Warangal Travel Guide

Location : Northern part of Andhra Pradesh
Attractions : Wrangal fort, Thousand Pillar Temple, Bhadra Kali Temple
Ideal Time To Visit : October to June

¤ The Ancient City of Warangal

The city of Warangal is located in northern Andhra Pradesh State. In the past, it was the ancient capital of the Kakatiya dynasty in the 12th century AD. The beautiful lakes, temples, wildlife, exquisite antiques and relics makes it a populat travel destination and invite innumerable tourists to explore it.

The Warangal fort was the center of power here. It is located in the southeast of the warangal city. In the past, it was fortified by two walls but now only its ruins are left. Today, Warangal is one of the major commercial and industrial cities of India.


¤ History of Warangal

Warangal was ruled by the Prola Raja of the Kakatiya dynasty, who established the place in the 12th century AD. Warangal was earlier known as the Worakalli, the capital of the Adeva Rajas of Tuluva andhra or Telengana in the 8th century AD.

Earlier, warangal was known as Orugallu or Omtikonda due to the presence of a massive boulder like hillock situated near the swayambhu Siva Temple. It was also referred to as "Ekasilanagaram".


¤ Attractions In Warangal

Warangal has many travel places, which attracts tourists in large number. It is also mentioned in the travel diaries of Marco Polo.

Warangal Fort
This fort is 12-km away from Hanamakonda and it dates back to the 13th century. This fort was built by the Kakatiya king, Ganapati Deva and his daughter Rudramma. The major part of the structure of the fort has been damaged, but it still has some of the its ruins with exquisite pieces of sculpture.

Thousand Pillar Temple
The thousand pillar temple represents the Kakatiya architecture and sculpture. It was built by Rudra Deva in 1163 AD. This temple follows the Chalukyan style of temples having a star shape and triple shrine.

Bhadra Kali Temple The Bhadra Kali temple is situated on a hilltop between Hanamkonda and Warangal. This temple is famous for its stone image of the Goddess Kali.

¤ Excursions

Jain Temple
The Jain temple here is about 2,000-year old and is dedicated to Lord Mahaveer. It is a famous place of worship for Jains in the country. There are beautiful images of Thirthankaras here, but the 5ft high image of Mahavira, entirely carved of Jade, is the highlight of the temple.

Ramappa Temple - 70 kms
The Ramappa temple is also known as the Ramalingeswara temple. It is situated in Palampet village around 70-kms away from Warangal. This temple dates back to 1213 AD and it represents the rich heritage of the Kakatiya kingdom.

Pakhal Lake - 50 km
The Pakhal lake is a man made lake completed in 1213 AD by the Kakatiya king, Ganapathidev. It was built by harnessing a small tributary of the Krishna River. Located 50-km from Warangal, it spreads over an area of 30-sq-km.

Kolanupaka Museum - 80 km
Kolanupaka was the alternate capital of Kalyani Chalukyas in the 11 th century AD. There is a famous museum here set up by the State Department of Archeology and Museums. It is a sculptural gallery, which displays artifacts from the various historical monuments in Kolanupaka.

¤ Festivals

Warangal also celebrates the same festivals celebrated by the rest of Andhra Pradesh. Some of these festivals here are, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Shivratri, Dusshera, etc.


¤ Reach Warangal

By Air : The nearest Airport is Hyderabad (140-km) connected by Indian Airlines flights with Bombay , Bangalore , Bhubaneswar , Calcutta , Delhi , Madras, Nagpur, and Vishakhapatnam.
By Rail : Warangal is linked to all-important cities in India by rail.
By Road : Regular bus services are available (APSRTC) from Hyderabad, Yadagirigutta, Vijayawada, Armur, Kolanupaka, Jangaon, Kodad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Suryapet, Palampet, Jagtial, Khammam, Bhadrachalam, Basara, Bangalore , Mysore and Tirupati.