Kadapa: Forts, Temples and Sari Craft

Kadapa brings together several distinct areas to explore: Gandikota Fort and a viewpoint overlooking the Penna Gorge, temples with striking architectural details, an old dargah in Kadapa City and the sari craft of Madhavaram. The Lankamala Wildlife Sanctuary adds a dramatic landscape to these cultural themes. When choosing your holiday rental, start by asking what matters most to your travel group: fort history, temple architecture, nature or handicrafts?

Gandikota: Fort History and Gorge Views

The Gandikota Kaifiyat dates the old fort to 1123. Within the fort, the Mini Charminar is a three-storey remnant of the Golconda Sultanate. The Madhavaraya Temple has a four-storey gopura, or entrance tower. Jama Masjid and Raghunatha-Swamy Temple also add to the variety of historic buildings: Jama Masjid was built by Mir Jumla, who occupied the fort in 1650; Raghunatha-Swamy Temple was built by the Pemmasani chiefs.

Gandikota Fort is dated to 1123; Mir Jumla occupied it in 1650. Together with its clearly distinct buildings, this makes Gandikota a place with several layers of history. The viewpoint offers panoramic views of the Penna Gorge, as well as sunrises and sunsets. Here, fort history meets a landscape experience centred on views of the gorge.

Temples and Religious Heritage

In Vontimitta, Kodanda-Ramaswamy Temple was built by the Chola and Vijayanagara kings. Inside the temple, Madhya Ranga Mandapam has 32 pillars and is considered especially significant architecturally. The number of pillars gives the structure a distinctive feature to focus on when appreciating its architecture. Near Kadapa, Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Temple in Devuni Kadapa is an example of Vijayanagara architecture. Sidhout Fort adds to the range: its grounds contain intricately designed temples.

In the city of Kadapa, Ameen Peer Dargah is a 300-year-old shrine. It is also known as Asthana-e-Magdoom Ilahi Dargah, Badi Dargah and Pedda Dargah. The Urs of Peerullah is celebrated there each year on the tenth day of Muharram. If you would like to include this celebration in your travel plans, confirm the exact date locally. Kadapa is home to different forms of religious and architectural history, though they do not all offer the same kind of visitor experience.

Nature and Craft as Alternative Travel Themes

Lankamala Wildlife Sanctuary is characterised by deep gorges, steep slopes and waterfalls. It is considered the world’s only habitat of the critically endangered Jerdon’s courser. This offers a clear contrast with the forts and temples: here, the focus is on the distinctive landscape and its rare wildlife. Its protected status and description as a habitat make nature a travel theme in its own right.

In Madhavaram, weaving offers another way to experience the culture. As early as the 1930s, weavers there made pure cotton saris with silver and gold zari borders. Weavers in the Madhavaram area use the Salekattu Netha technique, also known as Kavva Netha, to reduce the weight of the saris. The materials and methods tell different parts of the craft tradition: cotton and metallic borders describe the saris, while the weaving technique aims to make them lighter. Stone architecture and textile craft thus offer distinct cultural interests.

Choose the Right Base for Your Trip

If your travel group has varied interests, it helps to organise the places by the experiences you want rather than giving every activity equal weight. Gandikota is known for its fort and gorge views; Vontimitta and Devuni Kadapa for temple architecture; Kadapa City for the dargah; Madhavaram for saris and weaving; and Lankamala for its landscape and wildlife. Before looking for a holiday rental, consider which of these themes you want to shape your days away.

The journey from Kadapa to Gandikota is listed as 85 km and 90 minutes; travel time may vary. Use this as a guide and choose your base according to the places that matter most to you.

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