Warangal Temples

Thousand Pillar Temple
Location: Warangal
Deity: Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya.

Architecture:This is a 12th century temple and it is the main attraction of Hanamkonda and built by Rudra Devi. It has the Kakatiya style of architecture. The temple is star shaped and has three shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva (Rudreswara), Vishnu (Vasudeva) and Surya. It is built on one metre high platform on the slopes of the Hanumakonda hill. It has a majestic monolithic Nandi in black basalt with a polish look and the 1000-pillared hall. (The hall does not exist in its entirety). Small lingam shrines surround the garden. The temple is famous for its richly carved pillars, screens and detailed sculpture.




Ghanpur Temples
Location: Warangal
Deity: Lord Shiva.

The Kakatiya temple resembles the Palampet temple. Many small shrines and mandapams surround it is now ruins. Ghanpur temples are a group of temples and are worth a visit because of their architectural skills and are popularly known as Kota Gullu.

History: Constructed by King Ganapatideva, the ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty from 1199-1260. The Ghanpur Temples consist of about 20 temples. All vary in size and in design. There are several mandapams and are constructed within a double walled stone enclosure. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The most striking feature of the temples is the Sabha mandapa porches. The two mandikas or salabhanjikas found in the northern side of the portico are very impressive in appearance. The porticos on the eastern and southern sides are embellished with mythical figures of Gaja Kesari, half man half lion riding an elephant, horse-head lion on elephant.

One of the greatest ruling clans of Andhra Desa made this fort city its capital. Orugallu, as it was known, is today’s modern Warangal. During the reign of the Kakatiyas, the Telugug culture and literature attained great heights. Some of the finest forms of architecture in the whole of South India can be seen in the ruins of the once glorious empire. Only the beauty of the surrounding lakes matches its historic past. Welcome to Warangal, the heartland of Andhra Pradesh. The capital of the Kakatiya empire.

Warangal is well coneected by rail from New Delhi, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Chennai. The city is a cluster of three towns – Warangal, Kazipet and Hanamkonda. Today, the city and the districts of Warangal offer, for the connoisseurs of arts, architecture and nature, a rich spread.

Places of tourist importance in and around Warangal: Thousand Pillar temple, Warangal Fort, Khush Mahal, Ramappa Temple, Ramappa lake, Bhadrakali Temle, Pakhal lake, Eturunagaram, Kolanupaka, Pembarti, Cheriyal.

Thousand Pillar Temple

One of the most famous monuments of Andhra Pradesh, the Thousand Pillar Temple, located in Hanomkonda, was built in 1163 ad by the Kakatiya King Rudra Deva, following the Chalukyan style of temple architecture. The star shaped, triple –shrined temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Surya, with its perforated stone screens, richy carved icons, meticulously designed pillars and rock-cut elephants, stands testimony to the highly evolved brilliance of Kakatiya architecture. The six feet high monolithic Nandi is another major lure of this temple, also knowns as ‘Trikutalayam’, because of the three shrines within.

Bhadrakali Temple

Close to the Thousand Pillar Temple is another famous temle of Bhadrakali, noted for its stone image of Goddess kali depicted in a sitting posture.

Warangal Fort

Built by the Kakatiyas, during the reign of King Ganapati Deva in the 13^th Century, the once impregnable fort combines geometrical intricacies and beautifully cared arches. The fort has 45 towers and pillars spread over a radius of 19 km, and a temple of Mother Earth called ‘Swayambhudevi Alayam’ in the centre.

Even today, the beautifully cared gateway located within the fort- the famours’Ekashila’- symbolizes the Kakatiya empire and Warangal like the Charminar does for Hyderabad.

Khush Mahal

A mute testimony to a glorius past in the Khush Mahal, a masterpiece built by Shitabh Khan. Located close to the Warangal Fort, this magnificent edifice houses idols excavated from the surrounding areas.

Ramappa Temple

The Ramalingeswara temple, populwarly known as Ramappa temple, is situated in Palampet village, 70km from Warangal. In architectural beauty it is second only to the temples of Belur and Halebid of the Hoyasala empire in Karnataka. The construction of the temple dates back to 1213AD. An inscription in the temple reads that it was built on behalf of Ganapati Deva, by his commander in chief, Rudra Senani. Orginally there were three temples Kateswara, Kameswara and Rudreswara.. Of these only the Rudreswara is intact while the other tow lie in ruins. The Shiva temple rises magnificently over a six feet high star-shapted platform. The intricate sculpture, richly carved pillars, the exguisitely chiseled walls and ceiling make a visit to Ramappa Temple an unforgettable experience..

Other attractions of Warangal City

Prataprudra Planetarium, Kakatiya Musical Garden, Rock Garden, Archaelogical Museum, Samskritika Vihar and Lakkavaram lake

EXCURSIONS FROM WARANGAL

Ramappa Lake

The Kakatiya rulers followed the tradition of constructing a tank adjacent to a temple. In line with this tradition, the Ramappa lake was also constructed here. The lake holds a great scenic beauty, with its serene surroundings, giving a mystical air to the temple.

Pakhal Lake

A trip to Warangal is not complete without a sojourn at the charming Pakhal Lake. Moonlit nights on the shores of this lake are simply heavenly. Situated about 70 km from Warangal, this huge manmade lake is enveloped by the forested hills. The lake was excavated during the reign of Ganapati Deva. Set around the lake is the Pakhal Wild Life Sanctuary, spread over an area of 900 sq.km.

The sanctuary is home to the Tiger, Leopard, Panther and Sambhar. Besides, a large number of migratory birds arrive in winter at the lake

Kolanupaka

Located on the Warangal-Hyderabad road (80km from Hyderabad and 50 km from Warangal), Kolanupaka is an enlivening fusion of history and religion. It was the 11^th century of capital of Kalyani Chalukyas and the birth place of Renukacharya, a great Veera Shaiva Saint. A great pilgrim centre for Jains, Kolanupaka has a number of ancient Jain temples, some of them even 2000 years old. A five feet jade idol of Lord Mahavira is an added attraction. The Jain temple is architecturally brilliant and endowed with beautifully carved statues of Tirthankaras. The State Archaeological Department runs amuseum in the Someswara temple complex with a wide range of exhibits relating to temple architecture.

Eturunagaram

About 80km from Warangal, the Eturunagarm Sanctuary, situated along with the banks of River Godavari, is home to the Spotted Deer, Blackbuck, Neelgai, Sloth Bear, Panther and Tiver. The sylvan environs of the sanctuary, with forest interspersed with los hills, offer ahice holiday Cottages maintained by the Department of Forest at Eturunagaram and nearby Tadvai Provide comfortable accommodation. The best season to visit Eturunagaram is between October and May.

Pembarti

The Kakatiyas extensively used sheet metal art to decorate chariots and temples. With the fall of the Kakatiya empire the art had a slow death. But it was revived during the reign of the Nizams of Hyderabad. Pembarti, located 60 km from Warangal, is famous for the sheet metal art. For the lovers of arts and crafts the town is worth a visit.

Cheriyal

Cheriyal village in Warangal district is home to the famous Cheriyal scroll painting. The paintings in earth colours, depicting mythological stories, find great popularity as wall decorations.

How to get there

Air : The nearest airport is Hyderabad, which is 130km away. Hyderabad is well connected by air to all the major cities of India.

Rail: Warangal and the adjoining Kazipet fall on the Chennai-New Delhi Grand Trunk route. Hence, train services are available to Warangal from all the major cities of India.

Road: Warangal is easily accessible by road from Hyderabad and Vijayawada. Regular bus services connect Warangal with Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupathi and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

Where to stay : Comfortable accommodation is available in Warangl with both luxury and economy hotels. AP Tourism has a ‘Punnami’ Hotel with a bar and restaurant attached. The hotel is ideally located at Hanamkonda – a distance of 2 km from Kazipet Railway Stationo and 14 km from Warangal Railway Station. Both A/C and Non A/C rooms offer comfortable accommodation.