Kakatiya Heritage

About Project

The rule of the Kakatiya period forms an important phase in the history of Andradesa as well as in South India. The mighty rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty were the political successors of the Chalukyas in Andra region. The kakatiyas who emerged as the most powerful dynasty during 12th - 14th centuries A.D had served as feudatories to the late Chalukyas of Kalyani. It is, therefore, natural to get an overwhelming influence of Chalukyan traditions on the rule, art & architecture and sculpture of the Kakatiya period. Innumerable majestic temples were built and dedicated to Siva and Vishnu during the rule of the Kakatiyas. The first important ruler of the dynasty, Kakati Rudradeva is credited with the construction of the magnificent thousand-pillared temple at Hanamkonda, near Warangal. Ganapatideva (1199-1262 A.D)another illustrious ruler of the dynasty extended the Southern frontiers of his empire upto Kanjeevaram. The other famous rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty are Rudramadevi (1262-1289 A.D) and Prataparudra deva. (1289-1323 A.D)

Major Kakatiya Temples in and around the city of the Warangal, Rudresvaralayam at Hanumakonda popularly known as Thousand Pillar Temple, Swayambu Kesavalaya situated in the center of Orugallu Fort, in the grand galaxy of temples situated at Palampet popularly kown as ramappa Gudi, The multiple tempkle complex at Ghanpur, a unique panchakuta temple at Ramanujapur, trikuta temples at Nidigonda and Kataksapur in Warangal District, Nagulapadu Pillalamarri, Panagallu in Nalgonda District, Tripuranthakam in Prakasam District and other places exhibit the grandeur of Kakatiya art and architecture. The profusely carved ceilings, lintels, gateways, glittering pillars and the sculptural décor of the temples speak volumes about the contribution of the Kakatiyas. Under the Kakatiyas irrigation was planned and executed in a big way. The rulers and their feudatory chiefs gave trust to the development of irrigational Tanks, ponds and feeder canals. The Kakatiyas excelled in the planning, construction, maintenance, repairs and proper upkeep of water tanks. In all these things, the Kakatiyas showed great skill and brought the plateau under cultivation and the water tanks like Ramappa, Pakhal, Laknavaram, Ghanpur, Kesamudram, Dharmasagar etc., and the feeder canals indeed testify the engineering skill of the kakatiyas. The network of tanks or the garland of tanks formed like an inverted pyramid built during the period, which till today form the basis of the irrigation system and supply of drinking water bespeak of heightened glory of the Kakatiya period. During the Kakatiya rule, engineering skills were advanced, industry, trade and commerce were prosperous. The floating bricks of Ramappa temple, the sand box technology method of construction used in the temple foundation is a puzzle even to the modern engineer

To put it succinctly, the period of the Kakatiyas stands out as an outstanding historical and cultural legacy, loved and adored by the people, at large. The first Kakatiya festival which was organized from 24th to 26th February, 1991 was aimed at providing an opportunity to the people of the region to understand, appreciate and celebrate this rich cultural heritage as well. A national seminar was conducted in this connection focused attention on various aspects of the socio-cultural milieu of this glorious period. The proceedings of the seminar were brought out in this form of book “Cultural Heritage of the Kakatiyas” edited by prof.S.Nagabhushan Rao, Department of History, Kakatiya University. During the second Kakatiya festival held in 1993, a National seminorwas conducted on April 12 and the seminar proceedings were edited and brought out the form of the book entitled “Engineering and Technology achievements during the Kakatiya period” by Prof.M.Panduranga Rao, Department of Civil Engineering, Regional Engineering College (Present NIT, Warangal). These precious books are not available for the art and history lovers as well as research scholars of Engineering and Technology. Hence, we have decided to republish these books for the benefit of future generations by including latest illustrations in colour, Maps as per scale, Satellite remote sensing images, and latest technology to update the seminar proceedings more appealing.

I am extremely eleted that Sri B.P Acharya IAS, Director General, Dr. Marri Chennareddy Human Resource Development Institute of Telangana, (MCRHRDIT) who was the former collector of Warangal district under whose able guidance the first Kakatiya Festival was held successfully in 1991 and the second in 1993, took initiative to bring out the two precious seminar proceedings “Cultural Heritage of the Kakatiyas” and “Engineering and Technological Achievements during the Kakatiya period” in collaboration with the “Kakatiya Heritage Trust”, “INTACH” and MCRHRDIT, Hyderabad. I wholeheartedly express my sincere gratitude to Sri B.P Acharya IAS, for his concernful gesture in republishing these precious proceedings of the seminar. I thank Sri. B.V Papa Rao IAS (Retd.) my co-Trustee “Kakatiya Heritage Trust”, for his unstinted support in this Endeavour. I extend my thanks to the INTACH Warangal chapter, for their timely help in getting the resources and to Prof.Deva Pratap, co-convenor. I also thank Sri J.Sreedhar Rao, co-Trustee and Sri T.Venkateshwar Rao of Kakatiya Heritage Trust for their continued support. I thank Dr.D.Vidyanath, Asst.Professor, who not only checked the proof thoroughly but also helped us in selecting the illustrations and placing them to justify the content.

Documents

Description

Major Kakatiya Temples in and around the city of the Warangal, Rudresvaralayam at Hanumakonda popularly known as Thousand Pillar Temple, Swayambu Kesavalaya situated in the center of Orugallu Fort, in the grand galaxy of temples situated at Palampet popularly kown as ramappa Gudi, The multiple tempkle complex at Ghanpur, a unique panchakuta temple at Ramanujapur, trikuta temples at Nidigonda and Kataksapur in Warangal District, Nagulapadu Pillalamarri, Panagallu in Nalgonda District, Tripuranthakam in Prakasam District and other places exhibit the grandeur of Kakatiya art and architecture. The profusely carved ceilings, lintels, gateways, glittering pillars and the sculptural décor of the temples speak volumes about the contribution of the Kakatiyas. Under the Kakatiyas irrigation was planned and executed in a big way. The rulers and their feudatory chiefs gave trust to the development of irrigational Tanks, ponds and feeder canals. The Kakatiyas excelled in the planning, construction, maintenance, repairs and proper upkeep of water tanks. In all these things, the Kakatiyas showed great skill and brought the plateau under cultivation and the water tanks like Ramappa, Pakhal, Laknavaram, Ghanpur, Kesamudram, Dharmasagar etc., and the feeder canals indeed testify the engineering skill of the kakatiyas. The network of tanks or the garland of tanks formed like an inverted pyramid built during the period, which till today form the basis of the irrigation system and supply of drinking water bespeak of heightened glory of the Kakatiya period. During the Kakatiya rule, engineering skills were advanced, industry, trade and commerce were prosperous. The floating bricks of Ramappa temple, the sand box technology method of construction used in the temple foundation is a puzzle even to the modern engineer
To put it succinctly, the period of the Kakatiyas stands out as an outstanding historical and cultural legacy, loved and adored by the people, at large. The first Kakatiya festival which was organized from 24th to 26th February, 1991 was aimed at providing an opportunity to the people of the region to understand, appreciate and celebrate this rich cultural heritage as well. A national seminar was conducted in this connection focused attention on various aspects of the socio-cultural milieu of this glorious period. The proceedings of the seminar were brought out in this form of book “Cultural Heritage of the Kakatiyas” edited by prof.S.Nagabhushan Rao, Department of History, Kakatiya University. During the second Kakatiya festival held in 1993, a National seminorwas conducted on April 12 and the seminar proceedings were edited and brought out the form of the book entitled “Engineering and Technology achievements during the Kakatiya period” by Prof.M.Panduranga Rao, Department of Civil Engineering, Regional Engineering College (Present NIT, Warangal). These precious books are not available for the art and history lovers as well as research scholars of Engineering and Technology. Hence, we have decided to republish these books for the benefit of future generations by including latest illustrations in colour, Maps as per scale, Satellite remote sensing images, and latest technology to update the seminar proceedings more appealing.
I am extremely eleted that Sri B.P Acharya IAS, Director General, Dr. Marri Chennareddy Human Resource Development Institute of Telangana, (MCRHRDIT) who was the former collector of Warangal district under whose able guidance the first Kakatiya Festival was held successfully in 1991 and the second in 1993, took initiative to bring out the two precious seminar proceedings “Cultural Heritage of the Kakatiyas” and “Engineering and Technological Achievements during the Kakatiya period” in collaboration with the “Kakatiya Heritage Trust”, “INTACH” and MCRHRDIT, Hyderabad. I wholeheartedly express my sincere gratitude to Sri B.P Acharya IAS, for his concernful gesture in republishing these precious proceedings of the seminar. I thank Sri. B.V Papa Rao IAS (Retd.) my co-Trustee “Kakatiya Heritage Trust”, for his unstinted support in this Endeavour. I extend my thanks to the INTACH Warangal chapter, for their timely help in getting the resources and to Prof.Deva Pratap, co-convenor. I also thank Sri J.Sreedhar Rao, co-Trustee and Sri T.Venkateshwar Rao of Kakatiya Heritage Trust for their continued support. I thank Dr.D.Vidyanath, Asst.Professor, who not only checked the proof thoroughly but also helped us in selecting the illustrations and placing them to justify the content.