescoes of Godesses Kali and Durga, 'Ram Mandir' (a prison house of Ram Das, a revenue official jailed by Abul Hasan Tana Shah for misusing state funds, who carved images of Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman on the rock surface in the cell.) among others, on the way. The journey up the 380 steps was also a journey down the memory lane! I reveled in each moment there, and relived my associations with the place.

A descent down steep narrow steps brought us from the Bala Hisar to the zenana quarters 'Rani Mahal' palaces that are built on massive platforms, have high ceilings, and walls covered with decorative niches, alcoves and cornices, essentially Persian in design. Our tour of the Fort culminated in the main Rani Mahal courtyard, and my visit to the Fort in the light and sound show that completes our journey into the past glory of Golconda! This courtyard of the Rani Mahal area, adorned with an ornate metal fountain in the center, hosts the famous light and sound show, that commences with the beautiful Ghazal rendered by Jagjit Singh, and features the breathtaking baritone of Amitabh Bachan, that add manifold to the beauty of the show and to the glory that was!

Ek Gulshan Tha...

एक गुलशन था जलवानुमां इस जगह,
रंग-ओ-बू जिसकी दुनिया में मशहूर थी,
बेग़मों की हँसी गूँजती थी यहीं,
शाह की शानोशौकत में भरपूर थी

ताज की शक्ल में जब तक ये क़िला,
गोलकोंडा की अज़्मत करेगा बयां,
मिट सकेगी नहीं शानेमुल्केदक्कन,
मिट सकेगा नहीं उसका कोई निशां 

ये क़िला ये फ़सीना ये वीरानियां,
हैं उसी शान-ओ-शौकत की परछाइयां,
जिस की दिलकश कहानी का है राज़दां,
ये नीला सितारों जड़ा आसमां 

वक़्त की मार सहकर जो कायम रहे,
कैफ़ियत बस यही थी उसी रान की,गोलकोंडा की अज़्मत का कहना ही क्या,
ये क़िला है निशानी उसी शान की

 
 Ghazal courtesy: http://jagjitsingh.wordpress.com/category/jagjit-singh/page/12/