Last 2 years I am planned to visit Gandikota several times. But I am not able to make it. Finally, last month also I tried to visit Gandikota with our local guides meetups. I got approval also. But in the last day, some participants have not confirmed their presence. I am also personally not able to confirm with them. If it is a home town meetup, there is no worry, I can able to manage it. But Gandikota Situated in Kadappa District, Andhra Pradesh.
From Chennai to Gandikota distance will be around 380k.m. Finally, I cancel that trip. After canceling the approved photo walk trip, I personally decided to visit Gandikota with my friends. This time my daughter and other 2 friends also joined in the trip.
On the Day 3rd January evening around 8 p.m., we started our journey in my car. Team participants are Arun, Srinivas, Bhaskar, and Aadarshini. Around 9.20 p.m. we reached Thiruvallur. There we have taken our dinner in Akshaya Bhavan Hotel. The taste of the food is also good.
Again we continued our journey around 10.00 p.m. I Drive the car next three and a half an hour via Renigunta, Koduru, and Rajampet. From Koduru to Rajampet Highway road is a lot of damage pitches and also time nearing 02.00 a.m. So we decided to take a room for comfortable Sleep. In Rajampet we booked an A/C room, shortly we fell asleep.
On 4th January, Saturday morning around 7 o clock we waked up, after refreshment, we check out the room around 8 I clock. Next, we searched a nearby vegetarian restaurant for a walk from the hotel. Finally, we found Vajram vegetarian hotel nearby Bus terminal. There we finished our breakfast with good ginger tea. The food taste is also good.
Then we are continued our journey to Vontimitta. Vontimitta is famous for its 700 years old Kodhanda Rama Swamy temple.
When we are visiting the temple, devotees are stopped entry for Morning Naivedyam pooja.
Devotees are advised to sit in the Ranganayaga mandabam. After a long wait again devotees are permitted to visit Lord Kodhanda Rama Swamy. Here Ram, Sita, and Lakshman are blessing us.
This old temple having beautiful sculptures in each and every pillar. The Main door itself having marvelous micro-engraved work. The Doors and it’s sculptured are so beautiful to look. This temple architecture is in the Dravidian style.
After finishing the temple visit we continued the journey, our next stopover is near Jammalamadugu at Sujatha restaurant for lunch. There we finished a tasty lunch.
Then we continued our journey towards Gandikota. Around 3.45 p.m. we reached Gandikota.
First, we visited Harita resorts, there we finished refreshments, then we traveled to Gandikota fort. The look of the fort is very beautiful.
We entered into the Fort, there signboard showing the important visiting place details.
Directly we went to Madhavaraya temple.
It is a Vishnu temple, There are no statues of the main God Vishnu, so there’s no daily poojas or worship here. This temple is the pride symbol of the Vijayanagara dynasty. All the pillars of the main mandapam are decorated with micro-carving sculptures.
After visiting Madhavaraya temple we went to visit Granary and masjid.
Thereafter we went to visit the Pennar river valley viewpoint.
There we have seen the stunning look of River Valley viewpoint. There we hiked the central point of the Cliff. There we enjoyed the beauty of the sunset. We came down from the top of the cliff before the dark.
After that, we made a phone call to our Tent accommodation provider Mr.Guru. He told us to come to the front entrance of the fort.
After 5 minutes we went front entrance, there we met Guru. Guru took us to another cliff edge. There we saw plenty of tents. In that, we are taken 2 tents. Thereafter for refreshment, we went to Harita resorts. After refreshments, we return to our tent.
Around 8.15 p.m. we went for dinner there. Food tastes also good. Finally, around 10.00 p.m. camp Fire was ignited. We played songs, dance and enjoyed very well. Totally the day was spent happily ever after.