Things to do in Golconda & Qutb Shahi Tombs

Golconda, about 10 km west of Charminar, was the capital of the Qutb Shahi kingdom before Hyderabad was founded, and its fort is the city's biggest monument. Visitors climb to the Bala Hissar by day and return after dark for the sound and light show. Bonalu begins here every year, with the first offerings at the Jagadamba temple inside the fort. The domed Qutb Shahi Tombs lie just to the north, and Taramati Baradari, a Qutb Shahi pavilion run as a cultural complex with an open-air auditorium, hosts classical music and dance festivals. No metro line reaches Golconda, so come by cab, auto or bus through Mehdipatnam.