CHANDRAGIRI FORT

CHANDRAGIRI FORT, ( Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh )
Chandragiri denoting the 'Hill of the Moon', is traditionally associated with Chandra the moon god who performed penance at this place for pleasing Lord Siva. It is located 14 kms. south of the famous Hindu pilgrimage centre of Tiripati - the abode of Lord Venkateshwara, popularly known as Balaji.

It has many a religious structures like temples of RajaRajeswari, Venugopala, Karthikeya, Siva and Hanuman at the entrance of the fort as guardian deity; ponds,tanks, sculptured mandapas besides a well built fortification at the summit and at the foot of the hillock.

HISTORY:
It has been erected originally by ImmadiNarasinga YadavaRaya, c. 1000 AD. With the defeat of Vijayanagara in the battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi near Talikote in 1565 AD add shifting of the capital from Hampi to Chandragiri , the place came to lime light. During the reig of VenkatapatiDeva MahaRaya of Aravidu Dynasty, the fort was streghthened and several royal edifices and temples were built.
In 1646 AD it was ruled by Sulthan of Golkonda and later gone to hands of Abdul Wahab Khan, brother of Nawab of Kurnool. Hyder Ali seiged the fort in 1782 AD and thenceforth it was ruled by Mysore Kings

STRUCTURES IN THE CITADEL:
RajaMahal and Rani Mahal are the two imposing storeyed structures fairly well preserved in the citadel. Both are raised on hig moulded plinths and have in their lay-out a series of corridors, halls and rooms with projecting window balconies decorated with stucco work and supported by heavy corbels. The super structure is of the characteristic stepped pyramidal type of south indian temples. Elevationally these bear close resemblance with the famous Lotus Mahal in the Zonana enclosure at Hampi a World Heritage Site.

MUSEUM:
Within the fort, the Archaeological Survey of India has established a site museum in the Raja Mahal for exhibiting the rich collection of stone/metal sculptures and other cultural vestiges retrieved from other historical places like Gudimallam (Chittoor Dt.), Gandikota (Cuddapah Dt. ) and Yaganti (Kurnool Dt.)

APPROACH TO CHANDRAGIRI:
Tirupati is well connected by Air (Renigunta Airport) and Train from all south Indian states. Regular government and private buses ply between Tirupati and Chandragiri.

RAJA MAHAL

RANI MAHAL

TANK