The History of Deccan Plateau in hyderabad

Few relics of prehistoric settlement on the Deccan Plateau have survived. The earliest culture appears to date back to the second millennium B.C., when light-complected Aryans began pushing the native inhabitants from the Indus River valley to the south. Many of them settled on the Deccan Plateau, where they retained their original religion and tribal organizations.

Over the centuries, certain Aryan elements, such as Vedic gods, made their way into the Deccan culture. The first important state to arise on the Deccan Plateau was the Satavahanas dynasty. The Satavahanas created a kingdom based on the superiority of the Brahmans and the political organization of the Mauryan Empire. Power was decentralized, with much authority given to local governors. Although the Satavahanas were Hindus, they granted religious freedom to the Buddhists who controlled trade in the region.

Satvahanas c.240 BC - AD 200 

If the Mauryas are credited with forming the first empire in northern India, then the credit for forming the first southern empire should go to the Satvahanas. The Satvahanas (Satavahanas, or Sattvahana) are also called the Andhras, mainly because one of their clansmen, King Puloma, is considered to have been the first amongst Andhra kings (the Andhras are a community residing in present day Andhra Pradesh state in southern India, and Puloma was the first to capture the territory which later made up the Andhras). 

They belonged to Dravidian stock, Indians who predated the arrival of the Aryan Indo-Europeans from the north. The were essentially Brahmins who were later accepted in the Aryan fold. They probably remained regional chieftains under Mauryan rule. After the death of Ashoka they declared their independence from the Mauryas and founded their own empire. The kingdom of the Satvahanas lay to the west of Iron Age Kalinga.

Cities became more common under the Satavahanas, and extensive land and sea trade routes developed, linking northern and southern India. The Satavahanas kingdom lasted from the second century B.C. to the third century A.D. It then split into smaller kingdoms that were ruled by families who had been feudal vassals of the Satavahanas. For nearly 1,000 years, India was divided into regional kingdoms that developed their own cultures.

The amazing rock boulders in Hyderabad

The amazing rock formations that are quaintly perched at artistic angles in the Deccan Plateau have been a part of the magnificent landscape of the city of Hyderabad and its surroundings for eons. They provide a breath-taking view of nature in its raw grandeur. They are indeed the eternal rock stars of Hyderabad. Geologists date these rocks to 2,500 million years back, among the oldest and hardest rocks in the world. 

These graceful boulders in a variety of shapes and sizes have withstood the vagaries of nature and its elements for ages. These formations are in the danger of being reduced to rubble due to the onslaught of relentless urbanisation and mindless development. Even a casual visitor to the city would not miss the presence of these unusual formations. Writes Erla Zwingle in her field notes in National Geographics: Deccan Plateau is a granite shield that has weathered into beautiful, bizarre formations. These have eroded in a way that gives the granite a texture characteristic of rhinoceros hide. It’s distinctive to this part of India.

While central Hyderabad has lost most of these breath-taking beauties to concrete constructions, the east and west of the city still enjoys nature’s creativity in all its granite splendour. No wonder, the balancing boulders have inspired many an artist and writer. While Jatin Das sculpted human faces out of them, Krishen Khanna painted them with fantasy animals.

Local artists Lakshma Goud and K.V. Reddy portrayed them on canvas. Well-known Hyderabadi and historian Narendra Luther brought out Rockumentary, a picturesque tribute to the bewitching beauty of the rocks and a passionate plea to conserve them. Interestingly, the flora and fauna around these rocks is significant and rare, according to microbiologists.

According to them, rocky areas are a treasure trove of unique flora and fauna, including ancient micro-organisms. Nature’s bounty is being recklessly destroyed, aided by an indifferent civic authority. It fell upon a foreigner to raise a voice against the destruction.

Frauke Quader, a German who settled in Hyderabad years ago, started a movement to espouse the cause of the rocks. The Deccan’s rocky boulders, precariously perched on top of each other, are a wonder that no other city can boast of. Over the years, seeing the gradual destruction of this beautiful landscape, the realisation grew that something must be done to save these sculptures of nature.

If you are a traveller and want to have a majestic view of these boulders, stay with us by booking on AIRBNB, Homeway or TripAdvisor

Views from our property: