Warangal

¤ The Ancient City of Warangal
 WarangalThe city of Warangal is located in northern Andhra Pradesh State. In the past, it was the ancient capital of the Kakatiya dynasty in the 12th century AD. The beautiful lakes, temples, wildlife, exquisite antiques and relics makes it a populat travel destination and invite innumerable tourists to explore it.
The Warangal fort was the center of power here. It is located in the southeast of the warangal city. In the past, it was fortified by two walls but now only its ruins are left. Today, Warangal is one of the major commercial and industrial cities of India.
History of Warangal
  Warangal was ruled by the Prola Raja of the Kakatiya dynasty, who established the place in the 12th century AD. Warangal was earlier known as the Worakalli, the capital of the Adeva Rajas of Tuluva andhra or Telengana in the 8th century AD.

Earlier, warangal was known as Orugallu or Omtikonda due to the presence of a massive boulder like hillock situated near the swayambhu Siva Temple. It was also referred to as "Ekasilanagaram".
 Attractions In Warangal

  Warangal has many travel places, which attracts tourists in large number. It is also mentioned in the travel diaries of Marco Polo.

Warangal Fort
 This fort is 12-km away from Hanamakonda and it dates back to the 13th century. This fort was built by the Kakatiya king, Ganapati Deva and his daughter Rudramma. The major part of the structure of the fort has been damaged, but it still has some of the its ruins with exquisite pieces of sculpture.

Thousand Pillar Temple
 The thousand pillar temple represents the Kakatiya architecture and sculpture. It was built by Rudra Deva in 1163 AD. This temple follows the Chalukyan style of temples having a star shape and triple shrine.
Bhadra Kali Temple
  The Bhadra Kali temple is situated on a hilltop between Hanamkonda and Warangal. This temple is famous for its stone image of the Goddess Kali.
Excursions
Jain Temple
 The Jain temple here is about 2,000-year old and is dedicated to Lord Mahaveer. It is a famous place of worship for Jains in the country. There are beautiful images of Thirthankaras here, but the 5ft high image of Mahavira, entirely carved of Jade, is the highlight of the temple.
Ramappa Temple - 70 kms
  The Ramappa temple is also known as the Ramalingeswara temple. It is situated in Palampet village around 70-kms away from Warangal. This temple dates back to 1213 AD and it represents the rich heritage of the Kakatiya kingdom.
Pakhal Lake - 50 km
The Pakhal lake is a man made lake completed in 1213 AD by the Kakatiya king, Ganapathidev. It was built by harnessing a small tributary of the Krishna River. Located 50-km from Warangal, it spreads over an area of 30-sq-km.
Kolanupaka Museum - 80 km
  Kolanupaka was the alternate capital of Kalyani Chalukyas in the 11 th century AD. There is a famous museum here set up by the State Department of Archeology and Museums. It is a sculptural gallery, which displays artifacts from the various historical monuments in Kolanupaka.

Srisailam Vacations

Location :  Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh
Attractions :Bhramaramba Mallikharjunaswamy temple, Srisailam sanctuary and Dam.
Ideal Time to Visit : September to February
 The CitY
  The untouched Srisailam is a small town, situated in the densely forested Nallamalai hills and on the banks of river Krishna. Srisailam is surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful locations. The place is an energizing weekend vacations from Hyderabad.

SrisailamThe highest of the Srisailam hills, is Sikhareswara Swamy, at Sikharam. The 512-meter long Srisailam dam along with the hydel power project is also worth seeing.


Attractions In Srisailam
Bhramaramba Mallikharjunaswamy Temple
    The Bhramaramba Mallikharjunaswamy temple is an ancient and holy temple of Srisailam. It holds great historical and religious significance. This temple is situated on the 457-meter high hill located on the south bank of the river Krishna, in the Nallamalai forest. This temple is regarded as one of the12 Jyothirlingas in the country. The temple is also called as "Sri Mallikharjunam" and "Sri Parvatham". Goddess Mahakali is also seated here in the form of Bhramaramba, she is also the consort of Lord Mallikharjuna. This sacred temple is open for people belonging to all caste and creed, who can worship and even touch the deity.
Saivaite Temples of Srisailam
 The Saivaite temples of Srisailam are quite famous and celebrated. They are as old as the second century A.D. These beautiful temples are located on a plateau on the top of a hill named Srisailam, Sriparvata or Srigiri, in the Nallamalai ranges. Numerous devotees visit Srisailam to pay homage to Lord, Mallikarjuna and his Consort, Bhramaramba.
 One of the unique features of these temples is that they are located in a large prakara fenced in by sculptured walls. These walls are made of huge blocks of stone placed on each other. There are many sculptures found in abundance on the northern, eastern and southern walls and a few of them on the western wall.

Above the base of there are five regular rows of sculpture. The first row consists of the elephant in many postures. The next row has figures of the horse, the warrior, the hunter and the dancer. The next three have sculptures of deities and scenes from Saivaite traditions. One can also find occasional figures of deities, birds and animals. Then, there sculptures of Lingas, nandis, the lion and the swan. These beautiful rows look like a well organized picture gallery.

Sikhareswara Swamy Temple
The Sikhareswara Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the situated on the highest hills of Srisailam that is the Sikharam hill. Another beautiful temple is Sri Ganapathi temple, dedicated to Lord Ganesh.

Srisailam Sanctuary
The Srisailam Sanctuary can be one of the site for your vacations in Andhra Pradesh. It is a famous sanctuary of Andhra Pradesh. It is sprawled over 5 adjoining districts of Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnoor, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda districts. The vegetation of the sanctuary is quite rich having dry deciduous mixed forests.

Animals that can be find here are the spotted deer, mouse deer, black buck, sambars, chousingha nilgai, tree straw, mugger crocodile, and wolfs, panthers, tigers, sloth beer & wild dogs. The best season to visit the sanctuary is from October to May.

Srisailam Dam
The Srisailam dam is built across the river Krishna and is situated in a deep gorge in the Nallamalai hill range. Located 300m above the sea level, it is surrounded by mesmerizing natural splendor. The dam is 512 m long and is one of the twelve largest hydroelectric projects in the country. There are 12 radial crest gates in the dam. To go inside the dam you need to have a special permission.

Salarjung Museum Hyderabad

The Salar Jung Museum is located on Musi river in Hyderabad. It is the third largest museum in India having one of the biggest one-man collections of antiques in the world. This museum was set up by Yusuf Ali Salar Jung, the prime minister of Nizam of Hyderabad. He collected objects that are now presented in the museum. The museum is open every day except Friday, from 10.00 a.m. To 5.00 p.m. This museum displays an impressive collection of European and Indian paintings.
 Establishment of The Museum
  The outstanding Salarjung Museum set up by Mir Yusuf Ali Khan was popularly known as Salar Jung III. At the age of 23, he became the Prime Minister to Nizam in 1912, but he resigned two and a half years later. After this, he started collecting antiques and art pieces. Collection of objects wasn't his hobby, it was his passion. He spent a sizable amount of his wealth on collection. In his entire lifespan he collected art objects, rare manuscripts and paintings from all over the world. This collection was basically started by his father and grandfather.
 Museum in HyderabadIn the year 1961, this museum was declared as the "Institution of National Importance" by an Act of Parliament. This act is known as the Salar Jung Museum Act, 1961. Earlier, it was set up in Diwan Devdi. Later, the museum was re-established at the present building in 1968, situated on the banks of the Musi.

 A Valuable Collection
   The Salar Jung museum at Hyderabad is famous for its wide collection of rare items. The museum has a wonderful collection on Indian Art, Children's Art, Middle Eastern Art, Far Eastern Art and European Art. Here, you can see sculptures, wood carvings, religious objects, manuscripts, furniture, vases, snuff boxes, utensils, archer's rings and ornaments. There are other items also like pottery, clocks, miniature paintings, portraits, silver and costumes. The museum also owns some toys, collected from countries like France, England, Switzerland, Germany, Persia, China, Japan, Burma, and Sri Lanka.

There is a vast collection of printed books on various subjects. Interested scholars can also go through a rich collection of thousands of manuscripts in Persian, Arabic and Urdu languages.


The Clock Room, Highlight of The Museum

  The highlight of the museum is the clock room, which is one of the best galleries here. It has a collection of more than 300 clocks. of special interest is a musical clock, sold by Cook and Kelvy of England.


¤¤ Other Attractions of The Museum

The Jade Room of the museum has some outstanding objects, belonging to the ancient Indian rulers like Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. The museum also has world's largest private collections of art and artifacts. The Salar Jung Museum has a huge collection of over 43000 art objects, 9000 manuscripts and 47000 printed books. Some exquisite objects of art like Chinese Porcelain, Aurangazeb's Sword, and Daggers belonging to Queen Noor Jehan, Emperor Jahangir and Shah Jahan are also on display. Apart from these, sculptures, Indian paintings and Persian carpets are also exhibited. Other highlights in the museum include the "veiled Rebecca", "Mestophiles" and "the Lady with the lamp". Thus, attracting innumerable tourists.

Golconda Fort Hyderabad

The Golconda Fort is located about 11 Kms away, on the Western outskirts of Hyderabad city. It is located on a granite hill having a height of 120m.
¤ History of Golconda
  Before the advent of Hyderabad, Deccan was ruled from Golconda fort. It was earlier established by the Kakatiya's in the 13th century and the existing structure was constructed by the Qutub Shahi kings. It was renovated by the first three Qutub Shahi kings, over a span of 62 years.

Golconda FortGolconda is also known as Shepherd's Hill" or "Golla Konda", in Telugu. According to a legend, a shepherd boy found an idol on the rocky hill called 'Mangalavaram'. This news reached the Kakatiya king, who was then ruling Golconda. He ordered the construction of a mud fort around the holy spot. Later, the fort was expanded by the Qutub Shahi kings into a huge structure made of granite.


¤ Attractions Within The Fort

The fort of Golconda is known for its magical acoustic system. The highest point of the fort is the 'Bala Hissar', which is located a kilometer away. The palaces, factories, water supply system and the famous 'Rahban' cannon, within the fort are some of the major attractions.
It is believed that there is a secret underground tunnel which leads from the 'Durbar Hall' and ends in one of the palaces at the foot of the hill. The fort also has the tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings. These tombs have Islamic architecture and are located about 1-km north of the outer wall of Golconda. They are encircled by beautiful gardens and numerous exquisitely carved stones.
The two individual pavilions on the outer side of Golconda are also major attractions of fort. It is built on a point which is quite rocky. The 'Kala Mandir' is also located in the fort. It can be seen from the king's durbar (king's court) which was on top of the Golconda Fort.
Architectural Splendor
 The wonderful acoustic system of Golconda fort speaks volumes about the architecture of the fort. This majestic structure has beautiful palaces and an ingenious water supply system. Sadly, the unique architecture of the fort is now loosing its charm.

The ventilation of the fort is absolutely fabulous having exotic designs. They were so intricately designed that cool breeze could reach the interiors of the fort, providing a respite from the heat of summer.

The Huge gates of the fort are decorated with large pointed iron spikes. These spikes prevented Elephants from damaging the fort. The fort of Golconda is encircled by a 11-km long outer wall. This was build in order to fortify the fort.

The Highlight of The Fort
  The highlight of the Golconda fort is a sound and light show. It depicts the glorious past of this grand fortress. This audio - visual extravaganza is presented in English, Hindi and Telugu. It is a worth watching show.

Timings of The Sound and Light Show
  The timings of the show are different for winters and summers. In winters, that is from the months of November to February, the show starts at 6:30 pm. In summers, that is in the months of March to October, the show starts at 7:00 pm.
The English version of the show is presented on Wednesdays and Sundays and the Hindi version is presented on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Apart form these, the Telugu version is presented on Thursdays. There is no show on Mondays. The duration of the show is about 55 minutes.

The Golden Temple

I am often asked what my favorite sacred places are in the world, among the many hundreds I have visited. I could not choose one in particular, but included in the top ten would certainly be the Golden Temple. It is a place of both stupendous beauty and sublime peacefulness. Originally a small lake in the midst of a quiet forest, the site has been a meditation retreat for wandering mendicants and sages since deep antiquity. The Buddha is known to have spent time at this place in contemplation.Two thousand years after Buddha's time, another philosopher-saint came to live and meditate by the peaceful lake. This was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh religion. After the passing away of Guru Nanak, his disciples continued to frequent the site; over the centuries it became the primary sacred shrine of the Sikhs. The lake was enlarged and structurally contained during the leadership of the fourth Sikh Guru (Ram Dass, 1574-1581), and during the leadership of the fifth Guru (Arjan, 1581-1606), the Hari Mandir, or Temple of God was built. From the early 1600s to the mid 1700s the sixth through tenth Sikh Gurus were constantly involved in defending both their religion and their temple against Moslem armies. On numerous occasions the temple was destroyed by the Moslems, and each time was rebuilt more beautifully by the Sikhs. From 1767 onwards, the Sikhs became strong enough militarily to repulse invaders. Peace returned to the Hari Mandir.

The temple's architecture draws on both Hindu and Moslem artistic styles yet represents a unique coevolution of the two. During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Hari Mandir was richly ornamented with marble sculptures, golden gilding, and large quantities of precious stones. Within the sanctuary, on a jewel-studded platform, lies the Adi Grantha, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. This scripture is a collection of devotional poems, prayers, and hymns composed by the ten Sikh gurus and various Moslem and Hindu saints. Beginning early in the morning and lasting until long past sunset, these hymns are chanted to the exquisite accompaniment of flutes, drums, and stringed instruments. Echoing across the serene lake, this enchantingly beautiful music induces a delicate yet powerful state of trance in the pilgrims strolling leisurely around the marble concourse encircling the pool and temple. An underground spring feeds the sacred lake, and throughout the day and night pilgrims immerse themselves in the water, a symbolic cleansing of the soul rather than an actual bathing of the body. Next to the temple complex are enormous pilgrims' dormitories and dining halls where all persons, irrespective of race, religion, or gender, are lodged and fed for free.

Amritsar, the original name of first the ancient lake, then the temple complex, and still later the surrounding city, means "pool of ambrosial nectar." Looking deeply into the origins of this word amrit, we find that it indicates a drink of the gods, a rare and magical substance that catalyzes euphoric states of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. With this word we have a very clear example of the spirit, power, or energetic character of a particular place becoming encoded as an ancient geographical place name. The myth is not just a fairy tale. It reveals itself as a coded metaphor if we have the knowledge to read the code: The waters of Amritsar flowing into the lake of the Hari Mandir were long ago - and remain today - a bringer of peacefulness.

Jantar Mantar in Delhi

Jantar Mantar, with Yantra meaning instruments and Mantra meaning formulae, was built in the year 1724. Situated near Connaught Place, New Delhi Jantar Mantar counts amongst the numerous astronomical observatories erected by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. The other observatories consist of the ones built in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. It basically comprises of the instruments that were used for keeping track of celestial bodies. Jai Singh, after finding the existing astronomical instruments too small to take correct measurements, built these larger and more accurate instruments.
The instruments at Jantar Mantar of Delhi display promising brilliance. However, there is a little problem, that, these instruments can no longer make accurate observations because of the numerous tall buildings that have been built around the observatory. Delhi Jantar Mantar is also a reminder of the technological achievements that took place under the rule of the Rajput kings. There is an interesting legend associated with the construction of the Jantar Mantar. It is said that Jai Singh, ardent adherer of astronomy, oversaw an argument between Hindu and Muslim over certain planetary positions.

Since it was utmost necessary to solve the argument and know the positions precisely, he offered to rectify the available astronomical tables. The offer was accepted by the Mughal emperor and that led to the construction of Jantar Mantar in Delhi. At first, brass instruments were used in the observatory. However, they were found to have a number of intrinsic flaws. So after much deliberation, Jai Singh adopted the style of Prince Ulugh Beg, builder of the 15th century observatory at Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This is how the Delhi Jantar Mantar became what it is today.

Konark Sun Temple

The Sun (Surya) has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic period. The following passage occurs in a prayer to him in the Rig Veda, the earliest of our sacred literature: "Aloft his beams now bring the good, Who knows all creatures that are born, That all may look upon the Sun. Athwart in darkness gazing up, to him the higher light, We now have soared to Surya- The god among gods, the highest height." Built in AD 1250, during the reign of the Eastern Ganga King Narasimhadeva-I (AD1238-64), the Konark Temple was to enshrine an image of the Sun, the patron deity of the place.
Orissan Architectural Style
The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of beautifully-carved wheels. The sanctum sanctorum of this temple symbolizes the majestic stride of the Sun-god and marks the culmination of the Orissan architectural style. The walls of the temple contain superb carvings of divine and semi- divine, human and animal figures amidst floral and geometric ornamentations.
The Konark Sun Temple is the grandest achievement of the eastern school of architecture. The stupendous monument stands with its disfigured beauty in a desolate track of ever- drifting sands of the Chandrabhaga river. In Konark, the "Natya Mandir", the dance hall of the Sun Temple probably remains as the last remnant of the glorious temples of Orissa, a living example of the architectural excellence of the bygone times. Only two subsidiary temples of the 22 that originally existed inside its precincts exist today. They stand to the west of the towers.
Classical Dance Fiesta
As a fitting tribute to the majestic monument, eminent classical dancers of India get together every year during the Konark Festival from 1st to 5th December to present live performance. The classical extravaganza is a journey through eternal ecstasy. The festival provides a platform for both to the performing artiste and the dance connoisseurs in appreciating the essence of various classical dance forms of the country. The stage for the dancing event glows in pristine glory of much admired Odissi, Bharat Natyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chhow Dance - a lavish feast for the eyes and ears.