History

Warangal was the capital of a Hindu Shaivaite kingdom ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty from the 12th to the 14th centuries. The old name of this newly formed city isOrugallu. Oru means one and Kallu means stone. The Ancient name was Andhra Nagaram please refer Andhra Maha Vishnu temple.

Kakatiya sculpture at Warangal

Literary evidence shows that long before Satavahanas, a legendary king named Āndhra Viṣhṇu ruled in and around the Diviseema region of Andhra state. After his reign, people came to believe that he had an amsa of the divine savior Lord Maha Vishnu himself. Perhaps in his honor, people dedicated a new temple now located atSrikākuḷam, Krishna District. The lord of the temple is known as Āndhra Viṣhṇu or Srikākuḷāndhra Viṣhṇu. The Kakatiyas left many monuments, including an impressive fortress, four massive stone gateways, the Swayambhu temple dedicated to Shiva, and the Ramappa temple situated near Ramappa Lake. The cultural and administrative distinction of the Kakatiyas was mentioned by the famous traveller Marco Polo. Famous or well-known rulers included Ganapathi Deva, Prathapa Rudra, and Rani (queen)Rudrama Devi. After the defeat of Pratapa Rudra, the Musunuri Nayaks united seventy two Nayak chieftains and captured Warangal fromDelhi sultanate and ruled for fifty years. Jealousy and mutual rivalry between Nayaks ultimately led to the downfall of Hindus in 1370 A.D. and success of Bahmanis. Bahmani Sultanate later broke up into several smaller sultanates, of which the Golconda sultanate ruled Warangal. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb conquered Golconda in 1687, and it remained part of the Mughal empire until the southern provinces of the empire split away to become the state of Hyderabad in 1724 which included the Telangana region and some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Hyderabad was annexed to India in 1948, and became an Indian state. In 1956 Hyderabad was partitioned as part of the States Reorganization Act, and Telangana, the Telugu-speaking region of Hyderabad state which includes Warangal, became part Telagana

WARANGAL TOURISM

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Recognized as one of the best heritage cities of India, Warangal is situated 145 km away from Hyderabad in Telangana state. The fifth largest city in the state, its name is derived from the word Orugallu: Oru, which means one and Kallu means stone. The city was also known as Ekasila Nagaram.
Warangal was the capital of the Kakatiya kingdom which ruled between 12th and 14th century. Prola Raja of Kakatiya is credited with built the town in the 12th century. The Kakatiyas, who ruled for more than 200 years, have left many grand monuments and architectural marvels like the famous Warangal Fort, Swayambhu Temple and many other ancient structures. In February 2013, Warangal was accorded World Heritage city status by UNESCO. Government of India’s Tourism Ministry also recognized the city as the Best Heritage City along with Jaipur.
With several temples known for their outstanding architecture and splendid history, known for their granite quarries made of blue granite, Warangal attracts many tourists. Warangal Fort, spread over a radius of 19 km between Warangal and Hanamkonda is literally and metaphorically the biggest attraction of the city . Constructed in the 13th century during the reign of King Ganapati Deva, the fort is most famous for its intricately carved arches and pillars and four large stone gateways.
The fort’s remarkable main gateway is made with four gigantic pillars which have been extracted from one single rock stone. The fort also contains a temple inside it which is dedicated to Mother Earth, Swayambhudevi. At present, the fort lies in ruins.
Natural beauty mixed with magnificent human-made structures makes Warangal an attractive destination. The 13th century star shaped Shiva temple, Bhadrakali temple, the thousand pillared temple, Wildlife Sanctuaries at Pakhal and Eturnagaram and the Pakhal Lake are the other attractions of the city.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN WARANGAL

Warangal as several budget and mid-range accommodation options. Summers can get quite hot so it is advisable to check into an air-conditioned room.

BEST PLACES TO EAT IN WARANGAL

Restaurants in Warangal serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Though predominantly south Indian, some restaurants serve north Indian delights too. The mango pickle served in Warangal is a specialty and is served with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals.

BEST TIME TO VISIT WARANGAL

The average minimum and maximum temperature of Warangal is as given below. The best time to visit Warangal is also specified.

MONTH	BEST TIME	MIN. TEMP (°C)	MAX. TEMP (°C)
January		19	24
February		15	23
March		19	24
April		18	27
May		20	24
June		18	24
July		15	22
August		15	17
September		19	23
October		22	26
November		21	25
December		16	24