The Heritage Pride of Nizamabad

The state of Telangana is popular all over the world for many heritage structures and historic attractions, that fascinates explorers and visitors alike. Constructed in the 14th century, the Dichpally Ramalayam is one of the oldest and most popular temples in Nizamabad region.

Qilla Ramalayam

The Qilla Ramalayam (known as Raghunatha Swamy Temple or Quilla Indoor) is a temple inside a fort. The Rahstrakutas built the fort in the 10th century and Samartha Ramdas, a 17th-century poet and spiritual leader from Maharashtra, constructed the temple. It is believed that Maharshi Raghunatha Swami, a renowned sage, used to frequent the temple and meditate here on his cross-country treks. The entrance to the Qilla Ramalayam, a major landmark in Nizamabad

There is a large gate at the entrance of the fort, next to which there is a mosque and a graveyard. There is a jail inside the fort which the Asaf Jahi dynasty used for about 150 years. Many freedom fighters and revolutionaries were imprisoned here – one of the more famous ones is the Telugu poet Dasarathi Krishnamacharyulu who wrote a part of his book Na Telangana, Koti Ratnala Veena on the walls of his prison cell with pieces of charcoal.

A motorable road goes all the way to the base of the temple. From there, you have to climb a shaded stairwell that takes you up to the temple. There is another staircase to the back of the fort that takes you to the temple. Around the shrine, there are many chambers and halls, most of which are in ruins and closed for tourists. There is also a spacious kalyana mandapam (wedding hall) and a meditation hall that has a unique ventilation system which keeps it perennially cool. At the bottom of the hill, there is a Hanuman temple that is said to have been constructed in the 17th century by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the orders of Samartha Ramdas, his mentor. The local pandit mentions multiple subways from the fort temple to a neighbouring temple, the local river, the lake (Bodamma Cheruvu) next to the fort and even to the Sarangapur Temple, which is a few kilometres from here. The subways are all diligently sealed and locked, due to the proximity of the jail. The rectangular water tank has walls in eight directions to capture the prana in accordance with the rules of vaastu. The Qilla used to have a 53-feet-high dwajasthambam (pillar) that would light up the entire area underneath and enable pedestrians to walk safely after dark. It is said that earlier, it was customary for residents in the vicinity to light lanterns in their own houses only after the lamp on the pillar had been lit.

The Qilla Ramalayam lies at the heart of Nizamabad and is a landmark in itself. It provides panoramic views of the city and is popular with locals despite the dilapidated state the structure is in. Best time to visit Temple Visit the temple in the late morning hours.

Kanteshwar Temple

This ancient temple, also known as the Neela Kanteshwara Temple (literally ‘blue throat’), is dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to a legend, during the creation of the universe, the process of samudra manthan (churning of the oceans) threw up a lot of poison that would have ended up destroying the universe. To prevent this, Shiva swallowed the poison and Parvati pressed his throat to hold the poison from flowing in, which caused his neck to turn blue.

At the entrance of the temple, there is a grand gopuram which features exquisite carvings and has now been painted in white. The gateway opens into a small courtyard, at the centre of which is the main shrine. The temple is built of stone and has a towering vimana in front of which there are smaller carved spires. A few carvings on the facade of the temple are still intact. There are a few smaller shrines around the temple, including one dedicated to Hanuman, and a chariot that is used to carry the deity during festivals. A small shop within the premises sells prayer books and items used in rituals.

The temple tank of Kanteshwar is located in a complex next to the main shrine Close to the main shrine, a gate leads to a temple tank enclosed by a small garden. The reservoir is usually dry, though it might get filled during the monsoons. Along its periphery, there are many stone-carved statues of deities and warriors. There are public toilets on one end of the temple complex. It is believed that Satkarni II, a Satavahana king, constructed this temple for Jains. The temple was originally built on a hillock, though this is not evident anymore, owing to the rampant constructions in the vicinity. An artisan family from Rajasthan occasionally lives near the side entrance of the temple – you can buy colourful handcrafted statues made from plaster of Paris and even observe the process of their fabrication. Many devotees also make a stopover at the Ramalayam on the road behind Kanteshwar.

Church Of South India

The century-old church, set in a small garden, is a respite from the concrete overgrowth of the surrounding neighbourhoods. With its tall windows, red-tiled roof and whitewashed exteriors, the cathedral harks back to the architecture of the Colonial era. A plaque at the entrance of the church mentions that JC Hudson laid its foundation stone in 1903. The church is now a part of the Nizamabad Pastorate and Medak diocese. Timings 10.00am–5.00pm Mass Telugu 7.00am & 9.30am (on Sunday), 7.00am (on Wednesday); English 6.30pm (on Sunday)

Archaeological & Heritage Museum

In 2001, an enterprising district collector of Nizamabad set up an archaeological museum in the city’s Town Hall. The structure, constructed by the eighth Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan in 1936, is located inside the Tilak Garden. The museum has three sections – archaeological gallery, sculpture gallery and bronze gallery. The archaeological section has many tools and artefacts that date back to as far as 50,000 BCE. The highlight of the museum is its collection of coins – those of the Kakatiyas, Satavahanas, Qutub Shahis and Ikshvakus. Unfortunately, tourists do not have access to this heritage anymore. According to park officials, the museum has been closed since 2013 as the Town Hall is on the verge of collapse. Inquire from the tourism department regarding the state of the museum before you plan a visit. The tiny Tilak Garden is well maintained and frequented by locals, though not of much interest for tourists. The entry gate is shaped like a monster’s face, serving as a landmark to locate the garden.

Tilak Garden timings 11:00am– 9:00pm Entry ₹10

Sarangpur Hanuman Temple

he Hanuman temple complex in the village of Sarangpur is laid out along the slope of a hillock. It is believed that Samarth Ramdas, the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, installed the foundation stone of the temple. To go to the temple – 6km west of the city centre – take the SH 25 and turn left at Sarangpur village. There is a grand arch at the turning of the road.