Kondavid
Encyclopedia
Kondaveedu Fort is located in Kondaveedu village in the Narasaraopet
taluk of Guntur district
, Andhra Pradesh
, India
. It is a hill fortress located 1700 feet (518.2 m) above m.s.l. Apart from this main fort, there are two other forts (names not known) nearby. All three forts are now in ruins.
Kondaveedu Fort was constructed by Prolaya Vema Reddy. Later it was ruled by the Reddi dynasty between 1328 and 1428 and then taken over by Gajpathis of Orissa later ravaged by the Muslim
rulers of the Bahmani kingdom (1458). The Vijayanagara
emperor Krishnadevaraya
captured it in 1516. The Golconda
Sultan
s fought for the fort in 1531, 1536 and 1579, and Sultan Quli Qutb Shah finally captured it in 1579, renaming it Murtuzanagar.
The fort came under the control of the French
colonists in 1752 when it was extensively fortified. It passed on to the English
imperialists who got control of the fort in 1788 but abandoned it in early 19th century in favour of Guntur
. Now, the massive fortifications and battlements are seen in ruins only. The interior has extensive ruins of magazines and storehouses.
and the Gundlakamma River
and located 8 miles (12.9 km) to the west of Guntur town. They were erected on a high ridge of a small range of hills with average elevation of 1500 feet (457.2 m) (highest point on the ridge is 1700 feet (518.2 m)). There are two hill (ghat
) sections, which form the hill ranges, one is to the north, which provides a very steep but short access to the forts. The preferred access is more circuitous and less tiring and involves 2 miles (3.2 km) of trekking. The Kondaveedu and surrounding forest area has a very large number of Custard apple
(Morinda citrifolia (Noni
)) trees.
In 1323, Warangal
and the whole of Andhra Pradesh came under the reign of Tughlaqs
, rulers of Delhi
. Their depredations and despotic reign resulted in formation of a confederation movement by the Hindu
king
s of South India
that ousted the Muslims from Warangal
, and the Reddis were part of this movement.
The Reddis of Kondaveedu were initially feudatories of the kings of Warangal. From inscriptions, it is inferred that their rule overlapped with that of the Korukonda Reddis and that they shifted from their earlier capital at Addanki
in Guntur
to Kondaveedu. The founder of the dynasty was Prolaya Vema Reddy, the son of Prola.
The Reddy dynasty was established by Reddy
s, one of the powerful non-Aryan
tribe
s/caste
. They ruled in the region around present day Vijayawada
and Guntur towns for nearly a hundred years (1328–1428). Their first ruler Prolaya Vema Reddy (followed by five other rulers till 1428) who ruled till 1353, strengthened the defenses of his kingdom by building a number of forts, which included the Kondaveedu Fort. He shfited his capital from Addanki
in Guntur to Kondaveedu fort. Subsequent to Reddy reign, the region was ruled by the Bahmanis (1458), the Vijayanagara Kings (1516), the Qutb Shahis, (1531,1537 & 1579), the Mughal
army of Aurangzeb
in 1687, the French (1752), the Asafjahi Kings, and finally the British (1766 and 1788).
means “pond”). On the way to the fort at Kothapalem (known as Puttakota in the past), at the foot hill of the fort, an embankment is seen which is inferred as a security ring bund to protect the royal family palaces and houses of the main functionaries of the fort.
The fort's ruins on the southwest side of the Kondaveedu village is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, and at the turning angles of the triangle at the south west and north east, tower bastions are provided, which form part of the façade wall of the fort. A single wall of 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) length straddles the hills.
A temple known as the Gopinathaswami temple (dedicated to Lord Krishna) lies at the foot of the hill; its bunched stone pillars are carved out of a single rock. Both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles are seen in the forts. A mosque is located within the fort; this is said to have been built with temple ruins.
) road of 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) length from the eastern side of the hill (the first step to approach the forts to begin restoration works), resetting and providing railing along the rocky pathway, and improving the view-points, bastions, garrison barracks, stables and internal roads with appropriate tourist signages.
ISKCON South India is also embarking on giving a major face-lift to this historical fort through their Spiritual Heritage Revival Project. The Andhra Pradesh government has sanctioned a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) plot at the foot of the hill to build a beautiful temple for the ancient Venna Gopal deity at the foot of the Kondaveedu Hills in the first phase. The deity was originally installed 500 years ago by the great South Indian Emperor Krishnadevaraya(Krishnadevaraya
), who also took over the Fort from its previous rulers, the Reddy Kings(Reddy dynasty
).
And provided this first phase is carried out successfully, the AP Government promised ISKCON another 150 acre (0.607029 km²) at the top of the hill to develop. A 3 Crore (30 million rupee) road to the top of the hill is already being built.
, which is 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) away. Two National Highways, NH 5 and NH 214, passing through Guntur are the Madras – Guntur - Kolkata
High Way and Guntur- Hyderabad - Mumbai
Highway. Guntur is also part of the Golden Quadrilateral
system, a major transportation project, under progress.
Guntur
junction
is one of the Divisional headquarters(Guntur division
) and a major transit point of the Indian Railways
System. All four "super metro" cities and most state capitals can be accessed through this transit point.
Narasaraopet
Narasaraopet or Narasaraopeta is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 95,002 at the time of the 2001 Census. The name comes from Narasa Rao, a wealthy landlord who owned much of the surrounding areas...
taluk of Guntur district
Guntur district
Guntur district is located in Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of Bay of Bengal. The district has a coastline of around 100 kilometers. Guntur City is the largest city in the district and administrative center of Guntur District. The district is a major center for learning.-Etymology:There are...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is a hill fortress located 1700 feet (518.2 m) above m.s.l. Apart from this main fort, there are two other forts (names not known) nearby. All three forts are now in ruins.
Kondaveedu Fort was constructed by Prolaya Vema Reddy. Later it was ruled by the Reddi dynasty between 1328 and 1428 and then taken over by Gajpathis of Orissa later ravaged by the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rulers of the Bahmani kingdom (1458). The Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
emperor Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya
Śrī Kriṣhṇa Devarāya , , , and also known as Krishna Devarayulu in some inscriptions was the famed Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529 CE.He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians...
captured it in 1516. The Golconda
Golconda
Golconda may be:Places:* Golkonda, ruined city and fortress in India* Golconda, Illinois, town in the United States* Golconda, Nevada, former town in the United StatesOther:* Golconda...
Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
s fought for the fort in 1531, 1536 and 1579, and Sultan Quli Qutb Shah finally captured it in 1579, renaming it Murtuzanagar.
The fort came under the control of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
colonists in 1752 when it was extensively fortified. It passed on to the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
imperialists who got control of the fort in 1788 but abandoned it in early 19th century in favour of Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
. Now, the massive fortifications and battlements are seen in ruins only. The interior has extensive ruins of magazines and storehouses.
Geography
The fortresses were once the capital of the Kondaveedu province that was delimited between the south of the Krishna RiverKrishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
and the Gundlakamma River
Gundlakamma River
The Gundlakamma is a seasonal river that flows through the east central part of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It arises in the Nallamalla Hills, an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats. Its main headwaters lie some 6 kilometers from the village of Ardhaveedu, Prakasam District at an altitude of 425...
and located 8 miles (12.9 km) to the west of Guntur town. They were erected on a high ridge of a small range of hills with average elevation of 1500 feet (457.2 m) (highest point on the ridge is 1700 feet (518.2 m)). There are two hill (ghat
Ghat
Ghat is the capital of the Ghat District in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya.-History:In historical times, Ghat was a major terminal point on the Trans-Saharan trade route and a major administrative center in the Fezzan...
) sections, which form the hill ranges, one is to the north, which provides a very steep but short access to the forts. The preferred access is more circuitous and less tiring and involves 2 miles (3.2 km) of trekking. The Kondaveedu and surrounding forest area has a very large number of Custard apple
Custard apple
Custard apple, a common name, can refer to:*Custard-apple, also called bull's heart, the fruit of the tree Annona reticulata.*The custard-apple tree itself, Annona reticulataThe term may also refer to:...
(Morinda citrifolia (Noni
Noni
Morinda citrifolia, commonly known as great morinda, Indian mulberry, nunaakai , dog dumpling , mengkudu , Kumudu , pace , beach mulberry, cheese fruit or noni is a tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae...
)) trees.
History
The main Kondaveedu Fort built by the king of the Reddy dynasty in the fourteenth century and the other two forts in its vicinity (all three built in successive periods), together with the province in which they are presently located, were ruled by many Kingdoms, Hindus, Muslims and the British, all who had divergent approaches to the administration of their province and the fort. While the Hindu rulers showed benevolence to its subjects and brought prosperity to the region, the Muslims subjected the province and its people to many depredations.In 1323, Warangal
Warangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
and the whole of Andhra Pradesh came under the reign of Tughlaqs
Tughlaq dynasty
The Tughlaq dynasty of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Malik assumed the throne under the title of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. The Tughluqs were a Muslim family of Turkic origin...
, rulers of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Their depredations and despotic reign resulted in formation of a confederation movement by the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
s of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
that ousted the Muslims from Warangal
Warangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
, and the Reddis were part of this movement.
The Reddis of Kondaveedu were initially feudatories of the kings of Warangal. From inscriptions, it is inferred that their rule overlapped with that of the Korukonda Reddis and that they shifted from their earlier capital at Addanki
Addanki
Addanki , is a town and a Mandal headquarters in Prakasam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.- Geography :Addanki town located at...
in Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
to Kondaveedu. The founder of the dynasty was Prolaya Vema Reddy, the son of Prola.
The Reddy dynasty was established by Reddy
Reddy
Reddy is a social group or caste of India, predominantly inhabiting Andhra Pradesh. They are enlisted as a forward caste by the government. Traditionally, they are a high-caste community of nobility, warriors and cultivators. According to academics, they were a warrior caste in the remote past and...
s, one of the powerful non-Aryan
Aryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s/caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
. They ruled in the region around present day Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
and Guntur towns for nearly a hundred years (1328–1428). Their first ruler Prolaya Vema Reddy (followed by five other rulers till 1428) who ruled till 1353, strengthened the defenses of his kingdom by building a number of forts, which included the Kondaveedu Fort. He shfited his capital from Addanki
Addanki
Addanki , is a town and a Mandal headquarters in Prakasam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.- Geography :Addanki town located at...
in Guntur to Kondaveedu fort. Subsequent to Reddy reign, the region was ruled by the Bahmanis (1458), the Vijayanagara Kings (1516), the Qutb Shahis, (1531,1537 & 1579), the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
army of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
in 1687, the French (1752), the Asafjahi Kings, and finally the British (1766 and 1788).
Structure
The three forts on top of the narrow hill range are now in ruins; earliest built fort is dated to 12th century. The main fort built by the Reddy dynasty and refurbished by subsequent rulers, located at a height of nearly 320 metres (1,049.9 ft), was considered then as one of the strongest forts in the region. 21 structures have been identified within the fort. Its fortifications built with granite stones comprise huge ramparts, magazines, warehouses, granaries and wells. There are two entry gates into the forts, called the ‘Kolepalli Darwaza’ and the ‘Nadelle Darwaza’. The entrance gate is three storied, massive and made of granite stone blocks. A building built with rock pillars and covered with rock slabs, has110 metres (360.9 ft) long inscriptions. A defense bunker is also seen. The source of water supply to the inhabitants of the fort was from three sources namely, the Mutyalama Cheruvu, the Puttalamma Cheruvu and the Vedulla Cheruvu (‘Cheruvu’ in Telugu languageTelugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
means “pond”). On the way to the fort at Kothapalem (known as Puttakota in the past), at the foot hill of the fort, an embankment is seen which is inferred as a security ring bund to protect the royal family palaces and houses of the main functionaries of the fort.
The fort's ruins on the southwest side of the Kondaveedu village is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, and at the turning angles of the triangle at the south west and north east, tower bastions are provided, which form part of the façade wall of the fort. A single wall of 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) length straddles the hills.
A temple known as the Gopinathaswami temple (dedicated to Lord Krishna) lies at the foot of the hill; its bunched stone pillars are carved out of a single rock. Both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles are seen in the forts. A mosque is located within the fort; this is said to have been built with temple ruins.
Restoration works
The department of Archeology and Museums (Andhra Pradesh) has decided to carry out major development and restoration works to bring out the past glory of the forts. The works proposed involve construction of hill (ghatGhat
Ghat is the capital of the Ghat District in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya.-History:In historical times, Ghat was a major terminal point on the Trans-Saharan trade route and a major administrative center in the Fezzan...
) road of 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) length from the eastern side of the hill (the first step to approach the forts to begin restoration works), resetting and providing railing along the rocky pathway, and improving the view-points, bastions, garrison barracks, stables and internal roads with appropriate tourist signages.
ISKCON South India is also embarking on giving a major face-lift to this historical fort through their Spiritual Heritage Revival Project. The Andhra Pradesh government has sanctioned a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) plot at the foot of the hill to build a beautiful temple for the ancient Venna Gopal deity at the foot of the Kondaveedu Hills in the first phase. The deity was originally installed 500 years ago by the great South Indian Emperor Krishnadevaraya(Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya
Śrī Kriṣhṇa Devarāya , , , and also known as Krishna Devarayulu in some inscriptions was the famed Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529 CE.He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians...
), who also took over the Fort from its previous rulers, the Reddy Kings(Reddy dynasty
Reddy dynasty
The Reddy kingdom was established in southern India by Prolaya Vema Reddy. The region that was ruled by the Reddy dynasty is now part of modern day coastal and central Andhra Pradesh...
).
And provided this first phase is carried out successfully, the AP Government promised ISKCON another 150 acre (0.607029 km²) at the top of the hill to develop. A 3 Crore (30 million rupee) road to the top of the hill is already being built.
Access
Kondaveedu fort is situated in Kondaveedu village, about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) from Guntur city. Guntur is easily accessible by road and rail from all parts of India. The nearest airport is at VijayawadaVijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, which is 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) away. Two National Highways, NH 5 and NH 214, passing through Guntur are the Madras – Guntur - Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
High Way and Guntur- Hyderabad - Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
Highway. Guntur is also part of the Golden Quadrilateral
Golden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral is a highway network connecting India's four largest metropolises: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, thus forming a quadrilateral of sorts. Four other top ten metropolises: Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Surat, are also served by the network...
system, a major transportation project, under progress.
Guntur
Guntur
Guntur , is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately to the south of the national capital, New Delhi and south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra...
junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
is one of the Divisional headquarters(Guntur division
Guntur division
Guntur Railway Division is one of the six divisions of South Central Railway , a zone of the Indian Railways. SCR has its head quarters at Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh and serves almost the whole of the state of Andhra Pradesh, a large part of Maharashtra along with small portions of Madhya...
) and a major transit point of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
System. All four "super metro" cities and most state capitals can be accessed through this transit point.