Cultural Heritage of the Kakatiyas: A Medieval Kingdom of South India

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Celebration of the legacy of the Kakatiyas, who ruled over the area with Orugallu (Warangal) as the capital, wasn't particularly a priority in the combined State of Andhra Pradesh, like many other issues that were Telangana-centric. However, having served in Warangal district over a continuous tenure of six years from 1987 to 1993,I realised the emotional bond the people of the region, and Warangal in particular, shared with the Kakatiya heritage, not only for their valour and impressive architecture of their monuments, but more for the welfare tenets they followed in their administration, such as, constructing a series of tanks to cater to the needs of parched Deccan plateau and its people.

In this backdrop, at a time when the people of the district were being traumatised daily by the violence perpetrated by left wing extremism, we decided to create a positive ethos by arranging cultural celebrations, by organising the first ever Kakatiya festival in February, 1991. As a part of the celebrations, a seminar was also arranged which attracted many valuable papers, that deserved to be compiled and published. The proceedings of the seminar were published by INTACH under the title, "Cultural Heritage of the Kakatiyas" in 1993 under the able guidance of Prof. S. Nagabhushan Rao. During the next Kakatiya festival, another such seminar was arranged with focus on irrigation structures and technological marvels of the period. In turn, the proceedings were also published as a separate volume "Engineering and Technological Achievements during the Kakatiya Period." by the Warangal chapter of INTACH under the able guidance of Prof. M. Pandu Ranga Rao.

However, due to the limited number of copies originally printed, over the last two decades, these two valuable volumes of publication on Kakatiyas have become scarce. Therefore, it was considered appropriate to arrange for a reprint by combining both the volumes in one publication. For this purpose, Centre of Telangana of MCR HRD Institute of Telangana, has provided financial support to Kakatiya Heritage Trust which has already brought out many impressive publications on Telangana and its heritage. It is hoped that researchers, students and the heritage aficionados, in general would find the publication useful.

The rule of the Kakatiya period forms an important phase in the history of Andhradesa as well as in South India. The mighty rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty were the political successors of the Chalukyas in Andhra region. The Kakatiyas who emerged as the most powerful dynasty during 12th-14th centuries A.D. had served as feudatories to the late Chalukyas of Kalyani. It is, therefore, natural to get an overwhelming influence of Chalukyan traditions on the rule, art & architecture and sculpture of the Kakatiya period. Innumerable majestic temples were built and dedicated to Siva and Vishnu during the rule of the Kakatiyas. The first important ruler of the dynasty, Kakati Rudradeva is credited with the construction of the magnificent thousand-pillared temple at Hanamkonda, near Warangal. Ganapatideva (1199-1262 A.D)another illustrious ruler of the dynasty extended the Southern frontiers of his empire upto Kanjeevaram. The other famous rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty are Rudramadevi (1262-1289 A.D) and Prataparudra deva. (1289-1323 A.D).

Major Kakatiya temples are in and around the city of Warangal, Rudresvaralayam at Hanumakonda popularly known as Thousand pillar temple, Swayambhu Kesavalaya situated in the center of Orugallu fort, in the grand galaxy of temples situated at Palampet popularly known as Ramappa gudi, the multiple temple complex at Ghanpur, a unique Panchakuta temple at Ramanujapur, trikuta temples at Nidigonda and Kataksapur in Warangal District, Nagulapadu, Pillalamarri, Panagallu in Nalgonda District, Tripurantakam in Prakasam District and other places exhibit the grandeur of Kakatiya art and architecture. The profusely carved ceilings, lintels, gateways, glittering pillars and the sculptural decor of the temples speak volumes about the contribution of the Kakatiyas. Under the Kakatiyas, irrigation was planned and executed in a big way. The rulers and their feudatory chiefs gave thrust to the development of irrigational tanks, ponds and feeder canals. The Kakatiyas excelled in the planning, construction, maintenance, repairs and proper upkeep of water tanks. In all these things, the Kakatiyas showed great skill and brought the plateau under cultivation and the water tanks like Ramappa, Pakhal, Laknavaram, Ghanpur, Kesamudram, Dharmasagar etc., and the feeder canals indeed testify the engineering skill of the Kakatiyas. The network of tanks or the garland of tanks formed like an inverted pyramid built during the period, which till today form the basis of the irrigation system and supply of drinking water bespeak of heightened glory of the Kakatiya period. During the Kakatiya rule, engineering skills were advanced, industry, trade and commerce were prosperous. The floating bricks of Ramappa temple, the sand box technology method of construction used in the temple foundation is a puzzle even to the modern engineers.