Shitab Khan & Kush Mahal – Deccan’s Resilient Ruler & His Legacy Shitab Khan – The Resilient Ruler of Telangana & the Kush Mahal – a 16th‑century Indo‑Islamic audience hall, also known as Shitab Khan Palace / Khush Mahal , located inside the historic Warangal Fort, Telangana. Shitab Khan (c.1480–1517 CE), born as Sitapathi Raju into a Hindu Boya family, rose from a foot soldier in the Bahmani army to an independent ruler who controlled Warangal, Khammam, and Rachakonda. He successfully navigated the treacherous politics between the collapsing Bahmani Sultanate, the rising Qutb Shahis, the powerful Gajapati Kingdom, and the expanding Vijayanagara Empire. The Kush Mahal stands as a …

GI Tagged (2007) | 40–60 Feet Long Narrative Scrolls | Red Background & Local Iconography | Kaki Podagollu Balladeers | D. Vaikuntham & Master Artists | Modern Masks & Single Panels Origin: Cheriyal village, Siddipet district | 500+ year old tradition | Traditional scrolls: up to 60 feet | 50 panels per scroll | Primary colours | Red earth background | Only 3 families remain Cheriyal Scroll Painting is a highly stylised version of Nakashi art , indigenous to the Telangana region. The art form takes its name from the village of Cheriyal in Siddipet district (about an hour’s drive from Hyderabad), which today remains its last surviving outpost. For centuries, these painted scrolls se…

Panagal (also historically known as Panugal, Panugallu, Panagallu, or Panagallupura) is a historically significant village  nearly 4 km from Nalgonda city, located in the Nalgonda Mandal and Nalgonda district of Telangana, India. Its importance stems from its rich archaeological and architectural heritage, primarily from the Kakatiya dynasty period (11th - 14th centuries CE). Historically, this area was part of the Eruva or Eruva Mandalika region, a notable administrative division during the time of the Kakatiyas and their predecessors, the Chalukyas. Key Historical Significance Panagal is renowned for two primary landmarks that attract historians, archaeologists, and tourists: 1. Panagal Archa…

The Khilji dynasty (1290–1320 CE) extended its influence over Telangana between 1310 and 1320 CE, when Prataparudra II of the Kakatiya dynasty was compelled to accept vassalage. As the second ruling family of the Delhi Sultanate, the Khiljis were highly expansionist and militarily aggressive. Their southern campaigns repeatedly brought them into conflict with the Kakatiyas of Warangal, the most powerful Telugu kingdom of the time. 1310 CE: Alauddin Khilji’s general Malik Kafur invaded Warangal, forcing Prataparudra II to submit and pay tribute. Warangal thus became a tributary state, though the Kakatiyas retained their throne. After Alauddin’s death (1316 CE), the Khiljis weakened. In 1318 CE, …