It stands in desolate majesty. The sturdy walls show cracks. The semi-circular bastions fashioned out of granite blocks are broken. The mighty canons mounted on them lie half buried. That’s the vulnerability of the once impregnable Golconda Fort.
It is World Heritage Day again. But things have not changed a wee bit. The cultural heritage lies in shambles. Obviously none has stood by the pledges taken last year.
As one takes the winding path to Golconda, the place the Qutb Shahi kings ruled for almost 170 years, one is aghast rather pained at its poor upkeep.
The granite crenulated wall encircling the fort tells it all. The story of neglect and decay is etched on its weakening stones.
Vegetal growth jutting out from the fortress is common. What stands out are the chinks in the armour so to say.
The battlement parapet has vanished at many places on the seven-km long on the outer fortification wall. Either the vagaries of nature have taken the toll or vandals have had a free hand. The fortification wall looks particularly weak at the Moti Darwaza. A heavy canon lies buried at the foot of the masonry wall, probably fallen from its position above. The inscription “Sarkar Nawab Mir Nizam Ali Khan Bahadur” remains intact.
The immediate surroundings around this gate are full of trash. Four overflowing garbage bins of GHMC along the fort wall completes the picture of neglect. The rubbish is set afire and the smoke rising from it blackens the wall and bastion built of large blocks of masonry. Tell tale marks of trash burning are all over. Doesn’t the ASI officials inspect the place?
“I have never seen them come. They ought to keep a guard here to check the damage”, says Mohd Afzal, convenor, Heritage Watch. Heritage lovers are appalled at the crass indifference of the custodian of the Golconda fort which is posed for UNESCO World Heritage tag award.
As part of the weeklong heritage festival government has spent huge amount to deck up
the monuments and organise cultural fests.
Published - April 17, 2013 11:48 pm IST
