Birla Mandir

History:

Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple, built on a 280 feet (85 m) high hillock called Naubath Pahad on a 13 acres (53,000 m2) plot. The construction took 10 years and was consecrated in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. The temple was constructed by Birla Foundation, which has also constructed several similar temples across India, all of which are known as Birla Mandir.

About Birla Mandir

The enchanting modern Birla Mandir is located at the south end of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad. It stands atop the Kala Pahad, the twin hillock of the Naubat Pahad. The Birlas (industrialists who have built several temples in India) built this temple in 1976. The temple has been built with white marbles from Rajasthan.
Kausalya supraja Rama poorva sandhya pravartate... the mantra chanted to arouse Lord Venkateswara (Vishnu), to whom the temple is dedicated, can be heard at dawn. And as for the evenings, they are a treat to the ears in this hilltop temple. Sweet melodies of cuckoos and the kirtanas of Annamayya, Tyagaraja and Ramadas against the backdrop of an orange-red sky pleasantly soothe the soul.
Apart from the main shrine, the consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati and Andal are housed in separate shrines. The temple also has separate shrines for various Hindu gods and goddess including Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Saibaba. Selected teachings of holy men and Gurbani are engraved on temple walls. Birla temples are open to all, as identified by Mahatma Gandhi and other Hindu leaders.


Mixed Architecture

Birla Mandir combines the architectural styles of Orissan and South Indian temples. A Rajagopuram built in the South Indian style greets the visitors. The tower over the main shrine of Lord Venkateswara called the 'Jagadananda Vimanam' is built in the Orissan style, while the towers over the shrines of the consorts are built in the South Indian style. Exotic scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are finely sculpted in marble. In the inner shrine of the temple is a replica of the Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The brass flagstaff rises to a height of 42 feet.

The granite image of the presiding deity in the Birla Mandir at Hyderabad is about 11 feet tall. There is a carved lotus that serves as an umbrella to the presiding deity. You will find several beautiful carvings in marble in the 'Mukha Mandapam' of the Birla Mandir at Hyderabad. These carvings in marble depict scenes from Indian mythology.

Golconda Fort

Golkonda, also known as Golconda or Golla konda ("shepherd's hill"), a ruined city of Southern India and capital of ancient Golconda Sultanate (c.1518–1687), is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad. It is also a mandal of Hyderabad District. The region is universally famous for the mines that have produced the world's most famous and coveted gems, including The Hope Diamond, Idol's Eye, The Koh-i-Noor and Darya-i-Noor.

The most important builder of Golkonda was Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah Wali, the fourth Qutub king of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golkonda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golkonda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north.
They ruled over most of present day Andhra Pradesh before the British Raj. After transferring Northern Circars to the British, they ruled the Telangana region and some parts of present day Karnataka and Maharashtra         

Fort Details:

Golconda Fort in Hyderabad is located on a hill about 400 feet above the surrounding plain. The Golconda Fort has 10 kilometers long outer wall with the following structures:

• 87 semi circular bastions with with cannons on few bastions
• 80 gateways
• 4 drawbridges
• Royal apartments

The lowest of these is the outermost enclosure into which we enter by the "Fateh Darwaza" (Victory gate, so called after Aurangzeb’s triumphant army marched in through this gate) studded with giant iron spikes (to prevent elephants from battering them down) near the south-eastern corner. At Fateh Darwaza can be experienced a fantastic acoustic effect, characteristic of the engineering marvels at Golkonda. A hand clap at a certain point below the dome at the entrance reverberates and can be heard clearly at the 'Bala Hisar' pavilion, the highest point almost a kilometre away. This worked as a warning note to the royals in case of an attack.

The whole of the Golkonda Fort complex and its surrounding spreads across 11 km of total area, and discovering its every nook is an arduous task. A visit to the fort reveals the architectural beauty in many of the pavilions, gates, entrances and domes. Divided into four district forts, the architectural valour still gleams in each of the apartments, halls, temples, mosques, and even stables. The graceful gardens of the fort may have lost their fragrance, for which they were known 400 years ago, yet a walk in these former gardens should be in your schedule when exploring the past glories of Golkonda Fort.

Bala Hissar Gate is the main entrance to the fort located on the eastern side. It has a pointed arch bordered by rows of scroll work. The spandrels have yalis and decorated roundels. The area above the door has peacocks with ornate tails flanking an ornamental arched niche. The granite block lintel below has sculpted yalis flanking a disc. The design of peacocks and lions is a blend of Hindu – Muslim architecture.
Toli Masjid, situated at Karwan, about 2 km from the Golkonda fort, was built in 1671 by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar, royal architect of Abdullah Qutb Shah. The facade consists of five arches, each with lotus medallions in the spandrels. The central arch is slightly wider and more ornate. The mosque inside is divided into two halls, a transverse outer hall and an inner hall entered through triple arches.Much thought went into building this gate. A few feet in front of the gate is a large wall. This prevented elephants and soldiers (during enemy attacks) from having a proper ramp to run and break the gate.

The fort of Golkonda is known for its magical acoustic system. The highest point of the fort is the "Bala Hissar", which is located a kilometer away. The palaces, factories, water supply system and the famous "Rahban" cannon, within the fort are some of the major attractions.

It is believed that there is a secret underground tunnel that leads from the "Durbar Hall" and ends in one of the palaces at the foot of the hill. The fort also contains the tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings. These tombs have Islamic architecture and are located about 1 km north of the outer wall of Golkonda. They are encircled by beautiful gardens and numerous exquisitely carved stones. It is also believed that there was a secret tunnel to Charminar.

The two individual pavilions on the outer side of Golkonda are also major attractions of the fort. It is built on a point which is quite rocky. The "Kala Mandir" is also located in the fort. It can be seen from the king's durbar (king's court) which was on top of the Golkonda Fort.

Qutub Shahi Tombs

The tombs of the Qutb Shahi sultans lie about one kilometer north of Golkonda's outer wall. These structures are made of beautifully carved stonework, and surrounded by landscaped gardens. They are open to public and receive many visitors.

Charminar

History

                      The Charminar was built in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth sultan of the Qutub Shahi dynasty of India. There are varying legends as to why he built the magnificent structure. One account says that the sultan built it in honor of his wife, Bhagyamathi (or Bhagmathi), together with the construction of Hyderabad itself. Another, more popular, legend is that the sultan built it to honor a promise to Allah when he prayed for an end to a plague that ravaged the new city. The building got its name from its four minarets, which were possibly meant to honor the first four caliphs of Islam. Another legend also holds that a secret tunnel runs underneath the monument that connects the palace at Golconda to it should the royal family need to escape but so far, no such tunnels have been found.

Architecture and Build

                       The Charminar is a square structure with each side 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) long, with four grand arches each facing a fundamental point that open into four streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, 56 meters (approximately 184 feet) high with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with dainty petal like designs at the base. Unlike the Taj Mahal, Charminar's four fluted minarets are built into the main structure. There are 149 winding steps to reach the upper floor. The structure also known as profuseness of stucco decorations and arrangement of balustrades and balconies.
                      The structure is made of granite, limestone, mortar and pulverised marble. Initially the monument with its four arches was so proportionately planned that when the fort was opened one could catch a glimpse of the bustling Hyderabad city as these Charminar arches were facing the most active royal ancestral streets.There is also a legend of an underground tunnel connecting the Golkonda fort to Charminar, possibly intended as an escape route for the Qutb Shahi rulers in case of a siege, though the location of the tunnel is unknown.
                      A mosque is located at the western end of the open roof and the remaining part of the roof served as a court during the Qutb Shahi times. The actual mosque occupies the top floor of the four-storey structure. A vault that appears from inside like a dome, supports two galleries within the Charminar, one over another, and above those a terrace that serves as a roof, bordered with a stone balcony. The main gallery has 45 covered prayer spaces with a large open space in front to accommodate more people for Friday prayers.
                     The clock on the four cardinal directions was added in 1889 and there is a Vazu(water cistern)in the middle with a small fountain for Ablution before offering prayer in the Charminar Mosque.
                      Islamic architecture is characterized mostly by the deployment of arches, minarets, and domes in order to make a unified whole, and the Charminar answers to this principle impressively. In spite of this, though, it still has several features that answer to Hindu architecture, and as a whole, it embodies elements of the temple architecture of South India, a fitting testament to the Hindu and Islam-influenced culture of Hydebaran and the dynasty that built it.


Surroundings

         The area surrounding Charminar is also known by same name. The monument overlooks another and grand mosque called the Makkah Masjid. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 5th ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, commissioned bricks to be made from the soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site of Islam, and used them in the construction of the central arch of the mosque, thus giving the mosque its name. It formed the centerpiece around which the city was planned by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah
A thriving market around the Charminar: Laad Baazar is known for jewellery, especially exquisite bangles, and the Pather Gatti is famous for pearls. In its heyday, the Charminar market had some 14,000 shops.


Timings:All days of the week : 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
entry fee   5 for Indians  , 100 for foreign tourists
visit duration: 30 Minutes