Indian Columbus

  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...