Have you heard or read about thousand pillar temple? It is an ancient Hindu temple also known as the Rudreshwara Swamy temple that reflects the architectural brilliance of the Kakatiya rulers. If you want to know and learn about the rich heritage of India, make sure that you visit the thousand pillar temple located at Hanamkonda near Warangal at a distance of 150 km from the Hyderabad city. Many temples were built under the backing of the Kakatiya Dynasty rulers such as Rudrama Devi, Ganapathi Deva and Prataparudra. The thousand pillar temple was believed to be built during the period between 1175–1324 CE by the Kakatiya great Rudra Deva which depicts the Chalukya style of architecture. The temple is a masterpiece of Vishwakarma sthapathis of Kakatiya kingdom.
In Telugu, this famous temple is locally called as Veyyi stambala Gudi which literally means 1000 pillar temple. It has presided with three deities Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Surya Dev. Here, the interesting feature is Lord Surya Dev is worshiped as the third deity but not the Lord Brahma, who is one of the trinity (Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma). Each presiding deity has three different shrines called as Trikutalayam. The shrine of Lord Shiva faces East and other two shrines face South and West. The shrines of Lords Vishnu and Surya are connected via a square mandapam to the main shrine of Lord Shiva. Of the total 1000 pillars, the main shrine of the temple is held by 400 pillars.
This architectural splendor, built on the slopes on Hanamkonda hill depicts a star-shaped structure at the base that embodies the expertise of craftsman of the Chalukyan period. As the name of the temple suggests, the temple is supported by the richly carved out pillars which are in perfect symmetry and style. The beautiful sculptures, screens and intricate carvings that decorate the walls of the temple add to the structure’s magnificence. A 6-feet huge monolith Nandi (divine vehicle of Lord Shiva), carved out of a single stone, made of black basalt that is finely polished and faces East direction is also found in the temple. Surely, you will get mesmerized and intrigued after a visit to this temple due to its structural beauty and historical significance.
During the invasions of Deccan, the temple was desecrated by a Muslim dynasty of Turkic origin, the Tughlaq dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate in medieval India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad, on the other hand, donated 1 lakh rupees towards this temple. A unique technique called sandbox technique is used to construct this temple which gives it a strong foundation. In 2004, the Government of India took the responsibility of renovating this temple and is now managed by Archaeological Survey of India. It is added to the tentative list of World Heritage sites besides Ramappa Temple, Warangal Fort and Kakatiya Kala Thoranam.
Thousand pillar temple is one of the most popular pilgrimage centers in Warangal that is visited by thousands of devotees every day from all faith to pay their homage and get a glimpse of this excellent construction. Beautifully carved elephant sculptures greet you at the entrance. The doorways, ceilings and the external walls of the temple are finely carved which are very attractive to watch. The temple is surrounded by a well maintained lush green garden and also you can find small Shiva lingas in the garden. The festivals celebrated at this temple are Maha Shivratri, Ugadi, Ganesh Chathurthi, Nagula Chavithi, Karthika Pournami, Bonalu and Bathukamma. Thousand pillar temple timings are from morning 5 AM to evening 8 PM and is open to the visitors on all days of the week.
The thousand pillar temple is well connected by the road from the Hyderabad city which is just a 3 hours journey. The Hanamkonda bus stop is just 1.5 km from the temple. Warangal railway station is the nearest railway station that is 6 km away from the temple. The Haritha Kakatiya Hotel in Warangal offers quality accommodation to the visitors. You may even find other budget and deluxe hotels nearby. Definitely, do not miss this temple when you visit Warangal for the next time. Another attraction in the Warangal city which is 7.2 km away from the thousand pillar temple is the splendor of the Kakatiya Dynasty – Warangal Fort.
Thousand Pillar Temple from Hyderabad:
