This is going to be a series of travel logs of my weekend trips around Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai. It will have the trips tips with photos and contact numbers and important and nice places to visit on the weekend. Go on...plan a trip to one of these...
Lets start with my latest trip to Warangal.
Currently being a classic case of unemployed overeducated enthisiast in Hyderabad I decided to not just hunt for jobs but also for places around the city to escape into a different world some times. Suddenly on last friday I decided to go out somewhere anywhere around Hyderabad for a short trip. But when asked about places - "Nothing around Hyderabad" pat came the reply of almost all the local friends. That made me determined to find out atleast one place worth it. And surfing the net I found about Warangal. Me and my friend thought of it and we were in the train 10 hours later.
1000 Pillar Temple
Warangal is a supposedly the 4th largest city in Andhra Pradesh and around 130kms from Hyderabad. Getting a ticket on the weekend is difficult so better plan for it on the Friday afternoons or book it atleast a week in advance. There are many trains which will drop you at Warangal or Kazipeth. We started around 3.30pm from Secunderabad Station and reached around 7 at Kazipeth. From the limited knowledge I got from the internet hunting for a hotel was to be least of the headaches. But either it was written by the nomads who love to sleep in the open or by the retired cases who love to retire in the railway retiring rooms! Oh by the way even the railway retiring rooms are unavailable exactly when you require it the most.
So we 2 friends landed in the 11th century Kakatiya Dynasty Capital after the sunset and it was almost dark. The city has very friendly bus drivers who make an attempt at understanding Hindi and helping you with the bus number. To my pleasant surprise the conductors are females and seem equally efficient n their work. The winds of change have reached this small city of interior Andhra. The main roads are crowded just like in any important city and sure enough they have traffic jams! On the way to Warangal in Bus No.1 from Kazipeth you can see the NIT college of Engineering and the Collector's office which both have the beautiful arches like the Kakatiya Architecture. Somewhere in between in the much talked about 1000 pillar temple. I am not very good at understanding temples and remembering all the Gods but I think it was a Vishnu temple. All the temples of Kakatiya rule seem to be mainly concentrated around Vishnu, Mahesh and Brahma. As you hop out of the bus which charges you only Rs.7, You will be surprised of how the age old grand architecture is right in the middle of tiny low roofed houses of the common man. It's right across the street and you can have a peek of it even from the main street. As we entered suddenly the environment was calm and a bit deserted for a tourist place. In the middle of around half acre land, stands the 11 A.D. temple of Vishnu. Surrounding it are the big tank to wash which I suppose is dry now and not accessible and a few ruins of another srtucture. The runis only some big stones lying around which do not make any solid picture on your mind of what it might have looked like in its grand days. Coming to the temple, there is a beautiful 6ft tall Nandi facing the temple. Its in a typical black rock and many of the rest of the Indians can identify to it as a typical South Indian holy sculpture. there are around 4 strong and beautiful pillars and place to sit around then. It has 2 elephants at the beginning of the temple steps but are indeed in a bit of ruined state. The temple today has only one shrine. It is the Shiva Lingam is what I recollect. You can step into the actual God's room unlike many famous temples in South. The pundit gave us the holy tulsi water and blessed us. One can buy Prasadam (holy food like the holy bread and wine amongst christians)It will cost you Rs.5 each for a sweet bundi laddu and rice. Being Prasad crazy ever since childhood we had quiet some of it over again. As we were searching for a dustbin to throw the plastic remains, we saw a handpump and it was fun pumping out some water to wash the hands and feet. But indeed it is sad to say that there is no dust bin around so please carry your waste with you out of the premises.
As we walked around the temple we noticed that the pillars are all joint and not seperate as one would expect it to be. There is beautiful sculptures of peacocks, elephants and heavenly dancers all around the temple carved in the pillars. As we were about to leave the guard switched on the focus lights to the temple and the Nandi and it suddenly transformed into a beautiful sight. The yellow/orange lights made the temple look even more beautiful. You can click snaps around the temple without having to pay anything. There is a guard who does keep an eye on you but doesnt really stop you from clicking.
After returning I heard from my friends that the magical part of the temple was its pillars. The pillars were disjoint and a paper could pass along the bottom and top of the pillar. It was as if they were standing in air. The Government folks got curious and to understand the technique they took out the pillars and could never replace it like before-in the air and there they stand today just like a normal pillar. Needless to say they did not understand the technique as well.
As we took the last look at the temple and stepped out we were suddenly back to the noisy city crowd. The magic is worn out just as suddenly as it captures you as it is right in the middle of the city.
From there we went to Warangal station in a local sharing auto which costs around Rs.10. We tried to find a decent hotel at first and then any hotel when we could not find one. The moment the hotel staff saw us together they simply said the rooms were booked. So here is the most important instruction for those travelling to Warangal. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR MARRAIGE CERTIFICATE WITH YOU OR BE READY TO SPEND THE NIGHT AT THE STATION. They do not let out rooms to unmarried couples or friends at all. And what I mean by at all is AT ALL. We searched like crazy for almost 1hr and finally after many trips between Kazipeth to Warangal we found one Hotel Ashoka at Hanumkonda. When you go next time directly ask for it....might save you a lot of money spent on the auto. The hotel has decent rooms for Rs.1500 for 24hrs. The food is costly and not gppd Value for money. But you can enjoy a complimentary breakfast which has some good South Indian Food.
Next day we set out in an auto early around 8 to the Warangal Fort. It is quiet near from the city and by an auto should cost you around Rs.70-80. Make sure to take a one way auto as you will find another one for the return easily and will not have to pay the parking charge :) . (**Remember I am writing on budget travel?**) Well there is a garden with a small lake and am empty temple at the top of almost 50step hill. It was relaxing to lie down on the hill top with absolute silence and cool breeze
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