Tuesday 16 January 2007

Golconda - The Qutab Shahi Tombs




www.goldenford.co.uk or http://www.ireneblack.co.uk/

'She stood mesmerised ... the blackened limestone domes of these colossal, square edifices testified to the passing of centuries, and despite the harmony of the architecture, they purveyed a sense of emptiness and desolation, which mirrored their purpose in a way that shocked.'






'She wandered along sandy paths under bougainvillaea-covered pergolas ...'






'...admiring the cold perfection of Islamic arches and elaborate stone balustrades.'






'...stopping for a moment to watch a couple of workmen high up on a domed roof, as confident as crows, no safety devices to hold them in place.'








'Inside they were empty except for a black basalt sarcophagus...'







Photos and Text © Irene Black