|
Charminar - Hydrabad "A.P."
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.
|