Exploring Gandikota

Posted by Jason Norman on May 3rd, 2022

Found on the bank of the Penna river Gandi Kota is a historical fort as well as a village about 15 km from Jammalamadugu, in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh. It is a popular place to visit for a number of reasons and you can find all kinds of tourists heading there. Those who enjoy old first and ruins, those who are interested in adventure sports and exploring, those who love to take amazing photos of nature and landscapes and those who want to learn more about local wildlife, plants and so on. The name comes from the gorge that formed between the river Penna and the Gandikota also known as the Erramala hills.

A chance to learn about a historical site

In 1123 the Gandikota area was identified and made a sand fort. From 1239 to 1304 it came under the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty. After the clan of Pemmasani Nayakas emerged it became a major fort. Evidence that it was also in use in the 16th century has been found by way of a copper plate with an inscription. It is currently going through the process of being given world heritage status. For the Pemmasani Nayakas, it was their capital for over 300 years. The sand fort from its beginnings was replaced with a large fort having more than 101 towers. Some Islamic architecture was added to the fort while the area was under Muslim rule for a time.

Structures to explore

There are two ancient temples inside the fort, to Ranganatha and to Madhava. It is all in ruins and the structures are in various stages of decay. If you want to time your visit for the heritage festival there was every year help in the fort. What was a large granary is a watchman’s quarters now. There is another large granary that can be explored, a pigeon tower with windows that are fretted and a magazine. There are also still some plastered decorations viewable in the palace section with bricks and wells. In the fort, there is an old canon you can check out and you can enjoy both plantain and lime gardens along with other gardens and springs. Walking inside the fort at Gandi Kota it is a good idea to have a guide show you around as the fort itself is very large. Going down to the riverbed through the canyon is a nice hike and you can head to a dam in either direction, one upstream the Gandikota Dam and the other downstream, the Mylavaram Dam.

Getting there

There are two options in terms of closest railway stations. There is Maddanuru and then there is Jammalamadugu. Jammalamadugu is the closest town to the fort, you can rent a car, find hotels and so on. You could also travel by bus from this town to the fort.

Places to stay

Locally there are fewer options, there is one lodge you can stay in but this is limited during the week as most visitors come at the weekend. Also in Gandikota are several camping options. For a hotel to stay in your next option is to check out what Jammalamadugu has to offer.