World Heritage status sought for Golconda Fort

WARANGAL: Retired KU Professor V Madhavan, in Geology, demanded that Golconda should be given World Heritage status. He was speaking at a workshop on the university premises on Monday.Golconda is not a mere fort of historical importance but famous for diamonds. “Kakatiya rulers built the mud fort. Under the Qutb Shahi rulers, Golkonda flourished and eventually became a major global centre for diamond trade,” he said. “It was the only diamond processing and exporting hub in the world by 17th century and gave some best-known diamonds like Kohinoor.”The Kohinoor diamond actually belonged to Kakatiya rulers of Orugallu, the present Warangal. The rulers installed Kohinoor as one of the eyes of the presiding goddess of Warangal, which was their capital.In 1323, Ghiyasuddin defeated the Kakatiya rulers and took the diamod away. Later, it changed many hands and landed in UK in 1850.“It is about 689 years since Kohinoor moved out of Warangal,” the professor reminded. The diamond corridor between Golconda, Kolluru and Paritala was the brainchild of Kakatiyas. The retired professor urged the goernment to initiate steps to restore the fabulous diamond to India.He said that Warangal, for its rich cultural heritage, also deserves World Heritage status. University Vice-Chancellor Prof. B Venkat Rathnam, Prof. K David, Prof. Niranjan Kumar and faculty of Kakatiya University  were among those present at the press meet.