5 Monuments worth a visit in Telangana

Telangana is a young state in India, having been carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. It is a landlocked state and is known for some fine monuments, including temples and forts, as well as many religious structures. The various dynasties that ruled in and around this part of the country have left behind various monuments, and given below are five of them that are worth a visit.

Ramappa Temple: Built during the 12^th century by the Kakatiya rulers, this temple, also known as Rudreshwara Temple, is located in Palampet village of Mulugu district. It is a marvellous piece of art and architecture. The temple has made its way into the UNESCO World Heritage Site based on the technology used in its construction. The chief architect Ramappa, after whom the temple is named, made use of ‘Sandbox’ technology, wherein ‘floating bricks’ are used to reduce the roof weight, thus making it less likely to collapse during a natural calamity like an earthquake. The works on the pillars and the ceiling stand out, as do the beautiful Madanikas in the brackets.

Golconda Fort: The meticulously planned and built fort is located about 10 kilometres from Hyderabad. The Golconda sultanate ruled from here for 175 years. The fort was originally built by the Kakatiya rulers way back in the 11^th century. Later the fort came under the Bahmanis, and when they became weaker, their local governor declared himself king, and thus was born the Golconda Sultanate. Under their rule, the fort was strengthened, additional structures and sections were added, and the acoustics were so great that even a clap or a whisper would be heard in the topmost sections of the fort.

Thousand Pillar Temple: This temple is also known as Rudreshwara Swami Temple and is located in the city of Hanamkonda. Built during the 12^th century by Kakatiya rulers, the temple is considered one of the masterpieces of Kakatiya architecture. The temple is dedicated to Bhagawan Shiva. Along with Shiva, Vishnu and Surya are also worshipped here. The beautiful pillars, sculptures, and the Nandi murthi are the attractions of this temple. The tower of the temple is lost.

Bhuvanagiri Fort:  This fort is located on a huge monolithic rock in the town of Bhuvanagiri. It is also known as the Bhongir fort and was built during the 10^th century by Vikramaditya IV, the Western Chalukya king. Visitors can walk through the mammoth gateways, narrow passages, and steps to reach the top of the fort, from where a panoramic view of the city can be enjoyed. By design, it appears like a fort strategically built to be used as a sentry post because of its location.

Warangal Fort: It is a 13th-century fort built by the Kakatiya rulers. Because of the beautiful architecture of the fort, it is also called Kakatiya Kala Thoranam. The fort showcases some wonderful architectural remains, including the stone arches, which are known as the gateway of glory. There is a temple in the fort complex, as well as a  royal palace known as Khush Mahal. This fort is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.