South India Temple Tours

Location	Warangal district, 157 km from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Significance	Ancient Capital of Kakatiya dynasty; historically rich
Must Visit	Warangal Fort, Thousand Pillar Temple, Ramappa Temple
Best Time To Go	November to February
Climate	Tropical climate; Summers: 23 to 39°C, Winters: 13 to 30°C

Acclaimed as the fourth largest city of Andhra Pradesh, Warangal is a prominent tourist destination frequented for exquisite monuments, grand temples, superb gardens, beautiful lakes, and sanctuaries with rich fauna & flora. The town served as the capital of the great Kakatiya Kingdom during 12th to 14th century, and today it is a flourishing industrial and cultural centre. The Kakatiyas ruled here for over 200 years and established a number of monuments, architectural marvels like Warangal fort, a Shiva temple known as Swayambhu temple and many such ancient structures. The true beauty of Warangal lies in these monuments only.

Economy
Apart from being an industrial area, the town consists of an agricultural community that deals in rice, red chillies, cotton and tobacco.

Prominent Attractions
Warangal still retains the age old art and architecture in the form of imposing forts, massive stone-gateways, picturesque lakes, striking temples and exotic wildlife.

The major fascinating sites here are:

Warangal Fort
This easily accessible fort dates back to the 13th century. It has witnessed many wars and revolts almost throughout its life. The best part of the fort is its three layer protection which was almost impossible to cross by any invader. The outermost wall stretching to a few kilometers is made of mud and is about 20 feet high. Another wall is completely built of granite. Tourists seem to be impressed by its huge gateways (Kirti Toranas or the Gateways of Glory), carved intricately from top to bottom.

Thousand Pillar Temple
Known for its typical Kakatiya architecture and sculpture, the temple is believed to be built by Rudra Deva in 1163. The star-shaped temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. As the name suggests, it consists of one thousand richly carved pillars made of black stone, with exquisite geometric designs carved out on them. The idols of of Nandi Bull on a granite stone and elephants are also quite appealing.

Jain Temple
Dating back to over 2000 years, it is among the oldest temples in Warangal. The temple is dedicated to Lord Mahaveera and has his 5 ft high beautiful image completely carved out of Jade.

Ramappa Temple
A prime example of exquisite architectural brilliance of Kakatiya Kingdom, the Ramappa Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It boasts of being the only temple in India that is known by the name of its constructor. Located 60 km from Warangal, the temple is built of bricks that are so light that they are believed to float in water. The walls have spellbinding carvings.

Apartfrom that, the Bhadra Kali Temple, Kolanupaka, Sri Veeranarayana Temple, Pakhal Lake and Kolanupaka Museum are a few other places to hang out.

Where To Stay
Warangal has various luxurious hotels with world class business facilities along with pampering rooms and recreational facilities. The budget hotels are also available to offers comfortable stay at a reasonable price.

Getting There

By Air: Hyderabad (140 km) is the nearest airport. Being the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad is well connected by Indian Airlines flights to all the major cities of India.

By Rail: Warangal has a major railway station that is easily connected to all the major cities in India.

By Road: Regular bus services from APSRTC are available from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Kolanupaka, Karimnagar, Khammam, Bhadrachalam, Bangalore, Mysore, Tirupati and almost all the major cities.