The Evolution of Medak

A 3,000-Year Administrative Journey from Siddapuram to Modern District

The history of Medak is an extraordinary journey of transformation—from a prehistoric settlement and a thriving Buddhist trade hub to a spiritual hermitage, a medieval military fortress, and finally, a modern administrative district.

1. Prehistoric & Megalithic Foundations (1000 BCE – 300 BCE)

Long before recorded history, the region was inhabited by Megalithic Iron Age cultures. Archaeological sites at Edithanur have revealed prehistoric rock paintings and burial sites (cairns and stone circles), indicating that the Medak highlands have been sacred ground for over three millennia.

Megalithic Iron Age Edithanur Culture

2. The Satavahana "Maha-grama" (200 BCE – 200 CE)

During the Satavahana era, the landscape was dominated by Kondapur (15km from Medak town), a major regional capital and industrial emporium. Known for its massive bead-making industry and lead coinage, Kondapur served as a Buddhist stronghold with numerous Stupas and Chaityas, forming the foundation of the area’s urban history.

Satavahana Empire Kondapur Emporium

3. The Era of Sages: Siddapuram (5th – 8th Century CE)

As the urban center of Kondapur declined, the population shifted toward the defensible hill of Medak. Re-established by ascetics, it became known as Siddapuram—the city of Siddhas (ascetics and alchemists). These scholars used the natural granite caves for meditation and Rasavada (alchemy), leaving behind hand-carved rock pools and early foundations.

Spiritual Hub Siddha Traditions

4. Rashtrakuta Hegemony: Part of Savalakha (8th – 10th Century)

During this era, the Medak region was part of the vast Savalakha (Sapada-laksha) province, governed by the Vemulavada Chalukyas on behalf of the Rashtrakuta Empire. Within this "land of 1.25 lakh villages," the area functioned as a productive Vishaya (district).

It served as the primary granary for the empire, supplying Bhatta (paddy) to the imperial capital at Manyakheta. Inscriptions from this period mention "Mettigutta" (High Hill), the proto-linguistic ancestor of the name Methuku, as a strategic revenue and military outpost.

Savalakha Division Rashtrakuta Vishaya

5. The Etymological Shift: Methuku-Seema (10th – 12th Century)

Under the Western Chalukyas, the name solidified as Methuku (Telugu for "grain of cooked rice"). The Koraprolu Inscription identifies the region as Methuku-70 (a division of 70 villages). The Kakatiyas, initially serving as Chalukyan feudatories (Samantas), were tasked with securing this vital rice-growing upland.

Heritage: Rice Bowl Koraprolu Inscription

6. Kakatiya Militarization: Methukudurga (1150 – 1323 CE)

The Emperor Prataparudra transformed the settlement into Methukudurga (the Fort of Methuku). It served as a western shield for Warangal, protecting the empire from Yadava incursions. The Kakatiyas built the stone Gandasiri steps and the sophisticated hilltop water harvesting tanks still visible today.

Military Citadel Prataparudra Era

7. Sultanate & Mughal "Medak" (14th – 1867)

Following the Bahmani and Qutb Shahi conquests, "Methuku" was Persianized into Medak. In 1687, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb officially designated the region as Sarkar Medak under Subah Hyderabad, cementing its status as an imperial revenue district.

Sultanate Phonetics Mughal Sarkar

8. The Gulshanabad Rebranding & Reversion (1867 – 1911)

Sir Salar Jung I renamed the district Gulshanabad (City of Flowers) in 1867 during the Zilabandi reforms. However, the name failed to gain popular traction. During the administrative reshuffle of 1905 under the 6th Nizam, the name Medak was restored, becoming the exclusive official name by the 1911 Census.

Salar Jung Reforms 1911 Official Reversion

9. Modern Transformation: From Zilla to District (1948 – Present)

Following Operation Polo in 1948, the Nizam’s "Zillas" were integrated into the Indian Union. Medak became a part of the Hyderabad State and later, in 1956, part of Andhra Pradesh. The administrative nomenclature shifted from the Perso-Arabic Zilla to the English District.

The most recent significant change occurred in 2016, when the historic Medak District was reorganized into three smaller administrative units: Medak, Sangareddy, and Siddipet, ensuring that the ancient "Methuku-Seema" remains the heart of Telangana's governance.

Indian Union Integration 2016 Reorganization

Historical Synthesis: From the Megalithic burials of Edithanur and the trade emporium of Kondapur to the spiritual Siddapuram and agricultural Methuku, the name Medak carries three thousand years of Telangana's civilization.

References & Historical Sources

1. Archaeological Survey of India: "Excavations at Kondapur: A Satavahana Urban Center."
2. Imperial Gazetteer of India: Provincial Series, Hyderabad State (1909).
3. Telangana State Archaeology Reports: "The Megalithic Culture of Edithanur and Medak Highlands."
4. Sir Salar Jung I Records: "Statistical Abstract of the Hyderabad State" (1867-1880).
5. Mughal Records: "Dastur-al-Amal-i-Aurangzeb" (1687).
6. Census of India 1911: "Volume XIX, Hyderabad State Report."