Warangal Fort
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Warangal Fort is located in
Warangal District Warangal district, formerly Warangal Rural district, is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district shares boundaries with Mahabubabad, Jangaon, Hanamkonda, Mulugu and Bhupalpally districts. As of June 2021, Hanamkonda tent ...
,
Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It was the capital city of
Kakatiya dynasty The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
and
Musunuri Nayakas The Musunuri Nayakas were warrior kings of 14th-century South India who were briefly significant in the region of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka is said to have taken a leadership role among the Andhra chieftains and driv ...
. It appears to have existed since at least the 12th century when it was the capital of the Kakatiyas. The fort has four ornamental gates, known as Kakatiya Kala Thoranam, that originally formed the entrances to a now ruined great Shiva temple. The Kakatiyan arch has been adopted and officially incorporated into the
emblem of Telangana The Emblem of Telangana is the state emblem of Telangana in South India. The arms has the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam in the middle, and the Charminar inside it and bordered in green. Design The emblem is a circular seal consisting of the Kakatiy ...
after the bifurcation of
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
. The fort is included in the " tentative list" of
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
and was submitted by the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO on 10/09/2010.


History

Initially,
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal ser ...
was under the rule of the
Rashtrakuta dynasty Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...
in the 8century AD and
Western Chalukya Empire The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the Deccan Plateau, western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada people, Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalya ...
in 10th century AD; in the 12thcentury, it came under the control of the sovereign
Kakatiya dynasty The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
. Although precise dating of its construction and subsequent enhancements is uncertain, historians and archaeologists generally agree that an earlier brick-walled structure was replaced with stone by Ganapatideva (1199 AD-1262 AD), and was completed by his daughter
Rudrama Devi Rudrama Devi, also Maharani Rudramma Devi, was a queen of the Kakatiya dynasty in the Deccan Plateau from 1263 to 1289 (or 1295) until her death. She was among the women to rule as monarchs in India and promoted a male image in order to do so ...
, who ruled until 1289, and further strengthened by her grandson Prataparudra II II, whose reign came to be known as a "Golden Age". Twenty years later, the kingdom was conquered by the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).
. Ganapatideva, Rudrama Devi, and Prataparudra II II all added to the fort's height, building gateways, square
bastion A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...
s, and additional circular earthen walls. This places the construction towards the end of the
Kakatiya The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
period. In 1309,
Malik Kafur Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promin ...
, the general of
Alauddin Khalji Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over lar ...
, attacked the fort with a large force of 100,000 men and surrounded it. Prataparudra IIII and his people secured themselves within the formidable stone-walled fort and battled bravely for several months with the invading army. As the siege was unable to be lifted for more than six months, Prataparudra IIII agreed to a truce with Kafur, as the latter had unleashed massive destruction on the neighboring towns and villages. This truce included the notable
Koh-i-Noor The Koh-i-Noor ( ; from ), also spelled Kohinoor and Koh-i-Nur, is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing . It is part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. The diamond is currently set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The ...
diamond along with various precious treasures, which he took it back to Delhi. This siege was chronicled by
Amir Khusrow Abu'l Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253–1325 AD), better known as Amīr Khusrau was an Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar who lived under the Delhi Sultanate. He is an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian s ...
, who described how the fortifications consisted of a strong outer hardened mud structure with a deep ditch in front that had to be filled with dirt before the army could surmount it. The inner fortress was built of stone and surrounded by a moat that the Muslim soldiers swam across. The fort as described by Khusrow corresponds to the two inner circles of fortifications that exist today, and is visible from above. When Kafur finally left the fort in March 1310, he carried away the bounty on 2,000 camels. The conditions of forging peace with the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).
included a clause that Prataparudra II II would pay an annual tribute and that he would bow every day towards Delhi as a tributary king denoting his subordinate status to the Sultan of Delhi. Again in 1318, Warangal Fort was attacked by the Sultanate army of
Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah () was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate of present-day India. A member of the Khalji dynasty, he was a son of Alauddin Khalji. After Alauddin's death, Mubarak Shah was imprisoned by Malik Kafur, who appointed his young ...
commanded by
Khusro Khan Khusrau Khan was the Sultan of Delhi for around two months in 1320. Originally from the Gujarat region, he was captured by the Delhi army during Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Malwa in 1305. After being brought to Delhi as a slave, he was conver ...
, a son of Alauddin Khalji and was held in a siege. The invaders put up a earthen ramp across the moat which enabled them to breach the stone walls of the fort and capture it. Prataparudra II II again paid a huge tribute to the Sultan in the form of a contingent of horses and elephants, which became an annual fee to be paid to the Delhi Sultanate. In 1320, the then ruler of Delhi who had replaced Khalji, Sultan
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq ) (Ghazi means 'fighter for Islam')ref name="sen2"> (died c.1325) was the Sultan of Delhi from 1320 to 1325. He was the first sultan of the Tughluq dynasty. During his reign, Ghiyath al-Din Tughl ...
, sent his son
Ulugh Khan Almas Beg (died c. 1302), better known by his title Ulugh Khan, was a brother and a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He held the iqta' of Bayana in present-day India. Ulugh Khan played an important role in Alauddin's asce ...
to attack Warangal fort once again, as Prataparudra II had not accepted the Tughluqs as overlords and refused to pay the tribute. For a third and final time, the fort was attacked by Sultan
Muhammad bin Tughluq Muhammad bin Tughluq (1290 – 20 March 1351) was the eighteenth Sultan of Delhi. He reigned from February 1325 until his death in 1351. The sultan was the eldest son of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, founder of the Tughlaq dynasty. In 1321, the youn ...
(1325–1351), who held siege over the fort. Due to internal dissension, Ulugh Khan had to retreat to
Devagiri Daulatabad Fort, also known as Devagiri Fort or Deogiri Fort, is a historic fortified citadel located in Daulatabad village near Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. It was the capital of the Yadava dynasty (9th century–14th century CE), for a br ...
. After a temporary respite of 4–6 months, Ulugh Khan came back in 1323 with 63,000 mounted soldiers carrying archery, attacked the fort and used brutal tactics to breach the walls for 5 months with huge loss of men, possible only due to a doggedly attempt by Prataprudra II who manned the fort with only a few thousand troops as many of them were sent away across the countryside, and food supplies which were thrown open to the citizens to celebrate their victory over the Tughlaqs. He resorted to massacre of the population outside the fortress, which forced Prataparudra II to accept surrender and opened the fort gates. The Sultanate forces then plundered and destroyed the capital within and outside the stone wall, depriving it of its beautiful temples, royal enclosures, water tanks, palaces, farmlands and other important structures, leaving it completely in a state of ruin. In keeping with that tradition, Ulugh Khan ordered the destruction of the great Swayambhusiva Temple where the state deity, the Swayambhu (self-manifested) Chaturmukhalinga Swamy (linga with four faces of
Lord Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
), had been deified since early 11th century AD under the rule of
Prola II Prola II (r. c. 1116-1157 CE) was a Kakatiya chief who ruled the area around Anumakomda (modern Hanamkonda) as a vassal of the Kalyani Chalukyas. He was the father of Rudra-deva, the first sovereign ruler of the Kakatiya family. Prola II was a s ...
. All that is now visible of the temple are remnants scattered around the centre of the fort, reminding visitors of its once charming presence, and the splendid architectural beauty combined with excellent stonework and sculptural value of the period that leaves everyone in awe. Then, the Tughluqan authorities built an enormous mosque to one side of the fort, which was demolished by the local Nayaka chieftains in 1335. Prataparudra II, who had surrendered and was sent to Delhi, perished en route on the banks of the Narmada River. It is said that he committed suicide in 1323. The city of Warangal was then renamed as Sultanpur, and from 1324 to 1332 imperial coins were minted there. The Delhi Sultanate managed to hold Sultanpur until 1335, when the local Nayakas (72 of the chieftains) formed a union and took control. The fort then came under the control of the
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan,
,
Qutb Shahi dynasty The Qutb Shahi dynasty also called as Golconda Sultanate (Persian: ''Qutb Shāhiyān'' or ''Sultanat-e Golkonde'') was a Persianate Shia Islam dynasty of Turkoman origin that ruled the sultanate of Golkonda in southern India. After the coll ...
of
Golconda Fort (Telugu: గోల్కొండ, romanized: ''Gōlkōnḍa'') is a historic fortress and ruined city located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was originally called Mankal. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparu ...
and later under the rule of the
Nizam of Hyderabad The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
. Subsequent modifications to the fort were made between the 15th and 17thcenturies, mainly with the addition of
Barbican A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer fortifications, defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe ...
s to the four gates in the stone wall and the creation of gates in the outer earthen wall. Remnants of the structure can be seen today near Warangal. The
Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...
has listed the ruins as a
Monument of National Importance This article contains lists of Monuments of National Importance in India. An Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 defines an "Ancient Monument" as follows: A "Monument of National Importance" is designated by the Archaeological Survey o ...
. Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka was a very prominent
South Indian South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
ruler in the 14th century. He made several modifications to the fort walls and defended it until the Bahmani Sultanate took over it in the mid 15th century AD from the
Recherla Nayakas Recherla Nayakas were an Andhra dynasty that wrested power from the Musunuri Nayakas and became the dominant power in the Telangana region during the late 14th century and early 15th century (r. 1368–1435). They were based at Rachakonda, south ...
of
Rachakonda Rachakonda Fort is a historic fort located in Rachakonda, Yadadri Bhongir district of Telangana, India. It was built by the Recherla Nayaka king Anapotanayaka in the 14th century AD. Till that time the Recherla Nayakas had their capital at Anu ...
.Forgotten Chapter of Andhra History, Mallampalli Somasekhara Sharma


Features

Khush Mahal, Warangal fort.JPG, The Kush Mahal Warangal fort pillars 01.jpg, Pillared
mandapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
with a
Nandi (bull) Nandi ( sa, नन्दि), also known as Nandikeshwara or Nandideva, is the bull vahana of the Hindu god Shiva. He is also the guardian deity of Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Almost all Shiva temples display stone-images of a seated Nandi, ge ...
in the fort complex File:Architechture Warangal Fort(2).jpg File:Architechture Warangal Fort.jpg, Architecture Warangal Fort
Warangal Fort is laid out in three concentric circular walls with defensive fortifications. The first structure, built during the reign of Rudrama Devi, was in the form an earthen embankment in diameter. A moat of about width was dug around this wall, forming the outer limits of the fort during the reign of the Kakatiya rulers. Another wall built to protect the fort after the earthen wall and the moat was a fortified inner stone wall of about in diameter. It was the central part of the Kakatiya capital, called the fort. This wall was built with dressed huge granite stone blocks of very large dimensions. These stones were not in any regular shape, but were closely fitted without using any type of mortar. During the reign of Rudrama Devi, the height of the wall was increased to from the structure which had been built earlier by Ganapatideva. The wall has been fortified with 45 large rectangular
bastions A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...
, which measure on a side; they extend beyond the face of the wall up to the waters of the moat. There are also 18 stone steps laid over a gradual slope built on the inner slopes of the earthen wall as an access to the ramparts. These steps permitted the soldiers quick and easy access in times of war from any location in the fort, including the top of the ramparts. The king, Prataparudra II, had used these steps to go to the rampart in 1318, clad in a
qaba ''Qaba'' ( fa, قبا‎ ''qabā'') is a long coat with sleeves and buttons, similar to a cassock, open at the front. A qaba is similar to a wadded coat. It is considered as a piece of clothing of Turkic origin. The Mughal emperors wore ankle-len ...
to bow towards
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
, in honor of the Sultan. The third ring of fortification is in the form of an earthen wall of diameter that encloses the present city of Warangal.


Ruins in the fort

Warangal IMG 4250.JPG, Ruins within the main fort complex Kakatiya Kala Thoranam (Warangal Gate) and Ruins.jpg, The Warangal gates within the fort complex The area within the fort has an axial road laid in an east–west direction where there is now some human habitation. The central part of the fort has been identified as the archaeological zone where the ruins of a great Shiva temple are now seen with only the freestanding "entrance portals" or gates on the four sides. Each gate has twin pillars with angled brackets over which lies the huge
lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented structural item. In the case of w ...
; the height of this gate is . The gates have extensive intricate carvings of "lotus buds, looped garlands, mythical animals, and birds with foliated tails". The carvings do not include any religious symbols, which is said to be the reason for its preserved condition and not getting destroyed by the Muslim invaders. Of the four gateways (local name ''charkamou''), the northern and southern ends are apart. The eastern and western gates are a distance of from each other. While the Shiva temple had been completely destroyed, there are many ruins of "wall slabs, brackets and ceiling panels", some of which are exhibited now in an outdoor museum. There are still some standing pillars ("temple spoilia") that the Bahmani Sultanate (14th-16th century) earlier used to build a
mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
, which remained incomplete. The original deity of the temple was a
linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...
with the four faces of Shiva, which is now deified in a separate shrine to the south of the fort complex, where regular worship is offered. Archaeological excavations in the area have also unearthed many small shrines, built in a series, deified with a
votive A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...
linga. Seen within of 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. Within the southern quarter of the archaeological zone is a big water tank. Inside this tank is a distinctive natural rock formation that protrudes above the water surface. This was called as ''Orugallu'' (meaning: single rock) in
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...
, giving the name "Warangal" to the fort. A small temple has been built over this rock. There are many other temples and water ponds in the entire fort complex. There are also three large granaries close to the south gate of the fort. Just outside the central fort, the earthen wall, which is the second circle of the fort complex in the northwestern part, has within it the ''Linga gudi'' ('gudi' means "shrine"), which consists of three small temples; but the linga deities have been removed and are seen scattered nearby. There are many inscriptions on the ruins of the wall of the main temple recording the gift of a Kakatiya king, on pillars, on a stone outside the fort, and at many more places, all in Telugu.


Ruling dynasties

* Kakatiyas *
Musunuri Nayakas The Musunuri Nayakas were warrior kings of 14th-century South India who were briefly significant in the region of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka is said to have taken a leadership role among the Andhra chieftains and driv ...


See also

*
Golconda Fort Fort (Telugu: గోల్కొండ, romanized: ''Gōlkōnḍa'') is a historic fortress and ruined city located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was originally called Mankal. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparud ...
*
Bhongir Fort Bhuvanagiri Fort is a Fort located in Bhuvanagiri, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District, Telangana, India. It is located on a huge rock at a commanding height. History The Bhongir fort adorns the place from the time it was built in 10th century. Bhong ...
*
Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
*
List of Monuments of National Importance in Telangana This is a list of Telangana's monuments of national importance as officially recognized by and available through the website of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). These archaeological sites are in the Indian state of Telangana; however, t ...
*
Papadu Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud (also known as Nasagoni Papanna) (died 1710) was the 17th century king of Quilashapur located in Telangana and bandit of early-18th century India who rose from humble beginnings to become a folklore hero. His deeds have ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * *


External links


Further reading

* * {{Warangal topics, state=expanded W History of Telangana Tourism in Telangana Cultural heritage of India World Heritage Sites in India Tourist attractions in Warangal