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Showing posts with label Trekking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trekking. Show all posts

Pakhal Lake

Pakhal lake is situated amidst unspoiled forest in Pakhal wildlife sanctuary near Pakhalashoknagar Village, Khanapur Mandal, Warangal District, Telangana State, India. 'Pakhal' literally means 'a large container of water' and is a Sanskrit derivative. According to the inscription set up on the bund , it was constructed during Ganapatideva by Jagadalu Mummadi, son of the minister Bayyana Nayaka and Bachana nayaka around1213 AD, Maudgalya tirtha close to the temple of Siva-Ramanatha. By the side of the tank he built a splendid city called Ganapura and granted a mansion and five martula of land to Kavichakravarti. The Pakhal Lake is an eloquent testimony to the engineering expertise of the Kakatiyas. Many artificial lakes were constructed during the Kakatiya period. The average depth of the lake is from 30 to 40 ft. The lake is a reservoir created by dam across Pakhal river, tributary of the River Musi.It was built to serve as source of water for irrigational purpose. 
Shitab Khan had the Pakhala tank repaired which still serves many farmlands in the area and is now a picturesque tourist spot. It is the largest artificial piece of water in the State, the length and breadth being 8000 and 6000 yards, while the dam is more than 2000 yards long, and the water covers an area of nearly 13 square miles. Bayyana Nayaka wife was Bachamamba and their sons were Peddana - Ganapati , Nalia - Ganapa and Jagadala - Mummadi .

Pakhal lake is situated about 32 miles East of Warangal and 7 miles North - East of Narsampet , the Taluq Head Quarters and 19 miles from Nechonda Railway Station.
The wildlife and recreation is popular retreat for tourists. The lake is attracting large number of tourists. Moonlights and shores of this lake are simply heavenly. 

Explore the 3.7-mile out-and-back trail near Khanapur, Telangana. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 20 min to complete. This trail is great for birding, hiking, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring.

About 10 km from Narsampet town and 57 km from Warangal city, Pakhal lake is one of the few unpolluted lakes in India.  The best time to visit the lake is during first three or four months of the year.
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Gundala Waterfalls

Gundala Waterfalls is located near Gundala Village in Tiryani Mandal, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Telangana, India. The scenic and lesser known nature wonder snuggles in the dense forests of remote Gundala village in Tiryani Mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district.

The spot is located around 300 kilometers from Hyderabad.

A few hardcore nature lovers would tend to visit the spot by trekking treacherous rocky path for over 10 kilometers and wading flooding streams. 

There are two routes to go, from Mancherial district. The route via Dandepally will lead you directly to a kilometer nearby to the waterfall. People who don't have much time and yet wanted to watch over the beauty of the waterfall has to choose this route. But the people who love to walk amidst of forest and cherish the beautiful green sceneries have to take the route to the waterfall via Thiryani. By this route, one has to stop their vehicles at rompapally village and has to walk ahead through the forest. It's an on-foot journey of around 7-8kms to reach the waterfall by climbing over two hills and crossing two valleys of flowing water. The path isn't much steep and is filled with huge rocks, that lets you cherish the greenery in the forest, inch by inch. The sounds of various birds singing in rhythm to the water flowing through the curves of the valley will absolutely boost your energy levels. In between the walk, you'll encounter local tribal people whose 'thriving without technology' lifestyle will truly inspire you. (At least in some aspects of life, Their lives are the perfect example of a minimalistic lifestyle). The whole journey may burn a lot of calories in your body but you'll find that the beauty of this journey will definitely recharge your soul. 

Apart from all this narration, this is a journey of a walk, climb, get tired, get boosted by nature, get down the hill, and forget the whole journey looking at the amazing waterfall, Gundala. It's worth a visit and the joy cherished isn't comparable!

You need to hire local guides for this trekking.

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Gundala-waterfall/td-p/2852365
https://telanganatoday.com/telangana-gundala-waterfall-comes-alive-goes-viral-on-social-media-platforms
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Savatula Gundam Waterfalls

Savatula Gundam or Samthula Gundam or Samthulagundam Waterfalls is located around 3 kms from Venkatapur and Balhanpur Villages, Asifabad Mandal, Komaram Bheem Asifabad District, Telangana, India.

You need to hire local guides for this trekking.


Directions from Asifabad






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Muthyam / Mutyala Dhara Waterfalls

Muthyam Dhara or Muthyala Dhara Waterfalls is located near Veerabhadravaram village of Venkatapuram Mandal, Mulugu District in Telangana State, India.

The roaring water sound is pleasant to hear as the cascading falls, flow with a heavy gush, milky white texture. The water here come from Kadam river, which is a tributary of river Godavari. These falls are attractive as they reside themselves in the arms of dense forest, with lush green atmosphere and the drizzling water pecking on your cheeks which automatically brings a smile on your face.

Although the lack of basic facilities at the site makes it unfavorable for trekking, tourists and nature enthusiasts flock to the area, as they can take around 10 kilometer walk from Veerabadravaram village, among nature to reach the waterfall.

Veerabhadram which is the base village for falls is 5kms past venkatapuram. Once you reach the village ask locals , they will show you the trekking path. You can hire the guide from village if you want . In the starting of the trail there is some parking space for vehicles also.

As per local traditions, it is believed that bathing in the waterfall can be therapeutic as the water mixes with rare medicinal herbs on its journey.

The local residents of Tippaiguda, Mutharam and Seetarampur call this group of 5 waterfalls as Gaddalasari Waterfalls. 
  1. Kothikuntla Alapaka Crescent Waterfalls  
  2. Jin Thogu or Gaddalasari Waterfalls 
  3. Tadapala Vagu
  4. Chalamala Vagu 
  5. Ingel Thogu
Muthyam Dhara and Gaddalasari are 2 different waterfalls. Gaddalasari is approachable from Alubaka and Mutyala Dhara OR Muthyam Dhara is approachable from Veerabhadravaram. 

As per Indaram Nageshwar Rao, a passionate explorer of Telangana’s waterfalls, Kothikuntla Alapaka Crescent Waterfalls has a huge plunge of 298 m or 977 feet giving a magnificent view with a patch of lush green environment and rocky background,” which makes it highest waterfall in Telangana.

Gaddalasari Waterfalls is Telangana's 2nd highest waterfalls around 700 feet at Gaddalasari according to Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana, an explorer. This waterfall is actually known as Jin Thogu Waterfall. One has to trek 12-8.7 mi from Alubaka to reach the waterfall. 1.9 mi to reach the village either Tippaiguda, Mutharam or Seetarampur. 5.0 mi of dense forest trek and Final 1 - 1.9 mi to reach thewaterfall crossing streams and boulders.


Kothikuntla Alapaka Crescent Waterfalls and Gaddalasari Waterfalls is one of the highest waterfalls in India after Nohkalikai falls (1,100 feet in Meghalaya) and Jog falls (Karnataka, 830 feet). 


Best time to visit waterfalls is during the Monsoon season from July - September.

Other Waterfalls near Muthyala Dhara

  1. Bavansari Waterfalls
  2. Bogatha Waterfalls (30 km away)
  3. Kongala Waterfalls (24 km away)
  4. Ontimamidi Loddhi Waterfalls
  5. Tappala Loddhi Waterfalls
  6. Gaddelasari Waterfalls
  7. Zin-Thogu-Zin Waterfalls
  8. Aten Thogu Waterfalls
  9. Kothikuntla Alapaka Crescent Waterfalls
  10. Seethamma Dhara Waterfalls

Places of interest:
  1. Eturunagaram Wildlife Sanctuary ( 40km away)
  2. Laknavaram Lake ( 90 km)
  3. Bhadrachalam ( 90 km)

If you are starting from Hyderabad, you can visit Heritage city Warangal and Ramappa temple.
If you are starting from Vijayawada, you can visit Bhadrachalam temple and stay at Godavari River Islands.

Directions

Before 6Kms from Bogatha Waterfalls you will find a Right turn to Venkatapuram Village
From Highway to Venkatapuram village, it is around 20Kms and from their drive Exactly 5Kms. 
You will find one small village, can ask any local people about the waterfalls Mutyala Jalapatham or mutyam dhara or Veerabadhram Waterfalls. 
For simple route from highway take road to venkatapuram village, go straight till 25.3Kms and you will find small sign board of waterfalls on your left.(Can confirm from local people)  

Road condition is very good till Venkatapuram village.

Places to Stay
Laknavaram Lake – 4 Cottages & Couple of rooms available, we have to do advance booking.
Tadvai Forest Camp : 6 Cottages available, We have to do advance booking. 
If you are not able to book any cottages or rooms in the above mention place, then you will find one lodge in Mulugu Town(Warangal) AC & non AC.

From Mulugu – Laknavaram Lake is 20kms approximately 

From Laknawaram Lake - Tadvai Huts is 30Kms approximately


Jul 27, 2023 - Telangana Floods
A group of 80 tourists visiting the picturesque Mutyaladhara waterfalls in Mulugu district found themselves in a perilous situation when the stream they had crossed earlier suddenly overflowed, leaving them stranded on their way back. The tourists were unable to cross the rapidly rising river and were forced to seek shelter in the nearby forest and were rescued by NDRF Team in the wee hours of Jul 27, 2023, Thursday. 

An alert was sounded to the authorities after which superintendent of police (SP) Gaush Alam sought the assistance of the district disaster response force (DRF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local police.

A team of 50 personnel from the DRF, NDRF, and the police were pressed into the rescue operations.
Officials tracked the location of the tourists through their mobile signals, ensuring an accurate and efficient rescue operation.

“No one was injured in the incident. However, one person did require medical attention. The rescued tourists were provided with food and medical assistance,” the SP said.

https://bcfblogs.com/2020/08/03/travel-guide-to-muthyamdhara-falls/
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/telangana-records-highest-ever-rainfall-with-mulugu-district-receiving-649-8mm-in-a-single-day-101690435892006.html
https://discover.events.com/in/telangana/hyderabad/e/food/falls-sky-mutyala-dhara-waterfalls-315734504
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110722/rains-bring-to-life-warangals-famous-waterfalls.html
https://www.trifod.com/topic/623-hyderabad-to-mutyala-jalapatham-waterfalls-warangal/
https://goadventure.in/trips/muthyamdhara-falls-and-kongala-falls#

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Saleshwaram jatara and waterfalls

Saleshwaram is located 25 km away from Farahabad gate in Amarabad Tiger Reserve in Nallamala Forest, Amarabad Mandal, Nagarkurnool district, Telangana State, India.

The annual Saleshwaram Jatara in the Nallamala forest area which comes under Amrabad Tiger Reserve is celebrated every year on Chiatra Pournami or the Full Moon Day in April and is open to visitors for only 5 days. 

On every Chaitra pouranmi i.e. the full moon day of March/April believed to attain the super natural powers and the wills of the devotees are fullfiled message spread throughout the State hence devotees come in large numbers chanting “Vastunna Lingamayya” .

“Saleshwaram Jathara” also known popularly as “Dakshina (Telangana) Amarnath Yathra”is being conducted every year for three days in the month of April, for the past 30 years. Nearly 5 lakh people from all over the country visit Saleshwaram during the Jathara every year. 

Saleshwaram waterfalls runs throughout the year from a height of 200ft and the source of water remains unknown. This waterfall reaches a Shivalinga revered as “Lingamayya” by the Chenchu tribes. The presence of a perennial waterfall here resembles a long serpent when splashing on the rocks adds to the beauty of this place. 

Breath-taking views of the layered rock formations, deep valleys with spectacular views only found in the most exotic locations of the world. Saleshwaram is located 16 km away from Farhabad forest checkpost and the temple comes under Appapur Gram Panchayat in Lingal mandal in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, India.

The ancient Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple of 6th century AD, located deep inside Nallamala forest, is about 1,000 feet deep inside a valley. The scene of the temple in moonlight is a treat to the eyes and a blessing to the soul. The temple lies next to a beautiful waterfall, coming down from a height of over 200 metres. The water flows through the temple and the devotees take a holy dip in it before taking a climb into the Garbhagudi. The linga is located in a cave which resides on a huge rock.

Reaching the temple involves a 16-km journey through the core area of the tiger reserve with another six kilometres of trek through the Nallamala hills.

The drive through the deep forest is sure to remain one of the best memories for visitors since they can see many wild animals like spotted deer, nilgai and wild boar.

The devotees have to walk at least three kilometers to reach the temple located down the valley. It is an arduous walk since there are sharp rocks all along the ground.

The devotees need to walk on narrow gorges of valley to reach down the deep valley where they can see waterfall falling from over 1,000 feet.

The devotes take a holy dip in the water and collect water in the bottles for those who could not make it as it is believed that it contains medicinal value.

Nature’s wonder which has been kept intact for thousands of years has once again started mesmerizing the devotees of Lord Shiva, who is devotedly called ‘Lingamaiah’ in this part of the world. The purest form of the nature located away from the mainstream society’s sight has opened its arms welcoming the devotees.

‘Sarveshwaram teertha kshetra,’ which later came to be known as ‘Saileshwaram’ and ‘Saleshwaram locally,’ which is a primitive religious site, located 30-40 kilo metre deep inside the Nallamala forests inside Amrabad Tiger Reserve where the rare Chenchu Adivasis have been living and serving Lord Shiva for ages.

As per local Chenchu mythology, ages ago, a Chenchu named Ravagadu had gone for hunting along with his wild dogs on the New Year’s Eve. When he couldn’t find water to drink anywhere, his dogs led him to a water body located near a cave, where water drops which looked like pearls were falling through the layers of rock formation. There, Bhole Baba had revealed himself to the Chenchu in bright gold and then vanished. That night, Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and asked him to erect a Shiva Linga and serve him.

The water which flows through layers of rock formed some thousands if not millions of years ago, carries with it all the medicinal values through the roots of nature, making it the purest form of water which has the ability to cure any disease. People have been visiting this nature’s wonder for ages and people believe that their sins can be washed-away here.

According to ‘Parvatha Purana,’ if a sinner enters this water body which is called ‘Shankhu Teertha,’ the water here becomes dirty but when a pure human enters, remains crystal clear. No wonder, while the water which comes from the top is crystal clear, once it touches the ground where devotees take bath, it changes colour due to plastic left over by pilgrims.
According to historic evidence, the Shiva Ling at Sarveshwaram had already become famous by 5th or 6th century. The layered rock formation in front of the sanctum sanctorum itself looks like a mammoth cave.


https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/devotees-make-a-beeline-to-saleshwaram-jatara/article8515715.ece
https://telanganatoday.com/deep-inside-the-nallamala-forests-saileshwaram-mesmerises-devotees
https://allevents.in/hyderabad/saleshwaram-trek-in-srisailam-forest-opened-only-once-a-year/80001403653972



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Koyyur Jain Caves Nayanagulllu

The monolithic caves of Jain pantheon near Koyyur Village, Malharrao Mandal in the Jayashankar Bhupalpally district are set to hog the limelight with theForest Department making efforts to incorporate the structure into its ongoing eco-tourism programme.

Situated on a hillock among scenic surroundings on the banks of river Manair, the caves stand out as an example of Indian rock-cut architecture.

Hewn in solid sandstone precipice the caves testify the prevalence of Jainism in these parts during ancient times. Though the caves were found long ago, they remained uncared for. With an intention to draw public attention to these caves, Bhupalpally Forest Department officials are planning to lay pathways to ensure better connectivity to the caves called locally as ‘Nayanagulllu’.

At a distance of two km there is a Nagulamma Temple which is frequented by devotees on weekends and on auspicious occasions. It is proposed to lay a pathway from the temple and from Mainar bridge near Adavi Somanapally to the caves.

The works will be started during winter season, Suman added. “We wish to organise trekking trips to the caves so that those interested in history can visit and appreciate their historic significance.

The Jain caves will be included in the itinerary of recently released a calendar of events of eco-tourism” District Forest Officer T Ravi Kiran informed.

He hoped that the in the days to come, the caves would emerge as an important tourist destination. According to a local school teacher and history enthusiast Ch Srinivas, Jainism was prevalent in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh during the times of 12th Tirthankara Vasupujya as mentioned in the 12th century classic Dharmamrita.

There are six chambers at the caves. A verandah, an antharala (ante-chamber) and garbhalaya (sanctum sanctorum) are part of the cave structure.

There is a colourful mural painting on the ceiling of a cave, probably a depiction of Jataka tale. A carved image on the frontal portion of the cave is said to be of a Thirtankara.

In side sanctum sanctorum there is a Siva Lingam and damaged figurine of a female deity, believed to be Mahisasura Mardini, Srinivas explained.

Above the entrance of the main cave, there an epigraphy hewn in the rock.“The archeological authorities and historians must try to decipher the inscriptions to comprehend to which period the caves belong and who carved out these caves” Srinivas noted.


http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Warangal-Tab/2017-09-29/Koyyur-may-turn-a-major-eco-tourism-hub-in-Telangana/330043


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Devuni Gutta Temple

Devuni Gutta temple is located 2.5 km away from Kothur village, near Jangalapalli of Mulugu mandal in Mulugu district.

It is only when one chats up with the villagers of Kothur that the temple is mentioned. The journey to reach this temple is as interesting as the temple itself.

The temple is on a densely forested hill locally called ‘Devuni Gutta’. One has to walk from the village through a forest. About halfway up, the path becomes a water path — a stream or a rivulet that one can walk through. The watery path runs for a kilometre at least. Even as you enjoy the walk, you also get to see beautiful waterfalls at several places.

Upon reaching the top of the hill, one comes upon this absolutely stunning temple with carvings on all four walls sitting snug within a lush green environ. It looks like it is made of bricks but up close one can see that the blocks are a mixture of sand and stone. Lime mortar was used for plastering. The carvings were made on these square and rectangle shaped blocks. Sages, Buddhist monks, dancers, even some animals can be identified though on the sculpted stone, but a lot of has eroded over time. The sanctum sanctorum also has several such carvings. Historians estimate the age of the temple to be more than 2000 years.

Locals say there used to be a Shiv Linga inside the temple but it was stolen by treasure hunters about 50 years ago. Close to the temple is a pond. “The water in this pond seeps underground and flows down as a stream. This water is useful for us to irrigate our crops. What is not used flows into the Laknavaram Lake. Other-wise, if there’s no rain for 15 days, the pond dries up,” said a villager, Veeram-aneni Ravinder Rao.

If the district administration takes the required steps, this place could be another tourist spot for trekkers and adventurers, feel local tourists. But yes, a little more research would lead to more interesting details about the temple that would also enhance its touristy charm.

Dr Corinna Wessels-Mevissen, a senior art historian from Germany, who saw pictures of the temple, termed it as extremely interesting and said that it could turn out to be a discovery like no other.
"The style that may date to the late Gupta/post-Gupta periods is unknown to me. It may be linked to the early Odishan style of temple art or that of Rajim and Sirpur in Chhattisgarh. The presence of Amaravati-style spoils is of course interesting," she said.

Local historian Sriramoju Haragopal said the work on the temple suggests it could belong to the sixth or seventh century.
 


Source
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/310817/hidden-treasures-of-kothur-await-attention.html

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/040917/telangana-ancient-mulugu-temple-soon-to-become-tourist-attraction.html



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Pangal Fort

Pangal Fort is located at Pangal in Wanaparthy District of Telangana, India.

Pangal Fort is one of the Famous Hill Forts in Telangana. It was built by Kalyani Chalukya Kings during 11th and 12th Centuries. The fort is spread across hundreds of acres with Seven Gateways. The Main entrance is called as Mundlagavini and is a special attraction of this fort. It was built with huge granite rocks.

The ruins of the fort houses several monuments built with beautiful architecture, including Uyyala Mandapam and several water bodies. Many deadly wars had taken place among the dynasties like Bahamani, Vijayanagara, Padmanayaka and Qutub Shahis at this fort. The fort also witnessed guerrilla warfare during the revolted against the Nizam.

The specialty of the fort is its area ad terrain. Spread across hundreds of acres of land in rugged hilly terrain with thorny vegetation, the fort area is guarded by seven gateways. There are some small ponds, rock structures and beautiful rock formations. This abandoned fort is now neglected and filled with beautiful green foliage through out. The fort was controlled by the Kalyani Chalukya, Bahmani, Padmanayaka, Reddiraajulu, Qutb Shahis and many local warlords. Due to the invention of the cannon, simple hill forts have become useless to host large armies and therefore abandoned. The forts was impregnable in guerrilla warfare where small rebel groups revolted against the Nizams.

Pangal can be reached from Wanaparthy which is 15 km away. The trekking starts from Pangal village and it is an easy trek which takes about 2 hours to reach the peak, explore and come back to the village.

At a distance of 1.5 km from Pangal Bus Station, 15 km from Wanaparthy Bus Station, 74 km from Mahabubnagar Bus Station and 163 km from Hyderabad.


Sources
https://www.trawell.in/telangana/mahabubnagar/pangal-fort
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Khilla Ghanpur Fort

Khilla Ghanpur Fort is located in Ganpur village & Mandal, Wanaparthy District, Telangana State, India.

This hill fort was built by joining two mountains by Recharla Padma Nayakulu and Gona Ganapa reddy in 13th century. This fort has witnessed many wars between Bahamanis, Vijayanagara Kings, Bijapur Kings and Qutb Shahi Kings etc. The cannons which still exist have been kept on the top most side of the fort. We can also see palace and ministers houses ruins.
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Devarakonda Fort

Devarakonda Fort is located in Devarakonda town in Nalgonda District of Telangana State, India.

Devarakonda which is as Mandal Headquarters, is a tiny village situated in Nalgonda district. The Devarakonda village is home to one of the most astonishing forts found in Telangana. The village attracts many tourists from over the world. There was a time when the fort stood high in place flaunting the glory of the village, but now due to negligence, the fort is in ruins.
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Rachakonda Fort

Rachakonda Fort is a 14th-century fort located in Rachakonda, Narayanapoor Mandal, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India.
Rachakonda Fort was the capital to the Rachakonda region was first ruled by Kakatiyas and then it was taken by Padma Nayaka dynasty, from them it is concurred Muslim Bahmani Sultanate in1433 AD. Qutub Shahi and Nizams also ruled this kingdom.

The architecture Rachakonda Fort is of medieval Hindu fort architecture. It is a structure made of large stones which are of irregular size and indefinite shape. The fort is constructed without using any Mortar. At the entrance, there are gates that are made of stone pillars and horizontal beams. The exterior walls of the building are built with stones and the interiors are layered with mud. The structure of Rachakonda Fort was strategically developed as a defensive bastion with strong fortifications. It was one of the most prominent structures during the pre-firearms era.
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Jangubai Temple Pilgrimage

The sparsely populated hilly confines of Kota-Parandoli gram panchayat on the Telangana-Maharashtra border in Kerameri mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district will come alive on December 31 when the sacred month-long Jangubai pilgrimage of Adivasis gets underway. Thousands of aboriginal Gonds, Kolams and Pardhans of Adilabad and neighbouring districts will visit the ancient cave temple of the most revered Goddess Jangubai situated in picturesque locale of a hillock by the side of a hill stream.

Despite the onslaught of modern times, nothing much has changed in these parts and one gets a feeling of being transported back in time when approaching the sacred cave.

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Nallamala Hills

Nallamala Hills located in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is one of the most soothing hill stations,wrapped in an amazing beauty, shimmering gushing water, deep valleys and thick forests enchants the visitor’s mind and soul.

Pennar and Krishna are two big rivers in this region and Nallamala hills are located between these two rivers. The two big peaks of this hill range are Bhairani at 1100 meters distance from the sea level and Gundla Brahmeswara at 1048 meters level.

For most tourists taking the road to Srisailam, the view of the imposing dam with river Krishna’s waters gushing out of its gates and a darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy is not enough without a glimpse of dense Nallamala forest in Farahabad.

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Umamaheshwaram Temple

Umamaheswaram also known as Maheshwaram is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, located near Rangapur Village, Achampet Mandal, Nagarkurnool District, Telangana India on very tall hills of Nallamala forests showcases a unique Shivalinga with dual color white on one side and red on the other.

The presiding deities in Umamaheshwaram are Mallikarjuna (Shiva) and Bhramaramba (Devi).

Umamaheshwaram Temple is also known as Kubera Sthanam. There are other Temples here of Lord Ganesha, Lord Veerabhadra Swamy, Lord Janardhana Swamy and also that of Lord Nagaraju.

Umamaheswaram, a temple perched in the cliffs of Nallamala, a northern gateway to Srisailam overlooking the vast Deccan plateau. It is a halt and entry to Nallamala on ancient pilgrim trail to Lord Mallikarjuna, deep in the hills.  Sri Giri or Sri Parvati known as Sri Sailam (Sri’s Mountain) which is mentioned in Markandeya Purana (LVII.15), Kumara Purana (30.45-8) and Agni Purina (109). The Padma Purana notes that on the summit of this auspicious and beautiful mountain resides god Mallikarjuna, who is identified as one of the twelve Jyotirlinga's of India, the holy center of Shaivism.

To reach the temple, one has to ride on very steep and dangerous curves of 5 mile length from the bottom of the hill.  Hill ranges shields the temple and 500 metres of stretch to Papa Nasanam. Through the day hardly any sunlight falls on this stretch, thus maintaining the temperature below normal year round. 

Umamaheswaram is popular for its mysterious papanasanam, a small stream that flows beneath the mountain rocks (from the vast maze of roots join flows in rock strata and form springs that emerge at cliffs). The speciality of Papanasanam is that, the stream flows into a small pit and at any given time, you can scoop out a mug of water and the moment you take some water out, it refills itself within seconds ! The belief is, sprinkling this water over you will wash away your sins and also some traditional folk collect it for their medicinal practice.

Traditions as well as epigraphical sources inform us that the inaccessible shrine of Srisailam is approachable through four places on the plains, generally called the gateways of Srisailam on its four-cordinal directions. They are Tripurantakam in the Prakasam district, in the East, Siddhavatam in the Cuddapah district, in the South, Alampuram in the Jogulamba Gadwal district, in the west and Umamahesvaram in the Nagarkurnool district, in the North. 

Umamaheshwaram Sacred grove 
Sacred Groves are small groves that are specific places which are protected and conserved by the local communities as being the sacred residences of local deities and sites for religious and cultural rituals.
The grove is around Shiva temple situated in the middle of the hill surrounded by forests. Near the temple water percolates through the rocks throughout the year and harbours many non flowering plants. It has the richest flora in Nagarkurnool District. About 400 plants were recorded during floristic studies of which about 150 are perennial. Bryophytes like Riccella, Notothallus, Moss, Marchantia, and Pteridophytes, viz Salaginella species, Pteridium spp, Adiantum incisum, Actiniopteris, Petris etc were observed. 

Human interference has started with tea stalls etc too close to the temple adding to pollution. It is an important grove requiring better protection.

Gateways to Srisailam
The concept of the gateways of Srisailam is traceable from 8th -9th centuries AD. All these places, particularly the four main places developed as centers of pilgrimage.

1. TRIPURANTAKAM: The presiding deity here is called Tripurantakadeva, with Goddess Tripurasundaridevi. This place is also called Kumaragiri. Before the construction of Guntur-Guntakal Railway, pilgrims from coastal Andhra used to pass through this place in their journey to Srisailam.If they go by foot they need not go to Dornala. They can directly go from Erragondapalm, Telugurayacheruvu and reach Chukkalaparvatam, climbing which they can reach Srisailam. Now the bus goes through Dornala. Tripurantakama is historically an important place. There are more than a hundred inscriptions incised on the walls and loose stone slabs in the temple compound. Most of these records belong to the medieval period from eleventh to sixteenth century that is from the period of the western Chalukyas to the Kakatiya period. Several local chiefs like the Velanati Chodas, Kota chiefs, and the Kakatiya rulers and their subordinates endowed the temple of Tripurantakadeva with numerous gifts. The Kayastha chiefs were the great worshippers of this God. Ambadeva of that family having revolted against the Kakatiya Queen Rudramadevi, proclaimed independence in A.D. 1289, to which effect he set up a lengthy record in Sanskrit at this temple. The ground plan of the main temple at Tripurantakam is in star shape with a spacious interior garbhagriha and mandapa. It is datable to the early part of the Western Chalukyas. Pasupata Saivism seems to be the main religion that prevailed here for a long period. The Aradhya Saivas came into prominence from fourteenth century.

2. SIDDHHAVATAM: It is a taluk town in the Cuddapah District. The presiding deity here is Jyoti Siddhavatesvara. Jyothi is another holy place very near to this and its god is called Jyothisvara or jyothinath. These two places are on the bank of Pinakini or Penna River. Pilgrims from South visit this place and proceed to Srisailam. We do not find many inscriptions in this temple.

Pushpagiri is also on the bank of the river Pinakini. It is about 12km. from Cuddapah, its district headquarters. The presiding deity here is Vaidyanathasvami. Indranathasvami and Chennakesava are also popularly worshipped here. The antiquity of the place seems to be early as the Ikshvaku period. An inscription at Nagarjunakonda refers to Pushpagiri, where certain Bodhisri is said to have built here a stone pavilion, i.e. silamandapa. The earliest extant epigraphical record at Pushpagiri is datable to the time of the Rashtrakuta king Krishna II (A.D. 878-914) or III (A.D. 939-967). Therein, it is clearly stated that the place is the southern gateway of Srisailam. Inscriptions of other dynasties like the Western Chalukyas, the Kakatiyas, the later Vaidumbas and the Vijayanagara are noticeable here. The main temple here is a double shrine structure for the deities Chennakesava and Umamaheshvara.

3. ALAMPURAM: On the left bank of Tungabhadra in the Jogulmba Gadwal district is the Western gateway of Srisailam. It is also called Halampura in early inscriptions. God Blalabrahmesvara is the presiding deity here. The Goddess Jogulamba, the main female deity here, is considered to be one of the eighteen Sakthis and hence the place is a Saktipitha like Srisailam. There are nine early temples dedicated to nine Brahmesvaras, namely Bala-Brahma, the main deity, Arka-Brahma, Visva-Brahma, Padma-Brahma, Garuda-Brahma, Kumara-Brahma, Vira-Brahma, Svarga-Brahma and Taraka-Brahma. All these temples are early Chalukya structures with uniform curvilinear vimanas, except the sixth one, which is in Dravidian style. The temples are very important study of early temple architecture in the middle Deccan. There are more than fifty inscriptions in these temples, the earliest being that of Chalukya Vikramaditya I (A.D. 657 - 678) and the latest being those of Krishnadevaraya. Of all the four gateways of Srisailam, Alampuram is the richest in ancient structures and epigraphical records. The main school of Saivism that flourished here is kalamukha and later Pasupata. The influence of Siddha cult at Amalapura in the early period is much said in the local tradition.

4. UMAMAHESHVARAM: The Fourth gateway is Umamaheshvaram about 6 km from Achampeta in Nagarkurnool District. It is situated on the edge of a hill forming the vast plateau, generally called Sri Parvata. God Umamaeshara is the presiding deity. Pilgrims from Telangana region in the former days had generally to pass through this temple. The present bus route does not touch this place; it goes two miles away from the temple. According to the inscriptions preserved in the temple the history of the place starts from the Kakatiya period and its references at other places are traceable to the later Chalukya period, from Trailokyamalla Somesvarai I (A.D. 1042 - 68). The Recherla king Madanayaka (1421 AD - 1430 AD) constructed for the benefit of pilgrims a paved footpath with steps from this place up to Jatararevu covering nearly 50 km up to river Krishna. After crossing river at this ferry point known as Jatararevu they have to climb up the Chukkala-parvatam and walk about 4 km to reach Srisailam.

It is in the picturesque Nallamala forest range around 150 kilometers away from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad-Srisailam highway. A festival is held here annually during February and March to celebrate Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva.

In the nearby village of Rangapur, one can visit the famous Darga of Niranjanshalvali, where every year on January 17th night, one can stay witness to colossal processions. Lakhs of people partcipate in the procession, making it a colourful affair.

Fifty km from the temple, en route Srisailam, one can see the Mallela Thirtham which houses lord Shiva. The waterfall here is a huge attraction. In order to reach here, one needs to take a diversion from Ottvarla Palli.

Eighty km from here, one can visit Maddimadugu, one more celebrated temple of Lord Anjaneya which experiences thousands of devotees every Saturday and Sunday.

Near the Umamaheshwaram temple, one can have a tour of the world's largest Amarabad Tiger Sanctuary in Mannanur, the Nallamalla forest along the Krishna River. The river cuts through a picturesque gorge of the Nallamala Hills with deep valleys on both sides. The sanctuary, with a wide area of more than 3000 sq. km.

If one wishes to stay back and enjoy even more the surroundings and mysticism of the Umamaheshwaram temple, one has the option for luxurious accommodation in the nearby town of Achampet. If one opts for budget accommodation, the temple has a guesthouse for themselves, next to the temple. One can stay there for a nominal payment of rupees fifty.

Timings : 7:00 AM - 8:30 PM

Contact : +91-1800-425-46464 
 


Sources
https://tourism.telangana.gov.in/divine-destinations/UmaMaheshwaraSwamy
http://hindutourism.com/11-2-11/srisailam-gateways
Hinduism in Middle India: Narasimha, The Lord of the Middle - Page 92
Lavanya Vemsani 

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Kerameri Cave Temples

Located in idyllic settings in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, they attract devout Adivasis in
droves. The large and scenic reservoir of the Kumram Bheem project also offers a perfect getaway for the visitors.

Komaram Bheem Asifabad is set to unravel the mystique of tribal culture and their ethnicity as the religious season for Adivasis has just begun. It is time for the different sects and sub sects of the aboriginal population in this district to worship respective clan deities and other gods and large groups can be seen journeying in bullock carts and on foot to temples located inside the forests and over the hills.

For those who consider the culture of the aboriginal people as something of a mystery, the three equally mysterious cave temples of Adilabad have much to offer by way of revelations. Visitors can actually see and feel that the religious practices of the Adivasis which seem to be superstitious on the surface are actually connected with understanding nature itself.

The three cave temples are Jangubai temple , Bhuyari Pochamma temple and Siddheshwara temple.

Jangubai temple located in the hilly wilderness of Shankarloddi in Kerameri mandal.

The Jangubai temple is by far the most famous among the Adivasis, the Gonds and Pardhans, who visit it as part of a pilgrimage in the Pushya masam coinciding with December-January.

The devout among Gonds observe Jangubai deeksha in the Pushya month and visit the cave temple in large number towards the end of the deeksha. A host of ethnic religious rituals and rites can be seen at the scenic location, which also boasts of a water body at the foot of the hillock.

Bhuyari Pochamma temple located on a hillock on the banks of the Kumram Bheem project reservoir near Manikguda in Asifabad mandal

At the Bhuyari Pochamma temple, the Kolams take part in rituals associated with thanksgiving to the gods. Though many of the Adivasis visit the temple every Sunday, the deity is especially worshipped at the beginning of monsoon and on Dasara.

The large and scenic reservoir of the Kumram Bheem project also offers a perfect getaway for the visitors. The friendly fishermen will offer a ride in the cool water of the reservoir on their surprisingly stable rafts made of thermocol or even a piece of their roasted fish.

Siddheshwara temple located on Penchikalpetgutta hillock in Bejjur mandal.

Reaching the Siddheshwara temple also involves braving the difficulties posed by difficult and roadless terrain as the other two.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/cave-temples-of-adilabad/article6708910.ece


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Mallur Gutta Fort and Temple

Mallur Gutta and Fort are located near Mallur village, Mangapet Mandal, Mulugu district in Telangana, India is said to be bigger than Warangal and Golconda forts.

A sprawling ancient fort in the region is the massive 8 km-radius fort wall with seven entry points dating back to the Satavahana period.

Locally known as Mallur Fort, located 4 km inside the forests near Mallur village of Mangapet mandal, Mulugu district, the fort is on the banks of the river Godavari adjacent to the Eturunagaram-Bhadrachalam highway.

“Normally, forts are two to four km in radius. But this fort wall has a radius of about 8 km, much bigger than Warangal and Golconda forts.

Mallur Hemachala Lakshmi Narsimha Swamy Temple is the most ancient architectural divine ensemble which is located on the Mallur Ghat in the Mangapeta mandal of Mulugu district.

The ancient temple of Lord Lakshminarasimha Swamy was built in a strategic and secluded locale of the hill. The temple is famous for its swayambhu (self-formed) deity. It was stated to be constructed by the Chola Emperors during the period 1010–1200 (perhaps, under Rajaraja I and II). 

Situated in the beautiful mountain ranges on the southern bank of Godavari, this temple is famous for its Swayambhu deity with a vast historical background and cultural heritage. It is a well known fact that the name Sri Hemachalam came into existence due to the oldest beliefs in these traditions and customs.

The beautiful and mellifluous nature around the temple premises is beyond description. The splendid scenery surrounded by the mountain ranges along which pass the narrow path, outlined by different varieties of medicinal trees through which flows the Chintamani Lake a quenching delight to all the devotees all through the year and a source of water resource for the people staying in this place. It is no exaggeration to say that this deified environment cannot be seen in any other place of historical richness.

The temple is ever-enduring with year-long festivities which mark the commencement of special archanas and sevas giving a festive mood to all and sundry all through the year.

The Tirukkalyanam and the Brahmotsavam of the residing deity, the Hemachala Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy are celebrated on Vaishakha Shuddha Chaturdashi, every year with much devotion and fervour in this divine land and offer monetary support through donations and gifts and strengthen the historical significance of the place and fulfill their dreams, desires and ambitions by seeking the blessings of the lord Narasimha swamy.

This temple has many specialities, the height of mollaviraat Sri Narasimha Swamy is upto 10 feet. It is located in the midst of forest. The Belly part of Moolavirat idol is soft as human skin.
The dwjasthambha here at the temple is nearly 60 feet in height.

Rockformed Ugra Anjaneya Swamy Statue near to the temple.  It is the first of its kind known in South India. There is a continuous water flow near the temple, where it's from the top of the hills.

According to the historical stories, the demon king, Ravana had gifted this place to his loving sister, Shurpanaka where around 14000 demons lead by Khara Dushana were done to death by the great Rama. It was Agastya , the great sage who gave the present name to the shrine as Hemachalam.

There is a belief exhibited by the devotees that the deity, if alone, enflames the temple premises. But as the deity is affixed with a golden Goddess Lakshmi on his chest region, the deity assumes tranquility thus lessening the troubles due to fire accidents. It is a divine wonder to note that the sandal in the fluid form flows through the Umbilicus of the great Maha vishnu. Understanding the gravity of the miracles that the temple holds for itself, the devotees in large number throng to the temple to offer their prayers to fulfill their wishes, to beget children or to redeem themselves from sins and obstacles (doshas) that a student faces during his life career. There are many stories that are depicted regarding the miracles exhibited by the deity.In this temple of fervour and devotion reside, the Yogananda Swamy accompanied by the Goddess, Sri Lakshmi, Hanuman as the Kshetrapalaka and Gods and Goddesses like Uma Maheshwara and Sri Venugopalaswamy to name a few.

Based on the historical significance of this great temple, it is assumed that this temple has been a center of religious prosperity even in the periods ruled by Krishnadevaraya and the Kakatiya kings. Looking at the regal grandeur of ornamentation of the deities and the funds released and the lands donated by these kings towards temple administration and governance give a feel of an affluent heritage of this enormous temple. According to the Chinna Jeeyar Swamy , the Ramalayam in Mallur is older and the residing deity is taller than that of Bhadrachalam . presently, this temple is in ramshackle. It is our responsibility and earnest duty to help restructure it to uphold the cultural prosperity of the Hindus and the rich heritage of India. 

Vasanthothsav
Hundreds of pilgrims visit the temple every Saturday; about 50,000 pilgrims from the state and the neighboring states like Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh throng the temple in May to participate in the annual celebration called Vasanthothsav.

The “Chintamani” waterfall (a natural stream) is another attraction It is the perennial source of water, and the people conceive this water as sacred; they use it for bathing and also take it home in bottles. A natural spring runs through the dense forest believed to have medicinal qualities called malluru spring waters. 

All along the path towards the divine shrine, there are bore wells laid in order to give respite to the traveling devotee s and there is a water tank being constructed on the divine hillock (ghat) along with power supply being given during the Jataras for a comfort able darshan of the deity by the devotees. 

Sacred Grove
Mallur Gutta sacred grove, a hill spread over 1,500 hectares. As per a recently published study it is home to around 470 species of plants including some which are listed in red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Around 200 hectares of the hill was accorded status of Medicinal Plants Conservation Area. Some medicinal plants found in Mallur Gutta have are not seen anywhere else in Telangana State.

The Mallur Gutta ecosystem is to be considered sacred for its natural wealth and primary plant–people linkage and conserved. Mallur, with its ethnomedicinal plant wealth, emerged as the number one site in the district. In the proximity of the tiny village Mallur exists the small hill range called Mallur Gutta (Gutta means hill in the local dialect). It is spread over 1500 ha and is considered by the local people as a habitat for valuable medicinal plants useful for their primary health care.

The Mallur Gutta (Hill) of Warangal district in Telangana state, India, reputed as a habitat for medicinal plants, was inventoried from 2009 to 2015 for its plant wealth through the traditional knowledge of the local people. 

Ethnomedicinal importance of 167 taxa was documented for the Mallur Gutta, Mallur village and the nearby villages which are largely inhabited by the ethnic Koya community. The present study reports many more of these uses by local people; when the uses are listed according to parts of the plants, the leaf dominates the list (23.88%), followed by the whole plant (15.34%), root (12.43%), stem bark (11.46%), fruit (10.10%),

The Hindu temples of Lord Sri Laxminarasimha Swamy and Lord Hanuman, and the ethnic worship of mahua trees indicated it was a sacred grove which was selected as a Medicinal Plants Conservation Area. The exploration of Mallur Gutta resulted in the enumeration and documentation of plant wealth representing 470 species of 318 genera pertaining to 95 families of vascular plants. The importance of the grove as the residence for many rare or medicinal species in the state of Telangana is documented. The plant diversity is analyzed in terms of growth and life forms which indicate the prevailing microclimate, ecological opportunities and the species richness. The ecological services rendered by the Mallur Gutta forest ecosystem are documented to study how the great majority of the species are used by the ethnic and nonethnic people, and also the pilgrims who visit the shrine for its serenity. The study also identified two major threats to the conservation of hill ecosystem and the archeological site: 1) biotic pressure (the ever-increasing pilgrims, grazing by cattle, goat and sheep, the development activities taken up for the pilgrims, nondegradable litter thrown, collection of medicinal plants and widening of the pathway to the Chintamani perennial stream – the trampling and alien plant invasions of the marsh sustaining the stream); and 2) the potential for fire spreading from burning the litter. The study suggests the need to initiate remedial measures toward ecosystem recovery through fencing the natural vegetation, maintaining a fire line, and restricting the movement of people and domesticated animals on the hill top.

The top ten dominant families
Among the 95 families found on Mallur Gutta, Fabaceae (Leguminosae) predominate with 71 taxa, distantly followed by Malvaceae (31), Asteraceae (19), Rubiaceae and Convolvulaceae (16 each), Amaranthaceae, Acanthaceae and Apocynaceae (15 each), Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae and Cyperaceae (14 each), Phyllanthaceae (13), Moraceae (11), Combretaceae and Poaceae (10 each) and Cucurbiataceae (9). The dominant five plant families, in the order of their utility, found for intracultural cognizance study in the Warangal district (Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary and Mallur) are Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae (sensu lato), Rubiaceae and Acanthaceae. We find similarity between the sacred grove and the sanctuary with regard to familywise useful species and the use trend, since the knowledge holders and the beneficiaries in both the habitats are of the same tribe, the Koya. However, Asteraceae is found used more in the sanctuary area which indicates that the area is open for invasive exotics, as reported for the state. Here, we may say that the sacred grove has much more integrated ecosystem when compared to the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, which is under protection as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. With their inactions, the Telangana State Forest Department and the Telangana State Biodiversity Board are accountable for the ecosystem degradation in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary.

Rare and interesting species
The red-listed medicinal plant species like Aegle marmelos, Celastrus paniculatus, Cheilocostus speciosus, Gloriosa superba, Litsea glutinosa, Oroxylum indicum, Smilax perfoliata and Stemona tuberosa and the rare plants like Cordia macleodii, Curcuma inodora, Ehretia laevis, Habenaria roxburghii and Mucuna pruriens var. hirsuta are found in the Mallur hill range . And, Anodendron paniculatum, Dysolobium pilosum, Globba marantina, Flagellaria indica and Paederia foetida are so far found by us only in this sacred grove area, and nowhere else in the entire state of Telangana.

Wildlife
The Mallur hill supports the wild animals like monkey (Macaca mulatta – kothi), Hanuman langur (Presbytis entellus – konda muchu), bison (Bison bison bison – adavi dunna), Jungle cat (Felis chauns – jangu pilli), mongoose (Herpestes eddwardsi – mungeesa), wild dog (Cuon alpines – resu kukka), house rat (Rattus rattus rufescens – eluka), fornhorned antelope (Tetracerus quadriconis – konda gorre), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus – manu bothu), spotted deer (Axis axis – podala duppi), wild boar (Sus scrofa – adavi pandi, wild pig), three-striped squarrel (Funambulus palmarum – udutha), wild hen, terrapin (Melanochelys trijuga – neeti tabelu), lizard (Calotes verricolor – thonda), forest calotes (Calotes rouxii – adavi thonda), chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus – usaravelli), monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis – udumu), dhaman rat snake (Ptyas mucosus – jerri pothu), water snake (Xenochrophis piscator – neeti pamu), buff-striped keelback (Amphiesma stolatum – wanapamu) and krait (Bungarus caeruleus – katla pamu) which can be seen in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary.

Ethnic people: the Koyas (Dorla Koitur)
The Koyas are the southernmost section of the great Gond race of central India (Gondwana). The population of this scheduled tribe is largely, though not exclusively, concentrated in Telangana and makes up the majority of the tribal population in the agency areas in the districts of Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam, along the River Godavari. Like the Gonds of Adilabad district, they lost much of their prime land, which they cultivated with ploughs and bullocks, and are largely reduced to the position of tenants and agricultural laborers. The process of detribalization has progressed further among the Koyas than among any other Gond tribe. Their occupational or territorial realms divide the Koyas into six subgroups, viz. 
  1. Gotte Koya – who dance with a bison horn on head and dress like Marias; 
  2. Manne Koya – who inhabit secluded forest areas; 
  3. Gampa Koya – who make baskets (Gampalu in Telugu); 
  4. Warre Koya (warre means wild buffalo; bison) – who do not engage themselves in settled agriculture but live in the jungle as hunter-gatherers eating roots/tubers, fruits, etc.; 
  5. Bunka Koya – the civilized people among the Koyas who live in plains and take up settled farming;
  6. Dora Koya – they are Raja Gonds and call themselves Dorlasattam (Lord Groups). The first four subgroups still speak the Gondi dialect, whereas the last two largely lost their own language and speak Telugu of their Hindu neighbors

Protection
The hill area should be fenced, or a deep trench is to be dug around the area to prevent illegal occupation of forest land. 

The overexploitation of the forest for fuelwood, timber, medicinal plants, etc. is going on unabated with no proper governmental controls.

Human interference during festivals, holidays, Medaram Jatara and Godavari Pushkaralu is a menace to the Mallur forest and its ecosystem integrity

Travel
Presently, the 4 KM runway to the temple premises is being journeyed through various transportation facilities by the devotees to reach His shrine. The ITDA Eturunagaram has developed pucca roads in place of the unaccommodating and inconvenient roads thereby making the trava il of the devotees easier.
90 Km from Bhadrachalam and 130 KM from Warangal City.


Contact
Telephone  : +91-9440634985 and +91-9666887393
E-mail
info@hemachelam.info


Sources
Suthari S, Kandagalta R, Ragan A, Raju VS. Plant wealth of a sacred grove: Mallur Gutta, Telangana state, India. Int J Gen Med. 2016 Oct 26;9:369-381. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S83441. PMID: 27822080; PMCID: PMC5087761.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/travel/190117/hyderabad-team-finds-huge-satavahana-fort-wall-in-forest.html http://hemachalam.com/Default.aspx
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Wazeed Bogatha Waterfall

Bogatha Waterfall is located in Koyaveerapuram G, Wazeed Mandal, Mulugu district, Telangana.

The waterfall is said to be the second highest in Telangana State.

A beautiful waterfall situated in the dense forest region between Kaleswaram and Bhadrachalam, Bogatha falls is formed on Chikupally Vagu that merges with River Godavari. Situated amidst thick vegetation, Bogatha Falls is a favorite picnic spot for the residents of nearby villages. Dropping from a height of over 30 feet in several parallel streams, the water is collected into a large pool at the bottom of the falls. Swimming in the pool is a favorite activity here and swimming here is considered safe.

There is a temple dedicated to Bogateswara Swamy near the temple. The upper part of the falls can be reached from the temple.

As motorable road is not available, visitors need to trek for some distance. Visiting this waterfall gives an excellent opportunity to those who are interested in trekking and looking for a chance to indulge in adventure sport.

Everyone must carry water and food, as there is no restaurant to and shops to provide you the amenities at water falls.

It is located 120 Km from Bhadrachalam, 140km away from Warangal and 329Km from Hyderabad. As the newly constructed Eturnagaram bridge on NH 163 reduced the distance to 329km from 440km. 

How to Reach
30 Km From Eturnagaram. In order to reach the falls from Eturnagaram, drive past Godavari Bridge and reach Chikupally village which is 11 km from New Godavari River bridge past Jagannathapuram village. From Chikupally, take right turn and drive for less than 500 meters and take a right turn again towards Bogatha Falls. The road from here runs through rocky terrain for about 1 km from where visitors need to walk for a distance of 500 meters to reach the falls. Two wheelers can reach pretty close to the falls.

120 km from Bhadrachalam. From Bhadrachalam, village Koyaveerapuram G can be reached by road. Bhadrachalam can be easily reached from Hyderabad by road.

133kms via NH163 from Warangal to bogatha waterfalls, duration of travel is almost 3hours 

329Km from Hyderabad. As the newly constructed Eturnagaram bridge on NH 163 reduced the distance to 329km from 440km. 

Where to eat: Visitors need to carry food including water from Bhadrachalam, as there are hardly any food shops there.

Where to stay
 Major nearby town with hotels is Manuguru. At Bhadrachalam, lodge houses are available at reasonable prices.

Best Time to Visit Bogota Jalapatham
Even though water flows throughout the year, Good time to visit is after monsoon between June & November. 




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogatha_Waterfall
http://www.trawell.in/telangana/bhadrachalam/bogatha-falls


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Shamirpet Lake and Deer Park

Shamirpet Lake or Pedda Cheruvu is an artificial lake built during
the Nizam reign in 19th century.

Shamirpet Lake is very fine looking lake and its serene & calm environs makes it a great place to enjoy a lovely time. Near in the vicinity of Shamirpet Lake we have Deer Park too & the combination of both makes it a natural habitat for deer.


Many Telugu movies were also shot here, as well as in the neighbouring Jawahar Deer park, which has many deer, peacocks and birds. The lake is known to be dangerous, as many drowning incidents have been reported here.

One can always find a herd of deer quenching their thirst on the banks of the lake, which is a very fascinating sight. The area around the lake is covered in a large expanse of greenery and one will be able to spot several types of plants and trees here. Special attention has been paid to renovate the area and for this reason, forest cottages have been mounted near the lake for the convenience of tourists. 

One of the major activities held at the lakes is boating, which is a perfect way to explore the natural splendour of the lake. This is an amazing destination for photographers and bird-watchers.

The lake attracts many birds, making it a good birdwatching spot. A resort run by the Government of Telangana is located near the lake. The Outer Ring Road will pass close to the lake. There are many resorts and Private Dhabas around the lake.

In recent times, Shamirpet has become a hotspot in the city with several resorts coming up in the vicinity. The lake itself has become a popular place to spend evenings, bird watching and for the more adventurous, it is a perfect place for rock climbing.

Its beautiful rocky terrain gives us ample opportunity to use our skills to navigate around the boulders while keeping an eye on the lake and surrounding water bodies, sure is a sight for sore eyes. The lush green countryside too helps.

The highway passes along the banks of the lake and there is a very famous temple dedicated to Katta Maisamma, a local Goddess, just beside the road. People throng the temple on weekends and offer animal sacrifice and cook offerings nearby.

There is a path that leads to the lake, you can take your vehicles to the lake bed. Even during heavy monsoons, it has been ages since the lake filled up.

To really experience the lake one has to walk a bit further the trees, the rocks, the lake with the sunset in the horizon is sure to transport you to another world. This lake is not only a blessing for those looking for a quick get away, but also a living tale of why we must protect our lakes.

Jawahar Deer Park :If you want to spot the deer’s at its natural day life then you can get on to observational tower, which shows you entire Shamirpet lake and if you spent few minutes there with calmness you can spot deer’s coming forward from its hiding places or the deer enjoying a water bath in the lake.As the name indicate it’s a deer park so it’s obvious that it a park for deer protection as their population is drastically going down. Its located north from Secunderabad and it was built during the rule of Nizam kings in the 20th century. Jawahar Deer Park is also known as the Shamirpet Deer Park as it’s located in the vicinity of Shamirpet a man made lake constructed 50 years back. Its spread over an area of 80 acres allocated to deer’s and other animals.

Transportation
By Road: The transportation is available by Road, Air and Rail. The best way to reach the place is by road as the site is near the vicinity of Outer Ring Road, making it easily accessible through road.

By Train: Secunderabad Railway station is the nearest railway station to reach Shamirpet Lake.

By Air: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is the nearest airport to Shamirpet Lake.

Timings : 08:00 - 19:00




http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Why-Hyderabadis-are-heading-to-Shamirpet-Lake/articleshow/54765185.cms

https://highwayonlyway.com/2013/07/25/high-on-hyderabad-ratnalayam-shamirpet-lake-picnic-hotspots/

https://crazyholidays.in/tours/details/575/jawahar-deer-park-with-shamirpet-lake


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Pochera Waterfalls

Pochera Waterfalls located near Pochera Village, Boath Mandal, Adilabad District in Telangana State, India. 

It is a natural waterfall with picturesque and beautiful scenery. It is a very big, wide and deep waterfall.

This beautiful waterfall is the deepest of all the waterfalls in Telangana. This is also a caution to people who wish to take a dip in it. The location is very secluded and surrounded by picturesque locations and scenic environment. The waterfall has great width and height to make it the deepest in Telangana. The fall is 20 meter high and flows down with a great force, and the falls are categorized as plunge waterfalls. 

The holy river Godavari flows through the Sahyadri mountain range and on their way, the river breaks into small streams. Some of these streams escape from their path and meet at a point and become the source for the Pochera falls which falls from a 20 meters high point. 

The bed is much deeper and has the capacity to hold a very huge quantity of water. We can hear water roaring at a high pitch, exhibiting the power of nature. This place may scare you during night with only the moon lighting it up. 

The waterfall which is extremely beautiful and very scary at the same time is one of its kinds in the entire state and is rarely found in the country.

The bed of the waterfall is made of hard Granite. This hard material holds the strong falls with elasticity and gravity. The lush green forest around the waterfall makes it a natural habitat for reptiles, bird species, and many insects. This falls serves as a good adventurous location. 

The greenery around the location is very appealing and is untouched by the urbanization. Adding spiritual touch to the beautiful location is the Narsimha swamy temple located near the waterfall.

Pochera Waterfalls is located at a distance of nearly 37 km from Nirmal town, 47 km from Adilabad town and 7 km from Boath and accessible by road.


Hundreds of tourists from various parts of the State visiting the Pochera Waterfalls in Boath mandal which is known for its breathtaking natural surroundings are a scared lot these days because of illegal crusher blasts for granite stone in its adjoining area, barely ten km away.

The explosions are resulting in loss of greenery and beautiful sights nearby. Rocks are crashing into the waterfalls. The surrounding area is becoming increasingly dusty.

• Digging for granite has resulted in waterfalls becoming dry
• Explosions resulting in loss of beautiful sights nearby


NoC issued for setting up a stone crusher-cum-hot-mix plant just 200 metres away. An upcoming stone crusher cum hot mix plant located just 200 metres away from the pristine Pochera waterfall in Boath mandal threatens to engulf the nature's wonder as well as the wild fauna existing in its vicinity.


http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/pochera-waterfall-under-threat/article8278378.ece

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2016-02-22/Crushing-poses-threat-to-Pochera-waterfalls/208873

http://www.indiamike.com/india-images/pictures/pochera-waterfalls

http://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/destinations/nature-discovery/adilabad/pochera-waterfalls.html



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Meduk or Medak Fort

The Medak Fort is situated in Medak town, Medak District, Telanagana 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 Qutub Shahis who ruled the area.

The fort which was built between 1139 AD and 1157 AD by the 2nd Prolaraju of 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 Qutub Shahi rulers. Although the Fort is in ruin state, it still holds the glory of the 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 is a huge structure located on the top of a hill. It takes about 10 minutes drive from the town on the newly built CC road and about one-and-a-half hour drive from the State capital.

One has to climb more than 500 steps to reach the top of the fort, which was built about 800 years back in Medak, the former headquarters of the district. Built about 90 metres height from ground level and spread in about 100 acres on the hilly area, the fort attracts ones attention.

One can find huge structures inside the fort, which are in a dilapidated condition, used as stable for horses and elephants. On the top of the third gate, at both left and right sides the ‘Ganda Bherunda,' emblem of Vijayanagara Empire built by Srikrishna Devaraya, stands out. It was believed that the fort built by Kakatiya's was renovated by Qutub Shahis's around 400 years ago. The Medak fort, which was ruled by two dynasties -- Kakatiya's and Qutub Shahi's -- is crying for attention. Large size bushes and trees have come up across the hilly location.

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, Sadapur Vedik and so on, under the rule of Kalyan Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Bahmanis, Qutub Shahis and Asaf Jahis who have left their architectural marks on the fort.

Medak fort was built as an expansion strategy of Kakatiya dynasty which held control of Warangal, but extended its control into Saddinadu (the western parts) including Medak, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts of the present. 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 defence of the area covering around 300 settlements.

Massive walls, rooms, burjs (towers), palace, grain and gun powder storage rooms made of granite and sand stone built and rebuilt over several centuries by various rulers on the hillock speaks of the amount of labour that went into maintaining the fort through history. Smell of gunpowder still emanates from one of the rooms.

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 which was built in the 17th century by the Qutub Shahis. There are several gates to enter the fort and each gate has a unique identity. Two lions, two elephants with riders wielding bows and arrows, two peacocks and other sculptures are still intact on the pillars of the gates.

The top of the hillock presents a spectacular view of water bodies on all its sides and devotional and celebratory music from the town can be heard quite clearly at the top. There is a pond called Raju-Rani cheruvu which is currently full with water and is a perfect location to shoot a romantic scene for any movie. There are also naturally formed wells on the hillock from where water used to be supplied to the fort using pipelines and simple physics of the ancient times.

There is also a 3.2 metres long 17th century cannon still intact at the fort. Though much of the fort has been destroyed, there is much scope for protecting it by making structural renovations. The fort certainly needs more security personnel and stricter regulations with respect to use of plastic and disposal of garbage on the hillock.

Gulshan Mahal, a palace located on the hillock has now been transformed into Hotel Haritha Resort and is managed by Tourism Development Corporation. There are 4 rooms (AC Suite- Rs 1500 and AC room- Rs 1200 per 24 hours) and a restaurant with a very reasonably priced menu. Reservations can be made at 9133533917.

The Hotel is currently catering to private parties and is a perfect venue to hold birthdays, coming of age functions, even wedding receptions. “It would be great if parks can be developed on the hillock and kids’ play areas are setup. That would really enhance the look of the fort,” suggested Sebastian, Project Manager of Bahubalimovie, who was flying a drone at the Raju-Rani cheruvu, trying to film his mother and wife who seemed to be having a great saas-bahu chatting time sitting by the pond during sunset on Sunday.

So, if you are one of those adventurous types, archaeology enthusiast, nature lover, a school, or even if you are a honeymoon couple, Medak Fort is one heritage protected site which should be on your list of places to visit during a lifetime- better sooner than later. Above all, there is no ticket to have this out of the world experience which would take you back in time during the days of old when the knights were bold. You may actually stumble upon something of historic significance, you never know.



It was now agreed that 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




http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/medak-fort-left-to-ruin/article2980723.ece


http://www.trawell.in/telangana/medak/medak-fort




http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Commoner/2016-11-09/Metukudurgam-to-regain-its-past-glory/263177














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