Bhongir, an ancient Fort near Hyderabad
Bhongir Fort was the name derived from the old Bhuvanagiri Fort which was built by the estern Chalukya Ruler, Thri Bhuvana Malla Vikramaditya VI. This fort is a relatively unknown historical monument in Telangana which is lying in ruins. The hill on which the fort is situated is a very good place for trekking with steep rocks.
Bhongir fort is a relatively unknown attraction all these time but is as awesome and spectacular as some of the other forts in Hyderabad in Telangana. The hill on which the Bhongir fort is built is about 500 feet high and has about 40 acres of area.
Bhongir Fort is located in the town of Bhongir in the Nalgonda district of the state of Telangana, at about 48 kilometers away from Hyderabad. Thri Bhuvana Malla Vikramaditya VI got the Fort constructed in one monolithic rock in the 12th century. The fort was originally called as Thribhuvanagiri after the western Chalukya ruler but across the centuries, the name got changed from Bhuvanagiri to Bhongir, the present name of the fort. Construction and other details of the Bhongir fort
The Bhongir fort was considered impregnable by the armies which invaded in those days. The fort has an unique shape of an egg and has two entry points which are protected by huge boulders. There is a moat encircling the fort and the place has a huge chamber in the underground level with an armory, ponds, wells, stables with trap doors etc. you can see them when yu visit the fort even now. These things make visiting Bhongir interesting as well as fascinating for the viewers. There is a citadel located on top of the hill which gives a bird's eye view of the area at the foot of the hills. It is also alleged that just like Charminar this Bhongir fort also had an underground passage to Golconda fort but has not been proven as yet. The present condition of the Bhongir fort
Bhongir Fort could only withstand enemies till 15th century. With the emergence of the gun powder and cannons the fort was taken over by the Bahmani sultans. The Sultans tried to renovate it and gave the structure an islamic style. The local governor sat there and the Qutub shahi rulers made it a prison. The Fort had come to ruins by the 18th century and it had remained like that till now, being a mute spectator of its long but mysterious past. The walls are dirty with the scribbles, nothing is maintained.
You can find old turrets which were used for spears and arrows and the later ones for guns. The stone stairways are still strong as they were in the olden days Places to visit around the Bhongir fort
There is a Hanuman hill at the eastern side of the foot hills. Worshippers visit the shrine even now but the temple is not part of the fort.
There is a famous hill shrine Yadagirigutta, located at about 13 kilometers from Bhongir has Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy as the presiding deity.
Bhoodan Pochampally which is known for the silk and cotton sarees and the Sirendra puri temple are located nearby the town of Bhongir.How to Reach Bhongir Fort
Bhongir fort is located just bout 50 kilometers from Hyderabad. Since Hyderabad is the capital city of Hyderabad almost all the major airports are connected to its airport.
Hyderabad and Secunderabad are twin cities and they have major railway stations which connect to many of the cities in India. You can get transport buses and taxis from Hyderabad as well as Secunderabad to reach Bhongir fort.
Once you reach the fort you can climb through the available stairway or just climb and trek through the rocks. Trekking can be done for about an hour and it will be fun if you are with friends. It will be an interesting adventure for you all.
