Warangal

Warangal, the erstwhile capital of the great Kakatiya Kingdom ruled during 12th- 14th century, is presently an ushering industrial and cultural centre in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. The Warangal city is credited as the fifth largest city in the state and has the historical legacy of being known as Oruguallu or Omtikonda or Ekasilanagaram mainly due to the existence of a huge hillock seems to be carved out of one stone.

It is assumed that the Prola Raja of great Kakatiya Kingdom built this beautiful town in 12th century and given the incredible status of the Capital city. The Kakatiyas who ruled more than 200 years left many grandeur monuments, architectural marvels like Warangal fort, a Shiva temple known as Swayambhu temple and many such ancient structures. Travel diaries of great traveler Marco Polo had mentions of this great city.

Warangal is basically consists of an agricultural community, cultivating rice, red chillies, cotton and tobacco. Warangal is renowned for its granite quarries, exported to many other states.

Present Warangal attracts many tourists thanks to Warangal's important history, exquisite monuments, grand temples, superb gardens, beautiful lakes, and sanctuaries with rich fauna & flora. The Main draw of tourists in the city include Warangal Fort, the 13th century star shaped Shiva temple, Bhadrakali temple and the thousand pillared temple. Wildlife Sanctuaries at Pakhal and Eturnagaram and Pakhal Lake are other tourist spots which are worth visiting. Natural beauty with magnificent man made structures leaves Warangal with an enviable spot in the tourist map of India.

History

Warangal was the capital of a Hindu Shaivaite kingdom ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty from the 12th to the 14th centuries. The old name of this newly formed city is Orugallu. Oru means one and Kallu means stone. The Ancient name was Andhra Nagaram please refer Andhra Maha Vishnu temple.
Warangal and Hanamkonda as legend goes is linked with the dynasties of Great "Vishnukundins" and even prior to it also of the Buddhist and pre_Buddhist periods of indian History.During Eighth Century A.D. , Warangal with an old name "Orukal" has served as Capital City of Yadava king of the Kakatiyas or Ganapatis making Warangal as Capital City.The name of Warangal "Orugallu" is said to be correct form of Orukal which is the original designation ,the old town.The words the middle of the Warangal fort.The Kakatiya line seems to have been in existance even earlier to the middle of 7th Century A.D.because the famous Chines Piligrim Hieun-Tsang,mentions the nameof the Kingdom of "Danakakitya" in the South.The family name Kakatiya is derived from the local appellation of the Goddess Durga(Kakati).

After the fall of Bahamani Kingdom,Warangal fell to the "Qutab Shahis" of Golkonda and thereafter it has came under the sway of Nizam's dominitions.

Thus the city of Warangal has developed both under the political and historical influences of successive great kings.

Economy

Warangal's economy is predominantly agricultural. It has a large grain market in Enumamula village close to Warangal city near Desaipet. Rice is the main crop in this region for local consumption and commerce. Cotton has also been a major cash crop since the early 1990s; however the cotton sector has been troubled in recent years, and there was a highly publicized spate of suicides by cotton farmers in 1997-1998.

Industry has been neglected in the region by successive governments. Some industries existing during the Nizam's rule, like Azam Jahi Cloth Mills, were closed down; Warangal has several small to medium scale industries.

A STPI (Software Technology Parks of India) has been set up at National Institute of Technology, Warangal with the intention of taking the benefits of the Information Technology revolution to second tier cities. Warangal makes an excellent location for this because of its proximity to Hyderabad, the student pool from some of the best institutes in the country, good transportation facilities, infrastructure, lower traffic problems, etc.