Golconda, Charminar vie for heritage status

Call an urban agglomeration by any name, metropolitan city or metro, but think history and the south Indian city that comes to your mind will definitely be Hyderabad.There is something about Hyderabad and its history that beckons people to this place and tempts them to settle down.

The laid-back Nawabi influence still lingers in the culture, food and also the historical monuments that are scattered across the city. Sadly, many of them suffer from governmental apathy and neglect as even a cursory look at the Paigah tombs or the Qutub Shahi tombs reveals.
Golkonda is undeniably one of the tourist hotspots in the city. Every wall in the fort has breathes history.The structure that was built to prevent Mughal invasion from the North, has many wonders. One of the fascinating features of the fort is definitely its incredible acoustic system. It's impossible for any tourist visting Golconda to miss the mind-blowing experience. Clap with your bare hands at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, and hear it resound at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-ft-high granite hill!
The best honour of Golconda's beauty came in the form of a poem from John Keats in "On receiving a curious Shell", where the opening lines read: "Hast thou from the caves of Golconda, a gem/Pure as the ice-drop that froze on the mountain?" Golconda, which lies in neglect today, was once a treasure trove of the famous Kohinoor and Hope diamonds.
Another majestic architectural wonder that adds charm to the city is Charminar. The place that offers the best street shopping experience is always the hub of activity. Charminar is Hyderabad's best-known landmark, a monument that the city is synonymous with.
Incidentally, Charminar is listed among the most recognized structures in the country.The beauty of the monument is such that in the year 2007, Hyderabadi Muslims living in Pakistan built a small-scale quasi replica of Charminar in Bahadurabad, Karachi. Isn't it indeed a honour for the city?
Well, there's more to come and the two structures are all set to add more glory to the city. A Unesco panel will inspect both Charminar and Golconda fort next month fot their possible inclusion in the coveted World Heritage List. Experts from the UNESCO's International Council of Monuments and Sites will visit Charminar, Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi tombs in September before they prepare the World Heritage Sites list of 2013.
Although the government is supposedly making all efforts to renovate the structures, one can only hope the sites are in good shape enough to qualify for the prestigious title. At present, there are 27 Indian structures on the World Heritage Sites. Hyderabadis are now keeping their fingers crossed for the inclusion of the city monuments too so they can add one more feather to their cap! After all, it was long overdue.
Reshmi@sakshipost