Review: Gabbar Singh's menacing hideout in the Ramanagara rocks in the timeless Bollywood hit Sholay, for instance, was formed over three billion years ago, making India one of the oldest countries on earth. We are an ancient civilisation yes, but we are also a very ancient land..

Author: Rajesh A. N. 

Guide: Dr. Deepak John Mathew

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A Thesis submitted to the Department of Design of Indian Institute of Technology.

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Author: Shanta Almutawa

The article explores the various discussions and interpretations by curators, artists, scholars of Indian painting, art historians, el al of the above painting which was exhibited in the Sultans of the Deccan: 1500-1700 Opulence and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Author: K.V Subba Rao
 

Kaigala Venkata Subba Rao has researched the geology of the Deccan Traps, one of the largest volcnic provinces in the world. He was invited to present an overview of his research at the TWAS 15th General Meeting in Trieste in November 2004.

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min 25:40 John Robert Alderman - Metal Objects Depicted in Deccani Painting and Architectural Decoration

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​Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy, on view April 20–July 26, 2015.

An interview with Frauke Quader of Save the Rocks.

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"It breaks my heart to see them disappear gradually from our surroundings with every urban development project. Funny how they are not an environmental concern given that once lost, we cannot possibly ever grow them back! ..."

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Director: Zuleika kingdon & Martin Briggs Watson

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Documentary on a musical experiment inspired by the stunning rocks of Uganda.

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A talk by Susan Stronge: Senior Curator Victoria and Albert Museum

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As long as the Sun and the Moon continue to shine, this work will continue,” says Tukaram Pawar a Waddar from a village in Ahmedabad District. He and fifteen others are working on restoring the 16th century (or Vasai) Fort in Palghar district.

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A short essay and visual introduction to the rocks of Hyderabad by Pooja Gupta

Tales of Important Geological Puzzles and the People Who Solved Them

Author: DONALD R. PROTHERO

A blog post by eminent Hyderabad-based rock conservationist, Narendra Luther.

Michael Grab has been balancing rocks all over the world for over 12 years. He uses the power of gravity to do so and in his words “gravity is the only glue.”

A nice link to Indian geo-parks. We need geo-parks set up for the remaining rock hills in Hyderabad.

An article on the Deccan Plateau with an overview of the name and its origins, the Deccan Traps, the history and some images.

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Dir: Sara

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A documentary on the city of Hyderabad built on the 2500 million granite beds of the Deccan plateau. The heritage rocks of Hyderabad are a very special feature of the city.  This film is a voice of the various people of Hyderabad who are convinced that this will be just another city without its rocks and everything within their power should be used to preserve them.

Author: D.Balasubramaniam

This article looks into why we should save the rocks of the Deccan? "The answer comes from history, namely the very birth, growth and evolution of our Mother Earth — its continents, climate and what we can learn from that."

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Deccan Symposium Day one Session 1: Painting and Pen

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Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy, on view April 20–July 26, 2015.

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min: 26.42 Shebaz Safrani - Ganga Jamuni Culture of Hyderabad Deccan: Two hundred years of Togetherness.

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Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy, on view April 20–July 26, 2015

"Cheriyal Scroll paintings are very old traditional paintings in Telangana State in India. These paintings are continues from 15th century by NAKASH FAMILY. I am D.Vaikuntam master craftsmen and National Awardee. Presently very less people are participating in this traditional craft, and I had received many national level awards from the government of India for developing this craft."

Rohini Kumar, Artist - An exhibition titled ‘Konaseema to Golconda’, tells the story of the artist's life, beginning from Amalapuram to coming to Hyderabad to learn art. The display includes his watercolour works.

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An introduction to the various types of Golconda diamonds and the stories behind them, their unsurpassed quality and how they became famous all over the world

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Golkonda Diamonds by Renu Chowdhary

David Whyte’s “Blessing” poems are interpreted through a visual journey across the Irish landscape in this short film by Emmy-winning filmmaker Andrew Hinton. Musician and composer Owen Ó Súilleabháin, who has collaborated with David Whyte for over a decade, offers a reflection on the music that inspired the creation of this short film.

A Short Story Collection

Author: Victoria Bouvier (A First Nation Meiti)

She writes - These stories allow for a sense of self to flourish, as well as a sense of belonging; not only to a community but to all human and non-human beings in the universe. Stories guide our lives and remind us of our responsibility to the universe to promote and maintain harmony.

An ariel dance troupe from France performing on the walls of the Golconda fort. 

By: Sriram Mudambi

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Being Hyderabadi is not just about feeling the royalty that is associated with it. It is even about how much you give back to your city as its true citizen. Check this beautiful apna Hydrabadi gaana by Sriram Mudambi asking us nothing more than to just be united as decent citizens to love our city better. It's not you alone nor its me alone ...

By: Rafath Begum, BA III Year,
RBVRR College for Women

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I request every Hyderabad-i to watch Other Kohinoors; the film will repair our relationship with the beautiful lakes, rocks and blue skies of the city.' ; “thrilled to learn about the religious and mythological role of rocks.' ; “an education in rocks.’ ; “an essential cultural text of our present times.

Since 1992 The Society to Save Rocks has been working to preserve and protect the spectacular ancient granite formations in and around the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.  

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Author: Marika Sardar

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An article on the Daccani kingdoms of  Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, and Berar, and their patronage of the arts. 

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Author: JBS Umanadha

“Rocks are not just barren and lifeless monoliths with only an aesthetic or sentimental value, but a plethora of life form." Read more about the efforts to save the rocks of the Deccan. 

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Friday focus Conversation - In the footsteps of India’s Deccan Sultans: A photographic journey

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Speakers:

Navina Najat Haidar, Curator, Department of Islamic Art, MMA Antonio Martinelli, photographer

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy, on view April 20–July 26, 2015.

If you’re ever in Japan, consider a trip to Chineskikan, located two hours outside Tokyo in the city of Chichibu. The peculiar museum is the only one of its kind, dedicated entirely to rocks that look like human faces. Owned and operated by Yoshiko Hayama.

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Author: Mamta Sagar

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The origin of the Chariyal scroll paintings and their use in storytelling.

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A Geocache blog with interesting information on Hyderabad rocks: granites, pink series, gray series, tors and all! And a well thought out quiz on the features of the rocks at Golconda!!​

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A collection of photographs of Golconda fort by ace photographer Saurabh Chatterjee.

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In Hyderabad, an ocean of concrete is turning streets into rivers after heavy rains. The reasons for this malady are many. The city has added 129.55 million sq. ft of built-up space over the past five years, flattening hillocks and filling streams and tanks and building on agricultural land. The result, is rain water can no longer percolate into the ground.

The destruction of our ancient rocks and the challenges Indian geologists face.

The well known geologist C.P.Rajendran in the article writes about how the “geological features and landscapes that evolved over billions of years tell us the spectacular stories of our origins” and how these “natural laboratories” of the present and future generations are being totally destroyed.

Large flawless diamonds from the Golconda region. Rich green emeralds from Colombia. Blood-red rubies from Burma. Only the most visually striking would do, set in the purest gold. For more than 5,000 years, jewelry has played an integral role in the history of India. Wars were fought and empires won and lost in pursuit of these riches.

The Wildlife Biology and Taxonomy Lab of Department of Zoology of Osmania University had been instrumental in creating a database on the biological diversity of Greater Hyderabad in collaboration with the Greater 
Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The book  showcases the rich 
and varied biodiversity of Hyderabad.

William Darlymple on the book: 'Macfarlane brings the full weight of his erudition to the table. He quotes a dazzling range of poets and novelists and great galaxies of writers on geology, archaeology, mythology, morphology and glaciology, as well as on nuclear science, “dark matter” physics and art history.'