Devarakonda Fort

Devarakonda Fort is located in Devarakonda town in Nalgonda District of Telangana State, India.

Devarakonda which is as Mandal Headquarters, is a tiny village situated in Nalgonda district. The Devarakonda village is home to one of the most astonishing forts found in Telangana. The village attracts many tourists from over the world. There was a time when the fort stood high in place flaunting the glory of the village, but now due to negligence, the fort is in ruins.
Devarakonda Fort acted as a prominent fortified defensive structure of the rulers of Recherla Velama dynasty that rules parts of Telangana after Kakatiyas. 

For people who love to explore the chronicles of the state, then the Devarakonda Fort must have place in your to-visit list. A visit into this spectacular fort is like stepping in to a historical trance with every corner of the fort unveiling the great tales of bravery, of struggles and of the triumph of its rulers. 

In the premises of fort stand the Rama and Shiva temples constructed by Maada Naidu. These temples add a hint of spirituality and purity to the untouched beauty of the fort. The people visiting the fort area also treated by the nature with a picturesque view of a little pond present in it.

The fort was constructed in the 13th – 14th century. The Devarakonda fort is the emblem of prosperity established by the kingdom of Padma Nayaka Veluma Rajas. The fort was the heart of one and slave of none, as it was ruled by Padma Nayaka Veluma Raja since the year 1278 to 1482 AD.

Later, the Devarakonda fort was conquered by Maada Naidu who belonged to the eight kings of the Padma Nayaka rulers. Maada Naidu was a prodigy and a brave warrior besides being a great ruler. It was during Maada Naidu’s rule that the fort took the shape of a well established centre of cultural heritage and several temples were built. Maada Naidu was the man behind the many brilliant changes done to attribute to the wonders of this fort. Amongst the many things added to the fort is the astonishing way of stairs that will take you to Patala ganga that is situated in Srisailam. Maada Naidu was a great ruler who cared for his pupil.

After Maada Naidu, the strings of the flourishing Devarakonda Kingdom went into the hands of Maada Naidu’s son, Pedha Vedagiri Naidu. Vedagiri Naidu was also a brave king who had established his throne for around 26 years. Vedagiri Naidu had added an extra charm to the kingdom.

Devarakonda flourished with many temples and heritage sites.

This fort is famous for its architectural brilliance. The fort is surrounded by seven hills with some great rocks and boulder and few forest. The fort built over a hilltop has large walls with curved bastions along with it. The fort ramparts were built with artillery and cannon points. The fort complexes are built up to 2 storeys. There are many granaries found here. It has a magazine house, large living area and few small houses. There are temples of Lord Rama and Lord Shiva inside the fort. Also there is a small lake that provided water source to the residents of the fort. 

Now the fort lies in ruins and acts as a tourist attraction.

Devarakonda is at a distance of nearly 117 kms from Hyderabad on Nagarjuna Sagar road from where tourists need to take a small diversion from Kondalpahad. It takes about 3 hours to reach this place by road. From Nalgonda town, Devarakonda could be reached in an hour. There are frequent buses from Nalgonda to Devarakonda for every 20 minutes.

Tourists can buy some small antiques sold here and some local farm produce

Resources

http://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/destinations/heritage-spots/nalgonda/devarakonda-fort.html