Penukonda Fort
| Penukonda Fort | |
|---|---|
| Penukonda, Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh, India | |
 Fortifications at Penukonda | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Hill fort |
| Location | |
  Penukonda Fort Location in Andhra Pradesh | |
| Coordinates | 14°05′05″N 77°35′42″E / 14.08472°N 77.59500°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 14th century |
| Built by | Vijayanagara rulers |
| Materials | Granite |
Penukonda Fort is a historic hill fortress at Penukonda in Sri Sathya Sai district (formerly part of Anantapur district), Andhra Pradesh, India. The fortified complex includes a rugged hill and an adjoining enclosure on the plain. It became the second capital of the Vijayanagara Empire after the imperial army was defeated at the Battle of Talikota in 1565.[1] The hill fort and its northern gateway are protected as a Monument of National Importance.[2]
History and significance
Penukonda was an important Vijayanagara provincial centre from the empire's early years. An inscription at the northern gate records that Bukka Raya I entrusted the province to his son Vira Virupanna Udaiyar and that the fort was built during the prince's administration.[3] Its position on a steep granite hill made it one of the empire's principal strongholds.[3]
In January 1565 the combined armies of the Deccan sultanates defeated Vijayanagara at Talikota. The capital at Vijayanagara was subsequently sacked, and Tirumala Deva Raya withdrew south with the surviving court and treasury. He established the Aravidu dynasty's capital at Penukonda and attempted to rebuild the diminished empire from there.[1] Penukonda remained the imperial capital until 1592, when the court moved to Chandragiri.[4]
Control of Penukonda later passed among several regional powers, including the Sultanate of Bijapur, Maratha chiefs, the Kingdom of Mysore and the Nizam of Hyderabad. It eventually came under British administration as part of the Ceded Districts.[3] The surviving fortifications and monuments reflect the site's long political and religious history.
Architecture and attractions
The fort occupies a steep, rocky hill rising above the town. A semicircular line of massive walls extends from the hill onto the plain and reconnects with it, enclosing part of the lower settlement; a large tank borders the southern side of this defensive line.[3] The complex used the natural terrain as part of its defences, while gateways controlled the approaches to the upper fort.
Ruined towers, pillared mandapas and fragments of carved stone survive on the hill slopes and within the lower enclosure.[3] The wider complex contains the remains of palaces, Hindu temples and mosques, showing both Vijayanagara and later Islamic architectural influence.[5]
Among the religious buildings described at Penukonda is the Sher Khan Mosque, built of dark green granite with dark mouldings and carved decoration. The early 20th-century Imperial Gazetteer of India identified it, and another mosque within the fort, as buildings converted from Hindu temples.[3] Together with the fort's gateways, walls, waterworks and hilltop views, these monuments form the principal surviving features of the site.
The Archaeological Survey of India separately lists several protected remains associated with the fort landscape: the ruined hilltop citadel, the Seethatheertham stepped well with a bull-shaped entrance, a small pavilion and ruined water tower, and a watchtower known as Rama's Bastion.[2]
See also
References
- 1 2 Eaton, Richard M. (2019). India in the Persianate Age, 1000–1765. Penguin Books. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-0-14-198539-8.
- 1 2 "Alphabetical List of Monuments – Andhra Pradesh". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Penukonda Town". The Imperial Gazetteer of India. Vol. 20. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1908. pp. 104–105. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ Asher, Catherine B.; Talbot, Cynthia (2006). India Before Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-521-00539-5.
- ↑ "Penukonda Fort: A glimpse into the regal legacy of Anantapur". Incredible India. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
External links
