The once impregnable Golconda Fort suffered damage when one side of its huge door fell on Wednesday morning due to ‘rust and decay’. The left door of the historic Moti Darwaza got uprooted and rested precariously on the other door, giving anxious moments to passers-by. Luckily, nobody got injured, but the movement of traffic was thrown out of gear for nearly two hours as the massive wooden door leaned forward dangerously.
Officials manning the Golconda Fort and police rushed to the spot and diverted the traffic. The door was later removed and taken away for repair. Interestingly, in 2006 also the Moti Darwaza suffered damage when its right door fell in the same way. It was repaired and replaced later. “White ants and insects have decayed the hoary wooden door resulting in its collapse,” said R. Krishnaiah, Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The uprooted door is 7 metres high, 2.5 metres wide and has a thickness of .25 metres. It weighs close to a tonne. ASI engineers will examine the damaged door on Thursday and decide on the course of action to be taken for its repair. “A decision on giving chemical treatment to the decayed door will also be taken,” said Shiv Kumar, Conservation Assistant, Golconda Fort.
Locals attributed the fall of the door to the excavation work done recently by the Water Board to lay a pipeline through the gateway. ASI officials, however, dismissed this theory and said the door had just got decayed due to its longevity.
Moti Darwaza is one of the eight huge gateways leading to the Golconda Fort. The other doorways are Macca Darwaza, Fateh Darwaza, Jamali Darwaza, Banjara Darwaza, Naya Qila Darwaza, Patancheru Darwaza and Bahamani Darwaza. These gateways, which are more than 400 years old, were located in cardinal directions leading to important urban centres. The wooden doors are covered with thick iron sheets with sharp iron spikes embedded as protection against the thrust of elephants during war. The narrow winding passage from the gateway leading to the fort is again intended to gain military advantage, it is said.
The 13 century monument built by the Kakatiyas presents a picture of utter neglect today. The story of its decay is etched on its weakening stones. Vegetal growth jutting out from the imposing fortress is common. The battle parapet has also vanished at many places on the 7-km-long outer fortification wall. The fort wall looks particularly weak at Moti Darwaza where the door caved in on Wednesday.
