The Medak Fort is situated in Medak town, Medak District, Telangana State, India. This is an important historical site around Hyderabad. At a distance of 2.3 km from Medak Bus Station and 95 km from Hyderabad.
The fort was originally known as Methuku durgam, which denotes cooked rice. The fort was the command post for the rulers of Kakatiyas and also for the Qutb Shahis who ruled the area. The fort, which was built between 1139 AD and 1157 AD by the 2nd Prolaraju of the Kakatiya dynasty, continues to amaze tourists coming from all over the world.
It is a huge structure located on the top of a hill. One has to climb more than 500 steps to reach the top of the fort, which occupies 100 acres on the hilly area. Medak Fort is noted for its architectural magnificence. The architecture of the fort represents a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles. The main entrance proudly displays the double-headed Gandabherundam of the Kakatiyas. It has three main entrances: the Prathama Dwaram, the Simha Dwaram—that has two snarling lions at the top of the entrance—and the Gaja Dwaram or Elephant's Entrance that has a sculpture of two elephants interlocked on both sides. The huge boundary walls of the fort have several bastions carved from the rocks and boulders of the hillock.
The fort houses a small lake, a barrack, and a warehouse. The fort has a 17th-century mosque that was constructed by the Qutb Shahi rulers. Although the Fort is in a ruinous state, it still holds the glory of history; hence, it is one of the important historical sites to visit. It provides an excellent picturesque view of the town and the regions around. It takes about a 10-minute drive from the town on the newly built CC road and about a one-and-a-half-hour drive from the State capital.
One can find huge structures inside the fort, which are in a dilapidated condition, used as stables for horses and elephants. On the top of the third gate, at both left and right sides, the ‘Ganda Bherunda,’ emblem of the Vijayanagara Empire (also utilized during the reign of Srikrishna Devaraya), stands out. It was believed that the fort built by the Kakatiyas was renovated by the Qutb Shahis around 400 years ago. The Medak fort, which was ruled by two primary dynasties—Kakatiyas and Qutb Shahis—is a site of significant heritage. One of the iconic structures of Medak which has withstood several invasions and has seen dynastic changes for over eight centuries is the Medak fort, which was also known as Metukudurgam.
What we know as Medak today has seen many changes in its nomenclature such as Vaidikapuram, Rachaveedu, Siddapuram, Gulshanabad, and Sadapur Vedik under the rule of Kalyan Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Bahmanis, Qutb Shahis, and Asaf Jahis who have left their architectural marks on the fort.
Medak fort was built as an expansion strategy of the Kakatiya dynasty which held control of Warangal but extended its control into Sabbinadu (the western parts), including Medak, Karimnagar, and Adilabad districts. The fort is located on a hillock with a strategic military advantage, being close to the confluence of Haldi Vagu and Manjira River. Methukudurgam was built for military defense of the area covering around 300 settlements.
Massive walls, rooms, burjs (towers), a palace, and grain and gunpowder storage rooms made of granite and sandstone—built and rebuilt over several centuries by various rulers—speak of the amount of labor that went into maintaining the fort through history. There are a few statues of Gattamma goddess (local deity) in some of the caves and people still offer prayers there. There used to be a Shiva temple at the top of the hillock, where now stands a mosque built in the 17th century by the Qutb Shahis. The top of the hillock presents a spectacular view of water bodies on all its sides. There is a pond called Raju-Rani cheruvu and naturally formed wells from where water was supplied using simple physics of ancient times.
There is also a 3.2-meter long 17th-century cannon still intact. Gulshan Mahal, a palace located on the hillock, has now been transformed into Hotel Haritha Resort managed by the Tourism Development Corporation. Historically, it was recorded that during the transition of power, "the siege of Owsa should be continued by the allies, while Jumsheed Kootb Shah should recover the fort of Meduk, of which Kasim Bereed Shah had lately obtained possession."
Historical Administrative Hierarchy & Fort Evolution
Ruled by Tribal Clan-Chiefs, the region served as the southern frontier. During this era, early iron-age populations utilized the natural boulder defenses of the Medak hill as a seasonal cyclopean retreat and ritual burial ground, centered around the Edithanur sites.
Imperial Dharmamahamatras focused on the fertile Manjira basin. The hill functioned as a Mauryan watch-post (Skandhavara), acting as a strategic observation point to secure mineral trade routes moving toward the capital at Pataliputra.
Managed as the Akara-Ahara (District of Mines). During this golden age of trade, a Mud-Fort (Kota) was established on the lower terraces of the Medak hill. This served as the primary military protection for the "Nigama" (merchant guild) and the flourishing industrial hub at nearby Kondapur, which was famous for its mint and bead-making industries.
Governed through Pathapuri. At this time, the hillock served as a Vihara-Fortress; Buddhist monasteries atop the heights doubled as fortified administrative nodes for tax collection by the Mahasenapatis.
Administered within Mundarastra. The Pallavas maintained a military encampment on the hill to guard the newly established Brahmadeya village clusters from northern frontier threats.
Organized under the Vandulasati-Bhukti. The location was expanded into a formal Garrison-Post for the Vatsagulma branch; early stone reinforcements began to emerge around the hill's natural cavernous defenses.
Administered via the Indrapala-Vishaya. Known as Siddapuram Fort during this era, it functioned as a fortified religious-administrative center where the earliest documented masonry for structural defensive walls was laid.
Governed by the Vemulavada Chalukyas. Re-christened Mettigutta (Hill Post), the site served as a high-elevation imperial granary and a critical military lookout for the Rashtrakuta "Savalakha" province.
Designated as Methuku-70. During the reign of the Kalyani Chalukyas, the hill was developed into a tiered mud & stone fort to monitor the strategic confluence of the Haldi and Manjira rivers.
Nayakas managed the Sabbinadu province. The site was transformed into the grand Stone Citadel of Methukudurga by Prolaraja II. This era saw the construction of massive granite walls, iconic gates, and sophisticated internal water storage systems.
Governed as a Wilayat. The Bahmanis introduced Persian military engineering to the site, adding gunpowder storage vaults and modifying the bastions (Burjs) to accommodate early heavy artillery for regional defense.
Officially institutionalized as Medak. The fort reached its architectural peak during this reign; the Sultans built the 17th-century Mosque atop the hill and integrated Islamic aesthetics with the original Kakatiya stone structures.
Managed via Sarkar Medak. The fort served as the Imperial Treasury and Administrative Headquarters for the district; the Mughals updated the barracks and granaries to support a permanent Faujdar garrison.
Known as Gulshanabad. The site functioned as the Subah (Divisional) Headquarters; the Nizam’s administration built the Gulshan Mahal and modernized hill-access roads for colonial-era transport.
References & Sources
1. The Hindu: Medak Fort Left to Ruin
2. Trawell: Medak Fort History & Travel Guide
3. The Hans India: Metukudurgam to Regain Past Glory
4. Historical Dispatches: Ferishta's History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (regarding the siege of Jumsheed Kootb Shah).
5. Epigraphic Records: Inscriptions of Telangana (re: Akara-Ahara, Indrapala-Vishaya, and Methuku-70).
Comments
Post a Comment