Warangal and Hanamkonda as legend goes is linked with the dynasties of Great “Vishnukundins” and even prior to it also of the Buddhist and pre-Buddhist periods of Indian History. During Eighth Century A.D., Warangal with an old name “Orukal” has served as Capital City of Yadava king of the Kakatiyas or Ganapatis making Warangal as Capital City. After the fall of Bahamani Kingdom, Warangal fell to the “Qutab Shahis” of Golkonda and thereafter it has come under the sway of Nizam’s dominions.
The Warangal Fort and Thousand Pillar Temple are the World Heritage sites recognised by UNESCO. Bhadrakali Temple, Padmakshi Temple are other notable destinations of various religions. Bhadrakali Lake, Waddepally Lake, and Dharmasagar Lake are the water bodies notable for tourism.
Both Hindu and Muslim religions prevail in this region and hence all the festivals of Hindus including Holi, Diwali, Dussera, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Navami, Vinayak Chavithi, Sankranthi, Ugadi etc., and all festivals of Muslims including Ramadan, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Milad Un Nabi, Moharram etc., are celebrated with enthusiasm by the people. Apart from these Bonalu Festival, Bathukamma Festival, Kakatiya Festival, Shakambari Festival and Sammakka-Sarakka Jatra are special festivals of the region which are celebrated here.
Warangal is a heritage city and comes under the list of World Heritage places by UNESCO. Its architecture is affected by many different dynasties over the years of history and mostly influenced by Kakatiyan Dynasty around the 12th Century. Most of its attractions including Thousand Pillar Temple, Ramappa Temple, Ghanpur Group of Temple, Warangal Fort and Khush Mahal are of Kakatiya period.
Thousand Pillar Temple
The most popular place to visit in Warangal is the Thousand Pillar Temple, located at the base of Hanamkonda hill. It was built in 12th century by the Kakatiya King Rudra Deva. Dedicated primarily to Lord Shiva, this temple is also known by the name of Sri Rudreshwara Swamy Temple. At this temple, three deities- Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya are worshipped.
Currently under the maintenance of Archaeological Survey of India, Thousand Pillar Temple is known for intricately carved pillars. A massive sculpture of Nandi, carved out of a single rock, is another attraction of this temple. Rock cut elephants and exquisite engravings at the temple are also worth noticing.
Warangal Fort
Built in 13th century, Warangal Fort is a perfect example of architectural finesse of Kakatiya reign. Warangal fort was built by the King Ganapati Deva and was later developed further by his daughter Rani Rudrama Devi. Later additions to this fort were also made by King Prataparudra II, also known as Rudradeva II, who was the last ruler of Kakatiya Kingdom. This fort was built when the Kakatiya kingdom was relocated from Hanamkonda to Warangal.
Bhadrakali Temple
An ancient temple, Bhadrakali temple is located between Warangal and Hanamkonda. Dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali, this temple dates back to Chalukya rule.The main deity Goddess Bhadrakali is in a sitting position here. A popular visiting place in Warangal, this temple attracts lakhs of devotees throughout the year. When visiting this temple also plan a visit the Bhadrakali Lake and the natural rock formations which are located close by.
Khush Mahal
Khush Mahal is a popular place to see in Warangal, presenting a glimpse of architectural style during Tughluq reign. Standing closer to the Warangal fort, Khush Mahal is an audience hall which was built around 14th century at the time of Tughlaq rule. It was later used by Shitab Khan who was Qutub Shahi Dynasty Governor of Warangal in 16th century.
Kakatiya Rock Garden
Another place to visit in Warangal is the Kakatiya Rock Garden. It is located around 5 km from Warangal fort and about 2 km away from Warangal railway station. This garden presents an interesting display of rock sculptures of various wild animals such as lions, deer, giraffes, etc. Beautifully arranged flowers and plants along with an artificial waterfall make add scenic beauty to this park. This is also a manmade lake inside Kakatiya rock garden offering boating facility.
Kakatiya Musical Garden
Located near the Bhadrakali Temple which is another popular Warangal tourist place is the Kakatiya Musical Garden. It is around 2 km from Warangal railway station. This garden is spread over an area of 15 acres. Major attraction of Kakatiya Musical Garden is the musical fountain presenting a coordinated show of light and music.
Warangal Planetarium
Presenting a unique sightseeing choice, Warangal Planetarium is a place to visit if you are looking for something entertaining yet educational for your children. Built with the motive of generating awareness on science related topics such as astronomy, Warangal Planetarium does promote scientific thinking among its viewers.
Padmakshi Temple
Built during Kakatiya reign in 12th century, Padmakshi Temple is one among the oldest temples in Hanamkonda. Dedicated to Goddess Padmakshi, also known as Padmakshamma, this temple is especially visited by women devotees during the Bathukamma festival. The major attraction of this temple is the pillar Annakonda. Annakonda Pillar is made up of granite and is built in quadrangular shape. The walls of the pillar showcase carvings and inscription related to Jain religion, especially dedicated to Goddess Kalalaya.
Regional Science Center
On the top of a hill, Regional Science Center is located in Hanamkonda which was built with the assistance from National Council of Science Museums in Kolkata. This center consists of around 84 exhibits describing concepts of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, etc. It has many interesting displays that impress not only kids but adults too.
Mettugutta Temple
Mettu Gutta (Rockstep Hill) is a famous Hindu temple that is located in Madikonda. This place is also Known as Manigiri. The Linga in this temple has many similarities with Varanasi Visveswara. There are two temples on Mettu gutta. One temple is for Lord Shiva and other one is for Lord Sri Ram. Local people call this temple as Mettu Rama Lingeshwara swamy temple. Siva temple was constructed during the Kakatiya regime.