Travels in India (Tavernier) 24.1.2

24.1.2

Bhagnagar is then the town which they commonly call Golconda, and it was commenced by the great-grandfather of the King who reigns at present, at the request of one of his wives whom he loved passionately, and whose name was Nagar. It was previously only a pleasure resort where the King had beautiful gardens, and his wife often telling him that, on account of the river, the spot was suitable for building a palace and a town, he at length caused the foundations to be laid, and desired that it should bear the name of his wife, calling it Bhagnagar, i.e. the Garden of Nagar. This town is in 16° 58" of lat. The neighbouring-country is a flat plain, and near the town you see numerous rocks as at Fontainebleau. A large river bathes the walls of the town on the south-west side, and flows into the Gulf of Bengal close to Masulipatam. You cross it at Bhagnagar by a grand stone bridge, which is scarcely less beautiful than the Pont Neuf at Paris. The town is nearly the size of Orleans, well built and well opened out, and there are many fine large streets in it, but not being paved — any more than are those of all the other towns of Persia and India — they are full of sand and dust ; this is very inconvenient in summer.