History of Warangal

Getting There
Air: The nearest airports are Hyderabad and Vijayawada, about 157 kms and 249 kms respectively.

Rail: Warangal has a railhead that is well connected to every city in the country.

Bus: Warangal is connected by state buses from hyderabad, Vijayawada, Karimnagar, Khammam, etc.

Local Transport
Buses, taxis, autorickshaws and cyclerickshows are available.

Star Hotels in Warangal

1. Hotel Ashoka, Hanamakonda. Ph: 78491.
2. Hotel Ratna, Warangal. pH: 60645.
3. Hotel Shankar, Hanamakonda. pH: 79196.

Other Hotels

1. Vijaya Lodge, Warangal.
2. Maheshwara Lodge, Warangal.
3. Broadway Lodge, Hanamakonda. pH: 77847.
4. Radhika Lodge, Hanamakonda. pH: 77532.

What to See in Warangal

Bhadrakali temple, Musical Garden, Padmakshi Temple, Ghanpur temples and Eturnagaram Sanctuary.

Places to see En Route to Warangal from Hyderabad

• Yadagirigutta, 59 kms (Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple).
• Kolanupaka, 80 kms. (Jain Mandir, Archaeology Museum, Sri Veeranarayana Temple, Someswara temple).

Places to See in and around Warangal

Thousand Pillar Temple

Catch a glimpse of the finest specimen of Kakatiya architecture and sculpture. Built by Rudra Deva in 1163 AD in Chalukyan style, the temple with three shrines is dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. One thousand richly carved pillars, perforated screens, exquisite icons, rock cut elephants and the monolithic black basalt Nandi will take you back down the ages!

Ramappa Temple

The medieval Deccan Ramappa Temple dating back to 1213 AD, is the right choice for architecture lovers. It documents the glory and grandeur of the Kakatiya Kingdom. Rich, intricate sculpture on walls, pillars, brackets and ceilings will captivate you! The picturesque Ramappa Lake close by, is another blessing.

Distance: 74 kms from Warangal.

Getting There
State buses and taxis from Warangal and Hyderabad.

Accommodation
Tourist Guest House and cottages on the bank of Ramappa Lake.

Pakhal

Listen to the call of the wild! Around the tranquil manmade Pakhal Lake, discover a wildlife sanctuary stretching across 860 sq kms. Dense forests, the sounds of the tiger, leopard, bear, hyena, deer... what more could you ask for? The best season to visit Pakhal is between October and March.

Distance: 50 kms from Warangal.

Getting There
State buses, taxis from Warangal and Hyderabad.

Accommodation
Sarovihar Tourist Rest House and Forest Guest House.

Warangal Fort

Enter the impressive Warangal Fort through four huge Sanchi-type gateways. The Warangal Fort was built in the 13th century by a Kakatiya King - Ganapathi Deva and his daughter, Rani Rudrama. You will spot exquisite pieces of sculpture too.

Sheet Metal Art

Pembarthi sheet metal art flourished during the reign of the Kakatiyas. Now it finds expression in articles used for home decoration - pandas (boxes for carrying betal nut), Ithar pots (scent containers), etc.