THE HISTORICAL VEMULAKONDA

THE HITORICAL VEMULAKONDA
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

Vemulakonda is a small village now and is located at 13.1 KM from Valikonda,a small town and Mandal Head Quarters in Nalgonda district in AP State. Valikonda is located on the road connecting Bhongir and Chityal another important place in Nalgonda district. Valikonda is at a distance of 30 Km from Bhongir. Bhongir is at a distance of 43 KM from Hyderabad.Chityal is located on National Highway connecting Hyderabad and Vijaywada. Valikonda also can be reached from Hyderabad along the above national highway by travelling up to Chautuppal that is at a distance of 51 KM from Hyderabad and then taking a diversion to Valikonda that is at a distance of 18 KN from Chautuppal. Vemulakonda isa distance of 13.1 KM from Valikonda

Vemulakonda is famous for its Matsya Narsimha swamy temple that is located on top of a great Granite hill that is called Vemulakonda. The temple is very ancient and at temple office on the hill sthalapuranam is not available. The Pujaris claim that it is very ancient. Vemulakonda is also famous as a place of historical importance as one of the important forts of Sarvai Papanna who ruled Telangana defying Mughal subedars of Mughal emperors during the end of 1 8 century. Sarvai Papanna was contemporary of Aurangzeab and flourished during the last years of Aurangzebs reign. He defied Bahadur shah I the Mughal emperor at Delhi who became emperor after Aurangzeb's death in 1707. Papanna conquered vast areas in Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Warangal and Nizamabad areas and built forts at Shah Puram ( Jangaon), Cherial, Tatikonda, Sarvai Peta, Husnabad and , Vemulakonda. He conquered Bhongir, Warangal and even Golconda forts. He was a popular ruler and cared for poor. He rose from the family of a Toddy Tapper to be the ruler of larger province in Telangana when all Hindu kingdoms were conquered by Muslims. He was a night mare to Mughal army in Deccan. He defeated Fauzdar of kolanupaka near Bhongir and killed some of the Mughal commanders. All good things finally come to an end. Papanna was betrayed by some of his followers while he was asleep and he committed suicide to avoid capture and insult and humiliation.His enemies claim that he was captured nad his head was cut off and hung to the fort gate. His forts most of which are now in bad state stand testimony to his valor and memory.

Vemulakonda is a very large Granite Hill looking a like an inverted cup and next to it there are two very large Hills very closely located. This hill is about 600 ft high. From a distance the side hills appear to be huge cones with Vemulakonda located in between. The hill is impregnable and can not be scaled from three sides. The slopes are almost vertical and smooth and can not be scaled by any means . However on the fourth side, the hill has a difficult approach and at present a road is being laid to the top of the hill. The dusty track from the village at the bottom of the hill is being repaired and the site is full of bushes and boulders that have been kept to the side. However vehicles can go slowly over it. Once the dusty track ends an asphalt road is available that has been built to go over to the hill. The road is well laid and vehicles can ply. However the road ends before reaching top of the hill as the final stage is under construction. This final stage is almost two hundred yards long and very steep and a side of the granite hill is being dug to make way for the curved road. At present one has to walk over to the top during thus final stage.
On can find the old fort walls, damaged bastions, dilapilated entrance with flight of steps and series of rough fort granite walls at vulnerable points. Most of the slopes are not scalable. Most of the high walls have collapsed over a period of time. The top of the mountain is nearly flat with granite stones spread every where.Plenty of breeze and gusty winds blow over the hill. An old ancient temple is located on one side over the hill facing North. There is no idol in this Stone temple. The temple appears to be a Vishnu temple as images of Garuda and Hanuman facing each other are carved at the entrance pillars. The temple is built by chiseled stone beams and there are no fine carvings in the temple on pillars or beams. It is in neglected state. One of the ancient structure is a strong room built with chiselled stone beams and is now being used by a vendor and Temple administration. Apart from these two there is no ancient worthwhile construction on the hill. The Matsya Narsimha Swamy temple is built on the hill near the Koneru ( pond) that is always full of water. The temple is of simple construction and images of Matsya Narsimha swamya re worshipped. The temple is under Endowments dept of AP state govt and regular pooja is performed. Temple committee is available and is notified. Lot of mprovemnet is required to be done at temple building various facilities for visitors. The koneru ( gundam) has fish that are believed to have marking on the fore head similar to Narsimha. Swamy. The gundam water is considered very pious and is believed to have magical powers to cure ailments.. Fort walls are not visible from top of the mountains and they can be seen only when one is at the approach road. Fort walls exist over the mountain at most of the places around the granite hill , but these are much deteriorated due to negligence.Some of the forts wallas can be seen while approaching the hill froma distance.
It is believed that Sarvai Papanna used to take rest at this fort in the stone shelter now available particularly at nights as this fort was impregnable and invincible to the enemy. Vemulakonda Fort needs preservation of whatever is left for posterity and the temple is required to be developed to attract more visitors that can bring in revenue. More research is required to be done on the fort and temple.The satue of Saravi Papanna is required to be erected at the fort entrance to commemmorate his memory.

Dr K Prabhakar Rao