Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/txZ4XBu5KEM
Apart from these places, there are other places which one should cover on way to Warangal. These include:
1) Pandavalu
Guhalu
2) Ramappa
Lake and Temple
3) Mylaram
caves
We had plans to visit Ramappa temple again (for a
second time after it got the UNESCO heritage status), but couldn’t because of a
President’s visit to the temple.
We reached Pandavalu Guhalu site too, but it was afternoon and my daughter fell sleep in the car, I had to go alone for almost 2 hours, so dropped the idea. There is proper parking available, cameras are chargeable, drones are not allowed and one must visit the caves. They are an ancient geological site and cave located near Kothapally village in Regonda mandal of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in the Indian state of Telangana.
It was designated as the only geoheritage site
of Telangana.
The cave known for historic rock paintings in
the Deccan plateau, older than the Himalayan hills. Palaeolithic cave paintings have been
found at Pandavula Gutta. The cave was first discovered in 1990 by K. Ramkrishna
Rao and S.S. Rangacharyulu, officials of Archaeological Survey of India, Hyderabad. There
was habitation from the Mesolithic
period, i.e. 4,000-20,500 years old. Rock art paintings
depict wild animals like Bison, Antelope, Tiger, as well as swastika symbol,
geometrical designs as circles, squares and various ancient weapons are there. Along
with the pre-historic paintings, there are many inscriptions of Rashtrakutas period. Mythologically
it is believed that the Pandavas, stayed there for a while during
their twelve years exile at Vana Parva.
We searched for Mylaram caves, but at the google
location there was nothing.
Ramappa
Temple, Palampet
Ramappa temple or Rameshvara temple, dedicated to
Shiva, situated at Palampet village of Mulugu district, was constructed in the
year 1213 CE by Recharla Rudra, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva.
Recently recognized as a UNESCO heritiage site, the temple is an architectural
masterpiece of the Kakatiyas. The temple is named after its architect Ramappa.
The temple has been referred to as the “Brightest start in the galaxy of
temples” by Marco Polo when he visited the Kakatiya empire.
Architecture:
The temple is raised on a star-shaped platform which
is n resemblance to Hoyasala architecture, but the overall temple structure
resembles more of a Nagara style instead of Dravidian with a tall vimana above
the garbagriha and a mandapa in front. The mandapa has numerous pillars which
are carved to perfection and are positioned in a way to create an effect of
combining light and space wonderfully.
Although the main structure is made of reddish
sandstone, the columns outside have large brackets built using black basalt.
These columns represent the typical Kakatiya art in the form of yalis,
madanikas, demi gods, musicians and other iconographies. Dr. Ghulam Yazdani, the
world famous Indian Archeologist and Conservationist who established Hyderabad
Archaeology Department under the Nizam Government, had traced the decorations
and ornaments of the temple which were missing and restored them in its
original positions, in the year 1931.
The temple's chamber is crowned with a shikharam and
is surrounded by pradakshinapatha. At the entrance of the temple, we can find a
Nandi mandapam. An imposing Nandi vigraham stands on it.
Made out of clay mixed with acacia wood, chaff and
myrobalan fruit (a family of amla), the bricks used in building the
gopuram of the temple are light enough to float on water. Using this
technique has made the temple light, meaning, in case of a natural event like
an earthquake, the probability of it collapsing would be very low. This is very
apparent, by seeing the stones inside the temple which are up and down due to
the earthquake impacts but the temple still standing tall.
The temple construction was done using the
sandbox technique. This is a technique where the foundation pit is filled
with a mixture of sand-lime, jaggery and black myrobalan fruit. This mix acts
as a cushion in case of earthquakes. The temple’s many carved pillars are
positioned in such a way that when the sunlight hits these pillars. One of the
pillars has a Lord Krishna carved into it. When gently hit, the pillar produces
musical notes.
There are two small Shiva shrines on either
side of the main temple. The dance poses, written in Nrtta
Ratnavali by Jayapa Senani, appear in the
various sculptures of this temple. The temple remained intact even after
repeated wars, plunder and destruction during wars and natural disasters. There
was a major earthquake during the 17th century which caused some damage. It
survived the earthquake due to its 'sandbox technique' of laying foundation.
Many of the smaller structures were neglected and are
in ruins. The main entrance gate in the outer wall of the temple is ruined.
How to Reach:
By Air: Nearest Airport is
Rajahmundry around 427 KMs
By Train: Nearest major
station is Warangal around 67 KMs
By Road: Ramappa Bus station
is the nearest bus stand and buses ply from Warangal. By road, it is easily
accessible.
Parking and Photography
There
is dedicated parking available.
Photography
was allowed till the time the temple was not UNESCO recognized. Not sure of the
latest rules.
Timings:
Monday
to Sunday: 6 AM to 6 PM.
There
is no entry ticket
Nearby
Places to Visit:
·
Pandavula Guhalu
·
Mylaram Caves
·
Bogatha Waterfall
·
Mallur Kshetram Hanuman Temple
·
Sammakka Saralamma Temple and Jampanna Vagu
·
Sri Ramlingeswara Swamy Temple
·
Shri Hemachala Temple, Mallur
·
Devinigutta temple (Kothur Village, then 1 hour walk
through the jungles)
·
Laknavaram Lake
·
Ganapeshwaralayam (Kota Gullu)