The Incredible Rocks of Hyderabad

Overview

The surreal splendour of the rocky environs of Hyderabad’s Khajaguda Hillock, also known as Fakhruddin Gutta beckon the adventurer in you; that incredible high (literally) can become quite addictive as you pit your strength against these immense wonders of unforgiving granite. Sheltered in these awesome expanses, filled with caves and scatterings of humongous boulders, are three ancient shrines. Moulded into bizarre shapes by the vagaries of the elements and these other-worldly rockscapes are a cautionary reminder of a wilder time…of ages past, maybe even when the earth was younger, far younger - by about 2,500 million years or the Proterozoic Age.

With the solidification of the earth’s crust, the top layers eroded, exposing them to the natural forces of wind and rain over millions of years shaping them into their present bizarre forms. These rocks have been used as the foundation stones of important monuments like Golkonda Fort and several popular religious shrines are also situated among these rocks. We present a unique experience to get close to some of these rocks.

Why you will love it

• Explore the ancient rock formations of the Deccan
• Get a glimpse into the changing landscape of this city
• Lessons in geology and rock climbing

What you will experience

We will take a walk in Fakhruddin Gutta, that jaw-dropping outcrop of sheetrock. We will also explore the natural cave formations and make our way through narrow spaces between the rocks. The rocks stand majestically against the changing landscape and look silently upon the large-scale modern development on one side and lush green paddy fields on the other side highlighting the changing face of this city. Sequestered amongst these otherworldy environs are the 650-year-old tomb of Islamic saint Hazrat Baba Fakhruddin Aulia, the ancient Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple and a shrine to the present-day spiritual master Avatar Meher Baba.