Kondapalli Fort: A glimpse into the region’s rich past

Vijayawada does not offer much to history lovers, however just on the outskirts of the city there lies the mighty Kondapalli fort that continues to fascinate history enthusiasts. The fort is steadily growing in terms of its popularity and a tourist’s trip to Vijayawada is incomplete without a visit to the monumental fort.

We hardly had any first hand information and took guidance from a map and distance measurements available on the internet. Following our half an hour journey from Vijayawada we saw the hill on top of which the monumental fort stands. Till this point we did not encounter any problem; it was a nice drive with a little bit of anxiety about what we would encounter at the fort. As soon as we began our ascent towards the hilltop we came across a series of rutted tracks whose treacherousness escalated as we neared the site, it went on steeper and steeper.

We reached the top and saw the rigid stone walls that have protected the fort for centuries. We entered from the Dargah Darwaza and once in we saw the fort walls spread around in every direction. The outer walls were extending between rocky outcrops and massive rocks, forming a maze of narrow passageways and enclosures.

The fort was built by Prolaya Vema Reddy in the 14^th Century, who was also the founder of the short lived Reddy Dynasty. With his capital at Kondaveedu close by, Kondapalli flourished under his successors and it became a major center for trade. It almost acted like an eastern gateway to the resource rich south.

The fort has shifted hands of many rulers among which include the Reddy’s, Bahamani’s, Gajapati’s, Vijaynagara’s and Qutb Shahi’s. It days as a major trade center came to an end when it ultimately fell in power of the British. However of all the different rulers that ruled the fort its top contributors in terms of developing it and expanding it were the Reddy and Qutb Shahi Dynasty.

We entered from the newly added steel gate from where we saw the imposing decorated façade that marked the arched hall. The decaying fort almost seemed to welcome us.

We noticed the jumbled blocks of granite rise from the ground creating spectacular rock formations, their intriguing shapes fashioned by centuries of wind and rain, of heat and cold heaped upon one another.

What is worthy of mention is the degree of craftsmanship that went into the construction of the site. The architecture of the buildings and the fort speaks volumes of the talent and acumen of the people during the rule of the Reddy Dynasty. Skillful stonemasons constructed the rigid stone walls, incorporating the large and uneven natural rock formations into some of the structures.

We moved pensively through the arched hall, were old photos and trivia illustrating the fort hung on the walls - I found them to be pretty informative. We then went towards the cannon that faced the jungle ridges of Kondapalli.

As we climbed our way to the top of the Ached Hall we saw the wind sending green waves lapping through the forest below me, cutting through the midday heat. Following which we visited the rather modest Dancing Hall, which was quite crowded being one of the very few roofed structures.

Adjacent to the Dancing Hall is the Rani Mahal (Queen’s Palace), which was in a depilated condition. It was pretty shocking to see it in an agonizing state.

Surrounding the fort is the village of Kondapalli which is famous for its toys which are brightly colored and depict rich Indian motifs and artwork.

On the whole it was a remarkable experience to visit a fort that has literally stood the test of time. It was an amazing experience just walking around the narrow alleys and in between the fort’s magnificent structural edifices, all the while imagining life back in the time of the fort’s glory days. Whilst possibly not as imposing as the massive grey stone structures of Kondaveedu (its counterpart), Kondapalli is more picturesque and well worth a stopover. Standing alone on a rocky hilltop, decaying gracefully, it continues to fascinate us long after our visit.