Warangal. ~150 km from Hyderabad – Ramappa Temple, Pagala Cheruvu, Kirti Toranas of Kakatiyas, Thousand Pillar Temple.
We had gone to Warangal quite long ago.
This was a trip I enjoyed a lot. It was not planned, no rooms booked and totally out of the blue.
We were: Ratheesh, Bindu, Sanjeev, Nisa and myself. All of us had our own reasons to get out and travel.
We started from Hyderabad around 7 AM by train. Only Sanjeev had browsed the Net for some information as to go where and do what. I just had a few romantic notions of naxal movements to carry with me.
Got down from the train, I think at Warangal station. Our plan was to go to Ramappa temple first. For that you should reach Palampet. After a few enquiries, we got into an autorikshaw to the bus station at Narsampet.
The bus service was not at all like in Hyderabad. People were quite laid-back and buses were irregular. If the enquiry person told you that “bus ippude ostuvanti” it meant there was a possibility of a bus coming after an hour. It gave me reality check on my metro life. But they were very helpful to guide you.
Finally we got a bus to Palampet – to see Ramappa Temple.
We got down and were hungry. There was nothing else but a small shop serving liquor and snacks. The lady offered to cook meals for us, by the time we were back from the temple. We agreed and took a few boiled eggs for our way.
Ramappa temple is a 13th century grand temple in rock. And curiously this is named after the sculptor and not the god! The temple and the way towards it, is a peaceful countryside. Nice drive. The temple itself is rich in sculptures, including erotic and homosexual. There were daily rituals happening, but not too much of a crowd. Even if you were not a religious person or an art student, you could enjoy the peaceful ambiance.
Someone told us that there is a lake nearby excavated by the Kakatiyan rulers. We walked up the lake. It was a huge and scenic. There were many people sitting on the bank – couples, a group involved in some community cooking, men coming with beer bottles…
There were a few cottages, but all locked. No body could tell us whom it belonged to. The sun was too hot and I was too hungry. We walked back. Our shop lady had made some rice and two curries for us. First time I had a curry made only of green chillies! First time I had food from a toddy shop too.
By evening, we had planned to go to Pagala Cheruvu. Our website research said that a moonlit night enjoyed from the guest house there is heavenly. But a few inquiries, fortunately in advance, told us that there was nothing to stay there.
Now, where do we stay for the night? Luckily, Ratheesh ventured to ask the government guest house in the town and viola….we got accommodation! There was no VIP coming in that day. We decided to use our citizenship rights to stay in the guest house. We had food from a small restaurant nearby and slept in the guest house.
Next day morning, we were off to Pagala Cheruvu. We gave some money to the security and went the town bus stand. We tried asking a few autorikshaws if they could drop us, but did not succeed. We got into a bus finallly and then caught an autorikshaw from where it dropped us. The drive was through beautiful countryside and we reached Pagala Cheruvu.
Ratheesh, Bindu and me beside Pagala Cheruvu
A beautiful place. We just sat there or and took a walk around. There was nothing much to do except relaxing. There were so many monkeys around.
And we saw the guesthouse which the website told us to stay in.
The bombed guest house
It had been bombed almost 10 years ago! One reason why I write this entry. Please do not read information that is not updated in websites.
We could have just sat there and just talked and talked. But we had not had breakfast and were getting hungry. So we returned to the town. After breakfast and started off to see the ruins of Kakatiya dynasty.
The ruins as such looked more like a park to me than dynastic emblems. But the sculptures and carvings were excellent works of art.
There was also a temple on hill top. The ascent was easy with something similar to steps carved on the rock.
Next in the list was Thousand Pillar Temple. It is a beautiful temple. But by the time we caught a vehicle and reached there I was famished – again! So I didnt go inside. Ratheesh got upset that we thought only about food. Bindu has always been my fellow eater!
We returned to Hyderabad in the evening by bus again.
Refreshed my memories of Warangal and Ramappa.. 🙂
Hi,
we planned to go to warangal but we don’t
know exactly which places we can visit.At that time i searched in google about trip to warangal i saw this blog its really helpful for us lots of information in the blog.
Thanks,
Kiran kumar.
Hi,
I am belongs Waranagal. But I never went to Ramappa Temple and Pakal Chervu, because when I am a student I am struggled with my studies. After completion of studies, busy with job. Now I am in Mumbai, in a private organization. After reading of this article, now this time when we went to Waranagal, we will plan to go to all the places with my family members.
Thanks,
K. Sammaiah.
as i belong to warangal i said u so please do make sometime and come back to warangal again u will surely njoy the trip
Rajkumar,
I didnt face any problems there. Far from it. I really and thoroughly enjoyed warangal. I was not looking for tourist places in the first place, I just wanted to travel……..and waranal gave me that option. Thanks for the reassurances anyways.
Sammaiah,
Good to hear that you have struggled well and have reached a good position now. I was touched to read your comment. Thanks
Thank you very much Smrti for mailing.
With Best Regards
Sam
Even i read ur posting on ur trip to horsley hills it was really awesome and pics u captured were very good .
i m verymuch attached to warangal.after my studies i got selected to ICICI bank n was there for 1year.i had njoyed at my fullest..nice ppl,nice place wat else..now i m in US.bt I always feel those days r better.
narsampet is greet place in ap and muthojipet very great place its amezing
I have been to Warangal umpteen number of times. Tomorrow also am gonna make the trip as my business takes me there pretty often. I have heard of this Ramappa temple from my mom n dad who visited this place around a decade and half back. But no Pagal Cheruvu(hope i got to spell it right) etc.
Will try it this time or atleast next time when I do get a day off.
pakala is greatest place i am belong to narsampet if u need aney information pls just send a mail rambabumalluri85@gmail.com
Hi,
I have never visited pakala cheruvu and Rammappa temple even my parents are from Waranagal. This made to visit the places so thank u and i want to be there and enjoy u ppl did.
Hi,
i read your travel experiences about tourist places in warangal. it is very unfortunate to have good infrastructural facilities at the tourist places.But i would like to suggest u one thing that whenever u wants to go to a tourist place ,particularly historical places try to read or do some research on internetand, engage a proffessional tourist guide. then u can feel the differnce. And iam sure that u will b back with enthrilling,unforgettable memories.
Hi,
It’s nice to see warangal.
Pasha
KSA
Hi,
You can visit following places in warangal
ramappa temple(plampet)
pakala lake(10 km from narsampet)
laknavaram lake(must to be seen)
bhadrakali temple(wgl)
thousandpillar temple(wgl)
Sri swyam bhu temple,warangal fort(wgl)
Ghanpur Group of Temples(22 temples)
sri mallikarjunaswamy devstanam(ayinavolu, 12 km from wgl)
Jain temple( 2,000 years old,Klaonpak,aleru,way to warangal)
Laksmi narsimha swamy temple,Yadgiri gutta(way to warangal)
enjoy the trip to ancient city warangal (ekasilanagaram,oorugallu,omtikonda)
250 years capital of telugu peolpe
Kohinoor diamond which was unearthed in Kollur on the banks of Krishna river during their reign of kakatiyas,
The Kakatiya dynasty is regarded as one of the golden ages in Telugu history. The kingdom was ruled by Telugu speaking Hindu rulers who encouraged literature, art and architecture.
1.ramappa temple(plampet)
2.pakala lake(10 km from narsampet)
3.laknavaram lake(must to be seen)
4.bhadrakali temple(wgl)
5.thousandpillar temple(wgl)
6.Sri swyam bhu temple,warangal fort(wgl)
7.Ghanpur Group of Temples(22 temples)
8.sri mallikarjunaswamy devstanam(ayinavolu, 12 km from wgl)
9.Jain temple( 2,000 years old,Klaonpak,aleru,way to warangal)
10.Laksmi narsimha swamy temple,Yadgiri gutta(way to warangal)
Hello Vikas,
Thanks a lot for that complete list of places
Hi! Just came by your post. Warangal sounds like a great idea! Was wondering if you could suggest some places we could stay. We’re a bunch of students on a tight budget looking for some place clean and comfortable.
Sneha,
You could try out the same govt. guest houe that we tried. It was very neat and clean and would fit your budget. Just that it should be available on the day you plan, meaning, do not plan for a day when ministers could be around.
Hi Smriti,
The Govt guest house that you stayed, was it at Ramappa? Or some other place?
Thanks,
Naveen
Hello Naveen,
No, the guesthouse was not at Ramappa. It was back in the town, if I remember right, at Narsampet.
Its very interesting to read and watch the photos . Its very glad to know one can share
his experiences about pilgrimage , which may guide others
thanks a lot.
Thanks Mallesh.
Good information; I am planning to visit all Warangal next Saturday.
nat a pagala cherevu
Pakala Cheruvu Update ur site