Warangal Fort

Warangal was the Kakatiya capital from the twelfth century, defended by three concentric walls with an earthen outer rampart, a stone middle wall and a moat, and at its centre stood a great Shiva temple. The Delhi Sultanate took the city in 1323 and it was destroyed; what remains of the temple are four monumental stone gateways, the kirti toranas, standing free in the open with nothing between them, carved with lotus, makara and geometric work. They became the emblem of Telangana state. Around them lie scattered carved blocks, broken lingams and pillar bases across the field where the temple stood.

History

Warangal was ruled by the Rashtrakutas in the 8th century and the Western Chalukyas in the 10th, and in the 12th century it became the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty; an earlier brick wall was replaced with stone by Ganapatideva, who reigned from 1199 to 1262, and completed by his daughter Rudrama Devi. In 1309 Malik Kafur, general of Alauddin Khalji, besieged the fort for several months, a siege described by Amir Khusrow, and after further sieges it was taken by the Delhi Sultanate; its four ornamental gateways, the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam, are now part of the emblem of Telangana (Wikipedia, Warangal Fort).

What you'll find

• The four toranas - carved stone gateways standing alone in the field.
• The scattered carving - broken pillars, lingams and blocks across the ground.
• The wall circuits - traces of the concentric fortifications around the city.
• The Khush Mahal - a later sultanate hall within the fort area.

When to go

October to March; Telangana summers are severe and the site is open ground with no shade. Mornings and late afternoon give the best light on the gateways.

Before you go

The site is a field of ruins rather than a fort with buildings, which surprises visitors. There is no shade and minimal interpretation. The city has grown around and into the fort area.

Nearby

The Thousand Pillar Temple lies at Hanamkonda; Ramappa is northeast.

Key facts