Gandikota is a village and historical fort on the right bank of the

Penna river Penna (also known as Pinakini, Penneru, Penner, Pennar, Pennai) is a river of southern India. After originating from Nandi hills, it flows as two different streams, one in North and South directions. The Penna rises in the Nandi Hills, India, ...

, 15 km from

Jammalamadugu Jammalamadugu is a town in Municipality and Revenue Division in YSR Kadapa district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is in Jammalamadugu mandal of Jammalamadugu revenue division. It has many old historical sites and one of the top to ...

Kadapa Kadapa is a city in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located in the Rayalaseema region, and is the district headquarters of YSR Kadapa district. It is located south of the Penna River. The city is surrounded on three sides by ...

district,

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

, India. The fort was the centre of power for various dynasties, such as the

Kalyani Chalukya The Western Chalukya Empire ( ) ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan i ...

s, Pemmasani Nayakas, and the

Golconda Sultanate The Sultanate of Golconda (; ) was an early modern kingdom in southern India, ruled by the Persianate, Shia Islamic Qutb Shahi dynasty of Turkoman origin. After the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate, the Sultanate of Golconda was established i ...

. Initially, a sand fort was constructed by Kaka Raja, a vassal of the Kalyani Chalukya rulers. The village transformed into a major fortified settlement with the rise of the Pemmasani Nayakas. Later, various additions reflecting Islamic architectural styles were made during the period of Muslim rule. The fort is a centrally protected monument of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Etymology

The fort of Gandikota acquired its name due to the 'gorge', formed between the Erramala range of hills, also known as Gandikota hills and the river Penna (Pennar) that flows at its foot, reducing its width to a mere 100 m (look for the river image in the montage/main image).

Geology

Gandikota canyon consists of

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock (geology), rock formed by the cementation (geology), cementation of sediments—i.e. particles made of minerals (geological detritus) or organic matter (biological detritus)—that have been accumulated or de ...

s, namely 'Gandikota

Quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...

' in the Chitravati Group part of Cuddapah Supergroup. The Chitravati Group consists of three formation rank units: the Pulivendla Quartzite; the Tadpatri Formation; and the Gandikota Quartzite.

History

Early history

Gandikota is a village on the right bank of the river Penna, 15 km from Jammalamudugu in Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Gandikota area was first identified and made Sand fort in 1123 by Kakatiya Raja of nearby Bommanapalle village and a subordinate of Ahavamalla Someswara I,

ruler. Gandikota came under the rule of

Kakatiya The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was a Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their territory comprised much of the present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and p ...

dynasty from 1239 A.D to 1304 A.D and ruled by their various subordinates. The village transformed into major fort after the emergence of Pemmasani Nayakas. Recently, Tavva Obul Reddy, a Mydukur-based

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

, discovered a copper plate inscription on the history of Gandikonda Fort. The inscription dates back to 16th century.

Vemana Vemana, popularly known as Yogi Vemana, was an Indian philosopher and poet in the Telugu language. His poems are known for their use of simple language and native idioms. They discuss the subjects of yoga, wisdom and morality. Early life and ...

poet, native of

district and believed to have lived in Gandikota area for a short period.

Jean Baptiste Tavernier Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605–1689) was a 17th-century French gem merchant and traveler. Tavernier, a private individual and merchant traveling at his own expense, covered, by his own account, 60,000 leagues in making six voyages to Persia ...

visited the fort during his travel to Golconda sultanate.

Major structures

Ranganatha_Swamy_Temple_Distant.jpg, Ranganatha Swamy Temple Gandikota_Fort_Entrance.jpg , Gandikota Fort Entrance Camping_Banks_Pennar_River.jpg, Camping on the banks of Penna (Pennar) river File:Juma masjid.jpg, Juma masjid In the fort are two ancient temples, dedicated to Madhava and Ranganatha. They are in ruins and the fort area is full of the debris of ages and many ancient structures in varying stages of decay. The large granary, with a vaulted roof, is now used as watchman's quarters. The Jamia Masjid has two adjacent minarets. A heritage festival is held every year in the fort area. The other structures in the fort, include another large granary (used for storing food and grains late back), a magazine, a graceful 'pigeon tower' with fretted windows and an extensive palace built by bricks with some plastered decorations and some wells. There is an old cannon lying in the fort. There is the 'Rayalacheruvu' with its perennial springs irrigating some lime and plantain gardens. It is said that this 'Cheruvu' was connected to a fountain in Jamia Masjid by pipes, traces of which can still be seen. There were other gardens and springs. There is an undated inscription on a boulder, near the 'Nagajhari' outside the fort, recording the gift of two gardens at the place to the temple. There was a garden called 'Parebagh' with a waterfall at the foot of the hills, on the bank of the Penneru. There are multiple camping areas outside the Fort and on the banks of the Penna (Pennar) river. The other main attractions at the fort includes House of the Drum (drums were used to alert the army in case of invasion), Charminar, Jail (where in the prisoners were held captive) and Red Koneru (Also known as pond of Swords, The huge lake in front of the mosque, where the warriors used to dip their swords in this lake and the waters used to turn blood red after the war).

Access and transportation

The nearest railway stations are Muddanuru which is 26 km (railway code: MOO) and Jammalamadugu (JMDG) in Kadapa District. There are number of trains from Gooty Junction. Recently the town of Jammalamadugu which is closest to Gandikota fort also got railway connectivity due to the completion of

Nandyal–Yerraguntla section Nandyal–Yerraguntla section connects of Nandyal district and Yerraguntla of Kadapa district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Further, this section converges with Nallapadu–Nandyal section at Nandyal. It is administered under Guntak ...

railway line. However frequency of trains on this line is very low. There are buses available from Jammalamadugu Old Bus Stand (Gandhi Statue Junction) to Gandikota. Inside the fort there is no means of transportation except to walk by foot. There is a good downhill trek through the canyon that leads to the riverbed. There is a dam upstream (Gandikota Dam) and a dam downstream (Mylavaram Dam). There is a Haritha hotel run by Andhra Pradesh Tourism department which has lodging facilities. However the facilities are limited during the weekdays as the visitors during weekdays are low.

Tourism

Gandikota has been referred to as "the

Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a mile (). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon Nati ...

of India." The Andhra Pradesh government announced an investment of three crore rupees towards tourism development in Gandikota.

References

External links

Gandikota — YSR District Official Website

GandiKota Travel Guide to Plan Your Trip by Nature inFocus/

* ttp://columbiauniversity.us/itc/mealac/pritchett/00glossarydata/places/gandikot/gandikot.html Water color paintings by Thomas Fraser and Sir Thomas Anburey-- in 1799 & 1802
French Traveller Tavernier's experience about Gandikota Fort & about Nawab of Gandikota while he was in IndiaGandikota Fort Canyon - A Complete guide with Pictures!/
{{Authority control Villages in Kadapa district Archaeological sites in Andhra Pradesh Canyons and gorges of India Tourist attractions in Kadapa district 1123 establishments in Asia Populated places established in the 12th century 12th-century establishments in India