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Yogi Rama Swamy Temple of Penukonda: A Forgotten Gem of Vijayanagara Legacy

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Located within the fortified landscape of Penukonda, a historic town that once served as a capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, stands the lesser-known yet striking Yogi Rama Swamy Temple . Often overshadowed by its neighbor, the Kasi Viswanatha Temple, this shrine deserves equal recognition for its architectural grace, sculptural wealth, and devotional ambiance. The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 1500s, during the zenith of Vijayanagara rule. In fact, it is located so close to the Kasi Viswanatha shrine that both can be viewed as twin temples , possibly built as part of the same sacred precinct or royal complex. Yogi Rama Swamy Temple of Penukonda Architectural Highlights The entrance to the Yogi Rama Swamy Temple is simple, marked by a mukhya dwara , a main gateway that intriguingly lacks a gopuram. This has led some to speculate that a gopuram was originally planned but never completed. Despite the absence of a tower, the gateway itself holds artistic surprises...
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Kasi Vishveswara Swami Temple of Penukonda: A Living Gallery of Stone

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Tucked against the rugged green slopes of Penukonda hills, the Kasi Vishveswara Swami Temple stands as a stunning showcase of Vijayanagara-era craftsmanship. Though modest in scale compared to imperial temples of Hampi, this shrine captivates through its densely packed sculptural narrative that sprawls across the outer and inner prakara walls. Penukonda Viswanatha Temple Architectural Grandeur The temple follows a typical Dravidian layout with a sanctum (garbhagriha), ardha-mandapa, and a spacious circumambulatory path encased within two prakaras. What makes it architecturally striking is the superb adhisthana (base moulding) and bhitti (wall surface) work. The prakara walls are divided into repeating bays defined by slender kumbha panjaras , which not only provide rhythm to the façade but also act as narrative panels. The adhisthana is richly moulded with sequences of yali friezes, floral scrolls, and animal processions, setting the stage for the story-filled bhitti above. Penukond...
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Location: Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh 515110, India
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The Forgotten Hill Temple of Penukonda

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Penukonda, a name that evokes echoes of the Vijayanagara empire. Once a flourishing capital, it still cradles the remnants of its regal past, fort walls that rise and fall with the contours of the hill, gopurams that once touched the sky, mandapas that whispered chants, and stepwells that quenched both thirst and spirit. Penukonda Narasimha Swami Tempe A winding road inside the fort takes one toward a lesser-known but expansive temple complex perched high on a hill, the Narasimha Swami Temple. Though the deity’s sanctum remains silent today, the ruins carry a profound voice of their own. As one ascends the curvy path through gateways, hairpin bends, and dusty tracks, one is greeted by fragments of fortifications that once stood watch. A solitary gateway marks the entrance to a small plateau, and from there, the temple’s grand ambition unfolds. Penukonda Narasimha Swami Tempe The complex sprawls generously, a massive gopuram, several mandapas, a mukha-mandapa, and a stepped well (Kal...
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Location: Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh 515110, India
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Jamia Masjid, Penukonda

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Penukonda, once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire after the fall of Hampi, is a treasure trove of architectural surprises and forgotten heritage. Amid its temples, forts, and water tanks, stands the Jamia Masjid . From a distance, the building may resemble a typical Vijayanagara-period mandapa. Indeed, it originally was. A classic hall with sturdy pillars, a simple sloping roof, and yalis (mythical lions) at the base, this mandapa was most likely part of a Shiva temple that stood within the Penukonda fort precincts. Today, that very mandapa serves as the front façade of the Jamia Masjid . An inscription found within the mosque clearly dates the mosque to 1668 CE , built by Abdul Hassan during the reign of Ali Adil Shah II of the Bijapur Sultanate .  Architecturally, the Jamia Masjid bears close resemblance to other Bijapuri mosques . Happy travelling.
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Location: Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh 515110, India
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Pala Venkatramana Swamy Gopuram and Water Tanks at Penukonda

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Pala Venkatramana Swamy Gopuram and the Silent Tank of Penukonda Remnants of a Temple Town’s Golden Past Penukonda, once the second capital of the mighty Vijayanagara Empire, is a layered palimpsest of history, faith, and forgotten glory. Amidst its crumbling ramparts and scattered shrines, two starkly contrasting yet equally evocative structures stand out,  a towering 4-tiered gopuram , the last surviving witness of the Pala Venkatramana Swamy Temple , and the massive granite water tank  that served the town's sacred and secular needs. The Tower Without a Temple The gopuram, built in the characteristic Vijayanagara style , rises elegantly with its four diminishing tiers, each defined by ornate pilasters, miniature shrines, and decorative moldings. Though the temple it once crowned no longer survives, the gopuram remains stoic its weathered stucco work and granitic base telling tales of devotional fervor and royal, patronage. This imposing gateway structure likely dates ba...
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Location: Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh 515110, India
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Thimmarasu’s Prison – A Silent Witness in Penukonda Fort

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Penukonda Fort – An Overlooked Chapter of Vijayanagara Splendour After the catastrophic fall of Hampi in 1565 CE following the Battle of Talikota, the glorious Vijayanagara Empire reeled under crisis. Amidst the ashes of destruction, the empire attempted to revive itself, choosing Penukonda , a strategically located town in present-day Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh, as its temporary capital. Penukonda Fort , sprawling across the Penukonda hill, became the epicentre of this renewed assertion of power. With multiple layers of fortification, secret water tanks, watch towers, temples, and a rich blend of architectural styles, it remains a lesser-visited gem. Among its many hidden structures is a humble, almost unassuming building tied to one of the most tragic episodes in Vijayanagara history, the imprisonment of Timmarusu . Who Was Timmarusu? Mahapratihara Timmarusu was the trusted minister and mentor of Krishnadevaraya , one of the most celebrated emperors of South India...
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Location: Penukonda Fort, Andhra Pradesh 515110, India
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Mahakali Cave Temple at Penukonda – A Hidden Shrine Inside the Fort

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  Penukonda is known as the second capital of the Vijayanagara Empire after the fall of Hampi. But tucked beyond its fort walls and palace ruins lies a lesser-known sacred space, a   Mahakali cave temple , nestled within natural boulders and reverently maintained by devotees. There isn't a grand mandapa or a multi-tiered tower. Instead, it's a shrine where  nature itself becomes the garbhagriha , where hills cradle the Divine Mother, and where silence reigns over any architectural elaboration. Penukonda Fort Maha Kali Cave Temple The Trail to Kali – Through Boulders, Painted Stones, and Wild Paths The journey to the Mahakali temple begins inside the fort's inner landscape, where the terrain transforms into rolling hillocks and scattered greenery. A short but uneven trek begins with large stone steps shaded by trees. Along the way, one encounters painted rock markings, some arrow signs, others with simple folk figures. These guide you across the rocky trail. One striking f...
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Location: Penukonda Fort, Andhra Pradesh 515110, India
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