A sunset to remember at Bhongir Fort

Historic monuments and forts hold stories that revolve around victory, wars, treasures, hidden tunnels, passages and what not. 

One such Fort lies around as far as 50 km away from the hustle and bustle of Hyderabad, Bhongir Fort. The intriguing thing is that folks believe there is an underground chamber which is long as 50 km connecting to Golconda Fort. This made me a curiosity and an obsession to visit the place. What if there is actually secret passages as in movies and treasure is hidden in all those tunnels!!! 

It was a usual lazy Saturday in mid-February. We started our ride on the bike by 3 from Uppal on that evening and reached the fort by 3.45 around. It’s around 45 km from Uppal. We went via Ghatkesar route. On the way from Uppal to Ghatkesar, we could see people selling fruits, red chillies, groundnut and many more things, which looked so fresh. It must be from their own farms. We have to cross the ORR and after that, roads are so clear and less traffic.

From main highway itself, we spotted the hill where the fort is, which resembled an egg. The fort stands on a monolithic rock. Monolithic is a geological term given to single massive stone or rock. Google sites the Bhongir as one of the largest and well-known monoliths in Asia. 

We were asked to drop our id cards while taking tickets. Ticket rate is 10 for each person. At the entrance to the fort, we can see Sardar Sarvai Papanna’s statue who was a folklore hero and once ruled the fort and gods idol.

 
 

Summer has just begun in Hyderabad. On the day, temperature was 32deg Celsius. We were thinking by the time we will reach there the sun will go down. But unfortunately the sun was still halfway up and obviously it was hot while climbing up. As already some research has been done about the place, got to know that there won’t be any shops up the hill, so packed some snacks and carried enough water in the bag. There are many shops nearby the fort. So be sure to carry water as you will be tired after reaching the top.

Timings to enter the fort is from 10 AM to 5 PM as common timings for all the monuments and historical places protected by the government. There were not many people, only 2 or 3 student gangs and some lonely travellers. 

The history of the fort dates back to 10th century, which the structure was built up by the Chalukya ruler, Tribhuvanamalla Vikramaditya VI. It has also witnessed the reign of queen Rudramadevi and her grandson Prataparudra II.

The entire fort area is spread up over 50 acres. I wanted to count the steps up to the top, but taking breaks in between, enjoying the scenic beauty around, lost count many times. After climbing some 343 steps, as the hill is not that steep, it’s plain rock surface and then steps again. 

 

We could see goats there which were grazing around the small wells which were built for maybe rainwater harvesting in those days. These wells were there up to the top which was constructed in such a way that when the topmost well gets filled, the water will overflow, and reaches the second well and so on.

The second part of the step was little steep ones which we counted around 260 apart from counting the ruined ones. Climbing was little tiring. They have provided railing also, to keep a hold.

As we moved up the fort, we started seeing the entire Bhongir town. Bhongir is the District Headquarter of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, of Telangana state. And finally reaching the top it’s a beautiful view of the Bhongir town on one side.

     

It was hot around the place although the sun was getting ready to settle down. Hence we sat in the shade of fort, feeling the breeze for sometime viewing the Bhongir railway station, and few houses encircling the place, the highway and the paddy fields. We kept the camera ready to capture the incoming train. 

      

Out of tiredness of trekking up the hill, we started eating the snacks, and present habitants of the fort, squirrels and ants started encircling us for their share.

 

Time passed by as we started drifting around the ruined fort and clicking pictures. we didn’t notice the people who were there already left.

  

When we were descending down, the goats were climbing up. Are they also the habitants of fort?? 

 

The sun was declining down. We got a beautiful view of the setting sun. 

     

Still at that time, some people were aiming towards the fort, maybe the local people or those who are in the duty of the microwave repeater station kept by the railway division. We thought it will be beautiful if we stay one day up there. 

 

It was getting dark. So we had to climb down half-heartedly. we stopped many times to view the magnificent colours of the sky.

 

    

By the time we reached back the gate, it was 06.30 PM. The ticket counter was closed. I got little worried because our id card was with them and I was the one who forced him to stay a little more time. But fortunately a person came and told us id card is kept in a nearby shop, you can go and collect from them. And that dilemma was solved. 

     

Viewing the landscape and the countryside beauty we forgot to explore inside the ruined fort, which we realized after reaching home. People do climb to the top of fort also which we missed. 

Definitely will be going again and explore more next time mostly during the rains.