GOLCONDA, a province of Deccan, a district in In dia, comprehends the tract of country between the rivers Kistnah and Godavery in 17° North Latitude; and extends about 200 miles from north to south, and 220 from west to east. It is bounded on the north by Berar, on the south by the kingdom of Mysore, on the west by Visiapour, and on the east by the northern circars. It was formerly a por tion of a very extensive empire, which comprised all the peninsula from the north extremity of Orissa to Cape Co morin. It was anciently called Tellingana; and it is some evidence of its original extent, that the Tellinga language is at present in use from the river Pennar in the Carnatic to Orissa along the coast, and to a considerable distance inland. It was reduced under the power of Aurenzebe in 1687 ; and now forms the principal possession of the Ni zam or Soubah of the Deccan. Its ancient capital was Warango!e or ()Fingal, about 400 miles from Madras, the site of which is indicated by an old rampart of great ex tent, within which a modern fortress is erected ; but the present metropolis is Hydrabad, about fifty miles to the south-west, a large walled town, situated in a delightful plain on the banks of the river Moussy, 902 miles from Calcutta, 352 from Madras, and 480 from Bombay : (See HYDRABAD.) About six miles north-west from this town stands the celebrated fortress of Golconda, which gives name to the province, and is deemed impregnable. It oc
cupies the summit of a hill, of a conical form, and is of such extent as to deserve the name of a city. It was an ciently the residence of the kings of Golconda ; and the tombs of many of them are still to be seen in the midst of gardens at a short distance from the fortress.* The coun try of Golconda is extremely fertile, and produces abun dant crops of rice and other grain. Vines arc very plen tiful, and a white wine is made of the grapes, which are ripe in January. The wet or winter season begins in June, and continues till January ; when the great heats com mence. But it is chiefly celebrated for its diamond mines, which are generally adjacent to the ridges of rocks run ning through the country. The principal of these mines are in the neighbourhood of Raolcondo and Culloor, the last of which places is about 110 miles east of Hydrabad, and is situated in the midst of barren, rocky plains. The diamonds are sometimes found scattered in the earth, with in two or three fathoms of the surface ; and in other places they are bedded in the body of the rock, at a depth of 40 or 50 fathoms. For a particular account of these mines, see Philosophical Transactions, vol. xii. or of the Abridg ment, vol. ii. See also Mod. Univ. Hist. vol. vi. ; Ren net's Mem. of a Map of Hindustan; and Tavernier's Tra vels (q)