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Charminar, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) |
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Stand proud in the middle of a bustling ambience, the charming Charminar is a symbol of great significance and a landmark monument of India. This architectural masterpiece is the creation of Quli Qutub Shah way back in1591 to mark the end of a deadly epidemic that had ravaged Hyderabad. Despite the noisy and congested atmosphere prevalent in its surrounding today, the monument evokes a grand serenity of its own.
Four splendid minarets crowned the magnificent structure and hence the name Char Minar (four minarets) is ascribed to it. On the massive walls of the structure are the beautiful delicate etchings that recall a remarkable past. The fluted minarets are built into the main structure of Charminar and inside are the spiral stairways of 149 steps that lead up to the top of the four storeyed structure. From the top one can have a spectacular view of the city and even get a glimpse of the majestic Golconda Fort.
Charminar's origin coincides the time when the city of Hyderabad was under construction. Due to shortage of water and frequent epidemics Qutub Shahi Shah established a new city abandoning his old settlement at Golconda. At the center of the city he built a massive structure in the form of a square crowned by four beautiful minarets. Fanning out from the sides of the majestic structure are four great roads in four different directions.
A distant view of this magnificent structure will take you into a different era, but as one approaches nearer the illusions dispersed off by the presence of a busy and lively market place around the site. Hoards of colorful shops and stalls crowded with hawkers and bargainers make you realized the spirit of the present world. But a look back at this masterpiece of yore amidst the growing chaos, the serenity returns.
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