Warangal TEMPLES

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Thousand Pillar Temple

The temple is famous for its richly carved pillars, screens and detailed sculpture. The temple is a fine specimen of architecture and sculpture with richly carved pillars, perforated screens, exquisite icons, rock-cut elephants, etc. The six feet high monolithic Nandi is another major lure of this temple, also known as 'Trikutalayam', because of the three shrines within. To be found near the Warangal-Hanumakonda Highway, this temple was built by the Kakatiya ruler, Rudradeva, in 1163 AD. It is the main attraction of Hanamkonda.

The temple is built on a 1m high platform on the slopes of the Hanumakonda hill, and has a majestic monolithic Nandi. The Kakatiya's ruled the city for over 200 years, decorating its interiors with some of the very best architectural splendors. The colossal structure of Nandi is carved out of a single piece of black basalt. Inside the majestic temple, there are three shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya respectively. A quite drive of about 3 hours from the capital of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, takes you 157 Km away to the ancient city of Warangal. The erstwhile Kakatiya capital of the 11th and 12th century is known for its shimmering lakes, beautiful temples and magnificent wildlife.

The outermost wall which has a circumference of few kilometers is a mud wall which is around 20 feet in height. The second wall is completely built of granite. Neatly carved rock elephants built on either side greet the visitors at the temple entrance. The ambiance is full of quietude and tranquility, tempting one to sit and experience the divine. The reverberation of bells, chirping of birds and gentle breeze further add to the celestial atmosphere.

Hyderabad | Vijayawada | Vishakhapatnam | Warangal