Gandikota

The Penna river cuts a gorge through the Erramala hills at Gandikota, red sandstone walls dropping to the water, and a fort was built along the rim from the twelfth century, held by successive dynasties including the Vijayanagar rulers and later the Qutb Shahis. Inside the walls stand the Madhavaraya and Ranganatha temples, a granary, a mosque and a palace, largely ruined and standing among scrub and a small village. The gorge view from the rim is what draws visitors and has earned the site its Grand Canyon comparison, which the scale does not really support though the colour does.

History

The first fort here, of sand, was built in 1123 by Kaka Raja of nearby Bommanapalle, a vassal of the Kalyani Chalukya ruler Ahavamalla Someswara I, and the Kakatiyas held it from 1239 to 1304. It grew into a major fortress under the Pemmasani Nayakas and later passed to the Golconda Sultanate; its name comes from the gorge, gandi, that the Penna cuts through the Erramala hills here, narrowing the river to a mere 100 m (Wikipedia, Gandikota).

What you'll find

• The gorge - red sandstone walls dropping to the Penna river.
• The rim fort - walls and gates following the cliff edge.
• The temples - Madhavaraya and Ranganatha within the fort.
• The village - a small settlement living inside the fort walls.

When to go

October to February; the region is severely hot from March to June with no shade. Sunrise and sunset at the rim give the strongest colour. Camping on the rim is common in winter.

Practical notes

The Grand Canyon comparison oversells it considerably. The rim is unfenced and there have been falls. Facilities are minimal, with camping operators of variable quality. Litter at the viewpoint is a problem.

Nearby

Belum caves lie north; Kadapa is southeast.