Warangal Fort, Awesome and Historical!

Warangal Fort - Marvelous Architectural Masterpieces - A Video:

I have been to Warangal a number of times but could not visit Warangal Fort, though I was aware of its greatness. The main reason is that my visits to Warangal have been of very short duration and during these trips, I could visit only Bhadrakali Temple and 1000 Pillar Temple.

Better late than never, I have finally visited Warangal Fort along with my wife very recently and we are thrilled, fascinated and happy with the visit.

I hope the following write-up, attached photographs and the video will convey to you the greatness of this Fort and the awesome sculptural and architectural beauty that we could witness here, though much of it is in ruins now.

Warangal Fort was built in the 13th century by the Kings of Kakatiya Dynasty. It was constructed by King Ganapatideva and later by his daughter Rani Rudrama. Warangal Fort is symbolic of the historical opulence of the region during the reign of Kakatiya Kingdom. It was built as King Ganapatideva shifted the capital of the Kakatiya kingdom from Hanamkonda to Warangal. This Fort stands 12 km away from Hanamkonda. After Ganapatideva, his daughter Rani Rudrama, who took over the Kakatiya reign, looked after the completion of this Fort. Later King Prataparudra II who was also known as Rudradeva II, the last ruler of Kakatiya Kingdom, also made a considerable addition to Warangal Fort.

The Fort is located on the southeastern side of Warangal city. It is a prominent landmark of Telangana State, presenting a perfect example of architectural excellence and historical richness. Built in three layers of fortification ensuring absolute safety, Warangal Fort impresses every visitor with its imposing structure. Although now in ruins, the remains of the Fort still present a glimpse of the mesmerizing craftsmanship and breathtaking artistry that can be seen in the motifs, sculptures, stonework, etc. Warangal Fort has witnessed many battles and destruction and several parts of it have been deliberately destroyed by various anti-Hindu invaders.

A visit to Warangal Fort is sure to leave you fascinated with the gracefulness of its architecture and brilliance though it is mostly in ruins. The remains of the Fort have been recognized as monuments of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India, which is now taking care of the site.

This Fort withstood many attacks, which led to the destruction of its various parts. In 1309, Malik Kafur who was the general of Alauddin Khilji had launched an attack on the Fort. An army consisting of around 100,000 men attacked the Fort in a battle that lasted for many months. The Fort was then defended by King Prataparudra II and his army. Later, many times, Warangal Fort was attacked by the Sultans of Delhi as well.

Eventually, the Qutub Shahi Dynasty took the control of this Fort, later it was under the rule of Hyderabad Nizams.

No discussion about Warangal Fort is complete without mention of its structural beauty. Warangal Fort presents glorious architecture. The Fort consisted of around 45 towers/pillars built over a diameter of about 12.5 km.

However, today only the central part of the Fort which has been recognized as an Archaeological Zone is there for us to see in detail.  This area of Warangal Fort has four Ornamental Gates which originally formed the gates to the destroyed great Shiva Temple within. These four Main Gates are impressively carved into 30 feet high - massive pillared arches built out of single rock. These Gates are known as Kakatiya Kala Thoranams or Warangal Gates. The architectural feature of these historical arches of the Warangal Fort has been adopted as the symbol of the Kakatiya Dynasty and has been officially incorporated as the Emblem of Telangana State. Most of the Warangal Fort photos present a glimpse of this section of the Fort. Here you can see the ruins of Shiva Temple. You can also see wall slabs, entrance pillars, ceiling panels, a relic of the mihrab, many small shrines, etc. The main deity of the temple, Shiva Lingam with four faces of Lord Shiva has been kept in a shrine towards the southern complex of the Fort. Regular prayers are offered to the Lord at the new shrine. Within the Fort complex, one can also find ponds and various small temples. These remains offer an insight into the Fort structure and of the Kakatiya era. Inscriptions on the pillars and the walls also speak about the period during the reign of Kakatiya Kings.

Warangal Fort and the huge arches – Kakatiya Kala Thoranams are included in the "Tentative List" of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

At a distance of 490 feet from the Archaeological Zone is the Kush Mahal, which is a Public Hall built in the 14th century by the Delhi Sultans, who had captured the Fort. The Mahal, which is rectangular in shape, is built with huge sloping walls, sliced by six arched openings on each of its sides. There was once a timber roof over this Mahal, supported by five transverse arches built of stones. There are approach steps on the northeast corner that provide access to the top of the structure, which has scenic views of the entire Fort Complex.

Attached are pictures and video of the ‘Fort - Archeological Zone’ and the adjacent ‘Kush Mahal’.

I have also provided pictures of the “Introduction Sign Boards” placed at these Sites for further information.

When in Warangal please do visit this place to understand our history and appreciate the great works of that time.