JOIN USGandikota: The Grand Canyon of India
We love road trips. This time around, we picked Gandikota, a small historic village in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Gandikota was the home of Kamma kings, one of the influential Telugu dynasties that ruled for over 300 years. A fort secured and beset by quirky natural valleys and boulders, and the splendid scenic beauty of the place were the reasons we picked Gandikota for our road trip. Situated at a distance of 280 km from Bangalore, it is a place most people have not heard of.
At Gandikota, our first visit was to the iconic ruins including the fort, Madhavaraya Swamy Temple, Jamia Masjid, granary, Ranganatha Swamy Temple, old jail, and kalyani. Though all these places were worth seeing, it was sad to note that maintenance was lacking. This could be the prime reason why the tourist turnover is very less. We hope rejuvenating efforts are under progress, making it an interesting tourist hub.
Our next move was to Gorge viewpoint, which can very well be called The Grand Canyon of India. The view from there was simply stunning. The weather was also extremely pleasant, adding to the fun of the trip. We went photo-crazy and clicked many pictures. By then, it was evening, time to head back. Though the journey seemed tiresome, we were glad we visited the place. The picturesque scenery on the road, the many monuments we saw, the spicy food we had... Gandikota was indeed special.